M8 Tracker
Created on 2023-01-21T03:39:33-06:00
All numbers are represented with hexadecimal (00-FF.)
Resources are limited and all share numbers. Chain 0x00-FE is the same on any channel and phrase 0x00-FE is the same on any chain.
Supposedly chains/phrases stop at 0xFE and not 0xFF.
Notes in a phrase with an instrument of "--" change pitch without retriggering envelope.
Blank chains or phrases are not played. To insert spacers you must use an empty chain or phrase which is typically named 0x00 or 0xFE.
Blank chains or phrases are rendered with a dimmed color to make it easier to tell they are blank.
M8 uses 24 ticks per quarter note.
Grooves are defined in a set groove view but then attached with an effect command.
Scales set a key and which notes of the octave belong to the key. Can also offset notes by semitones and cents.
DJ Filter: high/low pass filter. 0x80 does nothing, high pass above this and low pass below.
Limiter is just a standard limiter.
Chorus, Delay, and Reverb are all global "send" effects.
Resources
All resources are uniquely identified by a number from 0x00 to 0xFF though some are more limited and go from 0x00 to 0x0F.
Songs have 16 rows for chains and 8 channels.
Chains have 16 slots for phrases.
Phrases have 16 slots for notes and commands.
Grooves are not specified but probably 0x00 to 0x0F.
Scales are 0x00 to 0x0F. Set with FX commands.
Views
Song View: 8 (mono) channels and up to 16 slots for "chains." Shown as a big 8x16 matrix.
Chain View: 16 slots for "phrases." Also a column to set semitone transposes for the phrase.
Phrase View: Note, Volume, Instrument Number, FX-13 lanes shown as "...00" until commands entered.
Instrument View: Configure the instrument that lives at this particular instrument number.
Groove View: One octet which lets you control how many ticks the play head will stay on a particular row of a phrase.