Here is an incomplete C#-project that I had started in autumn 2007 to convert MOD-files to a proper (“well-sounding”) XRNS. Somehow I got too busy jobwise and somehow felt discouraged so I didn’t continue it anymore.
At its very early state the project can completely parse a .MOD file and keep its patterns and samples in data structures. Furthermore I have added a wavewriter to the project so you can save the samples as Microsoft Wavefiles. You’ll need to do this to be able to load them in Renoise later.
The thing that is missing is actually the conversion which needs some intelligence because Renoise is totally modern and different compared to those old formats. E.g. you’ll need to increase the pattern speed to make old effects like E1x or E2x work as slowly as they did (assuming you convert to a pre-rns2.0-format). Pattern jumps (not breaks) need to be replaced by rearranged patterns. Instrument volumes lower than 40 need to be converted to permanent note-volumes in the patterns and so on…
Putting the intelligent conversion aside. Saving the stuff as XRNS might be done very easily. Lately I have seen the anouncement of the very interesting NRenoisetools here on the forums. I haven’t downloaded the package yet but it’s also written in C# and it’s obviously able to do the job - create an XRNS. So putting these projects together might give you a basic MOD-to-XRNS-converter in a short time.
So what really remains is the intelligent conversion to make it sound good.
I throw the project in here for anyone who can find any kind of use for it. It’s well documented and easy to get into (only two files).
If, however there is any interest to have such a converter at all, I’d surely be glad about any kind of support (I mean infos, help on coding and such).
Does the code do anything to the MOD mastering-wise? Usually I made some changes like panning the 1st and 4th tracks slightly to left, the other two to right and adding some DSPs to the mastering chain, so the MOD can be heard like it was in an Amiga, and yet with a better mastering…
I think a well-engineered mastering chain can be added to the xrns on the last step for better sounding.
Hello,
I tried to know about existence of pretty similar conversion through another thread (Xm To Xrns ?) but what I am exactly interested in is much more simple conversion but for different trackers formats too, so…
Is it big difference between importing Buzz BMX module and Fast Tracker XM (or MOD) to Renoise?
(OF COURSE WITHOUT BUZZ NATIVE EFFECTS ETC., JUST PLAIN SONG: NOTE-ON/NOTE-OFF EVENTS, MAYBE VOLUME & PANNING, THAT’S ALL)
What i need is just sequences no automation or else.
Maybe some easy-to-use external bmx/xml converter?
(but I don’t know exact buzz module structure)
@Ashy:
No, yet the project doesn’t create any xrns file. It only parses the binary MOD-file, so it is prepared to create the XRNS. The patterns, notes, fx and samples are held in clear structures so one can pick them one by one to create the XML-format. Thank XRNS it’s very easy to to preparations like emulating PAULA-stereo and such.
@PeeBee:
Unfortunately I don’t know the BMX file structure but I guess it has a greater distance to MOD than XM has. Compared to MOD, XM offers a similar file structure having some extentions like linear wavetable, a vol+fx-column, 16Bit samples, more than 31 samples, Instrument envelopes and additional pattern FX.
The Jeskola Buzz format is surely known by others. As far as I remember Taktik had already made some implementations for Buzz in Renoise but some circumstances avoided him from releasing it and Renoise evolved well without it after all. So the how-to knowledge is there for an external converter, maybe you can be pointed to some directions by others. For my part I know too few about it, sorry.
