OpenMPT example song compo - extended deadline (2015-08-12)

[Saga Musix]

The compo is over! Thanks for particiapting!
If you still want to submit a new example song using the same sample set for an upcoming version of OpenMPT, please see the post below for the updated compo rules.

It's been a while since I've updated the example songs package for OpenMPT, but instead of searching for existing great tunes (mostly in IT format), I thought it would be a nice idea to run a compo with a given set of rules. Since OpenMPT 1.25 brings several new features for the MPTM format (fractional tempos and most importantly tempo swing), it would be great to make use of MPTM-exclusive features in these example songs, but it's not a must.

A rough sketch of the rules, which are not final yet:
- Use the MPTM format.
- Usage of DMO effects explicitely allowed, but no VSTs.
- Tune size should be below 200kb, using IT-compressed samples and external FLAC samples is explicitely allowed.

Regarding the last point, I think it would be a neat idea to gather a little sample pool for all participants upfront to share common samples such as drums, bass, etc. - naturally you are still allowed to use your own samples, but using shared samples obviously gives you more room for your own samples, as they wouldn't count towards the 200kb limit.

The compo would run until the release of OpenMPT 1.25, which is scheduled for late July or early August.

Any thoughts?

[FreezeFlame(Alchemy)]

Im in, if the compo is going to happen.

Regarding the last point, I think it would be a neat idea to gather a little sample pool for all participants upfront to share common samples such as drums, bass, etc. - naturally you are still allowed to use your own samples, but using shared samples obviously gives you more room for your own samples, as they wouldn't count towards the 200kb limit.

I already prepared some samples including instruments for the track im now working on for this compo, so if you need them for the compo, i can send them to you.
Together, there are though ITs Mono Sample Compression 154kb big.

[Rakib]

If someone can share some samples that dont take up to much space, Im in.

[Saga Musix]

Yes, I'll prepare a set of samples as soon temperatures here are down to being bearable again.

[FreezeFlame(Alchemy)]

Yes, I'll prepare a set of samples as soon temperatures here are down to being bearable again.

Oh, alright.

[Saga Musix]

Okay, I proooobably went a bit over the top, so my sample pack is now about 4 MB large (as FLAC samples on highest compression ratio).
http://sagagames.de/stuff/OpenMPT_Compo_Samples.zip
Now of course this is no invitation to use all of them at once (), and I still want to emphasize that adding your own samples is totally okay too. Preferrably, they shouldn't be direct copies from sample libraries, sampled from commercial music or such. In my set, I mostly used heavily modified drum machine samples, selfmade and free stuff.
If you think the sample set is totally missing a sample, please let me know.
Please note that you can edit any samples properties of external samples (vibrato, loop points, panning, ...) but editing the actual sample waveform is not possible, as the sample cannot be shared anymore then. This means that modifying the sample will then count towards your file size limit as it's no longer external.

Rules
The compo rules stays the same as outlined in the first post:

• Use the MPTM format. You are encouraged to use new features of OpenMPT 1.25, such as tempo swing in modern tempo mode. You can grab current testing versions at http://buildbot.openmpt.org/builds/ (and read the current changelog here). Don't forget to make use of the new artist field in the general tab.
• Usage of the standard DirectX Media Audio Effects is explicitely allowed, but no VSTs.
• Tune size should be below 200kb including any custom samples. I won't be counting bits but please don't excessivly overshoot this. Using IT-compressed samples and external FLAC samples is explicitely allowed. FLAC compressed better than IT, so external FLAC samples are obviously preferred. FLAC samples should be put in a sub-folder called "Samples".
• If you cannot manage to get your tune small, feel free to ask me for help.
• Own samples are allowed, but don't use samples which obviously violate some kind of copyright (direct rips from sample packs, sampled commercial music).
• I know I provided 4 MB worth of samples which won't count towards your own 200kb limit, but please don't force me to actually include every single one of them by using them all.
• You may enter as many songs as you like.
• There will probably be some kind of voting, but in the end it is up to the development team to decide which tunes go into the release package. I'll reserve the right to slightly edit tunes if required (e.g. to trim their size if I can spot any obvious byte wasting).

Deadline
I'd like to set a preliminary deadline for this compo to Wednesday, August 12th, 23:59 UTC (extended deadline!), but this is under the assumption that we will be able to make a release the following weekend. If we can't, the deadline will be extended.

Submission
You can upload your compo entries at http://s3m.it/join/602. If you use any custom external samples, upload the entire package as a zip or 7z file.
Early submissions are more than welcome and can be replaced by revised versions if required.

Happy tracking!

[LPChip]

Nice. I might actually make something for this. Haven't heard the samplepack, but it must be good and thats a nice way to revisit tracking with samples.

[Saga Musix]

Update: LossyWAV is a great way to shrink FLAC samples without any perceivable loss in quality, so I ran it over the sample pack to reduce its size from over 5 MB to just under 4 MB. I also added two more samples to the sample pack. Download link is the same as before.
If you are going to use any custom FLAC samples, I'd recommend to do the same.

[Saga Musix]

LPChip noticed that two sample paths were wrong in the example MPTM file, so those have been updated. I also noticed that it would be kinda nice to actually have a tom in the drum kit, so that has been added as well! If you already started working on a tune, you can simply add the new sample by downloading the new sample pack, overwrite the existing Samples folder, load the new Room Tom.flac into a sample slot and enable the "keep sample data on disk" check box.

[Muzozavr]

Sent in my fairly amateurish slightly_strange.mptm, appears to fit the rules, except that I've done it in 1.24 because I was lazy and just wanted to check out the sample pack... some interesting samples there - can I use them in my other stuff? That would be great. There are a few samples there that I really enjoyed using.

First version. Might add some volume/velocity dynamics to the second version.

[LPChip]

Still working on my entry. Should be ready near 6th of august.

[Saga Musix]

some interesting samples there - can I use them in my other stuff? That would be great. There are a few samples there that I really enjoyed using.

Sure, feel free to use them for whatever you want. In its current state I'd say your submission is not really ready for an inclusion in the OpenMPT pack, but there are still a few weeks left to improve the track.

[WouterVL]

This seems interesting, i'm giving it a go. I've never really done any tracker competition things before so this is my first.

[Saga Musix]

As the new release will be delayed by a few days, I've extended the deadline of the example song compo to Wednesday, 12th of August, 23:59 UTC. Now you have 6 more days for making an awesome example tune!
Feel free to share any progress you have so far, also publicly on this thread.

[FreezeFlame(Alchemy)]

I finaly send my entry to the compo, the ''Only rocks remain'' Rock and Dubstep mix, with only custom samples (was to lazy to rework it, since i created the track originaly in XM for making some SNES music, but i hovewer used higher quality samples for better sound). If anyone wants to hear it, i can post it in this topic.