THE  MODPLUG  EDITOR


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HOW TO MAKE A TRACKER MODULE
The materials
Before you begin you'll need of course some soundsamples.
(I skip the option of VST plugins here for the moment)
There are different methods to have sample files available :
  • Gathering existing samples. Thousands of them are on internet or on Cdrom.
    Here a Starter set (610 Kb) with 37 samples of some standard-sounds.
    More samples can be found on my Sample-page .

  • The 'ripping' of samples out of existing trackers. With MPT you can save all samples from an
    opened trackerfile again for re-use. Is done a lot, but a somewhat dishonourable method.

  • Make them yourself. Which is to prefer of course. Not the easiest, but gives the most control.
    Editing-options of MPT are very limited, so more suitable for a final correction.
    A simple wav-recorder and -editor is Wavosaur 1.05 (190 KB) .



Setting ready
- At the first startup of MPT some options need to be set :

If you also prefer a workfield on your screen as big as possible, then disable the 'Tree'
via the pulldown of View / Toolbars. Only necessary if needed.

- Of course the settings should be adjusted according to the present soundcard.
Go to View / Setup, or use for this the button    upright on the toolbar :
A - Choose Max Polyphony according to the clockspeed of the computer, and then 1 step lower.
The number 32 here means the maximum number of samples that can be played simultaneously.
So it defines the max of columns in the pattern-editor.
B - Only enable MMX if the system has that option.
C - Let the Stereo Separation be on 100 %, except if it has to be different on purpose.
In MPT one can set 3 default directories for songs, samples and instruments :
Of course one can open or save files at any spot, but iit is strongly advised to take advantage
of this option. Possible subdirs of them will be quickly accessed too.
I don't use 'instruments', because it is a not very exchangable format.
If the original songs and samples are placed in other directories it is better, as a preparation,
to copy them from there in the working-dirs and after that starting to edit.
This can prevent that originals are changed or wiped by a mistake.
All used samples of a song after making it are present in the songfile anyway,
so the working-dir 'samps' can be cleaned after that.