{"id":3275,"date":"2024-03-19T23:30:32","date_gmt":"2024-03-19T22:30:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/?p=3275"},"modified":"2026-02-26T12:42:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T11:42:17","slug":"soundtracker-origins-interlude-exploring-the-cambrian-explosion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/2024\/03\/19\/soundtracker-origins-interlude-exploring-the-cambrian-explosion\/","title":{"rendered":"Soundtracker Origins, interlude: The coders behind the Cambrian explosion"},"content":{"rendered":"Temps de lecture \/ Reading time\u00a0: <\/span> 49<\/span> minutes.<\/span><\/span>\n

Remember Part 3<\/a>1<\/a><\/sup>Wow, that previous part had an estimated 21-minute reading time, and back then I thought that was really too long for an article about my little nostalgic trip down memory lane. Well now, GUESS WHAT?<\/span> of this series of articles on Soundtracker?
Those were the days<\/em>! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I fondly remember writing the following, near the end of that article:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
The next parts will focus on each of the two parallel paths that I highlighted above:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
The Fairlight CMI path: finding out how they came up with the idea for their Page R sequencer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
The \u00ab\u00a0Commodore\u00a0\u00bb path, going down the JMS rabbit hole, and their Multitrack Composer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Will there be more parts? Who knows? I sure don\u2019t!<\/p>\nMe, the hopeful pessimist.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Good times! Look at me, making sincere promises and everything:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Sure, I could easily write that Fairlight CMI article, mostly just by copy-pasting the content of email answers dating back from 2019. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
And as for the Jellinghaus (JMS) article, along with a couple other ideas thrown in in order to tie it all together, well it’s a quick road to publication, methinks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
But where’s the fun in that? <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
I say we go the usual ADHD route: stop at 80% completion, and start something new altogether!2<\/a><\/sup>But let’s keep it in the same overall context, so as to not feel too much guilt. Structured procrastination<\/a>: 60% of the time, it works every time.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let me therefore add an interlude to this series of articles, in order to tell you a story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A story of pioneers, of sharing, of standing upon the shoulders of giants, of youth, of friendly competition, and of bad blood.
A story of humans making History without even knowing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As with all good, heartwarming stories, it starts with…<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
A graph<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Behold!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"\"$
Long graph is long. So long that this is actually rotated 90\u00b0 so that you can enjoy its sheer magnitude.
In the image above, years are at the bottom, colored blocks represent each Soundtracker-like release, lines show the lineage between them, and blue text indicate new features between two releases.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
On November 4th, 2007, Claudio Matsuoka pushed the first commit<\/a> of a very useful 3<\/a><\/sup>To me and this silly project of mine, at least.<\/span>, techno-archeological project: the Tracker History Graphing Project. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That graph above presents a \u00ab\u00a0family tree\u00a0\u00bb of all known trackers, from Karsten Obarski’s original in 1987, to Olav \u00ab\u00a0 8bitbubsy<\/a>\u00a0\u00bb S\u00f8rensen’s clones\/ports of ProTracker v2.3D and Fasttracker II<\/a> started in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Inspired by the UNIX History Graphing Project<\/a>, the objective is to collect release dates and dependencies of music trackers and produce a graph of the lineage of music trackers in different operating systems.<\/p>\nFrom the original homepage at helllabs.org<\/a>.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
For 12 years, until his last commit in July 2019<\/a>, Claudio explored the insides of all Soundtracker-like tools that he could find, reading through their documentation or even their source code when available, in order to discover who did what first, and who got inspired by whom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then he seemingly abandoned the project: There hasn’t been any further commit since July 2019, and the helllabs.org domain that hosted it has been down since 2023<\/a>4<\/a><\/sup>I tried to contact him in October 2023 in order to at least have the Wikipedia Commons version<\/a> updated with the file available on GitHub<\/a>, but didn’t get an answer.<\/span> 5<\/a><\/sup>UPDATE: Claudio answered me! In April 2025, he wrote: \u00ab\u00a0Sorry for the late reply, the email got somehow lost in gmail’s
multiple inboxes. The source data is still available at
https:\/\/github.com\/cmatsuoka\/tracker-history,<\/a> I’m regenerating the svg
file and attaching it to this email.\u00a0\u00bb But somehow I can’t get the SVG to work… Can you help?<\/span> It could be because Claudio joined Canonical<\/a> in January 2019 6<\/a><\/sup>As per his LinkedIn page.<\/span>, or simply because, in the words of Mark Pilgrim<\/a>, it was time for him to find a new hobby 7<\/a><\/sup>Of note: He is also the author of LibXMP<\/a> (for Extended Module Player Library), a project he launched in May 2009 and contributed to until January 2021<\/a> — so we can see he had a keen interest in having extensive knowledge on tracker formats. Moreover, the LibXMP project has a very interesting \/docs folder<\/a> for Soundtracker geeks…<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Still, through this graph we can see who \u00ab\u00a0took inspiration\u00a0\u00bb (*coughs*<\/em>) from whom, and how we got to modern trackers. Neat! Thank you Claudio!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Note that for this article, I used the latest available visual version<\/a>, preserved by the essential archive.org project<\/a> <\/em>\u2764\ufe0f<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cambrian explosion?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Of particular interest to me 8<\/a><\/sup>As a Soundtracker scholar<\/em>, obviously. *pulls deeply on his imaginary pipe*<\/span> is the top part of the graph, showing when and how it all started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let’s zoom in on the years 1987 to 1989, shall we?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"\"$ Not rotated anymore! Still hard to read!
Also: busy years!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
It’s not possible to read it this way, so I advise you to open the SVG file in your browser<\/a> and wander around from version to version, the way you would zoom in and out in OpenStreetMaps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As you can see, while there were several parallel developments, it seems that the developers were (mostly) respectful of lineage: there is only one Soundtracker IV, it’s AFL’s; there is only one Soundtracker V, it’s D.O.C’s, etc. This seems to prove that new versions spread quite quickly — through a network of swappers<\/a>, of course 9<\/a><\/sup>Stamps back!<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just for the year 1988, 15 new versions (or variations thereof) of Soundtracker were released — 7 of which by Unknown\/DOC alone.
