Single tracks for NSF/GBS

Discuss NSF files, FamiTracker, MML tools, or anything else related to NES music.

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ribos
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Single tracks for NSF/GBS

Post by ribos »

Hi,

I want to make single tracks for some NSF and GBS sets. I read here that it can be done by editing the header, which I tried with an HEX editor but it doesn't work for me (the NSF/GBS starts at the right track, but plays the others tracks after it instead of just keeping the track I want).

If someone managed to do it, I would like to know how and with which editor (or if there's another way to make single tracks ?)

Thanks.
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Memblers
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Re: Single tracks for NSF/GBS

Post by Memblers »

For NSFs at least, maybe NSFE? You can define a playlist.

If you want it to show up as a file with only one track, the only way to do it will be to modify the init code in the rip. Almost always, the person doing the rip has to add some code in to re-order the tracks, and a lookup table with the track list. You would change the first byte of that lookup table to the track number you want, and change the header to only have one track.

Since it often varies per game/rip, there isn't exactly an editor for the method I described.
lancuster
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Re: Single tracks for NSF/GBS

Post by lancuster »

Tell me, is there a way to convert a *.gbs file to *.nsf? I have seen the conversion of Tetris Plus tracks with the Gameboy under the NES, and they play normally (though with some difference in sound). How is this feasible and what do I need to know and do for this?
And, if possible, tell me which utility can record audio from the Game boy in vgm format, for subsequent conversion to nsf.
Drag
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Re: Single tracks for NSF/GBS

Post by Drag »

There's no simple way to convert between NES and Gameboy, because the two systems:
  • use two completely different CPUs, so the source code of the sound engine would need to be rewritten for the other CPU.
  • have completely different sound hardware with different capabilities from each other, even though they sometimes sound similar to each other.
Tetris Plus is a special case because the developer, Natsume, happens to have two compatible versions of their sound engine, one for NES, and one for Gameboy, and I'm guessing someone tried moving the music data from one engine to the other, as a proof of concept (or for fun). This is sadly not going to be the case for most other developers, and even within Tetris Plus, the music doesn't always play 100% correctly in the NES engine (some of the percussion is missing in certain tracks, among other differences).

Is there a specific reason you're required to use NSFs/GBSes/emulated playback? If not, it's going to be far easier to just take the tracks you want and record them into MP3s or OGGs and just use that in your playlist, though I know that's not nearly as exciting. :P
lancuster
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Re: Single tracks for NSF/GBS

Post by lancuster »

ribos, perhaps the Zophar's Domain website will be very useful to you: https://www.zophar.net/music
Drag, I have heard that it's possible to somehow record music in an emulator and then save the track in a certain format. Tell me if you know in which emulator I can record music from a game on a Gameboy with saving to VGM or other formats that can then be converted to the same midi format, for example.
ribos
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Re: Single tracks for NSF/GBS

Post by ribos »

Memblers wrote: Sat Jan 29, 2022 8:51 pm For NSFs at least, maybe NSFE? You can define a playlist.

If you want it to show up as a file with only one track, the only way to do it will be to modify the init code in the rip. Almost always, the person doing the rip has to add some code in to re-order the tracks, and a lookup table with the track list. You would change the first byte of that lookup table to the track number you want, and change the header to only have one track.

Since it often varies per game/rip, there isn't exactly an editor for the method I described.
Thank you

NSFE is a good solution. I heard about it but I thought that these playlists were external .M3u files.
I gave it a try and it's fine.

Do you happen to know the best and newest software/plugin to make NSFE ? (Because I heard about "notsofatso" but it was on old topics.)
For GBS it appears to be more complicated. I listened to some Game Boy VGM sets on VGMrips.net but they sounds worse than their GBS counterparts (unlike NES VGM sets that sounds good). That's why I think there's currently no good solution for Game Boy.
Last edited by ribos on Tue Feb 01, 2022 8:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
ribos
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Re: Single tracks for NSF/GBS

Post by ribos »

lancuster wrote: Mon Jan 31, 2022 1:49 pm ribos, perhaps the Zophar's Domain website will be very useful to you: https://www.zophar.net/music
Drag, I have heard that it's possible to somehow record music in an emulator and then save the track in a certain format. Tell me if you know in which emulator I can record music from a game on a Gameboy with saving to VGM or other formats that can then be converted to the same midi format, for example.
I heard that SameBoy emulator will feature VGM logging (Idk if it has implemented it yet though).
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