Deprecated: mysql_connect(): The mysql extension is deprecated and will be removed in the future: use mysqli or PDO instead in /storage/content/49/145849/famitracker.com/public_html/forum/classes/dbHandler.php on line 29
FamiTracker
SO if my understanding is correct, an 'Instrument' is basically FT's way of bundling volume/arpeggio/pitch/duty cycle sequences into a single package. If an instrument doesn't define a particular sequence, sometimes the previous setting (e.g. duty cycle, for one) will carry over but usually it does not.
There are some cases where I might want to reference these sequences directly without having to create an official instrument for it. So how about the ability to define a 'custom' instrument on an as-you-need-it (e.g. per note) basis?
E.g:
1- In the Pattern Editor, if you double-click an instrument number FT should open the Instrument Editor and show you that instrument. (If this is on the DPCM channel, the Instrument Editor jumps to the DPCM tab; otherwise it jumps to the standard instrument settings tab) By itself this would be a little quicker than having to look up that instrument in the list, but the real value is for creating custom instruments:
2- A custom instrument is identified by number 'FF' (or perhaps 'XX' or '##' or basically anything that is obviously not a standard instrument number; maybe a color highlight can help too). If a particular row specifies this tag as an instrument, this means it isn't using a standard instrument but will be directly assigning sequence macros (volume, arpeggio, etc.) for use.
3 - When you assign a custom instrument, this mixes with [u]all[/u] macro settings currently in use (i.e. as defined by the previous instrument(s)) and remains in effect until overridden by a standard instrument.
4 - The custom instrument can be copied and pasted around the Pattern Editor just like a standard instrument number. But it's important to keep in mind that just because two custom instruments have the same tag, their effects are not necessarily the same as each other. To help this, mousing over a custom instrument tag could display a mouseover showing what sequences it sets.
_______________________
Where to find me:
YouTube: [url=http://youtube.com/user/stratelier]http://youtube.com/user/stratelier
DeviantArt: [url=http://stratadrake.deviantart.com/]http://stratadrake.deviantart.com/
I don't think Famitracker needs more unnecessarily complicated features. Instruments work just fine the way they are - in fact, Famitracker is the best tracker I've ever come across in terms of how it handles instruments, so I really can't see why you'd want to improve further upon them.
_______________________
Follow me on [url=https://twitter.com/jrlepage2a03]Twitter.
I record (some) NSFs on hardware. Feel free to [url=http://www.famitracker.com/forum/posts.php?id=3633]request a hardware render.
If anything, a better implementation would be to have 5 effects such as Kxx Lxx Mxx Nxx Txx where the Ks dictate to use the volume sequence of that number; L is arpeggio sequence, M is pitch sequence, N is hi-pitch sequence and T is duty cycle sequence. That way the tracker nor the musician will need to keep track of "previously used or not sequences"
(though I think T should be hi-pitch and N should be duty cycle since hi-pitch isn't used that often)
[quote=Xyz_39808]If anything, a better implementation would be to have 5 effects such as Kxx Lxx Mxx Nxx Txx where the Ks dictate to use the volume sequence of that number; L is arpeggio sequence, M is pitch sequence, N is hi-pitch sequence and T is duty cycle sequence. That way the tracker nor the musician will need to keep track of "previously used or not sequences"[/quote]
I can agree that not sharing some settings (like pitch or arpeggio) between instruments makes more intuitive sense.
_______________________
Where to find me:
YouTube: [url=http://youtube.com/user/stratelier]http://youtube.com/user/stratelier
DeviantArt: [url=http://stratadrake.deviantart.com/]http://stratadrake.deviantart.com/
