#**# Tracker parameters

Tracker parameters

…some notes in preparation for an actual document on the subject…

A typical tracker will have its lines looking something like this

 C-5  -1  --  000 
   1   2   3    4 

where

 1  : Note
 2  : Instrument
 3  : Volume
 4  : Effect

The  Notes  are pretty straight-forward. “C-5” is the note C in octave 5.

The  Instrument  is given as a hexadecimal number, and selects the instrument for this specific note.

Effects

The  Effects  tab goes something like:

Tracker Command Effect: Name, description Example
----------T 0xy

Arpeggio (NES)

Cycles notes at NES’s 2A03 hardware speed, making it distinctly faster, chiptune-y

--FI-MOPR-- 0xy

Arpeggio

Cycles between notes.

Near-universal, but speed varies by tracker’s tick rate. ProTracker’s feels “crisper” due to Amiga timing, while Renoise lets you tweak tick rates.

C-1 037 At tick #1: Plays C-1
At tick #2: Plays C-1 + 3 notes = D#1
At tick #3: Plays C-1 + 7 notes = G-1
--FI-MOPR-- 1××
2××
3××

1: Portamento up
2: Portamento down
3: Portamento to note

Pitch slide at speed ××
103 3 halftones up per tick
203 3 halftones down per tick
----------T 1××
2××

Pitch slide

With NES’s linear pitch model (sounds “gamier” than FT2’s)

----------T 4xy

Hardware vibrato

Uses NES’s chip-specific hardware modulation, with fixed depth/speed combos distinct from FT2’s sample-based vibrato.

Less flexible but retro.

--FI-MOPR-- 4xy

Vibrato

Standard sine wave vibrato

x Rate (speed)
y Depth
··········· 5xy

Tone portamento + Volumeslide

x Speed up
y Speed down
··········· 6xy

Vibrato + Volumeslide

x Speed up
y Speed down
··········· 7xy

Tremolo

x Rate (speed)
y Depth
--FI-M--R-- 8××

Pan

Set Panning (stereo position)

ProTracker fakes it with volume on Amiga

800 Left
880 Center
8ff Right
--F--M-P--- 9××

Sample offset

256-sample steps, so playback starts at 904 = 1024 samples into instrument

-------P--- 9××

Sample offset

FT2 uses this too, but ProTracker’s implementation feels rawer, often used for micro-delays or chopping breaks

--FI-MOPR-- A××

Slide volume up/down

A×0 Slide vol up
A0× Slide vol down
--FI-MOPR-- B××

Jump songposition

Jumps to start of pattern ××

--FI-MOPR-- C××

Set volume

ProTracker‘ volume set is capped at 64 (hex 40), and there’s no volume column (like FT2’s) for extra control

C00 Volume: 0 (mute)
C40 Volume: 64 (full)
--FI-MOPR-- D××

Pattern break

Breaks the current pattern, jumps to next pattern and start playing at specified position

D16 Breaks the pattern, and starts the next pattern at position 16
··········· E01

Filter on/off

Amiga only. Also, useless.

--F--M--R-- E1×
E2×

Fine portamento up
Fine portamento down

Fine Pitch Slide. Slides pitch up (E1x) or down (E2x) by fine increments.

Useful for subtle detuning, less coarse than 1xx/2xx.

··········· E3×

Set Glissando control

0 Glissando (stepless bend)
1 Frequency rounded to nearest half-tone
··········· E4×

Set Vibrato control

FT2 uses only 0-2. If you add 4 to the type, the waveform will not be retrigged when a new instrument is played.

0 Sine
1 Ramp down
2 Square
4 Continuous sine
5 Continuous ramp down
6 Continuous square
··········· E5×

Set fine-tune

This command should be used together with a note. It will cause another fine-tune value to be used.

··········· E6×

Pattern loop

A bug in FT2 starts the next pattern at the row where the previous pattern had the E60. Use D00 as work-around.

E60 Loop starts here
…
E6× Loop × (non-zero) times from start to here
··········· E7×

Set tremolo control

Like set vibrato control, but the tremolo waveform will be changed instead

··········· E8×

Set note panning position

Rarely implemented. Try 8×× or P×× instead.

··········· EA×
EB×

Fine volume slide up
Fine volumeslide down

Works as the usual volume slide, but it will only slide once per row.

--F--M--R-- EC×

Note cut

Cuts the note at the specified tick. Highest effective value is song speed.

Note that it will only set the volume to zero, and the sample will still be played.

··········· ED×

Note delay

Delays playback progression for × rows.

If × is higher than song speed, the note will not be played.

Renoise’s version allows finer tick control

--F--M--R-- ED×

Note delay with tick precision

FT2’s ED× is less flexible in some edge cases

··········· EE×

Pattern delay

Delay the pattern the selected number of notes.

