The second track is almost done and I’m getting ready for the next cycle, there has been a lot of trial and error with the code but I am getting there. The Zelda and Final Fantasy themes have been helping but it’s very hard to make them sound similar. I’m very much wishing I had better samples, the ones I made sound terrible but hey ho. On to the next week!
Author: Daniel Fox
Starting the Second Cycle
Right so I am finally getting somewhere this week, the second cycle has begun and thus the second minute is almost done. The test cases and design are as follows:
- Does the track sound like a Town Theme?
- Does it fit in with the overall theme?
- Does it have at least 4 different transformers?
- Does it fit the full one minute?
The design will be a Village theme, as you can probably tell from the test cases.
There is a new video up which isn’t part of my performance but I think I will upload the full performance rather than just the sections. After a lot of dislike I am starting to enjoy myself more.
Lastly I have about 1500 words on my essay which is a start, hoping to get more done tomorrow although I am not excited.
Here is the link to my new video: https://youtu.be/TO47kEz3QOg
Starting Cycle One!
I have been making a little progress on my samples and my first minute should be done by this Thursday! I didn’t get much done this weekend because of the Global Game Jam I attended and it was one hundred percent worth it!
This will be the first Cycle of XP for software development and so the design and test cases are as follows:
- What does each transformer do and note it down? (This is over the whole cycle rather than just the end)
- Does the transformers chosen suit the samples that were chosen?
- Does the tract made fit the overall Design?
The Design will based around a title screen/ first world theme from a game.
I made some more progress with my write-up too, got about 1000 words down now and hoping to double that by Sunday!
That’s all for now!
Slow progress!
Currently things are going a little slow due to mild illness and a lack of motivation but I feel a bit better this week so a lot more progress should be happening this week.
The first track is finish and will be uploaded soon so it will more than likely be in next weeks update.
It also seems that not all the samples I had were enough and it is rather difficult to get specific Chiptune samples so this will slow down my progress a bit but I am doing my best! I am having to use a converter than converts .midi files to actually Chiptune samples.
The software can be downloaded here: http://www.geocities.co.jp/SiliconValley-SanJose/8700/P/GsorigE.htm
Milestone Achieved!
I’ve now completed my first two milestones:
- I have all the samples I may need but I am still free to get more if I need them, I achieved this before christmas but I didn’t record it.
- These samples can be found here: http://woolyss.com/chipmusic-samples.php
- Secondly I now have my cheat sheet finished and ready to use, you will be able to see it below:
Basic Syntax
- d1 – 9 for different tracks and t1 – 9 for transitions.
- Dollar ($) followed by a keyword.
- “sound” to play a sample.
- sample name is the file name.
- to specify which sample in the file use “:” followed by the number of the sample.
- e.g. d1 $ sound “bd”
- d2 $ sound “bd:3”
- e.g. t1 anticipate $ sound (samples “bd:1”)
- # for sample modifiers.
- ~ to rest/ no effect.
- “hush” to silence all tracks and “dX silence” to silence the X track.
Functions
- “rev” – reverses the pattern.
- e.g. d1 $ rev (sound “bd bd sn bd”)
- “every X (trans Y)” – transforms the samples every on the X beat.
- e.g. d1 $ every 4 (density 4) $ sound “bd bd sn bd”
- “slow X” – slows the samples by X.
- d1 $ slow 4 $ sound “bd bd sn bd”
- “density X” – speeds up the samples by X.
- d1 $ density 4 $ sound “bd bd sn bd”
- “foldEvery[X,Y,Z] (trans D)” – Transforms the samples every X, Y and Z beat.
- e.g. d1 $ foldEvery [1,3,5] (slow 2) $ sound “bd bd sn bd”
Modifiers
- “pan trans” – pans stereo sound by the trans
- e.g. # pan sinewave1
- e.g. # pan “0.0 0.5 1”
- “vowel trans” – formats the filters to make samples sound like vowels
- e.g. # vowel “a o e”
- “shape trans” – adds distortion to the samples
- e.g. # shape sinewave1
Transitions
- “xfadeIn X” – fades the new samples in over X beats.
- e.g. t1 (xfadeIn 16) $ sound “bd sn sn bd”
- “anticipate” – Builds tension over 8 beats and then drops into the next set of samples.
- e.g. t1 anticipate $ sound (samples “bd sn sn bd”)
- “jump” – sharply jumps to the next set of samples
- e.g. t1 jump $ sound (samples “bd sn sn bd”)