I started picking up MML. I'm probably not the only one doing this, but for this kind of things I like to put a lot of comments in my code. Here is an example of my SuperC song template:

// INSTRUMENTS------------------------------------------------------------------

//  - P1: file name             

//  - P2: pitch magnification   | base: 1      | range:  0   - 255

//  - P3: tuning                | base: 0      | range: -128 - 127

//  - P4: detune                | base: 0      | range: -128 - 127

//  - P5: ADSR/GAIN mode        | ADSR: 1      | GAIN:   0

//  - P6: attack rate           | fastest: 15  | range: 0-15

//  - P7: decay rate            | fastest: 15  | range: 0-15

//  - P8: sustain level         | loudest: 15  | range: 0-15

//  - P9: sustain rate          | no decay: 0  | range: 0-31

//  - P10: release rate         | no decay: 0  | range: 0-31



//-----FILE NAME___________________, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7, P8, P9, P10------

#tone "brr/strings_1.brr"          , 1,   0,  0,  1, 15, 15, 15,  0,  15 // @0





// PATTERN DATA-----------------------------------------------------------------

#track 1

	V255 v255 t150

	@0 p31 l1 k16

	o5c^^^^^

The problem is that I'm conflicted about whether I should keep this kind of comments or not in any future XHB entry.

• On the one hands, I think it really makes the code more readable, plus the bit of documentation would probably be useful for people who want to learn using the related MML compiler
• On the other hand, I'm afraid reusing the same template multiple times would compromise the entries' anonymity

Maybe we can use this thread to agree on a good practice regrading this issue.

EDIT: I promise this template looks better in an actual text editor ;D

if you can tell who it is based on the style, i see that as fair game

there have been times when I can tell who made an entry in a XHB, but it doesn't really change much

(plus, mml doesn't seem that ohb friendly
I mean that as it can take awhile to get your ideas from head to text, then compile, whereas in smth like s3x, you just place note and go brrr

hmm yes seen like this, it seems fair to me too!

This seems hard indeed but I'd be curious to see some MML XHB, though we would have to find a convenient solution for playback, like submitting a .zip archive containing a .mp3 render (but it's another problem)

while i'm with you that ohbs should be anonymous, i would not go so far as to declare it a big enough deal for something like this to be a problem

it's more like... anonymity shouldn't be broken frivolously. accidents happen, and people also pick up on one another's styles over time. (you can go deep and look at patterns in export metadata or bitrate settings, if you really want to!)

perhaps the most obvious of all: vocal battles, where hearing someone's voice a time or two just clearly clues you in as to whose entry it is, unavoidably. but as long as that person isn't advertising the fact that it's them deliberately, they did everything right! same here if you comment your code or reuse a template.

yeah in the 2010s i could basically tell who made every single s3xmodit song if they were active just from the tracking style lol (and so could many others)

i dont think this is a big deal

at this point i can recognise a few BotBrs' singing voices - that doesn't mean everybody must process their vocal entries through a voice changer.

XHB anonymity is more of a "don't take the piss" deal than a strict rule.

The only impediment MML would have compared to other formats is to need a well written bitpack. Things like restricting everyone to one specific program or having a playable file zipped with it as a rule solves the issue.

Re: OHB Friendliness

Pardon the term, but not being able to hear the note you input is a skill issue. You get used to it and your approach to writing music adapts if you do it enough. Not that much different from going from DAWs to Trackers. Also the compilation->play process for a lot of drivers is a single button press nowadays.

There have been MML OHBs before, like when PC-x801 only had PMD or some NSF ones back then. Like this one, this one and this one

@pedipanol "skill issue"

true tbh
kinda just assuming the conversion 2 ear listen would be an inconvenice

truly a skill issue moment on my end

I can relate, I've gotten better a little better at it but anticipating what the song will sound like is still hard!

I find the process of writing MML quite similar to working with module convertors (as you can't rely much on the tracker audio) but in more hardcore lol