All from a single seed: The Ultimate Soundtracker, planted by one Karsten Obarski in 1987.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hence, Cambrian explosion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Cambrian explosion<\/strong> (plural<\/em> Cambrian explosions<\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
(evolutionary biology) The relatively rapid appearance, during the Cambrian Period around 541 million years ago, of most major animal phyla, as demonstrated in the fossil record.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Synonym: biological big bang<\/p>\n Wiktionary<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
I like big words and I cannot lie.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"\"$ Hi, Cambrian!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
How come there were so many versions?
Why such a frantic pace of improvements, one building upon the other? What made it so special?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And most importantly, I was wondering who<\/strong> was the first to actually disassemble Karsten Obarski’s Ultimate Soundtracker — because I was pretty sure that most \u00ab\u00a0clones\u00a0\u00bb were based on that first available source code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So what did I do? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I did what any sane Internet-person would do: I picked the names of all those who created new Soundtracker versions in the first two years following Obarski’s initial release, and promptly sent them a handful of questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And guess what?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They all answered.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unusual suspects<\/h2>\n\n\n\nThis article is the result of email exchanges with some of the earliest developers of Soundtracker versions, as listed by Claudio’s graph above: Exterminator<\/a>10<\/a><\/sup>Apparently the first one to \u00ab\u00a0update\u00a0\u00bb Obarski’s Ultimate Soundtracker, with TJC Soundtracker II.<\/span>, Unknown<\/a>11<\/a><\/sup>One of the most prolific coders here, adding several features, not the least being extending the format to 31 instruments instead of the initial 15, the creation of the \u00ab\u00a0module\u00a0\u00bb format (MOD), and allowing to save songs in that contained format. He released 7 versions in 1988.<\/span>, Marco Nelissen<\/a>12<\/a><\/sup>… who according to the graph was also an early disassembler of the original Soundtracker — but no one expanded on his version, curiously.<\/span>, TIP<\/a>13<\/a><\/sup>… who went from upgrading Soundtracker, to creating his own, commercial Oktalyzer<\/a>, which supported eight channels — an impressive feat in itself, long before OctaMED and TFMX.<\/span>, MnemoTroN<\/a>14<\/a><\/sup>Another very prolific author (4 versions in a year), bringing his own share of key features, notably the ability to load a module, thus closing the loop started by Unknown.<\/span>, Mahoney<\/a>15<\/a><\/sup>Of \u00ab\u00a0Mahoney & Kaktus\u00a0\u00bb fame; the first ones to depart from the \u00ab\u00a0Soundtracker\u00a0\u00bb name, creating NoiseTracker, one of the first \u00ab\u00a0nice to use\u00a0\u00bb trackers, and a key inspiration for the now-legendary Protracker. It was deemed nice to use because besides several bug fixes and cosmetic improvements, they added ways to use it with only a keyboard, instead of having to use the mouse for everything besides adding notes.<\/span>… and, because why not?<\/em>, I also contacted Lars Hamre<\/a>16<\/a><\/sup>The man behind the hugely successful Protracker. It’s a later addition (1990), but one cannot talk about Soundtracker without mentioning Protracker, really.<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As you can see by clicking each link, I didn’t have to go far to discover their real-life names, as Demozoo lists them. Unlike the warez scene 17<\/a><\/sup>Y’know, pirates, \u00ab\u00a0You wouldn’t steal a car\u00a0\u00bb, and all that shady stuff. Arrr!<\/em><\/span>, from which it was born, the demoscene was never about being anonymous, but rather pseudonymous<\/em>: while having a scene handle was necessary when doing software piracy, for those creating demos it was just a cooler way to present oneself \ud83d\ude42
From their real names listed in Demozoo, contacting them was easy: some have their own websites, others their own company, and the last ones… were contacted through LinkedIn \ud83d\ude05 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I need to point out here how incredibly useful are scene-related databases such as Demozoo<\/a>, Pou\u00ebt<\/a>, the Exotica<\/a> wiki and its Kestra Bitworld<\/a> sub-site. I was able to not only cross-reference information from the graph, but also to dig deeper thanks to community comments, such as in this page<\/a>. <\/em>
As a bonus, they are happily cross-linking between themselves, showing the <\/em>camaraderie18<\/a><\/sup>*pulls even deeper on his imaginary pipe, nearly chokes*<\/span> of the demoscene community<\/em> \u2764\ufe0f
All the screen captures on this article come from these websites.
The French Amiga-focused Obligement<\/a> webzine was also a great source.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Who’s on first?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Let’s dive right in with the initial question: Who was the first to build upon Karsten Obarski’s Ultimate Soundtracker?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The graph here is helpful:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"\"$
Now slightly more readable!
We see two contenders for \u00ab\u00a0First one to disassemble\u00a0\u00bb: Marco Nelissen and The Exterminator!
The third arrow on the right points to an official version of Ultimate Soundtracker by Karsten Obarski.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
\n
$\"\"$
The Ultimate Soundtracker Demo<\/a>, released in November 1987 by Karsten \u00ab\u00a0Obiwan\u00a0\u00bb Obarski.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
According to the graph’s datasource<\/a>, the first version of Ultimate Soundtracker was released in August 1987, and Ultimate Soundtracker 1.21 was released in December 1987.