-----M----- EF×

Invert phase (stereo layering trick)

Niche, but useful for sample layering. Mostly aligns with FT2, but this stands out.

-------P--- E××
F××

Fine Pitch Slides

Fine pitch slides (E1x/E2x) and extended control over loops (F××)

Iconic for chiptune sounds

-D--------- E××

FM Envelope Control (Filters/Timbre)

Adjusts FM synthesis envelopes (attack, decay, etc.) on Sega Genesis

DefleMask’s chip-specific effect for synth-like textures
More flexible than FT2’s 0××

--FI-MOPR-- F××

Set song speed/BPM

Defauly BPM is 06

01…20 Set Speed (ticks / row)
20…ff Set Tempo (Beats Per Minute)
··········· G××

Set global volume

G00 Volume: 0 (mute)
G40 Volume: 64 (full)
--FI------- H××

Tremolo, Volume oscillation

Not in FT2’s core set, but achievable with workarounds.

----L------ H××

Global volume slide

Hardware Pitch Sweep
Pitch Modulation
Sweeps pitch using Game Boy hardware
LSDj’s chiptune staple, creates sliding lead sounds

x Upspeed
y Downspeed
One of the speeds should be zero. Really.
--F-------- H××

Global volume slide

x Upspeed
y Downspeed
One of the speeds should be zero. Really.
---I----R-- Hxy

Tremolo, Volume oscillation

FT2 lacks this; use volume column hacks instead

x Rate (speed)
y Depth
---------S- I××

Tremor

Rapid volume on/off switching for stutter effect and percussion

------O---- :××

Global tempo slide

For gradual BPM shifts

------O---- \××

Smooth Volume Slide

For volume, panning, or pitch, for polished mixes.

Smoother than FT2’s A×× or 1××/2××.

---------S- J××

Arpeggio (with custom interval)

More flexible than FT2’s 0××, which assumes semitone steps

------O---- K××

Key-Off with Delay (Sample Manipulation)

Triggers key-off (release) after xx ticks. Tick precision, so effective value range is 0…song speed.

··········· L××

Set volume envelope position

-D--------- N××

LFSR Noise Modulation

Modulates GameBoy noise channel’s LFSR for gritty textures (Filters/Timbre)

DefleMask’s retro noise trick, unique to chiptune

---I------- N××

Note slide

Slides volume per row, similar to FT2’s Axx, but with different handling for retriggering.

----------T P××

Fine pitch offset

Critical for NES’s limited pitch range

··········· Pxy

Panning slide

Px0 Right speed
P0y Left speed
One of the speeds should be zero. Seriously.
··········· Q××

Retrigger note with volume change

Unlike FT2’s R××, it combines retriggering with a volume multiplier per tick, which can create glitchy, rhythmic effects.

ScreamTracker specific

··········· R××

Multi retrig   (extended version of retrig command)

R + Interval + Volume change; vol

0 None 8 Unused
1 -1 9 +1
2 -2 A +2
3 -4 B +4
4 -8 C +8
5 -16 D +16
6 *2⁄3 E *3⁄2
7 *1⁄2 F *2
---I------- S3x
S4x

Fine Vibrato

S6x Vibrato with finer parameter control
S8x Fine vibrato control (more granular than FT2’s 4xx).
SBx

Auto-pan (automatic panning movement, unlike FT2’s static 8xx).
Set pan position with higher precision.
Loop pattern (more flexible than FT2’s Bxx/Dxx for song structure).

---I------- S6×

Auto-Pan

Oscillates panning at speed x

··········· T××

Tremor

T + Ontime + Offtime)

---I------- W××
R××

Global Volume Slide
Random Volume Variation

Gives more dynamic control over mix levels.

--------R-- X1×
X2×

Extra fine portamento up
Extra fine portamento down

Four times the precision of E1× / E2×

------O---- Yxx

Vibrato with waveform choice

Sine, square, etc (unlike FT2’s fixed sine wave)

---I------- Z××

MIDI-like Filter Control

Shaping sample timbres dynamically (cutoff/resonance)

--------R-- 05××
06××

Portamento with Memory

Extends FT2’s 3×× by remembering the target note across rows. Renoise’s version is more precise for complex melodies.

--------R-- 09××

Sample Offset

Trigger sample at a specific tick

Renoise’s version is surgical for glitch effects, more precise than FT2’s 9×× for glitch effects

--------R-- 0B××

Panning slide

Slides panning left/right at speed ××. Useful for stereo movement.

--------R-- 0J××

Pattern Delay

Pauses pattern playback for ×× ticks

--------R-- 0Rxy

Random Retrigger

Retrigger with random volume/pitch, adds chaos

--------R-- 0Rxy

Random Retrigger

Retrigger with random volume/pitch variation.

Renoise’s chaos effect for experimental sounds.

