How do I use MOD trackers?

[sonicbhoc]

Alright, so I installed cheesetracker. I want to try doing MOD until I can get my sound card to stop being retarded with realtime drivers (probably not going to happen, so I'm going to have to wait until I get a new sound card).

So, I am totally lost with this thing. I get the concept of MOD tracking and how its done, but I don't quite know how to make anything. I don't know how to make instruments, and I don't know how to map those instruments to pitches and selected frames in the song.

So, does anybody here (I'm sure at least one person can help!) know how to help a newbie get started with this stuff? Google was no help; I'm sure I was just searching the wrong string, but I don't know what I should be searching for...

[OverCoat]

Lol, cheesetracker

I have no idea why there's a sudden tracker revival but it sure is interesting. Maybe DAWs are overpriced?

If you have $70 to spend I recommend getting Renoise, that's what I use and it's bloody amazing. Pretty much has all the features of a major DAW [VSTi support, MIDI input, audio recording, ASIO support, etc] and it's still getting developed heavily. But maybe since you don't want to pay for anything I'll recommend milkytracker which has ASIO support and a cool waveform drawing feature [hint: insta-chiptune!]. A well-refined oldstyle tracker for windows would be ModPlug Tracker 1.16. OpenMPT kind of ruined Modplug, but 1.16 is still a very solid music app, and you'll find a download for it here.

Anyway, to answer your question: trackers are based completely on the manipulation of .wav samples. You'll need to get some instrument samples from samplepacks on the internet or other mod music [try not to rip the obvious samples though. like that one voice from Point of Departure]. If you're having trouble finding samples I have a few usable ones for you. RTFM yet? I'm not sure how to map the different samples to an instrument in CheeseTracker, but Reduz [who made it] is usually on IRC all the time and if you get on #mod_shrine on EsperNet you can ask him. It's also a home to many veteran trackers who can help you out with anything else. I'll be there too.

[sonicbhoc]

I can't run Reniose, it doesn't have a Linux version (but it has a mac version? I hate it when people do that ) and ModPlug Tracker is only for Windows.

However, Milky tracker sounds amazing! Since I love chiptunes, I'm definitely downloading it right now.

The main reason I want a tracker right now is because my MIDI keyboard is FUBAR'd at the moment and I'm too lazy to use soundfonts and audio plugins in Rosegarden. ;D

[OverCoat]

Shoulda told me you're on linux

Renoise will be on Linux soon. Can't tell you exactly when though.

When it does get ported, it'll probably be the best music app available for linux :E

[sonicbhoc]

Sweet.

I can't wait! Meanwhile, I'll mess with milkytracker (and maybe make an ebuild for it EDIT: someone already did, awesome!). Thanks!