TRACKERS FOR MS-DOS


MS-DOSjester <jester@fmr.maschinenbau.tu-darmstadt.de wrote in the last FAQ:

"MS-DOS users have quite a few trackers available to them nowadays, with capabilities superior to first-generation mods".

Obviously that has continued apace although judging by the proliferation of Windows based trackers, these existing progs are gonna have a really hard time surviving. Microsloth seems bound and determined to rid the world of DOS forever, to be replaced by paving of a Windoze variety. Surprises still though, as Cubic makes a welcome re-appearance - apparently rejuvenated!

The descriptions and URLs of these programs was compiled and checked by M. Linus Larsen <linus.larsen@mbox200.swipnet.se> His notes follow most descriptions.
  • Scream Tracker 3.21 - Programmed by PSI of Future Crew.

    Supports GUS, SB, SB Pro. Edits up to 32 digital tracks (but plays only up to 16), 99 instruments (S3M format supports 255), features a superset of the ProTracker command set (but some effects are handled a little different), 8 bit samples with adjustable C4Spd (S3M format allows for 16 bit ADPCM packed stereo samples), 9 Adlib FM channels (only playable on SB or SB Pro) and 8 octaves. Features separate volume column (and track panning available in most players). Extensive block commands and editingcapabilities make this one of the best trackers around nowadays. Version 3.2 is extensively bugfixed over the previous release. Writes in S3M and MOD formats (but S3M to MOD conversion is NOT recommended!). Reads S3M, STM (perfect), M.K., 6CHN, 8CHN, Oktalyzer MOD, 5 to 10 track MOD (pretty good MOD loader) and a proprietary import format. Has an own sample format, which it shares with Advanced Digiplayer, but ST3 can also read raw 8-bit samples (signed and unsigned). MOD samples (signed 8-bit) can be imported by loading a MOD that uses them into ST3 (all information is retained). Freeware.
Linus reported a new URL:

http://ftp.cdrom.com/music/programs/trackers/scrmt321.zip

Obviously ST has been superceded by Impulse Tracker but it's still a venerable piece of tracking kit and S3Ms are still being made and distributed, although in lesser quantities.

  • FastTracker II - Programmed by Mr H and Vogue of Triton.

    Supports GUS, SB and SB Pro. Edits up to 32 tracks, 128 instruments,multi-sampled instruments (up to 16 samples per instrument), volume and panning envelopes for instruments, instrument panning, 4 GB maximum sample size, bidirectional looping, variable pattern length, built-in sample editor, sampler and CD dumper, 256 patterns, separate volume/panning/vibrato column, claims full MIDI support. Imports MOD, STM, S3M type mods, GUS patches, raw samples (signed and unsigned) and IFF samples. Samples can be 8 or 16 bits. Sample tuning by finetune and relative note value. Shareware $20.
Fasttracker comes in many varieties; 2.06, 2.08 and now (1999) the new version 2.09. The 2.06 version is still available in lots of sites, but the new 2.08 can be found here:

http://www.starbreeze.com/down/ft208.zip Main Developer these days....

http://ftp.cdrom.com/.27/sac/sound/ft208.zip http://sorry.vse.cz/maz/archives/ft209.zip ...and a link to Maz's site for 2.09.

This is basically an update/bugfix by Andreas Viklund with some new additions. Just be aware that this is not an official Star Breeze version so it should be treated with some care. I haven't had a problem with it so far, but ya never know. Best to install it as a new version first - don't overwrite your original until you are sure it works on your system. This is not too say that it's a bad version - far from it. Just be careful, I've seen lots of people having problems with FT installation (usually with SB clones)... A note of further caution for GUS & GUS PnP users: it's probably best you stick to 2.08 because 2.09 does not appear to work with GUS PnP cards(?!?)

The Fasttracker II Resource Page has changed address and is now at:

http://www.relaypoint.net/~emillan/ft2.html

You should also try the official FT page instead:

http://www.starbreeze.com/ft2/

  • Impulse Tracker - Programmed by Pulse (Jeffrey Lim). IT Patch #4 (122 K) allows to use DirectX for sound output, DirectX6 is required.

