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[gray47]

Hey there all, I am a noob to tracking and an amateur musician at best.

Here's my MySpace project page:
www.myspace.com/gray47

The reason I joined this forum is because of an obsession of mine about portable tunage.  And, well I saw this article at CDM about Milky where they had it set up on a PDA phone with a portable keyboard and I just thought it was toooooo sexy.



So I want to know how I can get a kit like this set up and how much it might cost me?

With a Pocket PC/PDA what does one need to consider?  I'd like to get an older semi-ghetto device but I suppose it would at least need to load samples, right?  I've got a few SD cards from my old digicam do most Pocket PCs/PDAs load these?

Thanks for any input.

 

[DasKreestof]

I can't tell you about what others are using but I can tell you what I'm using.
IPAQ 2750 running Windows Mobil 2003 Second edition
Processor PXa270 Memory 128MB
Milkytracker runs off my SD 2gb card.
I bought the IPaq used off craigslist.

I haven't used a keyboard with the Ipaq so I don't know how much that augments Milkytracker.  It would be worth it if I could for example use the CTRL-I function in Milkytracker on the PocketPC

Milkytracker is really amazing on the PocketPC.
I use it as my main sequencer and audio editor on the PocketPC.
I also use the demo version of AudioBox to add reverb to samples or create synth sounds remotely.  Obviously it's easier to do that with a full PC, but when all you've got is your pocketpc...
Another neat audio package is Syntrax. It has a unique synthesis paradigm.  You can export to wav and load it into milkytracker. It's free.
Griff is a full mobile studio, but the demo version was buggy on my PocketPC so I never got into it.

One of the primary advantages of Milkytracker is that is cross-platform. Milkytracker is the reason I don't ever want switch to an iphone or smartphone that wouldn't run Milkytracker. (for example, most smart phones don't have touch screens) Someday when they stop making pocketpcs, I'll buy a bunch of them on ebay so that I won't ever have to live without it.  It's amazing to have so much power in pocket. It's more powerful than all the music equipment I owned combined 15 years ago.

Tracking is fun. It's different then other composition forms but it quickly becomes very intuitive.  There are limits to the mod tracking paradigm, such as no pitch envelope, but you learn ways around that: pitch bend fx in the track data.

If you want a music studio in your pocket, I totally recommend picking up a pocketpc.  It's not as full featured as a laptop, but a laptop won't fit in your pocket nor start in 1 second.

[raina]

Makes me wonder what ever happened to the MilkyTracker-on-iPhone idea. Somebody would probably need to donate an iPhone to pailes.

[DasKreestof]

Someone should definitely donate an iPhone to pailes regardless.

Here's what I've thought of towards that end, and remember- I don't know what I'm talking about: I believe the only way to install apps on the iPhone legally is to do so through the Apple apps store, which is probably iTunes related(see I don't know).  I have a feeling that apples won't release free applications through their apps store because: a) there's no profit for them to get a cut of, and b) there's no profit to pay for their peer review process.

So why not charge a dollar for it?  : I don't know if the current Gnu License that Milkytracker is release under would allow that. But like I said, I have no idea what I'm talking about, I could be totally wrong about everything I've just said.

Either way, I have a pocketpc already, and I love it, because it has Milkytracker.

Now I want to buy a keyboard for it. Anyone have any keyboard recommendations for pocketpc?  I don't think the one that pailes has is made anymore. I've bid on a few on ebay but they're pricey.  (maybe there's the only ones worth getting though?)

[pailes]

Btw. you are allowed to release free (free as free beer) applications in the iTunes music store.

[luke]

Just would like to say:

Milkytracker on the PDA is hands down the best portable music software out there at the moment and has been for years..
Use milkytracker to compose, then export xm files into a more modern tracker, add DSP effects, VST synths etc....beautiful!

the competition is

LSDJ: [Gameboy, PSP] cool gameboy specific sound, very limited sampling options, innacurate BPM, incompatable with other trackers so no export to renoise/something else with DSP effects

Nanoloop: [Gameboy, gameboy advance] this is a really really cool program..step sequencer, not tracker. rendering for sampling possible but troublesome.

LGPT: [PSP, GP2X] excellent program, clone of LSDJ but with more tracks, wicked effect commands such as loop offset and filter....very cool program for PSP, but incompatible for exporting songs (you can always sample by rendering output tho!- and in real time with live mode and track mutes, individual track render, solo channel etc!!!!)

GRIFF: [PDA] really nice sound, stupid piano roll -> lame, expensive, lame

SYNTRAX: [PDA] really great synth sounds, can sound awesome...piano roll = lame

By the way, keyboard is not necessary for using milkytracker!! use the stylus and the directional pad on the PDA for navigation. other buttons can be assigned to whatever (loop current pattern, stop, play song etc.) This is really nice way to track, very comfortable once you get used to it...whats all the fuss about HP jornada 720?, they are lame, only 51mhz...get something better for same price!! dont need keyboard!!!!

alright thats the end of my rant...phew

[luke]

oh yeah and iphone is lame because you can only use your fingers and not a stylus..so, very innacurate if you want to use anything other than giant text in the pattern editor!

[kontaktproblem]

So why not charge a dollar for it?  : I don't know if the current Gnu License that Milkytracker is release under would allow that. But like I said, I have no idea what I'm talking about, I could be totally wrong about everything I've just said.

Of course, you can sell software released under the GPL. But everyone can redistribute it for free, including sources.