Those Wonderful Musical MODs


 - Sidewinder sidewind@crl.com
Howdy, my name is Sidewinder. Maybe some of you have heard of me, or some of my music. I'm a musician, and I'm into MODs..

MODs... What was started in Europe by the Amiga Computer Underground DEMO scene of the late 80s. With all the excitement and energy of the times, the spread like wildfire, from across the European continent, over the oceans the Americas, and even farther then that. The World is listening.

So, what exactly is a MOD you may ask?

MOD, a shorter term for MODule, is basically just a file varied in size. They are usually anywhere from 10k up to 400k and beyond, containing a song, or the data for a song, and all the instruments it plays, stuck together with the data in the form of samples. Since they are all in one file, this makes for very fast loading into your computer...

How do you play MODs? Easy, for the most part...

There are many programs to play these files since there are many MOD formats to play. By far, the most popular is the Soundtracker/Pro-Tracker format. 85-90 Percent of all MODs are in this format. Also on PCs there is S3M, which is basically a spin-off of MODs, usually with more voices and other features, but still not as popular as MODs.

To make a MOD....

Personally, I believe the MOD format (also known as tracking) is the ultimate way to compose music. Anything is possible if you can live with the limitations. I listen to the early MOD music and then load up a newer Hardcore Rave, Jazz, or Piano MODs just as if I was listening to something off the latest CD. It boggles the mind to think they were probally composed on the same 4 channel 'tracker'. Perhaps one day every serious musician will be using a 64 voice, 16-bit tracker for some truly mind blowing crap. :)

Today, limitations due to the nature of sound quality and having to work with the rough 8 bit samples, can be OVERCOME.

Much faster for laying down your tracks, drums, bass, synthlicks oboes, whatever. I've done dance crap songs in under 10 minutes. Realtime Control (ie. what you hear is what you get as you're making the tracks.) Easy sequencing and everything is layed out in blocks (known as patterns) easily copied over and edited into a new pattern. You can sample as you go all in one package, usually on the same screen. You can paste, export, and manipulate anything you sample as you're tracking away..

Quality is still not up to par of most keyboard/MIDI/computer setups There are confusing amounts of commands to learn (muck about.. have fun and you'll learn cool stuff, and I'm STILL learning new stuff!) It's Addicting. (You'll make so many MODs you won't know what to do with them!)

The MOD scene has exploded into the 90s. For those who know what it's about the scene is one of variety. Thousands of free floating songs of every style imaginable.. All you really need is a computer, and a sound card if you have PC, plus a GOOD sound system. (TV speakers just don't do justice anymore),and a source for MODs (Most BBSes have MODs, and the internet. My favorite source is on AmiNet. Lots of cool music is released every week, as well as crappy music.) The whole concept of commerical freely distributable material, you can listen to MODs while modeming, working, etc. It's the essence of cyberspace, a place to listen, and to be heard. I don't even listen to commercial radio anymore, unless they play MODs. <g>

I've actually had some of my MODules played at clubs and on the local radio and around the world. Some people actually like the raw feel, especically all the low end frequencys that tend to come out better in MODs. Just check out some of my MODs on the Internet and hear for yourself.

My first taste of computer music was on the C-64 (SIDs RULE!). I even messed with early MOD like trackers. It was great, though I was more into graphics, but I was always curious about computer music. In 1987 I bought an Amiga computer, and my world changed forever. I started doing MODs in 1991, while overseas in Indonesia, using an old Amiga 500 that I had taken around the planet. I didn't even know I could make all those cool tunes i was hearing in Euro-Demos sent to me by friends back home in Europe..

When i started tracking, I knew this was what I wanted in music and here I am 175 MODs later. In 1993/94 I produced an audio CD (Future Shock 2) made entirely from MODs produced on Amiga computers, which I sell mainly to the underground scene and whoever else wants to hear it. I can say I've improved my style, and maybe I'll be nearly as good as the European MOD masters.. maybe.. <g>

Basically, anyone can learn how to make MODs. Just know what you want and don't be afraid. Enter with an open mind, and let it happen.

Aminet sites will carry them (one of the fastest is ftp.netnet.net or ftp.cdrom.com - /pub/aminet/mods. In Europe try http://nverenin.extern.ucsd.edu/sidewind/sw.html