Re: Linux Equavalent - Fast Tracker 2

[David Jander <djander@alumnos.utfsm.cl>]

On Wed, 01 Dec 1999, you wrote:
>What is fast tracker exactly - Is it a wave file editor ?
>Wwhat is fasttracker capable off ?

Well, FastTracker 2 is an astonishing piece of art for a program.
It all dates back to 1992 (the M$-DOS era). 
Do you know the .mod file format ? It was invented on the Commodore-Amiga
computer, for storing music. It is basically a set of digital sound samples,
and an arrangement (just like a midi sequence). The standard MOD format
considered 8 bit samples, 4 tracks (i.e. max. 4 samples playing at a time) and
an acceptable set of special effects (like tremolo, arpeggiator, pitch pend,
volume, loops, etc...). The guys from triton did their FastTracker 1,
supporting the MOD format only (with 6 and 8 track variants). This program
alone was astonishing: Small, extremely fast and very flexible. You could even
produce stereo sound on a little stereo-DAC conected to your parallel port (a
cheap alternative when sound-cards were very expensive).
In 1993 they did FastTracker2, which knocked me right off my seat. I did not
imagine the computing power inside my old 386 until I saw this program. It
supported the new .XM (eXtended Module) format, which upgraded to 16 bit
samples, up to 32 tracks (voices), advanced wavetable synthesis capabilities
like complex envelopes for volume and panning, complete sample-editor/CD audio
ripper, midi sequencer (for editing with a midi keyboard), tons of new effects,
and a blazing fast GUI with oscilloscopes for each channel. Imagine this
(software-wavetable synthesis) running along with fast graphic displays
(vertical scroll + the scopes) on a 386 !!!!! Amazing !
All these features made FT2 the ultimate music composition utility.
Many techno-style soundtracks from not-so-old DOS computer games are made of
.MOD files.
We never heared again from the mythical Mr. H from Triton productions since
their last release of FT2 (version 2.06 is the last one I know of).
FT2, btw, is shareware, and contains a complete description of the .XM
file-format (in case someone wants to write a player for this). This is why
prgrams like Winamp (and XMMS ?) can read this file format.

Sincerely...

---------------------------------------------------------------------
David Jander J.                   | "M$-Windows sux, Linux Rulez !  
Electronics Student, UTFSM, Chile |  That's it !"
E-Mail : djander@alumnos.utfsm.cl |               -Me