Problems with OctaMED to ProTracker Modules -- OctaMED 4/5
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I  have been using MED/OctaMED for getting on for three years now, my first
version being MED V1.12 which I found tucked away on the Amiga Format cover
disk  7  way  back  in  February  1990,  some of the "nightmares" that this
version contained would be enough to turn anybody who has only used some of
the  later versions into a gibbering idiot (don't say anything!), no Module
support  of any kind, which meant that you had to have your sample disks at
the  ready  or  copy  all  the used samples to a separate disk to make it a
standalone  song!,  no  file  requester  or sample list editor, I can still
remember  getting  some  sample disks from a PD library and writing all the
sample  names  down  on  a  piece  of paper (around about 200 in all!), and
thinking  this  was  normal,  but at least it didn't crash like some of the
terrible early trackers, then one day a suspicious looking character handed
me  a  copy  of  Noisetracker,  which  had a file requester, saved songs as
modules  and  had  load  of flashy bits and pieces plus if my songs were no
good  it  didn't matter, they looked nice when they played!!, I thought I'd
found  the perfect music package so I tucked away my written sample list (I
wasn't  going to throw those away) I had a quick fiddle (about a week) with
NT  until I realized it looked better but still seemed to crash whenever it
didn't  like the songs I was writing!, I then ordered MED V2.01, then V2.12
and  and the rest as they say is history as far MED/OctaMED goes and infamy
as  far  as  my  modules are concerned, but anyway onto the real subject of
this article....

Over  the  past  few  years I have been asked to convert some of my modules
from  OctaMED to ST/NT format for use from within other products which only
support  "tracker"  modules,  Now  as great as OctaMED is for creating your
music  masterpieces  I  have come up against two problems from time to time
and  through  trial  and error, punching anything that was near at the time
(and  usually  regretting it), having a lie down with a cup of Camomile tea
while listening to "Blue Valentine" by Tom Waits (great album) to soothe my
nerves  and  bruised  knuckles  and  then  writing to Teijo sending him the
offending  module and pleading for help, I have decided to share all that I
know  of  how  to  clear  these  problems,  and hopefully avoid any further
self-inflicted injuries to fellow MUG members.


1.  DISJOINTED MODULES - These are songs that when saved as tracker modules
    and  loaded  into  Protracker  etc.   some of the instruments are well,
    disjointed!!!   I  have tinkered with this and have discovered that the
    cause  is  the  length  of instrument name, OctaMED allows longer names
    than  trackers,  so  for them to work correctly with trackers make sure
    the  instrument  names are no longer than 22 characters and your module
    should be played O.K.


2.  WHISTLING  MODULES - Now here's an odd  one unless you're into covering
    Roger Whitaker songs!, I must admit this has only happened once and the
    symptom  is  that  some  of the samples give off a high pitched whistle
    after  them, when played in a tracker (OctaMED plays them fine) this is
    caused  by  odd  length samples Teijo tells me and he should know!  His
    remedy for this is simple, for example say the sample length is 1001 go
    to the SAMPLE EDITOR and change the length in the BUFFER SIZE gadget to
    1000  and then when prompted press 'R' to retain the sample.  I believe
    this problem was fixed from version 4.00e onwards.


Well  I  hope  these  tips  have  been of some help to anybody who may have
encountered these problems.

Mind  you  if  the increase in support for OctaMED continues, there will no
longer be a need to convert modules, so until that day, happy composing and
converting!

 


Dean Murray - 6th October 1993