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
Hello again,
Because I was bored, I recreated the Zelda ending song from the FDS version and what do you know, it sounds just like the game! What's more is that I learned it by ear. I have uploaded it to share with you guys. I also uploaded the NSF. The FDS channel sounds weird though in the NSF in VirtuaNSF but I tried it in NSFPlay and it sounded normal except it's a little too louder than all the other instruments.
There are six flaws in your covers. (My interest is to be extremely picky on NES recreations!)
I have also included an almost frame-accurate revision. See flaw #6.
1. The hat's volume envelope should be 12 0 instead of 15 10 5 0.
2. The FDS wave's volume envelope should be 31 30 28 27 26 24 23 22 20 19 18 16 15 14 12 11 10 8 7 6 0 instead of 15 14 14 13 12 12 11 10 10 9 8 8 7 6 6 5 4 4 3 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0, however FamiTracker doesn't support volume up to 32 as of now. (The FDS channel has 33 volumes from 0 to 32.)
3. The flute has two volume envelopes throughout the song: 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 5 4 and 4 5 6 6 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 0 instead of 13 15 15 13 13 13 10 10 10 7 7 7 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 as in the FDS version. (In the NES counterpart, the bell uses the latter volume envelope with a note cut just one frame before the next note. Such technique has been used frequently in Mega Man 1 and 2)
4. Some note cuts are misplaced, misadded and missed.
5. The tempo used is still 135 but instead of directly inputing 135, repeats F06 and F07 to obtain frame accuracy.
6. The pitch at certain time is incorrect; For example, G-5 in 2A03 is one frequency register unit lower in FamiTracker. It would need a lot of time to obtain the correct frequency register. This problem is a huge pain and can be ignored [b]most of the time[/b] unless the composer claims that his/her cover is 100% accurate.
Once I did a Super Mario Bros. 1/3 complete soundtrack and I was patient enough to fix all those pitches, but the project was eventually dead due to the transition from version 0.3.0. to 0.3.5. beta.
Other than that, the cover is frame-accurate. Nice job here - there aren't many accurate NES recreations here.
I noticed a few flaws in yours too but the instruments sound very accurate and that's exactly what I wanted.
1. At the beginning frame the triangle doesn't make any noise and it's notes are too short (at least that's how my ear tells me).
2. When the NES version loops it loops from the wrong frame. When I listened to the NSF it looped from the place that I made it loop at. Other than that though, nice job recreating it. How did you know the envelopes for the rectangle waves? I am curious because I am DYING to get the voices from Die Hard on the NES and I have trouble recreating them. Any help would be great. As good of an ear that I have for music I can't seem to get those voices.
[quote=Doommaster1994]How did you know the envelopes for the rectangle waves? I am curious because I am DYING to get the voices from Die Hard on the NES and I have trouble recreating them. Any help would be great. As good of an ear that I have for music I can't seem to get those voices.[/quote]
Using NSF2MIDI and then viewing how the volume changes with Anvil Studio.
And it is totally a piece of cake to get the envelopes of the instrument from Die Hard. I have posted them here for reference.
Thanks. I have NSF2MIDI and I downloaded Anvil Studio but how do you view the envelopes and volume changes? I can't figure it out. I wanted ALL the instruments from the game. If I can figure out how to get the envelopes and volume changes you won't have to do any of the work for me.
[quote=Doommaster1994]Thanks. I have NSF2MIDI and I downloaded Anvil Studio but how do you view the envelopes and volume changes? I can't figure it out. I wanted ALL the instruments from the game. If I can figure out how to get the envelopes and volume changes you won't have to do any of the work for me.[/quote]
Note: Ticks per quarter is most likely predefined as 60 or 120 according the version of NSF2MIDI you use, so don't change it. One tick means one frame with engine speed set to 60 Hz. What you really need to do is to check "All volumes range from 0 to 127" via [[u]V[/u]iew] --> [[u]O[/u]ptions...] --> [General].
1. Download the .txt file from my thread "Random Useful Information".
2. Load the exported MIDI with Anvil Studio.
3. Choose [[u]V[/u]iew] --> [Event List].
You will see a lot of events, four of which are really needed:
a) NoteOn, triggers a note.
b) NoteOff, cuts a note.
c) Expression, changes the volume of the current note.
d) PitchBend, modifies the pitch. Only in MIDIs exported with NSF2MIDI 0.1.4.
4. Double-click an event. You should see five boxes but only two are used:
a) Time before: Distance between the current event and the previous event in ticks.
b) Time of event: Distance between the current event and the opening of the song in ticks.
5. View them one by one. For example, here is the first note of Ode to Joy (Square 2, default name in MIDI is "2: Track 3" ):
[quote=]NoteOn, dur: 5
Expression, value: 80, time before: 0
Expression, value: 65, time before: 2
Expression, value: 46, time before: 2
NoteOff, time before: 1
NoteOn, dur: 4, time before: 0
Expression, value: 73, time before: 0
Expression, value: 56, time before: 2
Expression, value: 32, time before: 1
NoteOff, time before: 1[/quote]
6. Space out the events so that they match the timing, like this (You must do this in your mind):
[quote=]Expression, value: 80 (NoteOn)
Expression, value: 65
Expression, value: 46
Expression, value: 73
Expression, value: 56
Expression, value: 32
NoteOff[/quote]
7. Convert MIDI volumes into NSF volumes, like this (Still you must do this in your mind):
[quote=]Expression, value: 6 (NoteOn)
Expression, value: 4
Expression, value: 2
Expression, value: 5
Expression, value: 3
Expression, value: 1
NoteOff[/quote]
8. Fill the spaces with the volume of the previous event, like this (Again you must do this in your mind):
[quote=]Expression, value: 6 (NoteOn)
Expression, value: 6
Expression, value: 4
Expression, value: 4
Expression, value: 2
Expression, value: 5
Expression, value: 5
Expression, value: 3
Expression, value: 1
NoteOff[/quote]
9. Input the whole volume string into the MML box and you are done.
MML [6 6 4 4 2 5 5 3 1]
With enough practice, the whole process can be done easily.
One note about the PitchBend event: They are parameters telling where pitch changes take place, but it is much harder to find out the depth of the bend. You still need to use NSFplay and see how the frequency register changes ("Tools" button --> [[u]V[/u]iew] --> [[u]K[/u]eyboard] --> [[u]S[/u]ettings] --> [Display the frequency [u]r[/u]egisters.], check the box).
Okay so say the expression value is 50 on a song, would that be 5? And 80 would be 8 (and I think 127 is 12?) I try to get the volume but the voices don't sound right. Thank you so much for the helpful advice. Do I disable all but one channel?
) 