I need to up my Tracker Game™.

I feel like I've got some cool stuff out of trackers, but I need MOAR KNOWLEDG.

So I have Two Or More Requests:
When you study tracker modules, what do you take note of, and do you take actual notes?

What are some tracker modules you recommend studying?

And, more broadly for Experts:

What's your workflow?

Thank You In Advance, Have A Nice Day

Tbh, I don't really "study" modules, I sometimes just more or less find one that sounds catchy, listen to a part that's really good, and see why it's like that

I definitely don't take notes, lmao

I ain't an expert at chiptune (more of a intermediate level really) but if I had to say my workflow...

I kinda just choose a scale, then either make the bass or melody, then just go with it
sometime I think about a sections underlying chords, but not as much as I should do tbh

:/

Hmm, that's a tricky question. Most of the time I only try to study a module if there's something specific it does that I want to learn how to do.

It's hard for me to give general advice - I'm much better at analyzing specific areas compared to the full picture.

I think this thread has a good variety of tips in it. i know you already posted in it so idk how helpful it'll be, lol

ok if anyone has really cool module recommendations in general, that'd be great

just like some of your favorites, botb or not

My opinion on this: Collaborate with more people, especially people who excel in different formats and styles to what you're comfortable with.
Then you learn more than you could ever imagine. I speak from experience here, and I bet others can vouch. Especially if you can watch them work and see keyboard shortcuts or effects they use

Pretty much anything by the Maniacs of Noise (DRAX, WAVE, LAXITY) is gold. Their modules helped me open my eyes to what tracker modules could really sound like. Here are some of my favorites:

Nine One One by WAVE

War Stars by WAVE

Quickstep by DRAX

A Rose of Gold by DRAX

It will never stop 2 by LAXITY

If you're looking to study in a modxk setting in the .xm format, I would recommend some lamb

modules, check 'em out! I love the sound of them and they use really cool techniques to save space in the module.

you can have the best tracker technique/workflow in the world but in the end it has to be a song


however songs with good tech are likely to be found in any modules here from mnsn/zebra/ivel/damifortune/jangler

getting better at that kind of stuff is for me a case of looking into the modules and trying to do what they do

if youre looking for more "straight-laced" song tech then maybe you can check out some stuff from xemogasa, malmen, xaimus, fearofdark, coda etc. all on this site

if you want to check out modules that do notes/note interactions especially well then i would recommend any of razerek's famitracker modules

fwiw i dont think theres anything wrong with your tech if anything its higher than most

Thank you all! gotoandplay's point about "it still needs to be a song" is true and probably the single reason I'm struggling to feel skilled right now.

I mean, yeah, I think my module tech is there. It's the music part that I've always struggled with; and it starts to make sense why some of my modules are literally a bunch of related, smaller songs in one package.

But these are all great recs, so I'm still glad I asked.