Soundtracker DMA v2.0 ===================== By Zik/Futurs', released on June 2021. Soundtracker DMA is a music editing software for Amstrad Plus. It takes advantage of CPC+ audio DMA lists to allow AY-SID and AY-sample sounds while keeping CPU usage low. The editor runs on Amstrad Plus with 128KB of memory. This text file is a minimal user manual, you can read a complete version at: https://soundtrackerdma.cpcscene.net Soundtracker DMA is freeware. Please send your comments, suggestions and bug reports in English or French by e-mail to zik@cpcscene.net ======================================== == General ======================================== Remarks: - UniDOS is supported (display and browse directories) - Music is exported as a stream of data - Filenames are generated from objet names (sample, instrument, song) - Numbers use hexadecimal notation ======================================== == Keyboard shortcuts ======================================== Remarks: - Warning! "Ctrl + Shift + Esc" is enabled - French, English and Spanish keyboards are supported Common keys ----------- * f1/f2/f3 * Mute/Unmute A/B/C channel (from menu, while playing song or pattern) * f6 * Octave+1 * f9 * Octave-1 * f5 * Item+1 * f8 * Item-1 * Shift + f5 * Next linked item for samples, item+1 for other objects * Shift + f8 * Previous linked item for samples, item-1 for other objects * Ctrl + right * Change active list * Ctrl + left * Change active list * Ctrl + f6 * Change active list * Ctrl + f4 * Change active list Menu keys --------- * Escape * Go up one level in the menu hierarchy * Tab * Enter song list editor * Space * Select current menu entry * up/down/left/right * Move cursor Play song keys -------------- * Tab * Move to the next song-list position * Esc * Stop music * Shift + space * on "Play Song", play music from the start of the song-list otherwise, play from the last selected song-list position Songlist editor keys -------------------- * Esc * Leave song list editor * up/down * Move cursor * left/right * Move cursor * f1 * Go to first position * f3 * Go to last position (song length) * Return * Set music length (song length) * Space * Set music looping step (song "loop to") * Shift + up * Increase value * Shift + down * Decrease value * Ctrl + up * Increase value (pattern+8) * Ctrl + down * Decrease value (pattern-8) * Ctrl + n * Set pattern number to the first empty pattern available * Del * Clear the current value (set to 0) * f0 * Insert one position * f. * Remove one position Pattern editor keys ------------------- When entering editor from menu: * Space * Edit pattern (last edited pattern) * Shift + space * Edit pattern (from song list position) * Ctrl + space * Edit pattern (last played pattern at last played step) In pattern editor: * Esc * Leave pattern editor * Return * Stop all sounds * f4 * Pattern+1 * f7 * Pattern-1 * f0 * Insert line to current channel * f. * Remove line from current channel * Shift + f0 * Insert pattern line * Shift + f. * Remove pattern line * Copy * Play current pattern position * up/down * Move cursor * left/right * Move cursor * Ctrl + 1 * Move to the first line of the pattern * Ctrl + up * Move 8 lines up * Ctrl + down * Move 8 lines down * Shift + 1 * Copy track to clipboard * Shift + 2 * Cut track to clipboard * Shift + 3 * Paste track from clipboard * Shift + 7 * Copy note to clipboard * Shift + 8 * Paste note from clipboard * Shift + 0 * Reset clipboard position * Tab * Increase "skip" value * Ctrl + Tab * Decrease "skip" value * Del * Clear field or note * Clr * Write a "Res" to pattern * Ctrl + r * Write a "Res" to pattern * Ctrl + s * Write a "Smp" to pattern * piano keys * Write note to pattern * 0-9, A-F * Enter hex value Instrument editor keys ---------------------- * Esc * Leave instrument editor * Ctrl + right * Switch editor (to sequence editor) * Ctrl + left * Switch editor (to sample editor) * Enter * Change instrument name * Esc * Abandon name input * Return * Confirm name * Del * Delete last character * up/down * Move cursor * left/right * Move cursor * f1 * Go to first step * f3 * Go to last step (length) * f4 * Speed+1 * f7 * Speed-1 * Return * Set instrument length * Space * Set looping step * Ctrl + space * Toggle loop * Shift + up * Increase value * Shift + down * Decrease value * Ctrl + up * Increase value (fast, for arp and periods) * Ctrl + down * Decrease value (fast, for arp and periods) * Del * Clear/reset field * Shift + del * Clear/reset complete line * f0 * Insert an empty line * f. * Remove a line * Shift + f0 * Insert a duplicate line * Shift + f. * Remove a line * piano keys * Play instrument * any other key * Stop sound Sequence editor keys -------------------- * Esc * Leave sequence editor * Ctrl + right * Switch to next editor * Ctrl + left * Switch to next editor * Enter * Change sequence name * Esc * Abandon name input * Return * Confirm name * Del * Delete last character * up/down * Move cursor * left/right * Move cursor * f1 * Go to first step * f3 * Go to last step (length) * f4 * Speed+1 * f7 * Speed-1 * Return * Set sequence length * Space * Set looping step * Shift + up * Increase value * Shift + down * Decrease value * Ctrl + up * Increase value (+12) * Ctrl + down * Decrease value (-12) * Tab * Copy value to next position * Del * Clear current value (set to 0) * piano keys * Play sequence using current instrument * any other key * Stop sound Sample editor keys ------------------ * Esc * Leave sample editor * Ctrl + right * Switch editor (to instrument editor) * Ctrl + left * Switch editor (to sequence editor) * Enter * Change sample or alias name * Esc * Abandon name input * Return * Confirm name * Del * Delete last character * Shift + right * Increase offset (for a sample alias) * Shift + left * Decrease offset (for a sample alias) * Shift + up * Fast offset increase (for a sample alias) * Shift + down * Fast offset decrease (for a sample alias) * Ctrl + a * Create a new sample alias * Space * Play/Stop sample Discop keys ----------- * Esc * Cancel file selection * Del * Go up one directory level (Unidos) * up/down * Move cursor * Space * Select current item Stream save keys - from discop menu ----------------------------------- * Esc * Cancel file save ======================================== == Pattern & FX options ======================================== Valid combinations ------------------ Note/Ins/Vol/FX/Param C#4 7F F A 35 C#4 7F - A 35 => volume maximum is unchanged D#4 -- F A 35 => change note but continue instrument --- -- F A 35 => volume & effect but no note C#4 7F F - -- => note & volume at maximum C#4 7F - - -- => note alone (at current volume) --- -- D - -- => only change maximum volume for current note or sample --- -- - A 35 => effect only Res -- - - -- => stop sound (note or sample), no volume or effect change Res -- C - -- => stop sound (note or sample), change maximum volume Res -- - X 00 => stop sound & effects Smp 03 - - -- => sample (at full volume) Smp 03 4 - -- => sample at specified volume (full or dimmed) Invalid combinations -------------------- List is not exhaustive. Note/Ins/Vol/FX/Param Smp -- - - -- => ignored --- 7F - - -- => ignored Volume of samples ------------------ Two volume levels are possible for samples: full or dimmed. Hence, volume column for samples works a bit differently than for instrument notes: Smp nn - => full volume (when no volume is specified) Smp nn v => full volume if v>=8; dimmed volume if v<8 (0 included) --- -- v => full volume if v>=8; dimmed volume if v<8 (0 included) --- -- - => no volume change Effect reference ---------------- "Special" column effects (leftmost column): - Txx - Set tempo (T00 is ignored; T01 is the fastest tempo) - Bxx - Break pattern if xx=0, ignored otherwise - Exx - Entry point (xx=00 to 3F, ignored otherwise) - Sxx - Signal to external application (xx=00 to 7F, ignored otherwise) A/B/C channel effects: - Axy - Set Arpeggio (3 note arpeggio +0 +x +y) - Uxy - Slide pitch Up (portamento up), x=speed, y=depth; 0x=repeat - Dxy - Slide pitch Down (portamento down), x=speed, y=depth; 0x=repeat - I0x - Fade volume In - O0x - Fade volume Out - Vxy - Vibrato x=speed (1 is the fastest; option ignored if 0y) y=depth (x0 stops vibrato; option ignored if y > 7) - Xxx - Stop all FXs (arpeggio, arp seq, vibrato, pitch seq, SID offset) xx parameter is ignored - Sxx - Use arpeggio Sequence (option ignored if xx > 63) - Pxx - Pitch sequence (option ignored if xx > 63) - Bxx - Change arpeggio speed (Axy or Sxx arpeggio) - Qxx - Change pitch sequence speed - Jxx - Change instrument speed - Zxx - Set SID offset (add offset to calculated note, unit is 1 HBL) xx is a signed hexadecimal value (FF == -1), default is 0. This option is not related to a channel as there is only one SID at a time. Remark: All effects continue until they are stopped, except portamento up/down and volume fade in/out.