Interface overview

Soundtracker DMA interface is organized into a single screen:

Following keys are active most of the time:

Key Function
f1/f2/f3 mute/unmute A/B/C channel (from menu, while playing song or pattern)
f6 octave+1
f9 octave-1
f5 item+1
f8 item-1
Shift + f5 for samples, next linked item / item+1 for other objects
Shift + f8 for samples, previous linked item / item-1 for other objects
Control + Right
or
Control + f6
Change active list
Control + Left
or
Control + f4
Change active list

General remarks

  • All numbers are shown in hexadecimal notation
  • French, English and Spanish keyboards are supported
  • :!: Warning: Ctrl + shift + Esc is allowed

The main menu is located at the top left of the screen. The directional keys are used to move around and Space selects the highlighted entry. Use Escape to exit.

Keyboard keys active in the menu:

Key Function
Esc Go up one level in the menu hierarchy
Tab Enter song-list editor
Space Select current menu entry
down Move cursor
up Move cursor
left Move cursor
right Move cursor

After selecting “Play song” or “Play pattern” and while the music is playing, the following keys are available:

Key Function
Tab Move to the next song-list position
Esc Stop music
Shift + Space on “Play Song”, play music from the start of the song-list
otherwise, play from the last selected song-list position

Memory management

Top right is displayed free memory for samples and music. Instruments and patterns use the memory of the second counter (not sequences). If this memory runs low, the counter will be framed in red and it is strongly recommended to stop editing and save the music. If this counter reaches zero, the software will perform a memory optimization (garbage collection and packing) and try again to save the edited object. If this optimization fails to free enough memory, an alert sound is played (four beeps) and the latest edition is lost.

After loading a music, the memory is already optimized.

Notification area

To the left, immediately below the main menu, is a notification area. During long processing times (data compression, disk access) a “W” logo is displayed (W like “wait” or “working”) to invite you to wait.

If a sample generates an interrupt, a “DMA INT” logo will be displayed at this same location when the sample is played and the interrupt is raised.

Lists

The central area mainly shows the list of all object types: arpeggio sequences, pitch sequences, samples and instruments.

Editing zone

All the objects are edited in the bottom area. Its content changes depending on the context. The number of the object being edited is displayed at the top left of this zone.

Entering musical notes

In the pattern editor and in the instrument and sequence editors for testing sounds, the keyboard layout mimics piano layout to enter musical notes.

Bottom line plays at the current octave and top line plays at the upper octave.