::|CONTENTS
- Capabilities
- Quick set up
- Expert Tricks
- Keys
- See also
RMT is a cross platform tracker for the Atari XE/XL pokey (Pot Keyboard Integrated Circuit) chip. It can create songs in either 4 channel mono or 8 channel "dual pokey" mode.
The developer of RMT, Radek "Raster" Štěrba, died in a tragic accident in July 2011. A very special thank you to Raster for creating such a helpful tool, every tune made with it exists because of you.
Capabilities
RMT's main features are:
4-channel mono or 8-channel stereo mode
Frame editor: can support up to 256 lines, with 254 different tracks
Instrument editor that can support up to 64 instruments. Includes settings for vibrato, volume slide and filter. Has an envelope table for volume, distortion, filter and portamento/pitch changing. Has a separate table for arpeggios/ornaments.
Can import .mod and Theta Music Composer .tmc files. Exports to .sap, .xex and .asm. You can also save instruments (.rti)
Allows separate speeds for instruments and song.
Midi support
8-channel mode allows for stereo SAP's to be produced (4 left panning channels, and 4 right). Note that for major battles, 8-channel SAP's are forbidden from the SAP category, due to stereo SAP being a hacked feature only exclusive to RMT. Instead, BotBr's should use either the Wild Card category, or if available, the SAPx2 category.
Quick set up
Raster Music Tracker can be downloaded from
here.
A custom fork of Raster Music Tracker (Not made by Radek) was made and it allows for window resizing and other additions. You can get that
here.
VinsCool has also been maintaining an updated version/fork of the tracker with a bunch of new fixes, features, and enhancements. Check out the
GitHub repo, or the
BotB forum thread, or the
AtariAge forum thread for more details.
(note that the below information is for the original version of Raster Music Tracker and not the other versions)
In order to get sound from RMT, the .dll files (apokeysnd.dll or sa_pokey.dll,
sa_c6502.dll) are also required. RMT will still be usable, but with no sound output. In order to save modules in RMT, a "Go to line xx" command must be used in the module (via the frame editor).
On Linux, for running RMT with Wine, you might need to type those commands for getting some specific dll: "winetricks msvcirt" & "winetricks mfc42".
Still on Linux, if you have a problem with the "step" option (default set to 1) which will increase to 2, 3, 4 etc every time you enter a note (then adding extra random unwanted spaces), then just select the "0" step, then hit the "alt" key, it should lock the step option. If it doesn't stay, try "alt+1" for example.
Composing
When you open RMT, it will default to a stereo (double pokey,
sap (format)) project. You will need to create a new project for a standard, four channel pokey file. Click on the top right pattern list (song edit) to add new patterns. Patterns are global, and you can remove a pattern by pressing backspace over it while highlighted. Pressing delete will delete the whole row.
Use the keyboard, or midi functionality(!), to enter note data in your patterns. RMT does not start you off with a default instrument that produces sound. For the beginner, it is best to load one of the instruments included with your files as the instrument editor can be complicated and confusing. Pressing space bar will scrub a complete note and move down a tick, while backspace will not remove the volume data.
RMT will not allow you to save without a "go to pattern" loop in the song edit field. Press G while in this field to add it where you wish, and it can be deleted and moved just as easy as any other pattern.
Expert Tricks
The instrument effect (vibrato and pitch shift) in the instrument editor will not function if you do not set a delay value. This means that a value of "01" will be immediate, while "00" will be OFF.
When in stereo pokey mode, instruments will posses stereo volume parameters. By mirroring a pattern on both the left and right channels, and with different volume envelope settings on your instrument for right and left, you can create a simple panning effect. Of course, you can get much more creative with your pan sweeps than that.
Be wary that certain special frequency settings for your instruments will effect the whole chip. This means some of your other instruments may stop functioning correctly.
Keys
Listed below are the possible keyboard shortcuts in Raster Tracker. For a comprehensive list, go over to
this handy website. Some of these are both hard to work out and useful.
Block/Pattern Editor
Shift+Up - Select/Highlight pattern data up
Shift+Down - Select/Highlight pattern data down
Shift+Any letter - Preview note
Ctrl+A - Select/Highlight All
Ctrl+C OR Ctrl+Ins - Copy selected data
Ctrl+V OR Shift+Ins - Paste data
Ctrl+X - Cut
Ctrl+E - Exchange block and clipboard
Ctrl+F - Effects/tools
Ctrl+S - Save song
Ctrl+L - Load song
Ctrl+Z - Go to speed column
Ctrl+ ' - Mute/Unmute Track
Ctrl+Home - Start loop
Ctrl+End - End loop OR Insert "End" command to skip to the next pattern
Del - Delete
Pg Up - Skip 8 rows up
Pg Down - Skip 8 rows down
Home - Go to start of pattern
End - Go to End of pattern
Song Editor
Ctrl+U OR Del - Delete song line
Ctrl+I - Insert empty line of blocks
Ctrl+O - Insert copy of song line
Ctrl+P - Insert new line with unused blocks
Ctrl+N - Put new unused block in song position
Ctrl+M - Create a duplicate of block
Ctrl+G - Insert "Go To Line xx" command (required in order to save)
In case you need some more help, check out
Zlew's Not So Ultimate RMT Guide
See also
-
sap (format)
-
sapx2 (format)
-
Tracker