--------R-- 0Z××

Advanced Filter Control

Advanced Control (low-pass, high-pass, etc). Controls LP/HP/BP filters with DSP chain.

Like IT’s Z××, but integrated with Renoise’s DSP chain

 

Volume

The  Volume  tab goes something like:

Volume
00…40

Set volume

+××

Slide volume up

×× Speed
-××

Slide volume down

U××
▲××

Fine slide volume up

D××
▼××

Fine slide volume down

L××
◀××

Panning slide left

R××
▶××

Panning slide right

S××

Set vibrato speed

V××

Vibrato

P××

Pan

00 Left
80 Center
ff Right
M××

Tone portamento

Notes about the individual trackers

ImpulseTracker

IT’s effects are more “programmable” than FT2’s, with finer parameter control. For your doc, you might note how IT’s Sxx commands act like a proto-automation system, letting trackers emulate modern DAW-style parameter tweaks.

ScreamTracker 3

ST3’s effects are simpler but sometimes more immediate for certain textures, like chiptune-y stutters. Its retrigger and tremor effects might inspire additions to your notes for creative sample manipulation.

ProTracker (Amiga)

ProTracker is the granddaddy of trackers, and FT2 borrowed heavily from it. Its effects are more limited due to Amiga hardware constraints (4 channels, 8-bit samples), but it has quirks.

ProTracker’s simplicity forces creative effect combinations, like using 9xx with 3xx for pseudo-filter sweeps. For your doc, you could highlight how its constraints shaped later trackers’ effect expansions.

Renoise is a modern tracker that builds on FT2’s legacy but adds DAW-like features. Its effects are backward-compatible with FT2’s XM format but go way further.

Renoise also supports VST/AU plugins, so effects can be layered via external processing, but its native effect commands already outshine FT2’s for precision and variety. You might note Renoise’s “meta-device” system, which lets you automate effects like a modular synth, a big leap from FT2’s rigid columns.

MilkyTracker is a cross-platform FT2 clone, so its effects are nearly identical to FT2’s for XM compatibility.

MilkyTracker’s strength is fidelity to FT2’s sound while adding slight tweaks for modern systems. For your doc, it’s worth mentioning as a bridge between retro and modern, with minor effect enhancements.

OpenMPT (Open ModPlug Tracker) supports multiple module formats (MOD, XM, IT, S3M) and extends their effects. OpenMPT’s effect system feels like a superset of FT2 and IT, with IT-style precision but broader format support. You could add to your notes how OpenMPT’s flexibility makes it a lab for experimenting with tracker effects. FamiTracker is niche, designed for NES/Famicom chiptune, but its effects are tailored to retro console limitations. FamiTracker’s effects are hardware-specific, so they’re less versatile but dripping with retro character. For your doc, you could include it as an example of how effects adapt to platform constraints. Unique Oddities Some trackers push effects into weird territory: - Jeskola Buzz: Not a traditional tracker, but its tracker-like sequencer supports “machines” (virtual synths/effects). Effects are more like modular synth patches than FT2’s commands, with automation for anything (filters, distortion, etc.). It’s a wild departure, worth noting for its boundary-pushing approach. - DefleMask: A multi-system chiptune tracker with effects varying by platform (e.g., Game Boy’s LFSR noise modulation or Sega Genesis’s FM envelopes). It’s a grab-bag of retro-specific effects FT2 can’t touch. - LSDj: Game Boy tracker with effects like “W” (waveform morphing) and “H” (hardware pitch sweep). These are hyper-specialized for the Game Boy’s sound chip but inspire creative hacks. Your question about “missing out” is spot-on — trackers can surprise you with hidden gems. Here are a few effect-related things FT2 lacks that others offer: - Filter automation: IT, Renoise, and OpenMPT have native filter controls (Zxx or equivalent), letting you sculpt samples dynamically. FT2 relies on sample prep or external tools for this. - Randomization: Renoise’s 0Rxx or OpenMPT’s probabilistic effects add controlled chaos, which FT2 can’t do natively. - Granular control: Buzz or Renoise let you automate parameters at a micro-level, almost like a modern DAW, while FT2’s effects are row-based and coarse. - Hardware-specific tricks: FamiTracker, DefleMask, and LSDj tie effects to chip quirks (e.g., NES duty cycle switches or Game Boy wave RAM). These are niche but open creative doors FT2 doesn’t. For your doc, I’d suggest a table comparing effect commands across trackers (eg. FT2’s 0xx vs IT’s S3x vs Renoise’s 05xx). You could also explore how effect “hacks” (like combining 9xx and 3xx for pseudo-delays) differ between trackers due to timing or sample handling. If you want to dig deeper into a specific tracker or effect type (say, filter tricks or chiptune hacks), let me know, and I can zoom in. Also, your Neocities page is a great start — love the retro vibe! Anything specific you’re aiming to flesh out there?