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[ZeHa]

Hello,

I started tracking today (I got into it a bit before, but today I really have to make a tune for a game that needs a Module format soundtrack), and I got a bit confused with the arpeggio effect. Seems like it only works for 7 half notes. I wanted to make an arpeggio with 058, but the 8 didn't get played correctly.

Also, when I saved the module and listened to it in another player (I thought it might be a MilkyTracker bug), it sounded exactly the same.

Is there any reason for this behavior?

[Saga Musix]

Have you tried if 059 works for example? Maybe you're trying to play a note that's too high.

[ZeHa]

Yes, I tried everything from 8 upwards, up to F, but it didn't work, it just played the 7th note and nothing else. The note was C4, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Does it work for you with 059 or 05C or something?

[Saga Musix]

i don't use milky nor the xm format, but i just created an xm file in openmpt and tried some arpeggios... everything worked ok.

The note was C4, so it shouldn't be a problem.

you also have to be aware of the sample's tuning. dunno how that exactly works in .xm, but i guess it's similar to .it. The note in the pattern doesn't necessarily indicate the sample frequency... if the sample has a high frequency setting, a C-2 note may still sound "high".

[raina]

You easily test this. Does the arpeggio work if you play C-3 instead of C-4? If so, your sample pitch is indeed too high. This is relative note (instrument editor) combined with the actual note you write down.

To fix this, try resampling your sample down 12 semitones. If you do it with the Precise Sinc resampler, you'll lose very little quality (often unimportant with chip samples which I assume you're dealing with because of the arpeggio) but you should be able to arpeggiate higher notes. The result should be increased sample pitch in relation to note (=relative note).

[ZeHa]

Hehe, indeed... it worked

I had C-5 instead of C-4 I assume. Because with C-4 it works perfectly, but with C-5 it won't.

Now, what is the exact reason again? I can't see why the tracker wouldn't play higher arpeggio notes. Because if I play the notes C-6 or C-7, it works too (not the arpeggio, but just playing that note)...

[raina]

It's just like that, something in the original programming of Fasttracker II. And if MilkyTracker is to play .XM modules accurately, these things must be replicated. There's first this boundary for notes where arpeggio stops working and going up there's another one that prevents playing the base note as well. It's no problem when you know it and how to avoid it.

If you need to use the same synth sound (for example) in a song, it's sometimes wise to use two samples of it, a low pitch/higher resolution one for playing low notes and a high pitch/lower resolution for high ones. That way you can have both quality (where audible) and range.