Advantages of ELF Method Music?

[Agro]

Welcome to GBA music hacking, my friend. I think that it sounds pretty much like the source MIDI anyway... Just to clarify, you did use the native instruments map, right? Not the GM one?

You probably looped it wrong, since the echo is working fine for me.

Edited November 3, 2013 by Agro

[Brendor]

OK I managed to fix the original midi file via mixcraft so now it sounds as it should

Thanks for the help!

[Alfred Kamon]

Umh... I've always used the ELF method and I've already replaced 90% of the original OST. . . but some things still bug me.

So Agro, I have some questions for you:

- Is there a limit of tracks in FE8? Some time ago you wrote somewhere that there was a 7/8 track limit in FE7. . . In Blazer's Ultimate Tutorial I also read that there should never be more than 9 tracks, though it isn't necessarily a problem to have more. So now I'm confused.

- Is it THAT bad to use the "All instrument patch" instead of the native instruments? When answering this, please also consider that my hack has a whole new OST so all the midis use the all instrument patch.

^ (by the way does that patch contain ALL the instruments? Sometimes they don't play at all. For example the String Ensembles. Orchestra Strings do work though. . . even if they're basically a Harp)

- If I pay you could you fix some of my midis?

lol kidding

[Agro]

- Is there a limit of tracks in FE8? Some time ago you wrote somewhere that there was a 7/8 track limit in FE7. . . In Blazer's Ultimate Tutorial I also read that there should never be more than 9 tracks, though it isn't necessarily a problem to have more. So now I'm confused.

From my limited understanding of the system, it works like this:

- 7 "sounds" can be played at once.

- up to 8 tracks can be read, but no more than 7 "sounds" will play. Therefore, if you have 8 tracks and 8 sounds, the last will be cut out

- similarly, if you have 7 "sounds" at once and then on top of that you need sound effects, one track will be cut out

- the FE sound engine seems to be a little weird in comparison to something like, say, Pokemon

- in FE7 there appears to be an odd phenomenon where the 8th "sound" will play if you insert the song into entries past 0x0080 BUT will disappear whenever a chapter is restarted, but it will play if a chapter is resumed. However, once it returns to the player phase from the enemy phase, it disappears again. Very frustrating stuff.

- Is it THAT bad to use the "All instrument patch" instead of the native instruments? When answering this, please also consider that my hack has a whole new OST so all the midis use the all instrument patch.

^ (by the way does that patch contain ALL the instruments? Sometimes they don't play at all. For example the String Ensembles. Orchestra Strings do work though. . . even if they're basically a Harp)

It really depends on your position on things Because I'm a purist, I view using General MIDI ("All Instruments") like trying to convert a photo into 16 colours and then using it as a mug... it's basically sacrilege

The patch SHOULD contain all the instruments, but it does use "duplicates" e.g. String Ensemble 1 and 2 aren't any different. I'm not sure what issue you might be having since I've never actually used it in FE8.

- If I pay you could you fix some of my midis?

lol kidding

I would be glad to! You don't even have to pay me, I actually find this stuff kind of rewarding. Just send me the songs you want fixed up and I'll do it. I've been looking for an excuse to make an FE8 native instrument map anyway.

Edited November 6, 2013 by Agro

[Alfred Kamon]

From my limited understanding of the system, it works like this:

- 7 "sounds" can be played at once.

- up to 8 tracks can be read, but no more than 7 "sounds" will play. Therefore, if you have 8 tracks and 8 sounds, the last will be cut out

- similarly, if you have 7 "sounds" at once and then on top of that you need sound effects, one track will be cut out

- the FE sound engine seems to be a little weird in comparison to something like, say, Pokemon

- in FE7 there appears to be an odd phenomenon where the 8th "sound" will play if you insert the song into entries past 0x0080 BUT will disappear whenever a chapter is restarted, but it will play if a chapter is resumed. However, once it returns to the player phase from the enemy phase, it disappears again. Very frustrating stuff.

Aaah, that's so much interesting. Now I think I understand why I was under the impression that some tracks weren't playing correctly sometimes. It probably was due to the fact that I often run a 8/9 tracks midi, so there might be brief moments when 8 sounds play at once, but in that case the notes of one of the tracks get temporarily ignored.

Well shit, most of my OST uses 9 tracks... *sobs*

I've encountered similar odd phenomenons that occurred without any logical explanation in FE8. . . For example the sound gets cut off when the player skips a scene (not always; at random) or one of the tracks of a midi gets overlapped by another track of a completely different midi in a completely separeted part of the rom. o_O

I think it's some kind of reading error, but it's odd, since I'm sure I did insert the midis right.

It really depends on your position on things Because I'm a purist, I view using General MIDI ("All Instruments") like trying to convert a photo into 16 colours and then using it as a mug... it's basically sacrilege

The patch SHOULD contain all the instruments, but it does use "duplicates" e.g. String Ensemble 1 and 2 aren't any different. I'm not sure what issue you might be having since I've never actually used it in FE8.

Ahah. . . I can see the point there. >.<

And since I'm kinda a perfectionist, I think I'll polish the whole OST.

About that issue I encountered. . . Some instruments completely glitched out when inserted. They sounded all screechy.

I would be glad to! You don't even have to pay me, I actually find this stuff kind of rewarding. Just send me the songs you want fixed up and I'll do it. I've been looking for an excuse to make an FE8 native instrument map anyway.

Thank you very much! You're very kind.

Just give me some time to prepare the material and I'll give it to you.

A PM would be fine? I also have a skype anyway.

[Agro]

Aaah, that's so much interesting. Now I think I understand why I was under the impression that some tracks weren't playing correctly sometimes. It probably was due to the fact that I often run a 8/9 tracks midi, so there might be brief moments when 8 sounds play at once, but in that case the notes of one of the tracks get temporarily ignored.

Well shit, most of my OST uses 9 tracks... *sobs*

Yeah, it's just one of those things you have to learn to deal with But there's usually one or two unimportant tracks that you could cut out, and if you're smart about mixing your MIDIs, you can cram it into 7-8 tracks anyway.

I've encountered similar odd phenomenons that occurred without any logical explanation in FE8. . . For example the sound gets cut off when the player skips a scene (not always; at random) or one of the tracks of a midi gets overlapped by another track of a completely different midi in a completely separeted part of the rom. o_O

I think it's some kind of reading error, but it's odd, since I'm sure I did insert the midis right.

That does sound rather odd! It could be to do with the priority in the music array, perhaps? Or perhaps they're overlapping in the RAM because you're using 9 tracks? I have no idea D:

About that issue I encountered. . . Some instruments completely glitched out when inserted. They sounded all screechy.

Wait, was this with General MIDI, or the native instruments? Either way, it sounds like the instrument wasn't pointed correctly or the data of the sample has been overwritten.

Skype is probably the easiest way to contact me since I'm always on (ID is in my profile) and we can discuss anything that needs discussing very quickly.