Now, there might be a mistake in the datasource since Demozoo shows a screencapture of a demo version<\/a> (displayed here on the right side), signed \u00ab\u00a0 Obiwan<\/a>\u00ab\u00a0, with a November 1987 release date. But we’ll let this slip by for now… <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n<\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A video showing Protracker 1.1 playing 5 of the <a href=\"http:\/\/aminet.net\/package\/mods\/sets\/Firsties\">first Soundtracker songs<\/a> by Karsten Obarski, of course, including \u00ab\u00a0Amegas\u00a0\u00bb, the first Soundtracker song ever published (in <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Amegas\">the 1987 eponymous game<\/a>). You can recognize that very Amiga-ish sound, which is directly due to Karsten’s own synthesizers at the time. He sampled them in order to provide some first samples to musicians who bought his tool. You can see how many other songs were based on the samples used in Amegas thanks to the <a href=\"https:\/\/modsamplemaster.thegang.nu\/module.php?sha1=79baf427f46f77163441a7dad9bae1d0108780f1\">.mod Sample Master<\/a> (dotMSM) website, which makes statistics based on the hash of samples from available songs. Neat!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe important indication from the graph datasource is that Soundtracker Pro I is listed as released by Marco Nelissen on January 20th, 1988. Just one month after the original’s release date: That’s some quick reworking! <\/p>\n\n\n\nCongratulations for being the first one on the line, Marco!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nMarco Nelissen: <\/strong>I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the first one (and the name, \u00ab\u00a0Yet another soundtracker\u00a0\u00bb, certainly seems to be saying that there were many soundtrackers available already at that time). I suspect that the release date of 1988-01-20 is wrong. January 1988 is only 9 months after the release of the Amiga 500, and my first Amiga was a 500. I think I would have needed more than 9 months to buy one and get proficient enough with Amiga programming. The release year of 1989 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=48002\">as listed on Pou\u00ebt<\/a> seems more realistic. <\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview from January 2024<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-19\">19<\/a><\/sup>After contacting him through LinkedIn…<\/span>.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"355\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-5-450x355.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3401\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-5-450x355.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-5-200x158.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-5.png 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/172675\/\">The Ultimate SoundTracker 1.21<\/a>, released in December 1987 by Karsten Obarski.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nI’m not sure that the \u00ab\u00a0Yet Another <\/strong>Soundtracker\u00a0\u00bb argument proves anything, since Karsten Obarski did<\/em> name the very first<\/em> Soundtracker as being \u00ab\u00a0The Ultimate<\/strong> Soundtracker\u00a0\u00bb — but, you know, teenagers \ud83d\ude42 <\/p>\n\n\n\nIn any case, I agree that 9 months is short to buy a computer, learn to code well enough, obtain original software, disassemble it and rework it into something notable. So the new date of 1989 would put Marco’s version after<\/em> many of the other trackers released in 1988, and therefore he cannot be the original disassembler of Obarski’s UST<\/strong> (Ultimate SoundTracker, for the rest of this article). <\/p>\n\n\n\nBut the graph does<\/em> connect his version directly to UST, so is that wrong too?<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"372\" height=\"297\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-4.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3399\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-4.png 372w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-4-200x160.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 372px) 100vw, 372px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=48002\">SoundTracker Pro I<\/a>, released in 1989 by Marco Nelissen.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nMarco Nelissen: <\/strong>I’m fairly <\/em>certain I disassembled an existing tracker myself, and it was probably \u00ab\u00a0the ultimate soundtracker\u00a0\u00bb (though not sure which version), given that \u00ab\u00a0yet another soundtracker\u00a0\u00bb <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=48002\">says it’s based on the original by Karsten Obarski<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nI’m certain I was not the first though. There were many alternative trackers already available when I got involved, hence the \u00ab\u00a0yet another\u00a0\u00bb description in my version. <\/p>\n\n\n\nSo the graph you linked to earlier is probably wrong. While it’s possible the branching itself is correct, the timeline is almost certainly incorrect. It seems much more likely that my \u00ab\u00a0yet another soundtracker\u00a0\u00bb came around somewhere in 1989, after <\/em>many of the other variants.<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nAlright, so Marco is not The One. But still he did some original work, why didn’t it inspire others in the demoscene? Why did they all build from TJC Soundtracker II?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nMarco Nelissen:<\/strong> TJC and other trackers I think came out of the crack\/demo scene, so had wider reach because of that. I also didn’t release a standalone player routine (except maybe towards the very end, I’m not sure), so it was hard for people to use such mods in games or demos.<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"256\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-6.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3404\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-6.png 320w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-6-200x160.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/272940\/\">SoundTracker Pro II 2.4<\/a>, released in July 1996 by Marco Nelissen.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThanks Marco! Another possibility for Soundtracker Pro not being quite adopted by the scene, is the apparent fact that it extended the MOD file format (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=34746#c976465\">at least for ST Pro II<\/a>), making its saved file incompatible with other trackers and playroutines — the subject of <a href=\"https:\/\/wiki.multimedia.cx\/index.php\/Protracker_Module#File_Format\">file format compatibility<\/a> was a hot topic in the tracker community, <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/8bitbubsy\/pt2-clone\/issues\/6\">and still is<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nTherefore, still according to Claudio’s graph, that leaves us with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Oil Imperium - Action 1 (Karsten Obarski)\" width=\"580\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vgr2OSdo558?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Another early music by Karsten Obarski, this time \u00ab\u00a0Action Theme 3\u00a0\u00bb from the game \u00ab\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Black_Gold_(video_game)\">Oil Imperium<\/a>\u00a0\u00bb (1989), here played using Protracker 3.62.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Exterminator\/TJC<\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe first coder to release a \u00ab\u00a0fixed\u00a0\u00bb version of Soundtracker, The Exterminator, member of the group <a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/groups\/28634\/\">The Jungle Command<\/a>, lighted the necessary spark and showed that it was possible to improve on Obarski’s game-changing music editor.<\/p>\n\n\n\nExterminator was not a newcomer in the realm of sound editors, as he had already produced MegaTraxx for TJC, which <a href=\"http:\/\/janeway.exotica.org.uk\/author.php?id=2459\">was implemented into Soundtracker<\/a><a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-20\">20<\/a><\/sup>\u00ab\u00a0Then Exterminator (…) made for us a breakthru with soundtracker ii it was just megatraxx build into soundtracker.