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1994-11-13
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NordTracker 1.0 - Beta 1
-------------------------------------
Copyright (c)1994 Magnus Norddahl
This is the first release of NordTracker and has therefore probably some bugs.
Please notice that the program may crash if running with too little memory
(above 560K free memory should be fine).
Bug reports and comments can be send to:
Fidonet: Magnus Norddahl 2:236/188.0
Internet: NORDDAHL@INET.UNI-C.dk
Mail: Magnus Norddahl
Dortevej 8, DK-3060 Espergaerde
Denmark
Note: The ULTRASND and ULTRADIR environment variables must be set. The syntax
is as follows:
* set ultrasnd=baseport,dma_play, dma_rec, gf1_irq, midi_irq (default: set
ultrasnd=220,1,1,11,7)
* set ultradir=c:\ultradir (default: set ultradir=c:\ultrasnd)
Getting started
---------------
The easiest way to hear some music, created in NordTracker, is to start
demo256k.bat or demo512.bat. However, there is nothing to look at. Instead you
could enter the tracker (type: tracker.exe), and select Play NTCompiled from
the Play menu. Pick a song and press enter. The Fancy Window should appear and
music should be playing.
How to create music in NordTracker
----------------------------------
The principle of creating music in NordTracker is rather simple. If you have
tried to use PowerChords, then you should feel at home.
The tracker is divided into four (4) parts:
* The Song Editor. This is the mixer board. All the patterns (pieces of
music) are set together here.
* The Instrument Editor. This is where the music itself is created.
* The Drum Editor. This is where all drumming is created. Works almost like
the Instrument Editor.
* The Instrument/Drum Library. All Instruments, Drums and other samples can
be retrieved from here.
We start at the Instrument/Drum Library since we have to load some samples
first (instruments and drums). The Instrument Library is entered through the
Window Menu. From here we can select which instruments, we want to play with.
You use the arrows (or mouse) to move up and down. You can select an Instrument
or subdirectory by pressing enter (or double-click with mouse).
Select an instrument that you like.
Now it's time to enter the Instrument Editor (Instrument Editor in WindowMenu).
A box should appear in the middle of the screen. This is where you choose what
pattern you want to use. Select the first one. A new box should appear. This
time you must pick which instrument you want use to the pattern. When you have
selected a instrument the Instrument Editor itself will appear. The Instrument
Editor consist of a big box where the notes are placed. Three toolbars: volume,
panning and sustain. The next and prev buttons moves to the left and right in
the pattern. You can scroll up/down by using the scrollbar to the right.
Try to place some notes (press with mouse inside the big box). The note will be
played through your speakers. Try placing a note and while holding down the
button move the mouse to the right. The note should expand. If you press F4
(Play Special in the Edit menu) the pattern should be played. To stop it again,
press F12 (Stop Song in the Play menu).
Now make this pattern sound good.When you are done, enter a name by the help of
the Edit menu. That's it!
The Drum Editor works at the same way. If you want to, you can select some
drums (Drum Library in Window menu) and make a drum pattern in the Drum Editor.
Remember to give it a name.
Back to the Song Editor (in the Window menu). The Song Editor consist of the
follow things:
* Three rows of Song Patterns (The blue boxes)
* A red box (left box) where all the Instrument Patterns are listed.
* Another red box (right box) where all the Drum Patterns are listed.
* A global tempo toolbar.
We start with the Instrument box (left box). This is box is used to select
which Instrument Pattern you want place in the Song Patterns. If you double
click on one of the pattern names, the player should play it once.
The Drum box (right box) works like the Instrument box. The only difference is,
that it is used to select Drum Patterns.
The tempo toolbar indicates the speed in Beats Per Minute (BMP).
The Song Patterns are the heart of the Song Editor. This is where the song
itself is put together. The Song Patterns consists of a upper list where the
Instrument Patterns are placed, and the Drum Pattern can be placed right below.
The list shows which patterns that will be played in this Song Pattern.
In the Edit Menu are there a couple of additional effects that can be placed on
the Song Patterns. The purpose of them is as follows:
* Place Goto - Gotoes to an other Song Pattern. First click on the pattern
to goto from, and then on the pattern where to goto.
* Place Jumppoint - A jumppoint is a point in the song where it is allowed
to jump to a new song position.
* Place Dest Jumppoint - This shows that is allowed to jump to this pattern
by pressing the destjump number. Remember to choose a free dest jumppoint
no. every time you choose to place a destjumppoint.
The jumppoints (and destjumppoints) are used to make music that follows what is
happening on the screen. For an example if you in a game suddenly are attacked
by some enemies, the music should change from peacefully to war music. This is
what the jumppoints is used to. You divide your song into two parts which are
looped individually (by a goto command). You place a Jumppoint marker in every
pattern it is allowed to jump from (so it wonÆt jump in the middle of a pattern
or other cases where an immediate jump wouldnÆt be suitable). Then you place a
Dest Jumppoint where the peacefully music begins (the Dest Jumppoint toolbar is
set to 1) and you place a other Dest Jumppoint where the war music begins
(toolbar set to 2). If you, when playing the song presses 2 the song should
change to war music, but it will only jump where the jumppoint markers are
placed. If you later press 1 the music should change back to peacefully music.
Now you should be able to make some music with NordTracker. Remember, if you
encounter any bugs, please report them to me (address listed in top of the
document).
Trouble shooting
----------------
Please notice that when you start the tracker you should be able to see a logo
at the top of the screen. If this does look like a bunch of random characters,
then run the tracker with the "/fixcp" parameter.
If the entire picture looks crazy, then try to run the tracker with the
"/fixmode2" parameter. If this didn't help, run it with the "/grafmode" para-
meter.
If the tracker can not find any of the Gravis MIDI patches, then please ensure
that your ULTRADIR environment variable is set and that is pointing at the
Ultra Sound directory.
Setting the ULTRADIR environment variable can be done by typing:
"set ULTRADIR=x". Where x is your Ultra Sound directory (default: c:\ultrasnd).