[RELEASE] RASTER Music Tracker, v1.34.00

[VinsCool]

2 hours ago, DerpDerp3001 said:

What does command 6 do? I've set the instrument's distortion to 6 and messed around, but there was no difference in sound.

It does a few different things, depending on where and when it is used.

I know the manual is (once again) outdated since the last time I tried to make some sense out of it, but here's what things behave in version 1.34.00:

 

- While AUTOFILTER is active, enabling the CMD 6 allows the Modulation of the waveform that is output in Channel 1 and 2.

Unlike the old RMT 1.28 driver behaviour, the change I made to it became "absolute" in a way, because the initial offset where notes play is at $00, and is no longer additive, like it used to be.

The trade off for this implementation is a greater level of precision in the Pulse wave that is output, at the cost of being incompatible with older modules, unless they are updated to accommodate this change.

 

- While using Distortion 6 in Channel 2 or 4, the output is set to Automatic 16-bit mode, and the actual 16-bit table and Distortion could then be set with the CMD 6 value.

That allows the creation of pretty complex sounds with careful commands sequences. I have included a module called "Another Dumb Experiment" in the released version that demonstrated how I used that feature.

 

- There is also a 3rd trick for the CMD 6, which was simply setting the "Sawtooth" waveform direction when it is used.

Unfortunately, the Sawtooth tones themselves are broken due to the fact I have not yet figured out how to actually update my tuning calculations code to efficiently generate these tables again.

So in practice, this one doesn't matter for the time being.

 

- Finally, if the CMD 6 is used in any situation that isn't mentioned above, the command will effectively do nothing at all.

[DerpDerp3001]

Okay thanks, now time to go back to making a serialist song.

[DerpDerp3001]

Could you please tell me what I have done wrong?

1. I have first tried fumbling with the command value and only was able to play the 8 default distortions.

2. I attempted to imitate what you did by typing a frequency in channel 3 but it didn't do anything.

I don't know what I am doing (this is a cry for help (How do I tell people that I am serious)).rmt

Edited December 19, 2022 by DerpDerp3001

[DerpDerp3001]

4 hours ago, VinsCool said:

- While using Distortion 6 in Channel 2 or 4, the output is set to Automatic 16-bit mode, and the actual 16-bit table and Distortion could then be set with the CMD 6 value.

What do you mean by using the 16 bit table and distortion?

[_The Doctor__]

Perhaps one can read and look at previous RMT and current RMT docs and threads? Just saying.

[DerpDerp3001]

?

[Bryan]

I've been looking over the topic and I have a quick question. I discovered a while back that you could get a triangle by letting 2 square waves beat out of phase. Basically, the output would shift between 2 voltages:

While in phase, and for sufficiently high oscillator frequencies, you would get the true average of (max+min)/2.

While out of phase, you would get the electrical average based on the resistor output network in Pokey, resulting a slightly different value.

 

This makes the output shift back and forth creating a triangle, but a very quiet one. To make matters worse, I don't think it produced the same output level in every Pokey. I experimented with different volume levels and adding extra channels to it, but haven't looked at it in some time. Has another method to generate triangles been discovered yet?

[VinsCool]

On 2/14/2023 at 12:04 PM, Bryan said:

I've been looking over the topic and I have a quick question. I discovered a while back that you could get a triangle by letting 2 square waves beat out of phase. Basically, the output would shift between 2 voltages:

While in phase, and for sufficiently high oscillator frequencies, you would get the true average of (max+min)/2.

While out of phase, you would get the electrical average based on the resistor output network in Pokey, resulting a slightly different value.

 

This makes the output shift back and forth creating a triangle, but a very quiet one. To make matters worse, I don't think it produced the same output level in every Pokey. I experimented with different volume levels and adding extra channels to it, but haven't looked at it in some time. Has another method to generate triangles been discovered yet?

There is also the Volume Only output that could make Triangle waveforms very easily, although it would be made of steps similar to the NES 2A03 Triangle waveform, due to being a 4-bit sample in practice.

 

Interestingly, the method to generate Triangle you mentioned is also the exact same one used to generate the Sawtooth waveform, the only difference is that the same Frequencies used will be exactly 1 octave higher, and only the Channel 1 will be needed for volume output, which will also require the use of High Pass Filter between CH1 and CH3 in the process.

 

That reminds me, the current method used to generate the tables from calculations is still missing in the most recent RMT revision, so if you wanted to use Triangle/Sawtooth and noticed the notes were wrong, that is the reason why.

That will be fixed... someday, it's not something that was used by anyone other than myself, so not a priority for now.

 

[_The Doctor__]

Don't let the somedays pileup or they'll become nodays

[VinsCool]

1 hour ago, _The Doctor__ said:

Don't let the somedays pileup or they'll become nodays

No way, if I have an idea in mind, I always take unnecessary measures just to prove a point.

Someday... eventually become eureka day with enough efforts and just the right amount of coffee

 

A lot is in the work still, but I do my best to find free time to work on the project, because it is a lot of fun, regardless of how hard things may be on the long run

 

[DerpDerp3001]

On 12/19/2022 at 5:30 PM, _The Doctor__ said:

Perhaps one can read and look at previous RMT and current RMT docs and threads? Just saying.

Where are the RMT documents and threads? I am new here and do not have time to search myself.

[+Stephen]

2 hours ago, DerpDerp3001 said:

I am new here and do not have time to search myself.

That's not a good attitude to come in with and expect others to help you.  Saying this gently because you are new.

[VinsCool]

I hate to break everything (especially when I know I am good at that) but pretty much all the documentation included with RMT in the Github repository is either very much outdated, or missing a lot of informations.

I have no idea how to get started with updating everything accordingly, knowing how I am TERRIBLE at explaining technical details, and the fact I've fucked up pretty much everything related to RMT's standard.

