::|CONTENTS
- Overview
- Compared to Trackers
- Links
- See also
FamiStudio is a digital audio workstation developed by the FamiStudio Dev Team, lead by BleuBleu, for the
NES soundchip and its
expansions. Its design is geared towards making chiptune composition user-friendly, while keeping the functionality of a tracker in-tact.
Overview
Famistudio is a unique editor, as it tries to mimic the format of other, more mainstream DAWs -- think less
Renoise and
Sunvox, more FL Studio and
pxtone. As such, the primary way of inputing notes in FamiStudio is via the piano roll method, either drawn onto the roll via the mouse or inputted via MIDI support.
The right panel is home to the song settings. The capabilities of FamiStudio are quite nearly on par with that of more modern chiptune trackers, such as
0CC-FamiTracker. Not only does it include having full support of the base 2A03 chip, but support for the following expansion chips as well:
- Konami VRC6 and VRC7
- Namco 163
- Nintendo FDS and MMC5
- Sunsoft 5B (emulator-level support)
On top of the 6 standard NES expansions, FamiStudio also supports OPN3, in form of the Homebrew Expansion "EPSM" (
Expansion
Port
Sound
Module). The EPSM has a somewhat similar channel structure to the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive, consisitng of 6 4-OP-channels and 3 PSG channels, as well as 6 Rhythm channels with pre-set ADPCM samples. These sum up to a total of 15 usable channels.
(Note: While similar, it is not advised/allowed to use EPSM for the Sega Genesis format, as the two chips still have some major differences, e.g. No, Channel 4 Extended Mode, No Custom PCM Sample Playback)
It also exports into a wide gamut of formats, such as:
- Wave audio (.wav)
- NSF format file (.nsf)
- Rom/Disk image (.nes, .fds) - utilizing CA65, NESASM, and ASM6
- MIDI file (.mid)
- VGM file (.vgm)
- FamiStudio- and Famitracker-formatted text files (.txt)
- FamiTone 2 music and sfx assembly code (.asm)
Compared to Trackers
To most BotBr's, tracking music is the general way to go in terms of composing entries for battles, and in
all some cases, this general belief stands true. However, FamiStudio and FamiTracker have a few key differences that sets it apart. Not only do the below contribute to FamiStudio's relevance in the NES music scene, it even helps with people evolving their craft in music.
The most obvious difference is the more mainstream setup. Most n00bs with experience in general music production will naturally be more accustomed to the piano roll setup of DAWs such as Ableton, FL Studio, and Cubase. By starting with FamiStudio, it eliminates the need to learn how to track and focuses time on learning the limitations of the 2A03 soundchip.As of 2.1.0, FamiStudio has added native support for Linux, making it a viable alternative to coupling FamiTracker and Wine together, as well as the biggest native competitor, Deflemask. Before then, it supported macOS since 1.2.0.It can act as a transitionary device from DAWs to trackers, as it both exports FamiStudio and Famitracker text modules. This means that people on either side of the music production river could make a transition to the other side easily by studying how the music they make in one program is displayed in the other.As of the latest version at the time of writing this (4.0.6), FamiStudio supports all expansions, as well as a chunk of popular effects supported in FamiTracker and other NES trackers.
Links
FamiStudio Homepage
Documentation
See also
nsf (format)
nsf_classic (format)
FamiTracker
DefleMask Tracker
I Am New To NSF
