PIC:barclip2.ilbm

CL9:             Natural Soap
PIC:barclip2.ilbm

CL4:                By Kam_

CL1:Hello!  Today I want to teach the huge
number  of  people who make modules in
DIGI  Booster  Pro  (yeah, right...) a
certain   matter   relating   to   the
arrangements of multichannel tunes.

CL0:When    we   look   at   patterns   of
four-channel  modules,  we always find
the  melody line written on one track.
Sometimes  it  was  two  channels, but
when  the musician wanted to put bass,
drums,  or something else into module,
he  was  forced  to make place for it.
And  this  is  the  reason,  why  many
people  say that 4-channel tunes sound
disgusting.   I,  ofcourse,  pass over
the  matter  of samples.  I talk about
the natural feeling of the sound.

CL1:Today  we  don't  have to sit down and
compose  in  four  tracks, we have 128
channels  at our disposal, and I think
that  we  should  use  those  channels
(allright,  maybe not all of them :)).
But   use   them  wisely!   I've  seen
multichannel    modules,   where   the
musician   increases   the  amount  of
tracks only for reasons of posing - he
plays  one track on two separate paths
(for  example:  8 x 2 = 16 and I'm Mr.
great  guy),  or he multiplies an echo
effect  into infiniteness (although, I
can't hear the 4th one).

CL0:The  huge  number of channels which we
have,  gives us great possibilities to
make   our   sound  more  natural,  it
creates   an   environment   for   the
musician,  where  he  can arrange each
instrument.   Unfortunately,  not many
of musicians really care about it.

CL1:Imagine  the piano.  When we succesive
push  the notes:  C, D and E, and then
relase  them,  how  many notes will go
out?   Three  ofcourse.   And  when we
write  those  notes in one path of the
tracker,  and  we  play  it - how many
will   fade   out?   It  was  an  easy
example.   How  about more complicated
arrangements?     Frequently   it   is
possible    in    modules    to   find
instruments written on three channels,
where  the musician puts notes in that
succesion:     1-2-3-1-2-3...     It's
alright,  when the sample is short and
he  quickly  ends it.  Then we can put
note  in  an empty track.  But what if
something plays there?  Apart from the
AHI  question - well, probably it will
be  possible  to hear "click".  But is
it possible to close a range of two or
three  octaves  into  three  channels,
when  sample  is  long?  Someone might
say:   "Yes,  it's  possible.  You can
use  the  A0x and EBx commands, or the
volume  envelope".   That's  true, but
then  again  it  will  not be natural!
Have  you heard something like that in
the    playing    of    normal,   real
instruments?     You    should   watch
yourself.

CL0:And  now another example.  The musican
is  to  write  an  instrument  on four
paths.   This  is the melody:  C, D, E
and    D.    This   is   the   pattern
(digit=track,  letter=note):   1C, 2D,
3E,  4D.   Do  you  see what is wrong?
One  note  fades  out  two times!  Try
this with a real instrument!  Remember
this.   Each  note  of each instrument
can  sound  only  one time in the same
time ("First Law Of KAM_":).

CL1:Of  course,  you  don't have to follow
those  hints  strictly.  The situation
can  occur,  that you will not be able
to   use   them.    But  watch  out  -
everything you do, do it wise!

CL0:At  the  end,  I want to appeal to all
Amiga  musicians:   please  - start to
write modules with melodies!  And stop
making  Protracker tunes!  DBM and THX
rulez    4ever!     Thanx   for   your
attention.

         PIC:OP1

