Tracking Tutorial: Emulating Compression

Learn a technique to emulate compression in MilkyTracker. Video courtesy of Strobe.


MilkyTracker is a multiplatform, 100% freeware music application, more specifically part of the tracker family. It attempts to recreate the module replay and user experience of the popular DOS tracker FastTracker II, with special modes available for improved Amiga ProTracker 2/3 compatibility. MilkyTracker is not "another Windows tracker" which should already be obvious by the plethora of supported desktop and portable platforms. In fact it started as a project to bring tracking to the Pocket PC. When this milestone was reached, the next one was creating a truly FT2 compatible tracker for portable as well as modern desktop platforms. We aren't there just yet but you can test it out yourself and see we're not far away either. Exported module formats are those of its ancestors - XM and MOD, but it can import 669, AMF, AMS, CBA, DBM, DIGI, DSM, DTM, AR, GDM, GMC, IMF, IT, MDL, MOD, MTM, MXM, OKT, OKTA, PLM, PSM, PTM, S3M, STM, ULT, UNI and XM and naturally, load _anything_ as samples.

http://www.milkytracker.net/ (more) (less)

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• tracker
• tracking
• milkytracker
• demoscene
• music
• electronic

[THROBiX]

Oh.. Those samples are just awesome! Mind to upload them somewhere? I'll ofcourse give credits to its originally owner.

[namayake]

Sorry, I have no idea where to get them. Neither the song nor the video is mine. I just uploaded the video as thought it would be helpful for the tracker community. Learn the tricks of the trade and make awesome music! :)

[friktionn]

is this an original composition? I'd like to hear the full version.

[namayake]

I'm pretty sure it's original. I've never seen Strobe, the creator of this video, ever do a cover before. I don't know the name or where to get this song though. A good place to check if you don't mind listening through many songs is The Mod Archive. Search for the artist Strobe there. I think they have about 40 of his tracks.

[noooly]

great idea! but when you need to adjust trashold or knee, you have to basically rewrite all the volume commands :D

[Trancefreak12]

Nice video. You can use volume slide instead of set volume to get a more smooth volume change. Also, the if you look at the volume envelope when doing real side-chain compression, you can see that the volume stays low for longer, because the kick has some length. It's almost as if the sound being compressed becomes louder on the upbeat.

[AGWhiteman]

I thought it sounded like a gated compression, noise or volume gate.

nice effect.

[lfatx]

was obvious but still love it

[syncat]

Sidechain compression w/o compressor :)

[Loony69]

this is called "bass ducking", more an effect type of compression, nice example anyway...