Hi everyone ;D
I would like to create audio tracks with my amstrad CPC 464. I don't own extra memory(at least at the moment, maybe i'll buy an extension - x-mem 512k later on the road), and i don't have a disk unit.
This is just my original amstrad 464 with the tape recorder, me, and the groove in the air ;-)
I know audio-trackers software (for instance protracker back in days on my Amiga) and i use a lot LSDJ on my DMG gameboy (i'm totally in love with this masterpiece !)
I know how to use emulator and command line too, to test and convert some files if needed.
I managed to load the soundtrakker (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Soundtrakker)64 v1.1 on my CPC using a sample of the software, with an old audio wire on the cassette player
But if can use the tracker without problem = i can create instruments, songs, and even save intrument and song on tape - i just can't Load Song i've just saved !
The Load Song is just uneffective :(
Oh and yes, i read the documentation (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/imgs/8/87/Sound_Trakker_1.1_Manual.pdf)
So my questions :
- Can i use "load song" from tape in soundtrakker64, or disk unit is mandatory ?
- Do you know good audiotrackers to use on a simple cpc 464 ?
- maybe a twisted solution, a series of ninja moves and techniques in order to create audiotrack somehow, then convert on a modern system to play it on my original 464 ?
Thanks for your time and attention.
Lot of hugs and kisses :D
I don't think that Soundtrakker has any tape support...
Quote from: villain on 08:05, 25 December 17
I don't think that Soundtrakker has any tape support...
That's partially right : like i said, i manage to save my song on tape in Soundtrakker
64
Once this done, maybe there a way to "compile" this soundtrakker song on tape in order to hear it on my real cpc464 outside Soundtrakker64 ?
But for now on, yes i'm stucked because i can save but i can't load :(
My final goal would be to hear tracks i've made, whatever the tool i used, on cpc or osx, linux or windows) on my real cpc464 !
Maybe i can use something like Starkos (http://www.julien-nevo.com/arkos/starkos/) on emulator or Arkos Tracker 1 (http://www.julien-nevo.com/arkos/arkostracker1/) (or the wonderfull Arkos Tracker 2 (http://www.julien-nevo.com/arkostracker/) when it'll be ready) on modern os then export for load in using the tape player ?
Soundtrakker64 should work on tape, be sure to load .SND songs, not .128, that's all I know. As for STarkos, it requires 128k. Using an emulator, or Arkos Tracker 1 or 2, you can of course generate the music binary and use the player, load both on tape and play your song on your CPC 464.
I don't know what are your coding skills, but STarkos and AT1 both have a support for Basic, so you shouldn't have any problem listening to your song on a bare 464, directly from Basic.
Oh, as for the soundtrakker (as well as STarkos or AT1), load the player (the Soundtrakker compiler can also generate a player, if my memory serves me right), then load the music. How to initialize and runs the music is in the manual :).
Very honored by your answer, Arkos conceptor !
Sorry my late answer, i was trying lot of things
* Soundtrakker64 on CPC464
http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/stk64exo.cdt.zip (http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/stk64exo.cdt.zip)
I managed to create simple track with Soundtracker, but unfortunately it's definitely non possible to load from tape recorder on the cpc 464, although we can save on it !
And the process to "compile" a track saved on tape and bring it back on real cpc is not an easy step for me.
* CHIPNSFX on windows xp (Wine and Virtual box)
http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/chipnsfx.htm (http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/chipnsfx.htm)
I love it !
With a very simple track i've created and with some help, i was able to compile a disk player (.dsk, .bin) to hear it on an emulator.
I'm still testing this solution to use the bin on the bare 464
The modest track i made for test :
http://picosong.com/download/wR7rx/ (http://picosong.com/download/wR7rx/)
* Just to mention
EDIT = 01 15 2018
i couldn't use Arkos Tracker 1 in VirtualBox / windows xp, even if i've installed .NET framework, anyway ... I managed to use Arkos Tracker 1 in Virtualbox / windows XP. Its folder was a "shared" folder with my MAC OSX host. So it's running perfectly when this folder is on the windows xp Desktop !
* ... Arkos 2 of course on OSX, as you know :D
But if I really appreciate it, it's again hard with my poor coding skills to bring it for the real CPC464
Quote from: Targhan on 00:24, 26 December 17
I don't know what are your coding skills, but STarkos and AT1 both have a support for Basic, so you shouldn't have any problem listening to your song on a bare 464, directly from Basic.
I miss some knowledge with some intermediate steps :
i can compose on a tracker (for example LSDJ on Gameboy, Soundtracker Amiga ...) and i can code some hight level language, like python, php, javascript, some poor 80's locomotive basic, but i don't know Z80 assembler at all !
I suppose i have to learn some assembler :o
Which module format should i export from a tracker to be "most portable" (ym) ?
Then what should i do with it ?
42 ??? !!!! ;)
Maybe there are some documentation and tutorial for my missing points ?
Anyway, thanks again for your previous help and your time !
Since Arkos Tracker 2 has no Basic support yet, you may have some trouble playing a song from Basic, I can't really find the time to write a full procedure, but I will make a Basic support in the next versions.
As for the Soundtrakker, I don't understand why you can not load a song you have just saved... What happens?
Ultimately, I suggest buy a drive or a floppy emulator, it will save you a lot of trouble :).