parkfun101 Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 (edited) If anyone is interested in making Colecovision music using either ASM or C code, I have something for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ofV3y2DSUE&feature=youtu.be I created the application originally for quickly copying notes to Famitracker, but now you can create Colecovision Music and melodies very quickly and easily. By the way, this is the 1st week I've been working on Colecovision music or sound effects. The code was done in VB.net. The modification from my old app to being able to do what you see in the video took only 1 day to code. I've attached the NES and CV Sequencer. I didn't provide an installer, but if it doesn't work, make sure you download the newest .net framework and then it should work. It works fine for me on Windows 7. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. NES and CV Sequencer.zip Edited June 18, 2014 by parkfun101 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 f#$k yeah! exactly what I have been looking for. Thanks. I will try it out tonight. very timely your sequencer & Tursi's vgm converter. I've really been struggling trying to make music for the colecovision 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Thumbs up! I think this will make some programmers very happy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 I can't get it to work. I've installed the latest 4.5 .net I tried it on windows 7 32 bit and windows 7 64 bit. It won't run. Any other suggestions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 I can't get it to work. I've installed the latest 4.5 .net I tried it on windows 7 32 bit and windows 7 64 bit. It won't run. Any other suggestions Same here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parkfun101 Posted June 21, 2014 Author Share Posted June 21, 2014 Hmm, let me see if I can make an installer for it. I think it uses a line usercontrol that might be the reason I can't just send it directly unless I make an installer. I'll work on that now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parkfun101 Posted June 21, 2014 Author Share Posted June 21, 2014 I see, the problem is you have to have Microsoft VisualBasic PowerPacks installed. It is just for using the shape controls. You may be able to just install that and you should be good to go. Later on tonight or tomorrow, I will try and get out an install out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 (edited) I'll try it out right now and let you know. ... Confirmed it is now working on my system win 64 bit. Thanks , I'll try out the program now. I see, the problem is you have to have Microsoft VisualBasic PowerPacks installed. It is just for using the shape controls. You may be able to just install that and you should be good to go. Later on tonight or tomorrow, I will try and get out an install out. Edited June 21, 2014 by digress Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parkfun101 Posted June 22, 2014 Author Share Posted June 22, 2014 (edited) Ok, I tested this on another computer. If you have any issues installing, just install it to the Desktop or make sure the folder you put it in has write access. Also, note that this is the first version I've released. The timing for each note is hardcoded to '6' for length. I'm going to go back later on this week and adjust it to relate to the speed settings in the app. I think even in its current form, it will save you TONS of time trying to test a song out. There are a bunch of features built in that you will just have to test out that move all the notes up an octave, down, sideways, copies them over and over, create random notes, create notes using text to help you get ideas for songs, all sorts of things. You can also save your notes as a file to easily reopen for later. You can also create templates for backbeats and whatnot. If anyone wants me to make this also work for other video game systems, all I need is a way to test it (what language or whatever) and code for all the basic notes and a blank note and I can easily modify this for other systems. Have fun, and if you create a song using this program, do a video or record an mp3 or wav of it and send it to me or post it in this section. I'd love to hear that the program is helping the community out. Setup1.zip Edited June 22, 2014 by parkfun101 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordiway Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 can you convert midi files Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parkfun101 Posted June 23, 2014 Author Share Posted June 23, 2014 can you convert midi files I haven't actually tried to convert midi files before. If you send me a midi file that has all the basic notes, I may be able to have the program import midi. I just don't know how hard it would be to do. Currently, my app only does 1 instrument at a time so the midi file may have to also be just 1 instrument...not sure yet since I haven't worked with midi before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordiway Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 I sent it to your email Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Perhaps you can import SoundTracker or similar MOD files? While those usually are based on sampled instruments, at least the note data should be possible to import, usually up to four channels while the PSG has 3+1 or 2+1 if you use LFSR. For the music routines I've made on other systems, I usually compose in OctaMED on the Amiga, then print the tracker data as text to file, import and tidy it up to a format that I can assemble. Thus I don't have any chip music composer, but I suppose a tool like yours or otherwise could be paired with different player routines for various target systems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parkfun101 Posted June 23, 2014 Author Share Posted June 23, 2014 I sent it to your email I opened up the MIDI file you sent in Notepad++ and I have no clue how I would be able to convert that. It is very cryptic. I really need the note data for 1 channel so I can pull that out. I know that now Famitracker has a way to export as a text file so that code (from 1 channel) could be read at least up to 64 notes since this app only goes up to that. I haven't actually coded for that yet, but that might be one I setup for import. Even if I do get notes converted from existing files with this app, it still does not provide things like volume slides, appregio, vibrato, etc so the converted song may sound a bit odd if those types of features are used since it would strip those out. This app's main purpose was to help get you started on a song or melody with an easy to use interface. In Colecovision's case, it actually creates code from the notes which the user will probably tweak once they get a basic song composed and since I don't believe there was ever a Colecovision music composer (let me know if there is), I think it really would be a great tool for any game developer. Having said all that, output from this app is VERY easy to generate in terms of my code. I literally found the code for generating individual Colecovision notes and in the same day, I got the app to generate it the way it does currently. In fact, it only took about 3 hours to code. So my plan for future enhancements was to perhaps help developers with other game systems that do not currently have a music composer for them. Since I have only coded for Colecovision, I have no clue as to which systems would need this type of tool or which ones don't currently have music making software. