Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] Tracker vs. sequencer
From: Kai Vehmanen (kaiv_AT_wakkanet.fi)
Date: la elo 28 1999 - 09:37:53 EDT
On Fri, 27 Aug 1999, Paul Winkler wrote:
> Jeff Brown wrote:
>> I've never heard the term "tracker" before. What's the difference?
>> What's are a few examples of both?
> "Trackers" are descendants of the Amiga MOD / "demo" scene. Examples are
> ImpulseTracker, FastTracker2, and (on Linux) FunkTracker Gold and
If you want to try one, definitely try out Michael Krause's
SoundTracker for Linux (named after the original Amiga program that
started the whole tracker scene). I've used trackers since the
original Amiga version of ST and this new Linux version of
SoundTracker is _really_ good.
> columns. The note events are triggered sound samples. They usually have
> little or no processing capability, just play the samples at different
> pitches with maybe some envelope control and pitch modulation.
All modern trackers support multi-sample instruments with amplitude
and pan envelopes. Newer ones also have more DSP processing capability.
> don't know of any trackers that can be controlled by MIDI; it's all done
> at the computer keyboard.
At least FastTracker2 offered MIDI-control. I didn't have any
MIDI-gear when I had a Amiga, but at least OktaMed offered advanced
features by combining MIDI/tracker -sequencer functionality.
SoundTracker/Linux doesn't offer this yet, but I'll have a go at it
if I get the time...
> I briefly played with trackers a year or two ago, but found them
> simultaneously too clunky to work with and way too inflexible, a
> thoroughly pointless combination IMHO. If I want clunkiness I'll take
Here I have to disagree. When you want to do _creative_ work with
computers, interface is always the biggest problem. Even with a good
interface, it always takes a lot of time to get used to it. Tracker
intercace is clunky, yes, but it has become a standard. Once I learn
to use one, I can use them all.
-- Kai Vehmanen ----------------------------- CS, University of Turku, Finland : email mailto:kaiv_AT_wakkanet.fi : audio processing for linux http://www.wakkanet.fi/ecasound/ : my music (ambient-idm-rock-...mp3/ra) http://www.wakkanet.fi/sculpscape/
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