10 of November 2024
- The TurboSound modules archive was updated to version 3.1 in Music Archives section. Added/updated 26 modules. Total 482 ones now.
13 of October 2024
- To the for Engineer section placed an archive with photos of decapped AY-3-8910A, AY-3-8912A/P and AY-3-8913 chips (performed by Travis Goodspeed, sent by Vince Weaver), as well as a link to the corresponding Travis' article. Apple II Mockingboard users will be grateful if you can help them figure out the differences in the sound of AY-3-8912 and AY-3-8913. The essence of the problem can be found in the attached README or in the article.
3 of October 2024
- In the Music Archives section Tr_Songs archive version 6.6 was released. This version is mainly devoted to releases from the ZX Spectrum with hard-to-extract music, which have been accumulating for many years with various notes such as "make VTX", "array of registers", "make AY", "strange format", "review again", etc. Demos from the "pre-tracker" era (late 80'sx – the beginning of the 90s) also waited in the wings. Therefore, you will find many "new" modules in AY format (less often VTX) with music from such releases in this version, although some were lucky and managed to find them in the original format. Music that has appeared online in recent months has also been added (demo parties and zxart.ee updates). A total of 185 modules have been added or updated. There are currently 29032 modules, 8163 playlists and 775 text files with additional information in the archive.
- In the Music Archives section, the Tr_Songs archives version 6.6+ (expanded playlists) and 6.6++ (expanded playlists and folders) were released too.
- The AY Composers List v6.6 was released. 44 records were added/updated. Can be found inside of Tr_Songs archive v6.6, v6.6+ or v6.6++.
13 of July 2024
- The Vortex Project section was updated with Vortex Tracker II 1.0. Before removing the beta status from this version, it was decided to implement the maximized mode for editable window. Along the way, minor corrections and changes were made, which are described in detail in History.txt. Further plans for the project development go beyond the capabilities of the native PT3 format, and its modification entails changes in the player. Therefore, it is planned that the version in the PT3 header is larger than VT II 1.0 and PT 3.7 will become a marker of new features in the format.
- The For Developers section now has the source code of Vortex Tracker II v1.0.
23 of April 2024
- In the Music Archives section Tr_Songs archive version 6.5 was released. Most of the changes in this version were due to Adrien Pouleyn: he discovered many duplicates, helped decide which ones to keep, found co-authors for some modules and even authors for some previously unsorted ones, and, in addition, sent many new modules. I found some new modules in various releases, added music from the latest Forever demo party and the zxart.ee updates. A total of 137 modules have been added or updated. There are currently 28898 modules, 7979 playlists and 770 text files with additional information in the archive.
- In the Music Archives section, the Tr_Songs archives version 6.5+ (expanded playlists) and 6.5++ (expanded playlists and folders) were released too.
- The AY Composers List v6.5 was released. 27 records were added/updated. Can be found inside of Tr_Songs archive v6.5, v6.5+ or v6.5++.
11 of April 2024
- The TurboSound modules archive was updated to version 3.0 in Music Archives section. Added/updated 11 modules. The most modules exist in Tr_Songs archive. Total 458 ones now.
4 of April 2024
- The Vortex Project section was updated with Vortex Tracker II 1.0 beta 32. Important changes can be divided into two groups: localization and a position list. The program interface is prepared for translation into various languages, as well as a translation into Russian was made. If you'll decide to translate Vortex Tracker II into your language, it is not difficult at all, just follow the provided instructions. And don't forget to share the results with other users of the editor, send me a file like 'VT.language.po', and I'll add it to the project. The positions list has undergone significant changes, which will take some time to get used to (if you have not used Vortex Tracker v2.xx). For example, work with the clipboard has been added. You can select positions, copy and cut to the clipboard, paste, add and merge from it. In my opinion, this is more convenient than dragging, which I decided not to implement, the usual Ctrl+C, Ctrl+X, Ctrl+V and even Ctrl+A. The Insert key now calls the 'Add positions' command, which combines two functions of the Vortex Tracker 2.6 project at once (Add and Fill): if positions are selected, the same number of new patterns are added after selection, if an empty cell is selected, then positions are added to the end of the list till the selected one. The previous 'Insert Position' has been retained, but the functionality has been expanded: 'Duplicate positions' and 'Clone positions'. Also, by analogy with VT 2.6, commands for group changing the selected patterns length and renumbering patterns have been added. The positions list scroll bar has also changed, it displays the filled part of the list + 1 empty cell now, but if desired, you can press/click the Right key/icon to see the remaining empty cells (useful, for example, to add more than one position at a time). You can now use Home/End to control the cursor in the positions list, as well as hold Shift to select a range of cells. Briefly about the other changes: in the options, you can reassign the amplitude drawing button in the sample editor from the right to the left one, a switchable hint has appeared in the ornament editor, many improvements and fixes. Everything is described in detail in readme.txt.