 

That said, I don't even know if there used to be a thread related to RMT releases and all the things that could be done using it, so any lead in the right direction would be appreciated.

[_The Doctor__]

http://raster.infos.cz/atari/rmt/rmt.htm

this is the underpinnings to whatever comes after, and then you must follow the vinscool threads for each stage and set of changes made. finally you have to branch out to the rmt to lzss threads and follow along on those as well.

https://github.com/VinsCool/RASTER-Music-Tracker

in addition to this you need to pay attention to the last set of pokey engines and dll's that are being used.

also peruse the beyond RMT threads.

 

grabbing the information, link sites etc. as you move through it all.

 

after you have some understanding and try to make a go of it, you will more than likely have to ask each person involved directed questions about whatever is perplexing to you

Edited March 8, 2023 by _The Doctor__

[VinsCool]

WAV Exports are finally a thing!

Sadly it doesn't work with the Altirra plugin... I think there was some additional soundbuffer hijack involved with it.

I wasted several hours tracking down what went wrong until I tested the older sa_pokey emulation with some tweaks to get them compatible again, but hey, it does work for the bare minimum that was done here

 

 The whole thing is still heavily being worked on, thank you for your patience 😸

https://github.com/VinsCool/RASTER-Music-Tracker/commit/5aeebd61219573282d28f49d915262342c9f5fe6
https://github.com/VinsCool/rmt-sa-libs/commit/8786f5441c13522b8cb35bf31c4ad5a32167d9e3

 

Here's some test builds for 32-bit and 64-bit, the sound emulation is poop but it is functional for the WAV dumper tests.

It's also surprisingly fast at that!

rmt134test-march-11th-2023-64bit.ziprmt134test-march-11th-2023-32bit.zip

[Heaven/TQA]

any chance for a new built?

ah and I would very much appreciate a cover of Hippel's Enchanted Land title music.... can listen to it for hours...

Edited July 17, 2023 by Heaven/TQA

[F#READY]

+1 for Enchanted Land music!

[tatqoo]

.

Edited July 19, 2023 by tatqoo

[VinsCool]

On 7/17/2023 at 1:39 PM, Heaven/TQA said:

any chance for a new built?

I hate to disappoint everyone again but:

 

- Short answer: No, not yet.

- Long answer: No, not yet, because I am an idiot.

I would normally write a 10 pages essay about all the things that were worked on up to this point, however, I just cannot find the time nor the motivation to work on ambitious ideas these days.

Thank you for your patience, the best I can say is to check the github commit history every other day to see if anything changed, for now, everything is either broken or half finished, and I take full responsibility for that.

 

[rdefabri]

I have to assume / hope there is a library of instruments somewhere - any idea where I can download?  I know there's the standard library, I'd be looking more for the crunchy PWM bass and / or guitar sounds a la Instrumentarium...any possibility they are out there?

[baktra]

11 hours ago, rdefabri said:

I have to assume / hope there is a library of instruments somewhere - any idea where I can download?  I know there's the standard library, I'd be looking more for the crunchy PWM bass and / or guitar sounds a la Instrumentarium...any possibility they are out there?

You can extract instruments from existing .rmt songs. Not aware of any organized public library of instruments, though.

[Mat Sosa]

Hello. I'm new to this tracker, and I've been reading the manual and trying to understand how it works. However, I don't know much about how the Atari system works. I understood most of the things in the manual and how to edit instruments. However I founf out that when playing two instruments at the same time, the distort to each other. I'm not sure if I did something wrong. I don't think I used any of the options to link channels and started with a blank project and creating simple instruments.

Is this something normal or something I did?

 

Thanks!

 

Edit. I made a previous track and this wasn't happening.

Edited September 30, 2023 by Mat Sosa

[baktra]

13 hours ago, Mat Sosa said:

Hello. I'm new to this tracker, and I've been reading the manual and trying to understand how it works. However, I don't know much about how the Atari system works. I understood most of the things in the manual and how to edit instruments. However I founf out that when playing two instruments at the same time, the distort to each other. I'm not sure if I did something wrong. I don't think I used any of the options to link channels and started with a blank project and creating simple instruments.

Is this something normal or something I did?

 

Thanks!

 

Edit. I made a previous track and this wasn't happening.

Creating music using RMT has certain learning curve, that is something to be accepted. To use the RMT proficiently, you would need to study how the POKEY chip works. Perhaps others can provide recommendations for a good tutorial.

 

To answer your specific question, the instruments can distort each other when they are using the same POKEY chip "resources", or when the total output volume exceeds certain level.

[rdefabri]

On 9/26/2023 at 2:35 AM, baktra said:

You can extract instruments from existing .rmt songs. Not aware of any organized public library of instruments, though.

I've tried to do this - I saved instruments (*.rmi) files, but when I loaded them to my new song, they were blank.  They were assigned the proper instrument number from the song I saved them from, but there was no data in those address areas after loading.

 

Any idea how to correct this?

[VinsCool]

7 hours ago, rdefabri said:

I've tried to do this - I saved instruments (*.rmi) files, but when I loaded them to my new song, they were blank.  They were assigned the proper instrument number from the song I saved them from, but there was no data in those address areas after loading.

 

Any idea how to correct this?

 

Be sure that the instrument you wanted to save was the one currently active/edited in RMT before saving it to a file, and same for loading it back elsewhere, make sure the instrument you want to overwrite is the one that is currently active, then load the instrument file to replace it with the one saved previously.

For example, if the instrument 02 is the one you are currently using in the source module, make sure to have it active, save as new file, and then load the file in the other module by making sure you are replacing the instrument you want to use, let's say, 05 if it's an empty slot, then you simply make instrument 05 active and you will be able to use/edit as much as you want.