\u00a0\u00bb (<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20211016021147\/http:\/\/janeway.exotica.org.uk\/author.php?id=2459\">archive.org link<\/a>)<\/span> in order to get TJC\u00a0Soundtracker\u00a0II<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-21\">21<\/a><\/sup>I can’t for the life of me find any visual of MegaTraxx, only remains <a href=\"https:\/\/modland.com\/pub\/documents\/nostalgia\/code\/\">its source code here<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/janeway.exotica.org.uk\/release.php?id=33126\">a list of productions<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20210908120156\/http:\/\/janeway.exotica.org.uk\/release.php?id=33126\">archive.org<\/a>) that used one module contained in this early format. The best I can guess is that Exterminator implemented the MegaTraxx playroutine in Soundtracker — which might explain why the playroutine’s functions <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/cmatsuoka\/tracker-history\/blob\/master\/reference\/amiga\/soundtracker\/Soundtracker_v1-v9\/Soundtracker_v2.doc#L240-L241\">have <code>mt_<\/code> prefixes<\/a>… and we keep seeing the <code>mt_init<\/code> function <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lim.di.unimi.it\/IEEE\/VROS\/MOD.HTM\">up to Protracker’s playroutine<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240408085529\/https:\/\/www.lim.di.unimi.it\/IEEE\/VROS\/MOD.HTM\">archive.org<\/a>), and probably later tracker replay routines.<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"284\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-7.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3406\" style=\"width:360px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-7.png 360w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-7-200x158.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/221272\/\">TJC SoundTracker II<\/a>, released on March 1st, 1988 by The Exterminator\/TJC.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nMark Langerak, his real name, released only one version of TJC Soundtracker II, and soon moved on to other hobbies — namely, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mobygames.com\/person\/10073\/mark-langerak\/credits\/\">creating video games<\/a>. Indeed, the demoscene has always been a source of hiring talents for game companies, from programmers to musicians and graphic artists.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nHe released his first game on the Amiga, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mobygames.com\/game\/54233\/the-plague\/\">The Plague<\/a>, in 1990. He worked solo on the code and the graphics. 35 years later, as of this writing, he is Principal Software Engineer at Microsoft, having worked notably on Gunship 2000, The Sims 2, Kinect Star Wars, and many more.<\/p>\n\n\n\nI’m pretty sure he’s not too fond of his handle from his Amiga days \ud83d\ude42<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nI used the most uncool way to contact him: I sent him a LinkedIn message \ud83d\ude05<\/p>\n\n\n\nSo, was he The One who first disassembled UST? Or did he receive the source code from someone else?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nMark Langerak: <\/strong>I think I was the first yes. I definitely did not get the source from anyone, I would have remembered that. <\/p>\n\n\n\nBut I don’t actually remember how or if the original was actually disassembled (to source), I don’t think there were any decent disassembler tools available at the time that would’ve made that possible? If I were to guess, the original Soundtracker would have remained in its original form as a binary blob, which would then have some strategic patch vectors poked in at the right places to extend it.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThat is something I recall doing even to my own code when developing on C64 because there was not enough memory to have both source + binary in memory at the same time — I had no money then to buy a separate development machine \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n<cite>LinkedIn interview from November 2023.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"PTC by Mad Monks and Sunriders (Amiga Intro) 1988\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/W9IhN3WtTyA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The demoscene adopted Soundtracker rather quickly, even with ugly samples like here (<a href=\"http:\/\/janeway.exotica.org.uk\/release.php?id=1711\">March 1988<\/a>).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nOh, that’s clever! Even without the source code, it was possible to extend and rework a program by changing its representation in memory (then saving that representation to disk, I guess).<\/p>\n\n\n\nBut that means… The Exterminator is not<\/em> the one who initially spread the source code for UST. Still, he is<\/em> the one that showed that it was possible to improve upon a commercial software that was, apparently, not quite stable yet. And THAT is an important step for the Soundtracker saga.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAlso, it was all meant to be fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nMark Langerak: <\/strong>One little factoid I do remember — the playback routine for TJC tracker has a hidden Jungle Command easter-egg. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe idea was that we wanted the fame of the playback routine getting used in other groups’ demos, and the way to show that the TJC tracker was used would be to invoke a magic mouse button + key combo when running a rival group’s demo. That would then trigger a piece of code hidden in the (fake) arpeggio table in the TJC playback routine. This piece of code was designed to take over the machine and display a Jungle Command related message. <\/p>\n\n\n\nI completely forget how it was supposed to work, but it wasn’t very reliable — I only managed to ever find one demo from another group where I was able to trigger it and bask in the glory \ud83d\ude00<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nSee? All in good fun! \ud83d\ude42 <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe TJC Soundtracker lineage didn’t last long, though:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nMark Langerak: <\/strong>TJC Soundtracker II was done in isolation as I remember. It was also very much a one and done kind of thing, we did not contemplate or feel any incentive to continue with trackers in general. From what I remember we were much more focused on the next demos and making our own games.<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nAlright, it’s all fun and games<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-22\">22<\/a><\/sup>Hoho!<\/span>, but I need to continue my quest: Who’s The One behind the Soundtracker Cambrian explosion?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\nAdded May 21st, 2024:<\/em> Reader <a href=\"https:\/\/limi.net\/\">Alex Limi<\/a> kindly pointed me to this comment that he archived from a YouTube video, written by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@scb2scb2\/featured\">Daniel Ockeloen<\/a> (aka <a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/sceners\/42888\/\">MCS, co-founder of TJC<\/a>):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"676\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/image.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3781\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/image.png 1536w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/image-200x88.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/image-450x198.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/image-768x338.png 768w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/image-1200x528.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nWe are getting old but it’s nice to wonder in a old video and see my memory confirmed. <\/p>\n\n\n\nSoundtracker 2.0 was indeed the first split. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWith a friend I started The Jungle Command, soon to be joined by Mark. We came from the C64 and needed audio routines; work was underway with MegaTraxx, but that had no GUI at all. So Soundtracker came out and [with] some merging and fiddling, we had Soundtracker 2.0. A nice guru meditation hack was added and hidden in the source for much fun later :).<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt was a small step but combined with someone who did some great tunes (our member <a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/sceners\/16334\/\">Ron Klaren<\/a>) and a few music demo disks (\u00ab\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/221265\/\">Music invasion<\/a>\u00a0\u00bb was one series) it all got out of hand a little. <\/p>\n\n\n\nIt was never really done as an angry act against the orginal maker, we where just kids. Jungle Command was never really much in the cracking part, more the making part. <\/p>\n\n\n\nLater we also had a second music routine for games like Battle Squadron which Ron also used to show his music skills and I still feel [his tunes] are among the best Amiga tracks of the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\nIt was a great time, thanks for reminding me and others of the fun we had now 37+ years ago\u2026. — daniel (mcs) from the jungle command. edit: most groups knew who worked on it at first and communication was happening but indeed the MOD fileformat part by DOC was a massive step in making it a household name\u2026 edit2: in my memory we had some communication with Karsten and he forgave our youthful sins. I hope I am not making that up and he also looks back with a smile on what his work did and how we can still enjoy some of these amazing tunes of the time.