Synthpopalooza

So, in addition to my game projects, I am taking little bites out of documenting the SKCTL=$8B AUDCTL=$41 Distortion $4x settings at 15 khz. The major table is of course the ones where AUDF1 is not a mod 5 or 15. This has enough guitar sounds to where dozens of timbres (and note tables) are possible, and the octave range for such will reach into the 5th octave without tuning errors. Once I have this table, I'll write a utility in TurboBASIC that will let you build your own note tables from the listed frequencies. This should be fun. Once built, thanks to @VinsCool, they can be hacked into RMT, hopefully. Other tables are: AUDF1 is mod 5. This is the "Fuzzy C" setting, where C distortion frequencies are played in channel 2, and the mod 15 frequency in 1 introduces a fuzzbox AUDF2 is mod 5. Distorted guitars which will hit intermittently depending on polycounters AUDF1 is mod 15. Alien crunch sound fx After that, the same must be done to the equivalent setting in AUDCTL=$40 (i.e. standard 64khz clock). I think once I have both these in the bag, I will write out an extensive doc which documents the various tables in these settings and how to use them.

There you go.

I have POKEY sounds designed for this somewhere. It was for an XL/XE version of this but I can easily convert to 7800 with POKEY

I may try another tune with it ... and also some double POKEY stuff to see what else may be possible. The Ms Pac Man opening may suit.

Also, the restrictive octave range as well.

Other possibilities in this setting: Using double POKEY, setting up a 1.79 mhz channel on the first channel each POKEY, then having the third channel each POKEY add a harmonic, or turn on the filter for each channel. It would require downmixing to mono from stereo but might produce interesting results

Here's a test. AUDCTL=$60 00 and 02: $AF (1.79 mhz) 01 and 03: $A3 (standard square wave) The ultrasonic frequencies at max volume make the triangle wave. There are several problems with this technique: The resultant triangle wave is quiet, so the volume of other tracks must be lowered. Frequencies below $40 introduce a high pitched artifact Frequencies above c6 are out of tune, meaning you have a 1 1/2 octave range that can be effectively used. Binaries attached plus a note table. The note table varies the two frequencies in 0 and 2 off by one step. The table used for the "croissant" wave (AUDCTL=$64) is better in tune but not an option here as it dips into frequencies below $40 to make the notes in tune, and introduces the high pitched whine. dk-title.asm dk-title.s dk-title.xex AUDCTL=$64 AUDC1=$AX AUDC3=$00 optimal.txt

Back at it again ... found a new setting that was documented by the late @analmux: AUDCTL=$60 (1.79 on 1 and 3) Play $AF on first and third channel The idea is, by setting maximum volume ($AF) on first and third channels, the clipping makes a resonant frequency of a NES type triangle wave. The note table used is identical to the "croissant" wave AUDCTL=$64 setting and the same caution applies: Lower frequencies (beginning at $40) will introduce a high pitched whine as the source frequencies come down into the audible range. I will try a test tune.

Pleiades next?

Yes. It's called HOKEY.

You should now do a port of Pepper II and call it Diablo

A couple of caveats here: The RMT emulation in sa_pokey.dll is dodgy and not to be trusted. I think @VinsCool was working on a project to enable these custom modes into RMT. Also, the distorted guitar sounds I used in odyssey do not lend themselves naturally to pitch bending, because the modulation frequency on each note is not exactly linear.

I'm back ... been away for a bit but I will be working up more music for this.

Thanks! Been away for a bit, and I'm pleased that's the case.

The issue with HOKEY is of course, emulation of these features. Currently, E.X.O. (which uses two tone mode and other nonstandard settings) does not work on HOKEY as far as I know. If this can ever get sorted, we may have a true alternative.