Skale Tracker Quick-Starter Guide
1. What is a tracker?
2. Getting Started, Loading Samples, Saving, etc.
3. Using the Pattern Editor
4. Disclaimer
What is a tracker?
A tracker is basically a spreadsheet style for creating music. Where you load Samples as .WAV files and then manually add the notes into the spreadsheet in the order in which they should play. To make a note last longer, one would simply skip a few lines down - leaving gaps. Each channel also plays independantly from one another without interruption - So if you plan on playing a chord [C E G - Cmajor] [C D# G - Cminor] You would need to place each seperate note into a different channel. Using the volume you can control the volumes of your samples (and remember that in real life, a guitar etc. rarely plays at exactly the same volume everytime. So a little variance can be a good thing. And you can also throw down an effect or two here - check the built-in Help button for more details on effect use.
The general purpose of this tutorial is basically to get new users starting out with Skale tracker for their first time.
You should have already downloaded and installed Skale tracker (the download is available from www.skale.org). You should have also downloaded a few Samples (generally saved as .wav format) or a few instruments (generally saved as .xi format)
Almost a gig of free .xi instruments can be found here (as long as the site stays up anyways):
http://www.kiarchive.ru/pub/misc/sounds/samples/ft2/
And some free wav samples can be found here
http://www.samplearena.com
A bit of knowledge about music theory can't hurt either. So lets throw in another link. http://www.computermusic.co.uk/tutorial/theory1/theory1.asp
Known Issues:
Being in beta mode makes for a lot of upcoming bug-fixes. But just to be forewarned. Skale tracker has been known to crash if you have wingroove (a wavetable emulator for midi output) included in your midi-out devices. Ah, just look on the skale site for a list of bug-problems.
Getting Started
The first step to using this tracker, is getting used to the interface.
DiskOption
The first thing you need to know, is that all songs, samples, instruments, vst plugins (etc.) have to be loaded using the Disk Options.
Simply select the radio button of your choice, and browse to the file you want to add to your project. You can also save your song here in both .SKM and .WAV!
InstEdit
This option allows you to edit the instruments properties. Changing the Octave and Halftown allows you to change the pitch of your instrument! This is an important step if you are using mismatched files that sound very out of key. You can also finetune, set the panning (stereo), fadeout the sample (seems to be glitchy to me though), and add a vibrato (think of it as pitch bending up and down gently)
SampEdit
This option allows you to edit the sample itself. Although the functionality is limited, you can change the loop (if its clicking or popping) here. Impulse Tracker definately has an advantage over Skale tracker here when it comes to loop-setting your instruments. (Due to the ability to adjust the loop while the sample is being held down). One available option is to import your samples into Impulse Tracker and export them back out as .XI's once youve edited them.
Zap
Zap brings up a menu with a few important toys. This option allows the user to start off fresh with a new-tune without damaging the samples saved on your harddrive.
Using the Pattern Editor:
The pattern editor is fairly simple once you get used to it. I highly recommend going into your settings and changing it to only displaying 8 channels at a time. Simply because this will give you access to the volume levels.
Here is the formatting of the pattern editor...
C-4 01 80 D000
C-4 .. .. ....
Note, Instrument, Volume, FX
This would play a started C note until 1 - the sample ends, 2 - you interupt it with caps-lock or 3 - another note falls on the sample channel as the origional.
Dont forget! You can use space-bar to turn on recording mode! And Control Key to play/stop the song!
Good luck
Disclaimer
If your computer explodes, or gets damaged, or anything freaky happens, dont come looking for me - because I will be unable to help you.
A much more detailed starters guide is being worked on as we speak (I know, everyone says that!)
This Tutorial can be edited or modified freely.