Fasttracker XM to 4-channel protracker mod format

[phx]

Does anybody know of a way to automize the conversion of a (>4 channels) XM mod into a 4-channel protracker mod?

I'm currently evaluating the possibility to port a game to 68k classic Amigas, which leaves me no cycles for expensive sound-mixing. Still I want to keep the nice XM music in it.

[StingRay]

Originally Posted by phx

Does anybody know of a way to automize the conversion of a (>4 channels) XM mod into a 4-channel protracker mod?

There isn't. XM has 2 effect columns whereas mod only has one. XM supports more octaves than normal mod etc pp. Automatic conversion is not possible. You need to ask a (good) musician to convert the track to 4ch PT format.

[phx]

*Sigh*
I knew there must be a reason that I found nothing on the net.
It would mean a lot of work (ca. 10 mods?), even for a good musician.

[TheCyberDruid]

Depends on the mods of course If there are tight memory restrictions it'll take even longer.

[squidbass]

For that matter - are there any trackers or players on the amiga that can actually render an XM correctly?

squidbass

[daxb]

DigiboosterPro can load and play XM mods. Almost every multiformat mod player can handle XM. How correct they are I don`t know.

Convert a XM (>4ch) to mod is time intensive and a pain work but that depands on the XM itself, of course.

[StingRay]

Originally Posted by squidbass

For that matter - are there any trackers or players on the amiga that can actually render an XM correctly?

squidbass

DigiBoosterPro handles XM well.

[Akira]

Originally Posted by daxb

in work but that depands on the XM itself, of course.

Yes.
Even if you maintain the 4 channel structure, use only 1 effect column and you use 8-bit samples at the correct Hz ratio, you still need to:

- Avoid using certain effects
- Maintain a 64 steps per pattern structure

and maybe some otehr things.
I was trying to make a MOD with FastTracker to use with THCM's 8-bit sample routine for the C64, but I started wrong, and converting it is a pain in the ass. It gets worse if your XM is more complex, as said.

It can be done, but it's a work. Perhaps you want help from a tracker artist.

[TheCyberDruid]

Originally Posted by Akira

and maybe some otehr things.

Like Sting said, only use PT compatible octaves. That can be a real pain in the behind If the XM uses more than 8 channels you will most likely need to save bits of the song as a sample to bring it down to 4 channels.

[Akira]

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

Like Sting said, only use PT compatible octaves. That can be a real pain in the behind If the XM uses more than 8 channels you will most likely need to save bits of the song as a sample to bring it down to 4 channels.

Oh yeah man I forgot about that, the frequency response.

Saving parts as samples means a huge filesize. I bet it wouldn't work out for a game.
The best bet is to make a music conversion having all the limitations in mind and starting from zero, I think.

[TheCyberDruid]

Originally Posted by Akira

Saving parts as samples means a huge filesize. I bet it wouldn't work out for a game.

Yep.

Originally Posted by Akira

The best bet is to make a music conversion having all the limitations in mind and starting from zero, I think.

Would also say that's the better way. Reuse the samples and start from scratch in PT. That'll surely take some time

[Akira]

If you have a little budget some trackermus will make it I bet.

[8bitbubsy]

Remember that XM has also got instruments (Envelopes etc)... And it supports 16 bits samples!

So if you were to write a converter, you'd have to:
- Clamp the rows below 64 (if >64) (or make a new pattern with pattern break)
- Clamp the number of patterns (orderlist) below 127 (if >127)
- If number of samples > 31, then don't process any more samples. MODs can't contain more than 31 samples.
- Convert 16 bit samples (if any) to 8 bit signed PCM and clamp their data length below 0xFFFF (65535 bytes)
- Read the instrument note table (if any) and fetch samp. number for C-3, assign as the number X sample
- Convert the notes to periods (and clamp above 28, below 1712)
IF you want to convert the column effects too:
- Convert volume column command (e.g. v63) to Cxx (MOD set volume command)
- Convert volume slides to Axx
- Ignore panning (e.g. p31), or convert to 8xx (FastTracker MOD only, not ProTracker)
-- If you do this effect column conversion stuff, make sure the current MOD column doesn't have any effect in it... This is kind of frustrating, and probably best to skip.

Not recommended for weak souls
The "best" solution is to open the .XM in a multi-format tracker, then save as .MOD.. Then you can tweak it yourself to make it as best as possible. But always remember: If you didn't make the tune yourself, you need to respect the author's work. Don't change/limitate it too much (which probably is impossible if you want to convert it).

[TheCyberDruid]

Originally Posted by 8bitbubsy

The "best" solution is to open the .XM in a multi-format tracker, then save as .MOD..

Sorry, but that's kinda bullshit You'll loose all the extra channels, effects and notes that aren't within the supported octaves (been there, done that ). Either open it, work a long time on merging channels, applying all the changes you mentioned and then saving it as a mod file (and pray that you have only forgot 5-10% of the things that aren't PT compatible) or grab the samples, maybe some pattern data and start 'clean' in PT.

[8bitbubsy]

Originally Posted by 8bitbubsy

The "best" solution <snip>

Originally Posted by 8bitbubsy

<snip> Then you can tweak it yourself to make it as best as possible <snip>

By tweaking I meant spending a good time merging channels and all that stuff.

[TheCyberDruid]

Ah okay. The order of the 'thens' wasn't 100% then

[mld]

please don't make/save 4 ch in Fastracker. Use the Amiga Protracker 2.3 or something. you'd make my live easier. ;-)

mld/uade team

[8bitbubsy]

But it would make the tracker's life harder Just kidding, ProTracker is very user friendly for being such an old dated tracker. The other trackers were usually text mode on other machines back then!
FastTracker II is kind of more user friendly... It's more or less a matter of personal taste and habits

[TheCyberDruid]

Originally Posted by 8bitbubsy

It's more or less a matter of personal taste and habits

Not really. Saving as a mod in FT2 and using it in PT can have side effects. I bet that mld knows what he talks about here

[8bitbubsy]

Yes, but I meant in general. If you were to make 4 channel tunes (XM). He mentioned FastTracker II first!

