[chiptune] game intro/menu

[Paul Legovitch]

This is an intro/menu music for a game I'm working on. I'm experimenting a bit with pattern delay and jump commands to obtain small modules. The module is 4.5Ko and consist of 14 channels, only 11 rows of notes, 3 basic samples, 5 instruments.

Intro.ogg

You can have a look at the IT module (I recorded the output of the game so it does not sound exactly the same)

[Saga Musix]

Haven't listened to it yet since the Remix of the Year 2009 awards (C64 /Amiga stuff, yeah...) are still going on, but here's a note: You're saving the MIDI macro configuration in that track, which is absolutely not necessary but taking up another 6kb or so of precious space.

[Saga Musix]

Heh, this is impressive. Cut it down by removing the Zxx macros and maybe saving it with OpenMPT's compatibility export and it will be even more impressive (it will be around 4.5kb unzipped then). Maybe get it down to 4kb? Good job!

This would even be great as a track for the MPT download package.. .)

[Paul Legovitch]

Jojo, I <3 you ! After de-embedment of macro configuration, the module is now 4.5Ko.
There is still some unnecessary data left in the module - the Zxx being one and also a whole row that is never heard (EDIT : no, wrong version I'm talking about ! hard to keep track of all the tests... )
Seriously I love discussing with you, you are the specialist. And thanks for considering adding it to the download package, great idea.

[Saga Musix]

Jojo, I <3 you !

In a non-gay way, I hope. ;P But nice to hear that I could help.

[Sam_Zen]

My compliments Paul, this is a very good example of making max use of the resources.
Not only by having few samples, but also doing it with only 4 different patterns, composed in a distinctive row.
Plus the clever coding of course.

I think pattern jumps can be quite tricky, because it could lead to wrong 'nesting', like the famous 'goto' in batchfiles or Basic.

[uncloned]

this is a very impressive piece of music
and awesome for the size!

I'm going to delve into the IT - thanks for providing it!!

[Saga Musix]

I think pattern jumps can be quite tricky, because it could lead to wrong 'nesting', like the famous 'goto' in batchfiles or Basic.

A "break to row command" (which Paul uses here) is more like an "exit" or "continue" statement in programming languages, which is not "that" dangerous. Pattern jumps (which Paul doesn't use) are more like a "goto" indeed.

[apple-joe]

This is one of the stranger mods I've come across, judging by how it looks in the tracker. Quite skilled with effects obviously. There is no excessive chip lead in the traditional sense, as I more or less impulsively expected, but the sound is also better than I expected.

In the pattern order list, I can recognize only four unique patterns (0, 1, 2, 3) that are repeated. For some reason it sounds like there are more, so I'll have to take a closer look at the effects. The tonality sounds like a fairly regular minor-based one, pretty easy on the ear.

I have a hard time pointing out something negative about this track. If anything, maybe the volume of the intro phrase that is repeated throughout gets a little loud after a while?

Wait, no wonder it does. I looped it for quite a while in the tracker, and there is the "(channel) fine volume slide", so it's my own fault. I became aware as I re-started the track and didn't notice a particularly high volume in the intro.

[LPChip]

I wouldn't classify this as chiptune but as smalltune instead.

Chiptunes generally have a certain feel to it. A smalltune is like a chiptune, but with a different kind of sound/style.

[Paul Legovitch]

Thanks for all the comments !

Chiptunes generally have a certain feel to it. A smalltune is like a chiptune, but with a different kind of sound/style.

I usually see chiptune music as single waveforms modulated by effects, but I've never heard of the word "smalltune" before, so yeah I guess it fits the description.
I'd say the classic chiptune module generally don't contain filter envelopes, and have caracteristic arpeggio chords, things like that. The inspiration here is Manwe's 1_channel_moog.IT (where volulme and filter envelopes create rhythms and melodies).

[Saga Musix]

I'd say the classic chiptune module generally don't contain filter envelopes

Please, what? Chiptunes are normally not composed in Impulse Tracker (which would explain why there are no filter envelopes), but many make use of a similar effect, namely having f.e. several pulse wave samples with different pulse width. That's about the same thing as a filter does.

[Paul Legovitch]

several pulse wave samples with different pulse width. That's about the same thing as a filter does.

In discreet steps yes, but not continuously like an envelope.
I saw about 400 IT modules classified as chiptune in The Mod Archive ! My guesstimation would be there's as much different definitions of chiptune music as chiptune trackers/listeners (it's not that important, is it ?).
In my mind it's the sound of game cracktros on my Amiga : tu du duu... infinite lives : yes - invincibility : yes ... du du tuu...    

[Saga Musix]

Don't overestimate the correctness of the assigned genre on our site. They are utterly wrong sometimes (especially when they come from the old review era), and most tunes are not assigned to a genre at all. But yeah, there are IT chiptunes, I never denied that, but there are not many. Especially not many using IT-exclusive features. And I'd put tunes like your's or Manwe's one channel moog in the "sizecoding" category, if you wanna call it like that... (trying to use as little space as possible, as opposed to "don't have any more space / this is how limited my platform is")

[mrvegas]

I'm extremely impressed.  Great sound quality (regardless of file size).  You created a real sense of space.  Very, very cool.   Musically, I would have liked a little more variation, but I was so impressed I listened all the way through anyway.

I also clicked on the Youtube demonstration of the other IT module.  That was also pretty nifty.