TFM Music Maker

Shiru · Post by **Shiru** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 3:02 pm

I made short video (6.4MB), which shows TFM MM usage - making of one pattern with simple staight beat and bassline. It's zip file with 42MB avi, encoded with Microsoft Video 1 codec (almost loseless, 800x728 window).

EditSong enables and disables 'Edit Song' mode. If this mode is on, when you move cursor out of pattern range (for example, press down key on last line of pattern), current position in order list will changed, so pattern automatically switches to other one, like specified in order list.

Poly mode enables and disables polyphonic instrument test in instrument editor. If this mode enabled, you can press up to three keys at once; else you can press only one key at once.

FrozenDelight · Post by **FrozenDelight** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:30 pm

Wow thank you for the video, video tutorials are my favorite type of tutorial. There can never be too many video tutorials, it's always the best way to learn something.

42MB compressed down to only 6.4MB, that's good compression!

Shiru · Post by **Shiru** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:57 pm

I like video tutorials too. Maybe I'll do some more advanced tutorials later (about instruments making).

Yep, external compressors squeeze such type of files (with clear low-colour graphics) very well, because MS Video 1 do it not so good. But I don't know any other standart codecs which compress such type of videos well, with small output size and good quality. I know only some special external codecs, which can do loseless compression of this video in same ~6MB without zip'ing, but they must be downloaded and installed first.

FrozenDelight · Post by **FrozenDelight** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:03 pm

The video tutorial is great thanks, but the audio is totally out of sink, so it's a little confusing.

I'm looking up the Microsoft Video 1 codec, but I'm not sure if it'll help, because I think the Microsoft Video 1 codec is already used in Windows Meda Player. What I'm trying to say is that I think I already have it, so I don't know why it's out of sink.

SH&E · Post by **SH&E** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:10 pm

The vids fine on my comp, try downloading the K-Lite Codec Pack (Full) . This may solve the out of sync problem...I think.

Shiru · Post by **Shiru** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:14 pm

That's strange, video and audio synced well on my computer, and MS Video 1 is a very standart codec (comes together with Windows starting from W95).

FrozenDelight · Post by **FrozenDelight** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:29 pm

I will try the K-Lite Codec Pack. I used to use it, I don't think I have it installed anymore, because I didn't think it was needed anymore. Do I run any risk by installing it over my current codecs?

Sorry, I also have another problem (tell me to go away if I'm irritating you); When I use TFM MM, it sounds different from the short tutorial video, here's a short vid of me using it;

http://www.box.net/shared/1m2dbgthld

NOTE: box.net is safe, dont worry. It works best on Internet Explorer I think.

WARNING: The audio in my little vid is quite loud for some reason, so make sure you don't have your speakers turned up. The file size is only 673KB.

SH&E · Post by **SH&E** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:40 pm

The Kick is supposed to be played on the note C2, anything other than that will not sound like a kick drum. And I don't think there is a risk with installing K-Lite over other codecs.. I'm sure it tells you if you have a codec already installed.

P.S. What did you use to record the video? I was looking for some software to do that ages ago...

FrozenDelight · Post by **FrozenDelight** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 6:01 pm

The K-Lite codec installer told me I should uninstall DivX before installing K-Lite. I really like and need DivX, so I don't think I'll install K-Lite for now. I'll find a way around it though, for example, I'll try the video on my mac.

ADDED: YAY! It work fine on mac! Sold out tickets to TFM Music Maker gigs at The Palladium here I come! (NOT).

To screen capture, I used Camtasia Studio 4;

http://www.techsmith.com/camtasia.asp

I haven't used it much, but it seems pretty good. I initially got it to feed live screen capture video to uStream.tv, but I was unable to get it to record any more than a small box in the middle of my screen. But recording non-live stuff seems to work fine.

Shiru · Post by **Shiru** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 6:07 pm

FrozenDelight, when you test instrument, you can change octave by Numpad number keys or mouse wheel (and also with slider left from on-screen keyboard). On-screen keyboard shows only 3 octaves from 8 possible, and percussion instruments must be used with proper notes to sounds right. Bass drums usually must be used on octaves 1-2.

TulioAdriano · Post by **TulioAdriano** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 1:40 pm

I usually use Macromedia Robodemo (now it is called Adobe Captivate) for screen capture, instead of video, it generates a Flash (.swf) very small and loses absolutely no quality.

Shiru, I never heard back from you on the PM. Did my driver spec scare you away? Please bring me your thoughts on that.

Thanks.

FrozenDelight · Post by **FrozenDelight** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 3:35 pm

Shiru thank you again for the video, even though it's short, it's been extremely helpful. There's a lot of information in that video for a beginner.

FrozenDelight, when you test instrument, you can change octave by Numpad number keys or mouse wheel (and also with slider left from on-screen keyboard). On-screen keyboard shows only 3 octaves from 8 possible, and percussion instruments must be used with proper notes to sounds right. Bass drums usually must be used on octaves 1-2.

I wasn't understanding the octave interface, but I understand it now, thanks.

I usually use Macromedia Robodemo (now it is called Adobe Captivate) for screen capture, instead of video, it generates a Flash (.swf) very small and loses absolutely no quality.

I haven't heard of Adobe Captivate, I'll check that one out. I think Camtasia does .swf as well, it seems to have a lot of export options.

Can anyone recommend a good Tracker for Mac, preferably a free one? I know of Renoise (on mac and pc), but it's not free. Not that it's expensive, but I'd like to try free ones anyway. I had some trouble finding Trackers on Mac, perhaps because the word tracker is used for many things.

It would have been nice for me to have TFM Music Maker on Mac, because all we use are Macs at my University, which I'll be back at late September. Oh well.

elan · Post by **elan** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 12:17 pm

2Shiru: Any news of new version with PCM samples feature???

commodorejohn · Post by **commodorejohn** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 2:12 am

Shiru just said on the previous page that, while PCM support is scheduled for the next version, the next version is pretty much a "it'll be out when it's out" thing.

Stef · Post by **Stef** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 4:42 pm

elan wrote:2Shiru: Any news of new version with PCM samples feature???

Don't bother him with these questions : "when next version will be released ? Is that feature done or will be present in future ?"
Developers hate that...