<\/p>\n<cite>From a comment on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=roBkg-iPrbw\">an awesome Ahoy video on Tracker history<\/a>, edited for readability.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nThis comment explains why I couldn’t find any screencapture of Exterminator’s MegaTraxx: it only ever existed as an early set of audio routines! Instead of spending time programming the whole interface for MegaTraxx, Exterminator probably chose the easy path and adapted his playroutine into The Ultimate Soundtracker, thus creating TJC Sountracker II.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnd really, just comparing <a href=\"https:\/\/ftp.untergrund.net\/users\/hitchhikr\/old\/tools\/Soundtracker_II.zip\">the source code for MegaTraxx and the TJC Soundtracker II playroutine<\/a> confirms that: Apart from minor additions, removals and changes (and the whole Sample Info and Parts sections), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.diffchecker.com\/7sjEI3Hv\/\">they are pretty much the same<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAs I wrote in <a href=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/2021\/09\/22\/soundtracker-origins-part-1-where-in-the-world-is-karsten-obarski\/\">my article on Karsten Obarski<\/a> (Part I of this series):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nExterminator had de-assembled the original program and released the resulting source code, along with its playroutine<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\"><\/a><\/sup>. This allowed anyone to not only create music in the tracker format (fine), but they could also freely (as in, illegally) use that format in their own productions (games and demos).<\/p>\n<cite>Source: myself.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nSince the playroutine was a key part in selling The Ultimate Soundtracker rights (which is my guess on how usage worked at that time), well, once TJC Soundtracker II was released, Ultimate Soundtracker’s commercial fate was pretty much sealed…<\/p>\n\n\n\nThank you Alex for this gem!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\nAdded June 19th, 2024:<\/em> Well I had to contact Daniel Ockeloen, aka MCS, co-founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/groups\/28634\/\">The Jungle Command<\/a>, just to see if there was anything more in his memories that he could contribute to the topic \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n…and boy did he have.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nI’m 100% sure that TJC Tracker was the first, but as Mark writes, he might have later started from the 1.0 version — this would also explain the <code>mt_<\/code> naming for a while in only one branch.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe hint that the source of the player was the same was well-known at the time, there is a reason why much of it starts with <code>mt_<\/code> names.<\/p>\n<cite>From a Facebook Messenger conversation, June 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nThe \u00ab\u00a0let’s use the [Ultimate Soundtracker] GUI and semi bolt MegaTraxx in\u00a0\u00bb was because of the lack of a GUI — the only thing around at the start was Sonic [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aegis_Sonix\">Sonix by Aegis<\/a>?] <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" src=\"https:\/\/static.xx.fbcdn.net\/images\/emoji.php\/v9\/teb\/2\/16\/1f642.png\" alt=\"\ud83d\ude42\">. <\/p>\n\n\n\nMark should know best but in my memory, it was just the easier way to merge the two.<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nI can also confirm that Il Scuro\/DefJam made the first upgrade [with <a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/172678\/\">Sountracker III<\/a>], but the more important step was DOC. For the rest I think you are on track on what happened and why.<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nAt the time, musicdisks where a thing, and many [sceners] sent us songs to put on one of our disks, kinda before megademos became a thing. So having a player routine we all could use and some GIU was handy.<\/p>\n\n\n\nI remember that we as a group where kind of proud of [musician] <a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/sceners\/16334\/\">Ron Klaren<\/a>‘s work so we had an incentive to push the player idea, even if Mark was already moving on [to focus on his game].<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nI also strongly disagree with the [reliability] of his hack: many demos and even games had the ‘Guru’ hack inside, even in later player releases. And John [van Dijk, aka <a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/sceners\/42889\/\">Boil<\/a>, co-founder of TJC] and I had fun testing new disks [to see] if they came in for it. <\/p>\n\n\n\nBut like Mark, I can’t remember how to trigger it. I think it was space+mousebutton+joystick button. I tried to get it working on some things years ago, but failed — let’s call it a missing easter egg ready to be rediscovered. <\/p>\n\n\n\nI do clearly remember nobody found it until some English friends (Mic) found it and just changed the messages to say ‘hi back’ in the message.<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nKeep in mind, you probably need to merge like 10 people’s minds to get the truth — funny how memories work. Thanks for your great work on this!<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nThank you for all these details, Daniel!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\nLet’s get back to our regular scheduling, and scroll down a bit on the graph:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2270\" height=\"1294\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3389\" style=\"width:610px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-2.png 2270w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-2-200x114.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-2-450x257.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-2-768x438.png 768w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-2-1536x876.png 1536w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-2-2048x1167.png 2048w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-2-1200x684.png 1200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-2-1980x1129.png 1980w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2270px) 100vw, 2270px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">If you can read this, you can throw your glasses away. If you can’t, <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20230316093224\/http:\/\/helllabs.org\/tracker-history\/trackers.svg\">open the SVG in a new tab<\/a>!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe TJC seed has been planted, and we get to explore the sprouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNote on the left-side arrow of the graph: <\/em> I wasn’t able to contact Il Scuro\/Dejfam (Ron Birk), but since, according to the graph, his Soundtracker III is a one-off version and it only inspired one tracker (Alpha Flight’s Soundtracker IV), I think we can safely skip it for our quest.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nThus, now begins the era of…<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"D.O.C - Demons Are Forever -= Amiga 50fps =-\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3tSI8gw_yUQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">With this demo, incidentally released by DOC in May 1988, you can already see some kind of evolution in the quality of samples and the sonic inspiration. This one is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=7066\">considered a classic<\/a> today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Unknown\/DOC<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"359\" height=\"283\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-8.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3409\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-8.png 359w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-8-200x158.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 359px) 100vw, 359px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/172679\/\">DOC SoundTracker III<\/a>, released by Unknown\/DOC on March 25th, 1988.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nIn 1988 alone, Unknown of the demogroup Doctor Mabuse Orgasm Crackings<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-23\">23<\/a><\/sup>Yeah, I know…<\/span> released 7 versions of Soundtracker: Soundtracker III, then IV, VI<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-24\">24<\/a><\/sup>Wait… Aaaaah, apparently <a href=\"http:\/\/janeway.exotica.org.uk\/release.php?id=94606\">someone released a v5.0<\/a> in 1988, which was just DOC’s ST IV rebranded, as per <a href=\"http:\/\/janeway.exotica.org.uk\/file.php?id=167380\">the scroller here<\/a> (look for \u00ab\u00a0fred\u00a0\u00bb).<\/span>, IX<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-25\">25<\/a><\/sup>What? We skipped VII and VIII too??