Also, the MOD loader in FT2 is pretty good, but it might save the MODs (4 channel mode) with the tag "4CHN" or "FLT4", instead of "M.K."... Making it unplayable with ProTracker. Not 100% sure about this, though.

And about the "tweak MOD" thing I wrote earlier: You're right, something was wrong there. What I meant was: If the tracker can handle >4 ch MODs (Open ModPlug Tracker can do this), then you can open a XM, convert to MOD, *then* merge the channels to 4 and stuff

[TheCyberDruid]

Originally Posted by 8bitbubsy

Not 100% sure about this, though.

Open FT2, save MOD, open PT, open MOD, be 100% sure (it works )

Originally Posted by 8bitbubsy

And about the "tweak MOD" thing I wrote earlier: You're right, something was wrong there. What I meant was: If the tracker can handle >4 ch MODs (Open ModPlug Tracker can do this), then you can open a XM, convert to MOD, *then* merge the channels to 4 and stuff

Well PT can't. Really, the *best* way to convert those XMs would be to rewrite them on PT. Will take quite some time, but it'll make sure there are no unintended effects (in or left out) and you'll have WYHIWY, instead of various rechecks if the work you've done in a XM compatible tracker will sound okay in PT (or the desired replayer). Anyway, I hope phx finds someone that is up for the task and that finds a way to do it properly

[StingRay]

All this "load XM into tracker x and save as mod" is quite useless indeed since the result will be anything but good. XM != MOD. As simple as that. You'll need a musician to convert it.

[mld]

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

Not really. Saving as a mod in FT2 and using it in PT can have side effects. I bet that mld knows what he talks about here

oh, well. I had sleepless nights and people looked worried when I mumbled "it's not noisetracker! it can't be, but it looks like one..." in the streets ;-)

semi Offtopic: I think milky saves with m.k. but I'd have to check to be 100% sure. At least I haven't seen 4ch mods with a 4chn tag so far.

as stingray and the cyberdruid: imho, don't export any mods in milky or ft2 or modplugtracker or any other pc tracker in mod format. Use their fileformat like XM, because MOD is limited. If you have to use mods use Protracker to recompose.

About how to "join" channels or how to proceed at all, I can't give good advice

[daxb]

If someone really wants to try to convert XM to mod, IMHO the best/easiest way is to load the XM into DigiboosterPro (first check if it sounds/plays equal in FT2/DBP). At least ~95% of converting work can be done in DBP. If done save it as MOD and load it into PT for remain work. There is no 100% guaranty that all works but near to it. As already said it depends on the source XM.

If you send me an example XM you want to be a MOD, I will have a look and tell if it is possible or how much work you must invest. I can`t do the fist step (check if it sounds/plays equal in FT2/DBP) because I havn`t access to PC + FT2. However, shouldn`t be the problem.

Maybe some stuff can be done in FT2 already?

[phx]

First of all thanks for all the helpful comments!

Originally Posted by daxb

If someone really wants to try to convert XM to mod, IMHO the best/easiest way is to load the XM into DigiboosterPro (first check if it sounds/plays equal in FT2/DBP).

Hmm.. just checked it. DBPro requires AGA and is commercial?

At least ~95% of converting work can be done in DBP. If done save as MOD and load it into PT for remain work.

But that sounds quite interesting! Saving such a big part of work would be extremely valuable.

If you send me an example XM you want to be a MOD, I will have a look and tell if it is possible or how much work you must invest.

Thanks. I might come back to it when I got the source and the original XMs. But I have to check first if I'm allowed to send single files to a 3rd person.

[TheCyberDruid]

Originally Posted by phx

DBPro requires AGA and is commercial?

No and yes : http://www.digiboosterpro.de/dbp.php (at least AGA isn't mentioned).
Note that 'saving such a big part of work' is relative phx. It really depends on the XM which way is 'faster' and if the result will sound okay afterwards is another question. Rebuilding it can be much faster than 'downgrading' and fixing it in DBP or FT2.

[phx]

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

Note that 'saving such a big part of work' is relative phx. It really depends on the XM which way is 'faster' and if the result will sound okay afterwards is another question. Rebuilding it can be much faster than 'downgrading' and fixing it in DBP or FT2.

Probably. Provided I find a good musician.
Maybe I should ask my brother, who was quite talented with Protracker. But that was more than 15 years ago and he has never seen Fasttracker (neither did I ).

[Akira]

Having in mind time constrains, if you give me a look at the XMs I could be up for the chalenge of making the conversion to MOD

[ImmortalA1000]

I have a 4 channel XM with 8bit samples I wish could be played on my A1000 in FT or PT. Effects heavy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JywkXDL13xg

(my transcode/remastered WAV used for video)

[musojon74]

I might be able to do this conversion if anyone wants.

[daxb]

@phx:
Some news about your project or XM to mod conversion? Would be nice to know. At least after some people offered help.

[Samurai_Crow]

@Thread

I've done XM to Module conversions as a 2 step process. The first step is to use XM2MED to import it into OctaMED SoundStudio. You can then do whatever editing you need to from there to export it to Protracker format. You'll have to do most of the work yourself though, as has been said before.

[daxb]

You can do that in one Step by using DBP (load XM, edit and save it).

[ImmortalA1000]

Originally Posted by musojon74

I might be able to do this conversion if anyone wants.

Please do, much appreciated

[musojon74]

Ok we got the original to play with?