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Ideally, It would be great to code 3 sound channels simultaneously and the noise channel so you can better match up the different channels timing wise for 2 part or 3 part music pieces. But perhaps a simple way to change this is channel 1 or channel 2 or channel 3 for the notes output so it would out put 0x40 instead of 0x80 . I'm not sure about the 64 note length. Is that a tracker thing? is it possible to extend the length? You said you are putting in different note lengths which was the other obvious thing It's very useful. Output of usable music code is a really nice improvement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyuundere Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 I need to test this :3 I hope have some free time this week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parkfun101 Posted June 23, 2014 Author Share Posted June 23, 2014 Ideally, It would be great to code 3 sound channels simultaneously and the noise channel so you can better match up the different channels timing wise for 2 part or 3 part music pieces. But perhaps a simple way to change this is channel 1 or channel 2 or channel 3 for the notes output so it would out put 0x40 instead of 0x80 . I'm not sure about the 64 note length. Is that a tracker thing? is it possible to extend the length? You said you are putting in different note lengths which was the other obvious thing It's very useful. Output of usable music code is a really nice improvement. The 64 note thing is Famitracker's default length for 1 section of music. The different note lengths will be to help it match up to the different speed settings in the program, at this point, it won't change the speed of individual notes, so if note 1 has a length of 6, all notes would have a length of 6. I used to have code in here that would allow you to open the app 4 times, one for each channel. I need to see why I took that code out. That would be a nice feature again. Perhaps it could default to a MDI form that has those 4 channels open at the start of the app. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parkfun101 Posted June 25, 2014 Author Share Posted June 25, 2014 NES and CV Sequencer v1.14 Updates: - Colecovision output speed now matches Speed of Sequencer - Besides Simple Tones, I added Fade Out, Fade In and Echoed Note Types - Speed can now go up to 20 instead of 10 - If a note is not coded, for example anything in Octave 1, it now says NOTE NOT AVAILABLE instead of having incorrect code displayed - Now Autosaves settings for: Output DropDown Selection (Colecovision C, Colecovision ASM, etc.) Speed Setting Note Type The application also currently has a way to run more than 1 track at a time. I forgot I already had this coded. Here are the steps to run more than 1 track at a time: 1) Open the Sequencer 2 or more times. 2) Uncheck the option on the Note Grid tab called "1 track". (it is right below the grid and near the middle of the app's screen) 3) Press the Play button arrow, the one directly to the right of the Pause button. You should see that on ALL of your Sequencers that the blue square moves to the right in sequence with the other apps. Now, just change the Instrument dropdown selection on each Sequencer to make music. (NOTE: Drums are the last instrument) Setup1.zip 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 (edited) That sounds cool. The multitracks are nice once you get them all going. I got my screen covered in tracker windows. Great job Edited June 25, 2014 by digress Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parkfun101 Posted June 25, 2014 Author Share Posted June 25, 2014 Hey, digress, do you have a list of noise channel notes in code? I have been using CVSoundGen by Daniel Bienvenu to get all the notes I need displayed into code. However, his does not have the noise channel notes apparently. I'd like to add that as a note type. I've been fooling around trying to figure them out, but I figured it would be good to just ask. If it is like Famitracker, I know that there isn't that many notes for noise....like perhaps 12 notes or less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 (edited) yeah , this is cvnotes also by Daniel Bienvenu. And it has the noise channel generator built in. It's great for creating sound effects too. it generates the codes for you. http://www.eriscreations.com/downloads/cvnotes.zip Hey, digress, do you have a list of noise channel notes in code? I have been using CVSoundGen by Daniel Bienvenu to get all the notes I need displayed into code. However, his does not have the noise channel notes apparently. I'd like to add that as a note type. I've been fooling around trying to figure them out, but I figured it would be good to just ask. If it is like Famitracker, I know that there isn't that many notes for noise....like perhaps 12 notes or less. Edited June 25, 2014 by digress Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted August 2, 2014 Share Posted August 2, 2014 I have figured out how to most effectively work with the program for myself. if doing multi tracks using multiple windows you need to have the tracks start and end on the same note column # other wise the tracks won't be sequenced when you copy your code If I have no notes going on at the beginning or end of a track I make a duplicate notes pattern from the track that does for that part of the track. The fact that this allows me to output c code which I can plop right into my program and compile is really awesome. I can quickly rework a portion of a track and hear it through a compiled rom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parkfun101 Posted August 2, 2014 Author Share Posted August 2, 2014 Oops, I need to fix that. I'll put out a newer version of the app this weekend that puts in the blank notes before the initial note. That is a bug. It should be pretty easy to fix though. Good catch digress! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parkfun101 Posted August 3, 2014 Author Share Posted August 3, 2014 I've updated the app to allow some extra options for Colecovision output which I think may help. digress, let me know if this helps you out and if you have any other ideas for the app. Since you are using it for making music, you know what things need adjusting....just let me know.New Colecovision output options: Pad Output - Check this if you want to put in Blank note lines before and after your notes(for a total of 64 lines). If you just want this for making sound effects, you probably won't use this feature. Numbered Output - (only if Pad Output is checked) - Adds commented line numbers...example: //34 These 2 options only work for Colecovision output and auto save for convenience. NES and CV Sequencer v1.15 (08-02-2014b) setup08-02-2014b.zip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digress Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 perfect. that works nice. if there was a few other things, 1. making 2 or more consecutive notes that are the same output as 1 note with the time combined 2. more than 64 note length possible I have been using it to make music and it'll end up in my game and i'll credit your program when done. I've updated the app to allow some extra options for Colecovision output which I think may help. digress, let me know if this helps you out and if you have any other ideas for the app. Since you are using it for making music, you know what things need adjusting....just let me know.New Colecovision output options: Pad Output - Check this if you want to put in Blank note lines before and after your notes(for a total of 64 lines). If you just want this for making sound effects, you probably won't use this feature. Numbered Output - (only if Pad Output is checked) - Adds commented line numbers...example: //34 These 2 options only work for Colecovision output and auto save for convenience. NES and CV Sequencer v1.15 (08-02-2014b) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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