Yo, G, s'up?

        The purpose of this piece of text is to inform.  As those who know
me know,  I am an amateur song writer who happens to weave his craft by way
of Amiga modules.  The module composer I use is Protracker V1.1a, by Amiga
Freelancers.  I recently unearthed a few minor problems that I thought you
might want to know about when you listen to my music, so that you can do
whatever is necessary to rectify the situation.

FIRST PROBLEM: Most people around here who are module freaks tend to use
XTPlay (from Genie, General Electric's BBS).  This poses a couple of minor
problems.  First of all, Protracker has a nice little feature that I think
is very important if you're going to write lots of modules and attempt to
send them all over the planet.  It lets you alter the timing speed of your
modules-simply put, you can select whether your module will be PAL or NTSC
speed (I wonder if this works when you're in Europe?)  Anyways,  I wrote
several modules with PAL speed (hoping that a couple would reach the other
side of the ocean).  However, when I loaded them into XTPlay, even though I
was able to set the speed (which is probably why most people use it),  the
module played very jerkily.  So I went and changed a couple of them to NTSC
and they worked fine.  Soooooo, the point in this is, if you are noticing
this prob, and one of my modules is involved, and you have Protracker, do
this:
1. Load Protracker (!)
2. Load offending module.
3. Change the timing from CIA to VBLANK (the regular NTSC mod timing).
4. Insert the speed command ----F-7 in the first pattern of the module.
5. Save the module to disk.
        I think this reason it screws up like this is because the CIA
timing is calculated in beats per minute, to simulate actual music timing. 
Obviously, Protracker came after XTPlay, so this would be a problem...

SECOND PROBLEM:  For the above reason (PT coming after XTP), there was
another little prob.  PT employs a slew of new commands, and while many of
them are still somewhat beyond my comprehension (read: what the HELL would
I need to do THAT for?), I did utilize one new one in particular that
allows you to play samples from a specific point in the sample.  I can only
think of two modules I have done that use this command:
-STILLETO
-WHAT'S IT
These two modules (which, incidentally are also in CIA timing) should be
played on Protracker for maximum enjoyment.

THIRD PROBLEM:  XTPlay LOOOOOVES PT, so it also screws up the vibrato
command.  To hear the vibrato accurately, guess what you do?  That's right,
PLAY IT ON THE DAMN COMPOSER!

        People get irritated because they are devoted multitask buddies,
and insist on playing modules with XTPlay or Intuitracker or some bullshit
like that.  I appreciate multitasking just as much as the next guy,
however, there is nothing wrong with using the composers to play modules-in
fact, Protracker comes with two different light shows, custom colors, and
still multitasks for your convenience!  Besides, most of the people who
have been complaining don't have all that much memory anyway (average is
1MB). And besides that, I have proved more than once that the best way to
hear any module is to use a composer (all except MED-yuk!) So anyways, to all
you people who got mad at NT2.0 because it didn't do that trademark Amiga
thing, shut up and use Protracker, lamers!

My most favorite public domain programs (in some kind of order):
        Protracker by Amiga Freelancers
        Multi-Ripper V2.0 By Robin Hood/Fantasy & Jelly-Fish/Unit One Inc.
        QED by Darren M. Greenwald (I'm using it now to write this!)
        SID by Timm Martin (THE directory utility!)
        VirusX by Steve Tibbett

There are a whole bunch of others, but these are the most valuable-to me,
anyways.

I do suppose that I should include a new module just to reward you for
reading this thing (as if you wouldn't have read it anyway), so I will.
Name is LOUDHOUSE, a little jam I whipped up yesterday when I was feeling
low to ward off the demons.  I think you'll like it-you may notice that a
couple of the instruments are from a certain GAME (he he he he he)!  We
won't get into that here!  The module, just to be fair (and not be two-faced
about what I just discussed), is an NTSC mod and works fine on XTPlay.
It's for people who play their Amiga music loud and proud!!!! YEAH!!!

Next time I write, I think i'll do a module critique and rate my top ten
faves! 

MAJOR TOM-The Unstable Eternally Unhappy Black Guy Who Likes Metal
[B) ceeeeeeeeeeeee ya!