<\/span>, 2.0<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-26\">26<\/a><\/sup>Oh, back to more regular numbering…<\/span>, 2.1, and 2.2. And he stopped there, leaving others to go further, and having added an incredible amount of features to Soundtracker, not the least of which being the celebrated <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/MOD_(file_format)\">MOD format<\/a>, which made it much easier to share music and include them in scene productions, be they demos or cracks. And of course, as a proud marker of his contributions, he added \u00ab\u00a0M.K.\u00a0\u00bb to the headers of module files, for M<\/strong>ichael K<\/strong>leps, his name at the time. That marker<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-27\">27<\/a><\/sup>Or \u00ab\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File_format#Magic_number\">Magic number<\/a>\u00ab\u00a0. Which can be <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/cdgriffith\/puremagic\/pull\/58\">quite tricky to recognize<\/a>.<\/span> is still used today to recognize modules from back then, and to differentiate them from modules made by earlier or later Soundtracker-like tools.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"359\" height=\"283\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-10.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3416\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-10.png 359w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-10-200x158.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 359px) 100vw, 359px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/172680\/\">DOC SoundTracker IV<\/a>, released by Unknown\/DOC on April 12th, 1988.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nUnknown\/DOC seemingly found his passion with music tools, because Michael Kleps (nowadays named Michael Hartmann, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kvraudio.com\/forum\/viewtopic.php?p=7974249&sid=65f66e78e86e80c12831844404a99216#p7974249\">possibly after wedding his partner<\/a>) has since created the <a href=\"https:\/\/refx.com\/\">reFX<\/a> company, which has been producing virtual synthesizers for several years now. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=uqF0bHTyTDg&t=844s\">See this YouTuber touring the reFX office and meeting Michael<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOf note: Even today Michael remains a fan of oldskool computer music, as in 2001 he created the <a href=\"https:\/\/splice.com\/plugins\/4361-quadrasid-vst-au-by-refx\">reFX QuadraSID VST plugin<\/a>, which brought the sound of the C64’s SID chip to modern DAWs — a project for which he was interviewed in 2001 by the <a href=\"https:\/\/remix64.com\/interviews\/interview-michael-kleps-of-refx.html\">Remix64<\/a> portal — and I learned that he was working on a Spotify-like SID player.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"359\" height=\"283\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-11.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3418\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-11.png 359w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-11-200x158.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 359px) 100vw, 359px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/172691\/\">DOC SoundTracker VI<\/a>, released by Unknown\/DOC on April 20th, 1988.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nTrue to his scene handle, it was very hard to get in direct contact with him, despite seeing he was <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/reFX-Mike\">active in his GitHub profile<\/a>: I couldn’t find any working email address for him nor for reFX — you have to be a reFX customer in order to contact their support service. BUT, after a lot of of poking around, I was able to contact him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Unit A - Interceptor\" width=\"580\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/h5GRh4HgsAE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This is just a 2 min cracktro, but the sample are starting to give a real ambiance<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=9133\">June 1988<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nSo, I wonder, as the most prolific author of Soundtracker versions, what inspired him to spend so much time on that tool?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nMichael \u00ab\u00a0Unknown\u00a0\u00bb Hartmann: <\/strong>I was always interested in music, and once the source code got to me from one of Dr. Mabuse’s trading partners, I was super excited to play around with it and fix bugs or add features as I saw fit. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWe made so many versions because we discovered bugs, and Dr. Mabuse couldn’t wait to add more ridiculous scroll texts to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNowadays, with the internet and all, these would be considered minor releases nobody would even mention. But back then, every little fix, every little change was immediately a new version to be traded with others, etc.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview from January 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"284\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-12.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3419\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-12.png 360w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-12-200x158.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/172692\/\">DOC SoundTracker IX<\/a>, released by Unknown\/DOC in July 1988.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nIndeed the <a href=\"http:\/\/janeway.exotica.org.uk\/file.php?id=34833\">scrolltexts<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/janeway.exotica.org.uk\/file.php?id=167380\">were<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/janeway.exotica.org.uk\/file.php?id=168190\">quite<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/janeway.exotica.org.uk\/file.php?id=167378\">silly<\/a> \ud83d\ude42<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nWait, \u00ab\u00a0once the source code got to me from one of Dr. Mabuse’s trading partners\u00a0\u00bb, so he’s not The One who disassembled it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nMichael \u00ab\u00a0Unknown\u00a0\u00bb Hartmann<\/strong>: <\/strong>No, I didn’t disassemble it. I’ve got the source code from Dr. Mabuse, who got it from someone else. I got it pretty early on, but I can’t remember what exact version of what. <\/p>\n\n\n\nSince I was into music, I was super curious about how it all worked. I refined it a lot, as a lot of variables and labels had very generic names (param1, param2, param3, loop1, loop2, loop3, etc.) instead of proper names like \u00ab\u00a0volume\u00a0\u00bb, \u00ab\u00a0pitch\u00a0\u00bb, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\nIf somebody released a new tracker, I immediately tried to match the new features or even improve upon them. It was important for me not to fall behind and stay compatible.<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nHoly guacamole, Batman!<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Exterminator did not disassemble it, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Unknown obtained the source code from someone else!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nDoes it mean there is a missing link between TJC Soundtracker II and DOC Soundtracker III\u203d\u203d\u203d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"FINNISH GOLD 1988 CONTEST-DEMO (C64)\" width=\"580\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HgSaIHNU-pM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Meanwhile, the c64 scene was enjoying three-channels songs, such as in this demo <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=43088\">from August 1988<\/a>. Done with Soundmonitor?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Crossing the streams<\/h2>\n\n\n\nHere I must take a quick step forward, and show you what (and who) comes next in the graph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1636\" height=\"904\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-9.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3410\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-9.png 1636w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-9-200x111.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-9-450x249.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-9-768x424.png 768w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-9-1536x849.png 1536w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-9-1200x663.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1636px) 100vw, 1636px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A new player has entered the game!