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::|CONTENTS

1. Noteable Characteristics
2. Setting up PPMCK
3. Learning PPMCK/MML
4. See also

PPMCK is an extension of the MCK program, which utilizes MML (Music Macro Language) to create (NES Sound Format) files. In other words PPMCK is an NES/Famicom music composition utility. It has the ability to utilize every type of expansion chip.

Noteable Characteristics

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One advantage PPMCK has over FamiTracker (or other NSF Trackers for that matter) is that it boasts full support for ANY combination of expansion chips

. FamiTracker normally has the possibility to use only one expansion chip at a time. (However, user nicetas_c on FamiTracker forums has found a way

to use up to 2 at a time.)

Additionally, since PPMCK is not a tracker, you are not bound to a grid, thus freeing the possibility to achieve any kind of note value intuitively without having to delay ticks or changing the ticks-per-step value. In PPMCK you write the note lengths next to the letter names e.g. (c2 d4 e4 b2 a2) which translates to (half-note, quarter, quarter, half-note, half-note). You can simultaneously, in another channel write something like (e6 f6 g6 d12 e12 c6 b6), which translates to (triplet-quarter, triple-quarter, triplet-quarter, triplet-eight, triplet-eight, triplet-quarter, triplet-quarter). You can also use disgusting weird divisions that no living person would want to play all the way up to 99999999999! Much more than 9000.

Setting up PPMCK

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First off, download an NSF player such as NSFPlay

(Windows or Mac using Wine) or Audio Overload

(Windows and Mac)
Audio Overload runs natively in Mac and is temporarily a good solution if you are a Mac user, but it can't run chips like the FDS (Famicom Disk System chip). For immediate playback try using an emulator such as NEStopia

.

Now for PPMCK

For Windows:
-Download it HERE

.
-Unzip it to any directory
-Download MuMML

. MuMML listens to your .mml or .txt file for changes and automatically initializes your favorite NSF plugin or stand-alone player after you save the txt file. (It's also a good environment for other chips.)
- If you are not using MuMML you can run "mknsf yoursongname.mml" in the directory by command prompt." This is what converts your MML's to NSF files.

For Mac:
-Download TextMate

-Download the TextMate MML Bundle

, which has PPMCK nicely packed and ready to go!
-Run TextMate. To build your project into an NSF, press command-B. To build and run your project in your NSF player, simply press command-R.

Learning PPMCK/MML

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For MML/NSF n00bies check out: MCK/MML Beginner's Guide

Once you got the hang of things read or if you're just naturally awesome check out: The Ultimate PPMCK MML Reference

See also

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referred from:
- nsf (format)
- Tracker