    Supports SB16, GUS, SB Pro, SB and PC Speaker. Features a Scream-Tracker-3'ish interface. Edits up to 64 tracks, 99 instruments, multi-sampled instruments, volume,panning and pitch envelopes, bidirectional looping, 8/16 bit samples with variable C5Spd (higher tuning range than ST3). Uses a (slightly altered) superset of the S3M commands. IT created the New Note Actions format, now being implimented by almost every new tracker. Imports S3M, MTM, MOD and IT type mods, ST3 and IT type samples /instruments (anything else is interpreted as raw data). Mod files can be used as instrument libraries. Writes IT and S3M files (S3M with restrictions). Non-crippled non-obliging shareware.
Impulse Tracker information can be found at the only surviving official Web site HQ:

http://www.citenet.net/noise/it

The latest version (2.14) can also be found at the following site:

http://ftp.cdrom.com/music/programs/trackers/it214.zip

  • Farandole Composer 1.00 - Programmed by Daniel Potter of Digital Infinity.

    Supports GUS only. Edits 16 tracks, 64 instruments, an own command set (does not claim to be PT-compliant), 8 and 16 bit sample support, sample size up to 1 Meg, imports MOD, 669, GUD PAT and ST3/Digiplayer samples. Features separate volume column and track panning. Loads MOD, 669, ULT (buggy) mods. Uses SVGA to display all tracks on screen simultaneously in 132x50 mode. Has a built-in sample editor. Shareware $15. The FAR format is not very well supported (outside this tracker).
http://ftp.cdrom.com/music/programs/trackers/far100.zip

  • UltraTracker v1.6 - Programmed by MAS of Prophecy.

    Supports GUS. Edits up to 32 tracks, 8 and 16 bit instruments, variable C2Spd with finetune, bidirectional looping, instrument panning, 255 patterns, subset of the PT commands, two effect slots per note. Built-in sample editor. Imports S3M, MOD, 669, FAR and MTM mods. Imports IFF, PAT, WAV, FSM, SND and raw sample types. Mouse driven. Shareware $20. The ULT format is not very well supported (outside this tracker).
http://ftp.cdrom.com/music/programs/trackers/ultra160.zip

  • ModEdit (current version reported to be v3.01) - Programmed by Norman Lin.

    Supports SB, DAC and the internal speaker using Mark J. Cox's playing routine (it runs even on 286 PC's). Edits only M.K. format. Mouse-driven menu interface. This editor's main quality is its sort-of-musical notation. Whereas almost all other trackers display the tracks vertically and notes are only discernible by their key character, ModEdit displays the current pattern horizontally and the notes on a vertical spread. This editor is old but could suit some people to get started on. It has a very good documentation, which can unfortunately be a bit misleading at times, however. Shareware $??
Definitely showing it's age but still hanging in there Modedit is available at these FTP sites:

ftp.micros.hensa.ac.uk/local/msdos/music/modedit.zip
ftp.oce.nl/pub/Internet/audio+video/MIDI/PROGRAMS/MSDOS/modedit.zip
ftp.cs.uu.nl/pub/MIDI/PROGRAMS/MSDOS/modedit.zip
ftp.unina.it/pub/Other/music/midi/PROGRAMS/MSDOS/modedit.zip
ftp.monash.edu.au/pub/midi/PROGRAMS/MSDOS/modedit.zip
ftp.riken.go.jp/pub/misc/MIDI/PROGRAMS/MSDOS/modedit.zip
ftp.u-aizu.ac.jp/pub/misc/music/midi/ruu.nl/PROGRAMS/MSDOS/modedit.zip
ftp.uni-wuppertal.de/pub/mmedia/midi/PROGRAMS/MSDOS/modedit.zip
ftp.tu-dresden.de/pub/soft/midi/PROGRAMS/MSDOS/modedit.zip

Here are some other trackers well worth checking out:

You may be wondering why Buzz and other similar kit is not being shown here. That is because I feel these devices (and I include AXS 2.x) better belong in the Softsynth section [9.1]. Wanna argue with that decision? Email rebriffr@netcomuk.co.uk.

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