Tracker Software

Static Strobe Emitter

FamiTracker
http://user.tninet.se/~zxy965r/ft/
For creating music using the 2A03 Sound Chip [emulated],
the Nintendo 8bit Sound hardware. also exports to NSF
for being played on real hardware.
Difficulty: Average/Experienced

GoatTracker
http://cadaver.homeftp.net/tools.htm
Creating music with the very popular SID Chip [emulated],
Difficulty: Experienced.

MilkyTracker
http://www.milkytracker.net
new FastTracker II Compatible clone for windows.
Difficulty: Everybody.

Boy Scout
http://www.pidelipom.com/boyscout/
Creating music for the Gameboy soundchip, [emulated]
Difficulty: Experienced.

> Moderators and Editors are free too extend this list until it bursts. <

edit- Cool thanks Strobe Smile

Here's my 2 cents; (and I'll make the window sticky Very Happy

)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trackers

[the following cut/pasted from post below by JKN -- mosc]

- it's got quite a good list. (but no OS9/X- booooo!- but there is one for Palm- hooray!)

http://buzzmachines.com/
Powerful, with lots of extensions. Has it's own plugin architecture--"buzz machines", but through one of these machines, it can support VST as well. No longer supported, only developed through aditional plugins.

http://www.buzzle.de
A replacement for Buzz, just getting off the ground, but it improves the user interface of buzz, while maintaining it's useful (& efficient!) machines, while adding native VST support. I like the way it looks, and as a newbie to tracking, it's visual aids (like colorizing & showing a "rainbow" that connects the moudlar interface to tracks) makes things quick to learn.

There's other buzz clones, but I like the progress of buzzle the most.

seraph · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 1:27 am Post subject:

you guys will have to explain to me what is the advantage of using a tracker versus a sequencer because I don't get it, maybe I am simply too old for this **** Wink

Kassen · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:17 am Post subject:

Seraph, you should try to once see a tracker being used by a expert. It's a awe-inspirering sight. Because of the amount of keyboard hotkeys used the input process can get realy efficient, much faster then realtime, often.

Strobe, inspirered by your posts (and the nice texts on the milky site!) I thought I'd give this another go. I'm kinda doubting between Renoise and Milky at the moment.

Renoise; has MIDI and VST as well as seperate audio ouptuts for tracks (after upgrade)
Milky; Strobe says it's easy to get into.
Cheese tracker or Soundtracker; came with Demudi Linux, meaning I'd have a seperate pc for them next to Live. looks like no Jack support though.

What should I do, oh wise one?

opg · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:37 am Post subject:

I hadn't seen Boy Scout before. Thanks for the link!

Static Strobe Emitter · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:41 am Post subject: Cheers!

Kassen: The main reason for using Milkytracker is for total XM support.
it does NOT have VST or other effect support, it is an Tracker only
without the new fancy stuff, which itself is a charm! (if you ask me!)

I may post a tracker in action if it is wanted by any of you ;D
i could demonstrate how to start with a chip tunie.

opq: Have only made one tune with boy scout,
it was a bit hard to get used too, and is a bit limited =X
but so is the real gameboy ;D

v-un-v · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:43 am Post subject:

v-un-v · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:46 am Post subject:

I should also point out that the majority of tracker programs are a LOT cheaper than the heavyweights!!

Static Strobe Emitter · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:47 am Post subject: A lesson!

Here is a small XM sample of creating a breakbeat of sliced drumsamples.
this was made alot faster and is more fun to create in a tracker ;D

you will however need a tracker that reads XM to view how it was made.

breaker_beat.xm

Description:

Breakbeat Lesson 1 on a tracker

Download (listen)

Filename:

breaker_beat.xm

Filesize:

57.34 KB

Downloaded:

756 Time(s)

Static Strobe Emitter · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:54 am Post subject: Hey

Seraph, also a reason for using trackers could be the old-chip compatibility. I have not seen a sequencer yet that is able to
save music to played on other platforms, such as NES, Vic64, C64,
SNES, or GameBoy.... =D

Its extremely fun creating music for these old little bastards!

Kassen · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:21 am Post subject: Re: Cheers!

v-un-v · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:21 am Post subject:

I should point out that the milkytracker also works on OS X and can be downloaded here;

http://www.dontcrack.com/freeware/downloads.php/id/3765/software/Milky-Tracker/#

Static Strobe Emitter · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:27 am Post subject: Naah...

Kassen: Okey, im gonna put it like this.
Milkytracker is not that easy to be used, especially if one is
used to Sequencers for 10 years. however, its ALOT easier
to start with and understand how a tracker works than
other trackers =o

I myself had some hardtime understanding how GoatTracker worked,
and then ive been tracking for many....many years Very Happy

Kassen · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:29 am Post subject:

Kassen · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:34 am Post subject: Re: Naah...

seraph · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:35 am Post subject:

seraph · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:38 am Post subject:

Static Strobe Emitter · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:40 am Post subject:

Back in the old days of the amiga ive used to create own sound programs
to make waves (later used in trackers), sigh =(....however that was with direct hardware programming....and as that is almost IMPOSSIBLE TODAY i gave up the idea when moving on to PC :/

Kassen · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 8:06 am Post subject:

seraph · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 8:12 am Post subject:

Kassen · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 8:22 am Post subject:

No, of cource not, but for the partiture they *are* the audience since they have to play it.

You see, they have no eyes either so to them it won't matter how nice your formal notation looks either.

This is not just a side-track either. In old games the tracker files, including all samples, would be embedded in games or demos, they'd become part of a program so it made sense to make them as easy to read to the computer as possible since that would save precious space and time.

blue hell · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 8:57 am Post subject:

v-un-v · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 5:38 pm Post subject:

jksuperstar · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:22 pm Post subject:

A few more links with my own notes: (you can cut & paste above if necessary, and delete this post)

http://buzzmachines.com/
Powerful, with lots of extensions. Has it's own plugin architecture--"buzz machines", but through one of these machines, it can support VST as well. No longer supported, only developed through aditional plugins.

http://www.buzzle.de
A replacement for Buzz, just getting off the ground, but it improves the user interface of buzz, while maintaining it's useful (& efficient!) machines, while adding native VST support. I like the way it looks, and as a newbie to tracking, it's visual aids (like colorizing & showing a "rainbow" that connects the moudlar interface to tracks) makes things quick to learn.

There's other buzz clones, but I like the progress of buzzle the most.

FLechdrop · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 9:46 am Post subject:

http://www.modplug.com

This tracker has a rather more Windows-like style, which makes it somewhat easier for me to get the hang of things.

v-un-v · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 2:16 pm Post subject:

Yeah- modplug- a wicked tracker (listen to some Frederick Schikowski sometime- well I think he uses modplug- or at least an old friend who I haven't seen for ages said he did- there I'm covering my back!! Wink

)

- then again if he doesn't use modplug, then i'll have to recline that statement Embarassed

hehe