"Stepping through a dusty archway into halls unseen for centuries..."
I whipped this tune up pretty quick, so it's not perfect, but I've been doing this long enough to know that trying to fiddle it to perfection doesn't work and is a waste of time, so say it with me: **Ehhhh**....
There. A Field theme. It works and is long enough to not get old too quick. I took way too long to make this, mostly spent on fruitlessly trying to make new parts to make it longer/more varied.
I tried my hand at adding an NES-style DPCM channel type. Seems to work fine and doesn't even consume as many cog resources as I'd initially had thought it would (the samples themselves are of course huge...)
The noise is mostly due to my sub-optimal sample here. If I take the one from, say, Journey to Silius, it's a lot less noisy, but very detuned instead (since we need different sample rates than NES DPCM would)
The code is in GitLab right now. It's a bit tricky to use, just look at the example or ask me if that doesn't help.
How to create an untuned sample (drums and stuff):
- Find/record a sample
- Decide on a sampling rate - ideally, choose 32000,16000, etc, since these will not suffer aliasing
- Resample the sample to that rate and export as mono WAV
- Open the WAV in a hex editor and change the sample rate (at offset 18h) to 33144
- Open the modified WAV in RJDMC and save out a DMC file (leave the settings alone!)
- Done, include the sample in your tune and play it at your chosen frequency!
How to create a tuned sample (i.e. any pitched instrument):
- Find/record a sample and take note of which note it is
- The sample rate must be the same note as your sample, but in a higher octave. Note that the highest note Retronitus supports is B10 (OCTAVE*0 NOTE*11).
- Resample the sample to that rate and export as mono WAV
- Open the WAV in a hex editor and change the sample rate (at offset 18h) to 33144
- Open the modified WAV in RJDMC and save out a DMC file (leave the settings alone!)
- Done, include the sample in your tune - make sure the notes are shifted up enough octaves!
Also, attached you may find another tune I did. It's for the game and I think it's too short and simple for a video. It uses the new DPCM stuff, which is cool, too.
Here's a fun thing: MAKE SURE WHICH COG YOU LOAD RETRONITUS (or any other audio cog, for that matter) INTO
I've spent a couple hours today tracking this bug down, so please, for all that is good, DO NOT LOAD RETRONITUS INTO COG 7 LIKE I DID, IT WILL MAKE YOU SAD.
So, after having vented my frustration, here's the problem:
Pictured: grahphic from section 8.5 of the P8X32A datasheet
When generated by a cog far away from the audio pins (usually 11 and 10), the very high-frequency modulated audio signal gets distorted by all the OR gates in the path. As you may see, cog 7 is furthest from pins 0 through 15.
This is what that does to the signal:
Top traces are Retronitus DX in cog 2 (running standalone with a *_main.spin file, as in the repo),
bottom traces are Retronitus DX in cog 7 (running inside my game).
This distorion manifests in a highly irritating sound.
I've attached some zipped FLACs to illustrate that point. They are all the same length and content, so you can compare them. The *_game ones have a lot higher noise floor due to the video pins having a rave next door.
Here is Retronitus DX for P2!
I haven't quite put it through it's paces yet, so it's only a preview release. Just load retrotest.spin2 and enjoy. I've included 3 tunes converted to Spin2 to try: NearlyThere.spin2 (yes, it's supposed to just hang when it's done), Fierce.spin2 and DPCMtest.spin2. I converted them to Spin2, which isn't too difficult.
My last 3 braincells when I try to write a melody that doesn't suck...
This tries to be some sort of EDM but I'm not sure if it's any good.
The emulated audio is a bit muddy. It sounds cleaner on hardware.
Yeah, that sure is a cool one. I think you could do some kind of digital reverb on P2? Idk, would have to look into it. Doing just a little bit could sound pretty nice without changing the character of the sound completely.
Hmm, could a proper P2-centric synth do physical modelling? It's basically just reverb tuned to a frequency, I think.
My last 3 braincells when I try to write a melody that doesn't suck...
This tries to be some sort of EDM but I'm not sure if it's any good.
The emulated audio is a bit muddy. It sounds cleaner on hardware.
WOW! Sounds really cool so thanks for posting the audio file
New cover tune. It's the music from Gyruss, that arcade game where you shoot stuff in space.
The main theme from Gyruss. It doesn't really have a name, but its basically Toccata and Fugue in D Minor but with drums and bass, lol.