- The For Developers section now has the source code of Vortex Tracker II v1.0 beta 32.
17 of March 2024
- The Vortex Project section was updated with Vortex Tracker II 1.0 beta 31. This time there are not many changes and the bulk is the correction of small flaws and minor improvements. But there is also a new functionality, and this is again the implementation of Vortex Tracker v2.6 ideas: Split pattern to divide it into parts and Pack pattern to remove its empty lines without affecting to the playback, hotkeys are not set by default, so either set them or call from the pop-up menu. As always, all changes are described in detail in readme.txt.
- The For Developers section now has the source code of Vortex Tracker II v1.0 beta 31.
10 of March 2024
- The Vortex Project section was updated with Vortex Tracker II 1.0 beta 30. Initially, this version was conceived as a quick fix for an error in the previous one, but, as they say, appetite comes with eating. At the request of Lee Bee, setting of the auto step and of the list for the channel selection button, as well as the keys for quick jump to the beginning of the pattern quarters, has been added. A list of open windows has been added to the Window menu, Swap Channels to the track editor, Toggle Samples has been improved, keys for inserting/deleting lines have appeared in the ornaments and samples editor, as well as highlighting with Tempo step (TAD was asked a long time ago, but I didn't get around to it), paths to modules, patterns, samples and ornaments are remembered individually now, the ability to disable the confirmation request for some operations has been added, and some interface colors setting has been allowed. These and other changes are described in detail in readme.txt.
- The For Developers section now has the source code of Vortex Tracker II v1.0 beta 30.
7 of March 2024
- Into the For Developers section's Ice Depacker archive added Sledge Hammer / Grinder adaptation for compiler with overflow checks switched on.
2 of March 2024
- The Vortex Project section was updated with Vortex Tracker II 1.0 beta 29. There are many changes and most of them are devoted to the internal reorganization of the project, as well as the writing useful features inroduced in the Vortex Tracker v2.6 project. It was decided to abandon MDI Windows, windows outwardly remained almost the same, but this transformation required significant changes and writing functions for working with windows from scratch (moving, resizing, activating, switching, etc.). Thanks to this reorganization, both new features appeared and some old ones disappeared. This is how the activated/played window visibility tracking has been worked out, the numbering of new windows has been improved, items in the Window menu have been added, but commands related to minimized windows have been removed. The following ideas were borrowed from the VT v2.6 project: additional transposition items in the track menu, modes for displaying and editing tone shifts as notes in samples and ornaments (you can use a MIDI keyboard), display and editing of the octave number was added there, hints appeared in the sample editor, as well as a mode for recalculating sample tone shifts when changing notes in the test line, the copied pattern can be pasted into a sample or an ornament for rendering, in the same way you can paste the ornament into a sample, keys for moving the cursor in tracks editor by the amount of the auto step are added, and also for quick setting its value. At Lee Bee's request, cursor wrapping has been added to samples and tracks editors as well as to the test lines when the extreme position is reached, as well as entering numeric values from the numpad. Double-clicking on the sample/ornament in the tracks and test lines now opens the corresponding editor. In the Options dialog, settings have appeared to control the mode for displaying tone shifts as notes, as well as displaying pop-up hints for tracks and samples. Many improvements and bug fixes have also been made. These and other changes are described in detail in readme.txt.
- The For Developers section now has the source code of Vortex Tracker II v1.0 beta 29.
21 of January 2024
- In the Music Archives section Tr_Songs archive version 6.4 was released. Several hundred duplicate modules were viewed, listened to and analyzed in order to find out exactly how they differ. As expected, in most cases the differences are either insignificant or arose as a result of careless edits/failures, or clearly intermediate working versions. In parallel with the removal of such modules, new ones were added. So using the zxpress.ru catalog magazines and newspapers missing from Tr_Songs were identified, and the music found in them slightly compensated for the decrease in the total number of modules. Music from numerous releases in recent months has also been added (zxdemos.ru , parties, vtrd.in etc.) and the zxart.ee updates have been reviewed. Adrien Pouleyn carried out similar work in parallel, periodically sending me its results. A total of 232 modules have been added or updated. There are currently 28837 modules, 7912 playlists and 763 text files with additional information in the archive.
- In the Music Archives section, the Tr_Songs archives version 6.4+ (expanded playlists) and 6.4++ (expanded playlists and folders) were released too.
- The AY Composers List v6.4 was released. 56 records were added/updated. Can be found inside of Tr_Songs archive v6.4, v6.4+ or v6.4++.
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