Format:

Impulse Tracker 2.05 IT 1.00

Size:

922688 bytes

BPM:

106

Speed:

5

Channels:

22

Song Length:

44

Samples:

43

Patterns:

48

Tracks:

1

Track length:

1056

SHA1:

8f66afe561cc790f2e7a932b02d2c78b103e3f68

MD5:

a2f2d1f8cfcd60132901b7d8e7d2e0b5

  How to Optimize Channels in Impulse Tracker for the 
                  Gravis Ultrasound


   The Ultrasound's most notable limitations have 
   always been (excluding the horrible handling of 
   16-bit samples)
     (1) Lack of adequate panning positions 
         (only 16)
     (2) Lack of mixing resolution at greater than 
         14 channels

   Impulse Tracker goes a long way toward resolving
 the latter limitation.  Starting with version 2.x, 
 Impulse Tracker features a GUS driver which constantly 
 re-initializes the soundcard, continually reassuring 
 that the highest possible mixing resolution is being 
 used.


   As a composer, there are a few things you need 
 to do to make the most of this feature.  First, 
 Impulse Tracker can only optimize for the highest 
 active channel.  This means that if you're using only 
 14 channels, but a sample is being played in the 18th 
 channel, then Impulse Tracker will have to initialize 
 for 18 channels.  Of course, this does not have grave 
 implications for songs that skip a couple of channels
 and leave something playing in the 16th channel when
 only 14 channels are being used.  However, if you're
 only using 10 channels, and you happen to have a sound 
 playing in the 25th channel, the song will sound much 
 worse than it needs to.  

   The second thing you as a composer must do, is to be
 cautious of looping samples.  A common tendency is to
 disable looping samples by sliding the volume to zero.
 The sample is still playing; you just can't hear it.  
 It's one thing if you intend to turn the sample back 
 on at some point.  However, if you're done with the 
 sound, make sure to use a channel off command so that 
 Impulse Tracker can re-initialize for less channels.

   Finally, you can, in fact, know how many channels
 are being used at any given time.  To do this, press
 Shift-F5.  This will bring up the driver options for
 the currently enabled sound device.  Next, select and
 enable the option "Show channel reinitialisation" 
 (sic).  This will allow you to always know how many
 channels are being used.  This feature could be more
 useful if the number were always visible at a glance,
 but alas, the number is only visible for a split-
 second during reinitialization.


   That's all you need to know to successfully optimize
 channel use for the GUS.  Soon, we'll all have 
 Interwave cards, and all the problems with the regular 
 GUS will be solved.  Until then, take care in your 
 channel use.  I believe software GUS routines are on 
 the way, but getting the same quality at the same 
 mixing speed is impossible, so such a routine will be 
 of questionable value.  Time will tell.

 
   Happy Tracking! :)

   Freejack / Beyond
   Christopher Barton
   Contact: cbarton@interaccess.com

   Web: http://homepage.interaccess.com/~cbarton
        http://www.mcs.com/~beyond

• http://ftp.modland.com/pub/modules/Impulsetracker/Freejack
• http://ftp.modland.com/pub/modules/Impulsetracker/Freejack/transformers theme - mix.it
• https://modarchive.org/index.php?request=view_by_moduleid&query=156813