This version here is somewhere between the original arcade and the NES version, with some random changes I made and some errors, probably.
Not a very interesting tune, except for that alleged tamburine patch (playing on the LFSR channel) that sounds more like someone dropping a bunch of dishes. And that I completely blinded on the lead and the chords playing the same pitches while composing, which results in that slightly obnoxious phasing(?) effect. It seems less present when playing this on my phone, oddly enough (LG G5 with DAC module).
This one is really more of an exercise in sound design and an excuse to add new waveforms than anything else. Each channel does something interesting:
A new "filtered square" waveform is used for the bass. It works like a normal square channel, except that the bottom 5 bits of the volume register control filter strength and the bit above switches between high-pass and low-pass filtering (the tune only uses low-pass)
A new "stereo square" waveform is used. It doesn't have an envelope generator, but instead allows direct control of its mix level into the left and right outputs.
The LFSR channel is effectively playing a simple chord by setting it up to loop a special bit pattern
The whistly kinda patch on the triangle channels has a frequency envelope, sortof
The Sawtooth channels are doing something interesting with the envelope generator's usually undesired wraparound behavior
The Noise channel... yeah, not very interesting. It's supposed to be a bit like boiling water...
What are you guys (Cluso99, Wuerfel_21) up to these days? The forums (including the P2 stuff) seems to have much less activity than usual. Are we loosing momentum?
Anyway, nice seeing new Retronitus stuff comming out!
@Ahle2 said:
What are you guys (Cluso99, Wuerfel_21) up to these days? The forums (including the P2 stuff) seems to have much less activity than usual. Are we loosing momentum?
Well, I'm mostly doing work on my game RN. Currently working on new player/map interactions.
(yes, pots have the mysterious power to instantly dry oneself)
Still want to do the P2 megadrive emulator at some point, doing the Yamaha FM and SEGA VDP chips was really fun, I really want to see that all come together.
Anyway, nice seeing new Retronitus stuff comming out!
Ye. Have you listened to all of 'em? I think the Gyruss cover came out really nice.
I'll also need to update the P2 version with the new waveforms.
@Cluso99 said:
@Wuerfel_21,
I sent you a pm as I haven’t received your email
That's still not a PM, that's posting publically on my profile. I don't get a notification on that. IDK why that feature even exists. To actually send a PM, you need to click the "Message" button in the top right corner. Anyways, tried sending mail again, double-checked the address, it is correct.
@Wuerfel_21
Nice seeing that you still are working on that game for the P1. I was blown away by the quality and the limit pushing you have accomplished on the P1 version when I tried your (pre) Alpha version a year ago or so.
Keep it up!!
@Cluso99
We need you in the P2 community! But I understand that there are a lot of toys to play with out there that does some things with much less hassle. That's why we need quality objects for the P2 to make up for that. USB is a big one and we really need a complete stack with all the bells and whistles.
Comments
One may also find source for both of these on GitLab...
As always, source is on GitLab.
I tried my hand at adding an NES-style DPCM channel type. Seems to work fine and doesn't even consume as many cog resources as I'd initially had thought it would (the samples themselves are of course huge...)
The noise is mostly due to my sub-optimal sample here. If I take the one from, say, Journey to Silius, it's a lot less noisy, but very detuned instead (since we need different sample rates than NES DPCM would)
The code is in GitLab right now. It's a bit tricky to use, just look at the example or ask me if that doesn't help.
How to create an untuned sample (drums and stuff):
- Find/record a sample
- Decide on a sampling rate - ideally, choose 32000,16000, etc, since these will not suffer aliasing
- Resample the sample to that rate and export as mono WAV
- Open the WAV in a hex editor and change the sample rate (at offset 18h) to 33144
- Open the modified WAV in RJDMC and save out a DMC file (leave the settings alone!)
- Done, include the sample in your tune and play it at your chosen frequency!
How to create a tuned sample (i.e. any pitched instrument):
- Find/record a sample and take note of which note it is
- The sample rate must be the same note as your sample, but in a higher octave. Note that the highest note Retronitus supports is B10 (OCTAVE*0 NOTE*11).
- Resample the sample to that rate and export as mono WAV
- Open the WAV in a hex editor and change the sample rate (at offset 18h) to 33144
- Open the modified WAV in RJDMC and save out a DMC file (leave the settings alone!)
- Done, include the sample in your tune - make sure the notes are shifted up enough octaves!
