Hey guys I really want to learn how to use a tracker but honestly everytime I try everything just sounds like shit.

I don't even know what I do wrong, I put notes and everything. I know though that I don't know how to make all the effects work for example when I try to do Porta to note my instrument is just silent.

I aim to do sega genesis style and I come from a Daw, I usually use a vst called fm drive and I've reached a point where everything starts to sound okay but a tracker seems to add more possibilities when it comes to effect. The only thing I know how to do in fm drive is vibrato.

I just wish a tracker wasn't overwhelming to learn. It's like my third attempt.

Thanks

There are some tutorials on YouTube for Deflemask, I hope that they're easy enough to pick up. I think this is the most recent? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwX20kq9wnU

If you're still having trouble with Defle, I kinda recommend trying TFM Music Maker for trying Genesis tracking. I found it simple enough to pick up without any knowledge, but you won't get the same kind of flexibility that Defle has. Also, no PSG if I recall?

With TFM, you can import MOD and XM, which MIDI can also be converted to. The problem with that is that it's a lot of hassle to re-edit.. But it works if you lol http://www.un4seen.com/mid2xm.html

two things that helped me:
1) springs tracks has a deflemask category. download those save files and look how other people do things! steal those instruments!

2) write a song in your daw of choice first, and the 'port' it to deflemask. this is tedious but it will teach you how to work the software without worrying too much about composition while you're learning the interface.

The second point of Sintel's advice is actually how i finished my first amigamod in MPT, so might be worth giving a try, and fighting the reluctance towards the tedium of transcribing

Thanks guys, I am actually messing with deflemask and it makes a lot more sense now. I don't know how this started to make sense but yeah I'm starting to create music with it, nothing special but at least it sounds like music.

When I tried deflemask 6 months - a year ago all I wrote turned out like shit, I really didn't know at all what I was doing.

I've done some tests and done some snippets and now it sounds good/decent.

I am super grateful guys!