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::|CONTENTS

1. Trackers
2. Accepted file formats
3. Playback (for voting)
4. See also

The aym format is particularly tailored for entries using either the AY-3-8910 or YM2149F soundchips.

Trackers

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For Windows

- Arkos Tracker 2

- also supports OSX/Linux
- Vortex Tracker II (saves to *.snd, *.sndh, *.pt1, *.pt2, *.pt3, *.stc, *.sqt, *.asc, *.psc, *.psm, *.fls, *.gtr, *.ftc, *.fxm, *.ay) link

- Furnace Tracker

- also supports OSX/Linux (only saves as *.vgm)
- XPMCK MML compiler. Supports a wide gammaut of soundchips as well.
- Too many to list at present.

For Atari ST

The following trackers can save to .sndh:

- maxYMiser: "Free, features a full MIDI implementation, and easy to use FastTracker II style editing." It is still having updates as of june 2020. Probably the most used ST tracker nowadays. Example video of maxYMiser in action

- MusicMon v2.5e

has a more graphical interface, maybe easier for n00bs, especially when it comes to sound design. Definitely worth a try. Video of MusicMon

in action.
- TTrak is another choice, in a beta stage as of the moment. It's more based on the Ultimate Soundtracker and its freeware successor, Noisetracker.

The following trackers save to formats that can be converted to .sndh:

- Sid Sound Designer v3.5p

(needs converter)
- Triplex 2k4

(needs converter)
- Xlr8 v1.0

(needs converter)

The converter (SNDHconv

) and the trackers run on Atari ST, hardware or emulated.

Extensive list of YM ST trackers

, most not convertible to accepted formats.

Accepted file formats

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File format choosing rationale:

SND/SNDH
Atari ST format (playable on PC too, see Playback section below). Designed to be a standard on the platform, it includes assembly instructions for the replay on Atari ST so that every demoscene achievement, past and future, is convertible to the format. Allows all sort of "timer effects" including sample playback, custom waveforms etc.
Surpasses ym revision 1 through 6.

VGM
Roughly on par with SNDH, though it's obviously dependent on the tools you use to write the .vgm. There aren't many ways to play VGM on hardware (yet).

STC/PT3/SQT
The defacto once standards on the scene (cross compatible on PC/original hardware)

AY/YM
Surpassed BUT legacy. Saving in this for either Atari ST/ZX Spectrum is a downgrade in possibilities.

They are all very playable in different OSes and computer architectures, though.

Playback (for voting)

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There are plugins for both xmplay and winamp but they don't seem compliant with Vortex Tracker II exports. Fortunately the Vortex peeps have their own player :
ZX Spectrum Computer Sound Chip Emulator

(Windows) Plays back AY-3-8910 on ZX Spectrum and others.

JAM

(Just Another Musicplayer: plays .sndh, .mod and some other formats on Windows and Atari ST). Does not yet (as of May 2021) reproduce properly recent effects such as FM.

See also

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- AY YM (soundchip)
- Atari ST (console)
- Format
- I Am New To AYM
- I am new to ST YM trackers