Also, attached you may find another tune I did. It's for the game and I think it's too short and simple for a video. It uses the new DPCM stuff, which is cool, too.
I've spent a couple hours today tracking this bug down, so please, for all that is good, DO NOT LOAD RETRONITUS INTO COG 7 LIKE I DID, IT WILL MAKE YOU SAD.
So, after having vented my frustration, here's the problem:
Pictured: grahphic from section 8.5 of the P8X32A datasheet
When generated by a cog far away from the audio pins (usually 11 and 10), the very high-frequency modulated audio signal gets distorted by all the OR gates in the path. As you may see, cog 7 is furthest from pins 0 through 15.
This is what that does to the signal:
Top traces are Retronitus DX in cog 2 (running standalone with a *_main.spin file, as in the repo),
bottom traces are Retronitus DX in cog 7 (running inside my game).
This distorion manifests in a highly irritating sound.
I've attached some zipped FLACs to illustrate that point. They are all the same length and content, so you can compare them. The *_game ones have a lot higher noise floor due to the video pins having a rave next door.
Because someone kinda asked for it, here's a video that shows the sawtooth modulation in action:
Here is Retronitus DX for P2!
I haven't quite put it through it's paces yet, so it's only a preview release. Just load
retrotest.spin2and enjoy. I've included 3 tunes converted to Spin2 to try:NearlyThere.spin2(yes, it's supposed to just hang when it's done),Fierce.spin2andDPCMtest.spin2. I converted them to Spin2, which isn't too difficult.Great, I will have to try this out!
Here's yet another silly tune.
Mmmm should try to combine this with Linus Åkesson's latest project: http://www.linusakesson.net/sixtyforgan/index.php
Yeah, that sure is a cool one. I think you could do some kind of digital reverb on P2? Idk, would have to look into it. Doing just a little bit could sound pretty nice without changing the character of the sound completely.
Hmm, could a proper P2-centric synth do physical modelling? It's basically just reverb tuned to a frequency, I think.
WOW! Sounds really cool so thanks for posting the audio file
New cover tune. It's the music from Gyruss, that arcade game where you shoot stuff in space.
That's ace @Wuerfel_21
Aaand another one:
Aaand yet another one.
This one is really more of an exercise in sound design and an excuse to add new waveforms than anything else. Each channel does something interesting:
AAAAnd 'nother one!
Where do these coming from? Someone's opened a can of worms...
Nice @Wuerfel_21 - I could never do anything like this
That's something I might have said at one point. I just kept trying and eventually I got the hang of composition. Well, sortof, anyways.
Unrelatedly, I sent you an e-mail a while ago. Check your spam folder or what got you.
There are some things I could probably do in time, but i don’t have any musical abilities whatsoever and I’m too old to start now
I didn’t see your email - I’ll check the trash in the morning.
What are you guys (Cluso99, Wuerfel_21) up to these days? The forums (including the P2 stuff) seems to have much less activity than usual. Are we loosing momentum?
Anyway, nice seeing new Retronitus stuff comming out!
Well, I'm mostly doing work on my game RN. Currently working on new player/map interactions.
(yes, pots have the mysterious power to instantly dry oneself)
Still want to do the P2 megadrive emulator at some point, doing the Yamaha FM and SEGA VDP chips was really fun, I really want to see that all come together.
Ye. Have you listened to all of 'em? I think the Gyruss cover came out really nice.
I'll also need to update the P2 version with the new waveforms.
@Wuerfel_21,
I sent you a pm as I haven’t received your email
@Ahle2,
I replied by pm. I’m not doing any P2 atm as I’m playing with the cheapie CH55x chips that are enhanced 8051 with USB.
That's still not a PM, that's posting publically on my profile. I don't get a notification on that. IDK why that feature even exists. To actually send a PM, you need to click the "Message" button in the top right corner. Anyways, tried sending mail again, double-checked the address, it is correct.
Received your email
Sorry. Thought something looked wrong when I posted. Can you delete those comments? I tried and there is no way for me to do it.
@Wuerfel_21
Nice seeing that you still are working on that game for the P1. I was blown away by the quality and the limit pushing you have accomplished on the P1 version when I tried your (pre) Alpha version a year ago or so.
Keep it up!!
@Cluso99
We need you in the P2 community! But I understand that there are a lot of toys to play with out there that does some things with much less hassle. That's why we need quality objects for the P2 to make up for that. USB is a big one and we really need a complete stack with all the bells and whistles.