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nAs those with good eyes (or <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20230316093224\/http:\/\/helllabs.org\/tracker-history\/trackers.svg\">with the SVG file open<\/a>) can see, a strange thing happens: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Unknown releases DOC Soundtracker IX, <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>… which serves as the direct inspiration for Master Soundtracker 1.0, created by TIP\/TNM… <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>…which, in turn<\/em>, is the sole inspiration for DOC Soundtracker 2.0. I repeat: DOC Soundtracker IX is not<\/strong> the direct inspiration for DOC Soundtracker 2.0.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"355\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-13-450x355.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3425\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-13-450x355.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-13-200x158.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-13.png 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/262586\/\">Master SoundTracker 1.0<\/a>, released by TIP\/TNM in July 1988.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nWho’s this \u00ab\u00a0TIP\u00a0\u00bb guy, swooshing by with tons of ideas and features, to the point of inspiring Unknown? TIP, short for <a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/sceners\/62985\/\">The Invisible Power<\/a>, is in fact <a href=\"https:\/\/www.replicator.org\/\">Armin Sander<\/a>, who later created <a href=\"https:\/\/www.robotplanet.dk\/amiga\/oktalyzer\/\">Oktalyzer<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBut we’ll dive further in his work later; for now, I’d like to focus on a key part of <a href=\"http:\/\/obligement.free.fr\/articles_traduction\/itwsander_en.php\">his Obligement interview<\/a>, by Guillaume Guittenit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nGuillaume Guittenit: <\/strong>Why did you make Oktalyzer? Tell us the story behind this software.<\/p>\n\n\n\nArmin \u00ab\u00a0TIP\u00a0\u00bb Sander: <\/strong>The story begins with me sitting in front of my Amiga and launching a new program called <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ultimate_Soundtracker\">Ultimate Soundtracker<\/a> for the first time and subconsciously realizing that this is the kind of software I wanted to develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe release of Soundtracker was a small revolution in the Amiga scene, and some of the best hackers tried to reengineer and extend the program. Unknown\/DOC was one of the first coders able to put some additional features in it, and when I saw that this was possible, I was excited by the challenge to do it as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe first thing to do if you want to extend an existing program is to reassemble it, which is the process to create <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Assembly_language\">assembler source<\/a> from the binary code of the program. I can’t remember exactly which tools I used, and if <a href=\"http:\/\/amiga-dev.wikidot.com\/tool:resource\">Resource<\/a> was available to me, but shortly after that, I had created a fully functional source code of the original Soundtracker.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLater I had a telephone call with Unknown\/DOC during which he explained to me that he never actually had had the source code, instead he extended Soundtracker by patching the binary code at specific locations. In that telephone call I offered to give him _only him_ the assembler source. And if Unknown\/DOC broke his promise, this source could very well become the basis of a number of future Soundtrackers released in the Amiga scene.<\/p>\n<cite>Obligement interview, in April 2014.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"359\" height=\"283\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-14.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-14.png 359w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-14-200x158.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 359px) 100vw, 359px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/241315\/\">DOC Soundtracker 2.0<\/a>, released by Unknown\/DOC in August 1988.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Amiga demo: Filled Vektors by IT\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/n0VVb3oOek0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Things are getting technical in this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=3594\">May 1989<\/a> production from Norwegian demogroup <a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/groups\/705\/\">IT<\/a>, apparently the first demo to feature filled-vectors. Also, a nice tune from Walkman, soon-to-be author of classic module \u00ab\u00a0Klisje Paa Klisje\u00a0\u00bb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nSAY WHAT??? Wow, there’s a lot to unpack in that last paragraph.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt seems that the four \u00ab\u00a0pre-TIP\u00a0\u00bb versions of DOC Soundtracker (III, IV, VI and IX, for those keeping score) were not<\/strong> in fact created by improving some source code that was available, but by patching the software while it’s in memory — the same way The Exterminator first improved UST to obtain his own TJC Soundtracker II. That would mean that when Unknown told me that \u00ab\u00a0the source code got to [him] from one of Dr. Mabuse’s trading partners\u00a0\u00bb, either he was mistaken (which we can forgive, after 35 years<\/em>), or he was talking about DOC Soundtracker versions starting from 2.0 onward, and therefore TIP was actually that trading partner.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"355\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-16-450x355.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3432\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-16-450x355.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-16-200x158.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-16.png 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/197688\/\">Master Soundtracker 3.0<\/a>, released by TIP\/Prophets AG in September 1988.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nArmin further confirmed that he was The One by email:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nArmin \u00ab\u00a0TIP\u00a0\u00bb Sander: <\/strong>Actually I did a lot of reassembling [back then], I guess because I wasn’t good or smart enough at cracking software or modifying binaries, even considered this as dreadful boring and hard work. <\/p>\n\n\n\nAs stated in the Obligement article, I can confirm that the SoundTrackers I’ve released were built on fully reassembled version.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview in January 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nSeeing the drastic changes in version number (from Roman numerals to \u00ab\u00a02.x\u00a0\u00bb) and layout\/design between DOC Soundtracker IX and DOC Soundtracker 2.0, I’m inclined to believe that Armin was indeed the source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery alignwide has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"284\" data-id=\"3419\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-12.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3419\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-12.png 360w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-12-200x158.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">DOC Soundtracker IX<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"355\" data-id=\"3425\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-13-450x355.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3425\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-13-450x355.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-13-200x158.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-13.png 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Master Soundtracker 1.0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"359\" height=\"283\" data-id=\"3426\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-14.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-14.png 359w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-14-200x158.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 359px) 100vw, 359px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">DOC Soundtracker 2.0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nYep, DOC Soundtracker 2.0 does look like a rework of Master Soundtracker 1.0. <\/p>\n\n\n\nVisually, Unknown used a cleaner font and added back the scrolltext for Dr. Mabuse’s deliriums (seen here on the right screenshot, above the \u00ab\u00a0Disk Status: All right\u00a0\u00bb section), moved\/renamed some buttons, and added himself as 5th coder in the credits for this version. Backstage, Unknown <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/cmatsuoka\/tracker-history\/blob\/master\/soundtracker.txt#L356-L378\">made several changes<\/a> of his own, notably the addition of the \u00ab\u00a0pattern break\u00a0\u00bb and \u00ab\u00a0position jump\u00a0\u00bb commands.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe fact remains: Armin is The One who first fully disassembled Ultimate Soundtracker<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-28\">28<\/a><\/sup>Which version? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=92348#c955544\">Possibly Obarski’s UST 1.8<\/a>. Yup, I could have saved a LOT of research time by finding this Pou\u00ebt comment…<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\nBut that certainly does not lessen the improvements brought by Unknown to Soundtracker — most notably one that came in DOC Soundtracker IX and has hugely boosted the popularity of the tool: the MOD format.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Amiga Demo : Zappel \/ Zodiac (1989)\" width=\"580\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/K6mhPQuOqJM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Most of the demos back in 88\/89 consisted of scrollers with some Obarski-inspired samples. This one, from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=11106\">April 1989<\/a>, is a nice change of pace, with actual effects and a module that sounds original, even if repetitive.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Module format<\/h2>\n\n\n\nYes, I am adding an aside to this whole interlude…<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nSee, initially Soundtracker and its clones saved music in a basic song-file format (<code>.sng<\/code>), which was roughly the data table, and that’s it. The song-file then pointed to sample files (raw audio data or IFF 8SVX, as <code>.8svx<\/code><a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-29\">29<\/a><\/sup>Or not, since the Amiga didn’t enforce file extensions.<\/span>) with their absolute path, including the name of the sample disk (ST-01:, ST-02:, etc.). This allowed Soundtracker to load samples once the song file was fully loaded. This means that when sharing a song with, say, a friend, you had to provide both the song file and<\/em> all the sample files that were used — possibly even with the correctly-named sample disk! What if you didn’t have the right sample disk, or if the sample file was misnamed, corrupted, impossible to read, or… ? That early format was, to say the least, kinda cumbersome to share and use. It was a bit like providing the MIDI file of a song, along with all the attached samples, hoping for the best.<\/p>\n\n\n\nUnknown\/DOC is apparently the one who came up with the \u00ab\u00a0module\u00a0\u00bb format, which combined music data with sample data, making it possible to share it all in a single file. And therefore, something much easier to include in a demoscene production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1588\" height=\"610\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3503\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image.png 1588w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-200x77.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-450x173.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-768x295.png 768w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-1536x590.png 1536w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-1200x461.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1588px) 100vw, 1588px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In blue, \u00ab\u00a0Save as Module added\u00a0\u00bb between UST 1.8 and DOC ST IX. In the box, \u00ab\u00a0‘Module’ term appears\u00a0\u00bb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThis addition was so good that even Karsten Obarski included a \u00ab\u00a0Save as Module\u00a0\u00bb feature in his final UST 2.0.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1770\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3504\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-1.png 1770w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-1-200x92.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-1-450x206.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-1-768x351.png 768w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-1-1536x703.png 1536w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-1-1200x549.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1770px) 100vw, 1770px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In green, \u00ab\u00a0Save as module\u00a0\u00bb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nSo, being in direct contact with Unknown, I had to ask: How did he think of working that out? …and, why did he choose to <a href=\"http:\/\/aminet.net\/package\/mods\/sets\/Firsties\">prefix module files with <code>mod.<\/code><\/a>, rather than suffix them with <code>.mod<\/code>, as is the usage? \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nMichael \u00ab\u00a0Unknown\u00a0\u00bb Hartmann<\/strong>: <\/strong>It’s been such a long time that I am trying to remember how it came about. I must admit I’m not 100% sure about that.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview from January 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nDamn, so close. 35 years is a long time ago, sure, but I was hopeful to have a hint at the creative process behind it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"vectorballs demo by tom soft for Amiga\" width=\"580\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZU5hXoEAFkM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This is \u00ab\u00a0Vector-Balls Demo\u00a0\u00bb by TomSoft, released sometimes in 1989. It’s special because it uses the module called \u00ab\u00a0Dear Rob\u00a0\u00bb by Fred. <a href=\"https:\/\/amp.dascene.net\/detail.php?view=3982&detail=interview\">In a rare interview<\/a>, Karsten Obarski said: \u00ab\u00a0The best Soundtracker mod I ever heard is \u00ab\u00a0Hymn to Rob\u00a0\u00bb [sic<\/em><a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-30\">30<\/a><\/sup>I guess Karsten was mixing it up with his own module \u00ab\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/music\/248134\/\">hymn to yezz<\/a>\u00ab\u00a0.<\/span>] from a french guy named Fred. It is just the kind of music which I would compose too. I love it very much<\/em>.\u00a0\u00bb Goes to show that he kept up with the demoscene for a while \ud83d\ude42<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nI have to rely on secondary sources, then. There are <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/MOD_(file_format)\">several<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/wiki.multimedia.cx\/index.php\/Protracker_Module\">pages<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Module_file\">documenting<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/lclevy.free.fr\/mo3\/mod.txt\">the<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.textfiles.com\/programming\/FORMATS\/mod-form.txt\">format<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/wiki.openmpt.org\/Manual:_Module_formats\">itself<\/a>, but none which seem to explain how it came about — and most attribute it to Karsten Obarski himself. They essentially take it for granted that module files have always existed, forgetting about the original songdata+samples mayhem of yore.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBut one like-minded individual<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-31\">31<\/a><\/sup>Y’know, a sane internet person, like me!<\/span> did dive into that part of Amiga history, and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/tschak\/status\/1606386730097119252\">wrote a Twitter thread about it<\/a> (which I preserved <a href=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/2022\/12\/23\/the-origin-of-soundtrackers-mod-format\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"3236\">in that blogpost<\/a>). The author, retro-computing enthusiast <a href=\"https:\/\/irata.online\/\">Thomas Cherryhomes<\/a>, set things straight about the whole affair. Granted, there’s little sourcing on this and it might be hearsay, but that’s the best I have, so I’ll take it.<\/p>\n\n\n\nI’ll summarize his thread and expand upon it<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-32\">32<\/a><\/sup>Because of course!<\/span> here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Karsten Obarski’s Ultimate Soundtracker initially only saved songs (<code>.sng<\/code> files), with separate sample files (the first one coming from the <a href=\"https:\/\/modarchive.org\/forums\/index.php?topic=1577.0\">ST-01<\/a> sample disk, <a href=\"https:\/\/aminet.net\/package\/mods\/inst\/st-01\">and following<\/a>). This is because UST was at first an in-house tool for the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ReLINE_Software\">reLINE<\/a> game studio, Karsten’s employer, until editor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vgmpf.com\/Wiki\/index.php?title=EAS_Software\">EAS Computertechnik<\/a> saw it as commercially viable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Obarski expanded on the idea with the <a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/270886\/\">Preset-Ed<\/a> tool, making it easier to manage the list of samples. <a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/tagged\/preset-editor\/\">It was promptly \u00ab\u00a0improved\u00a0\u00bb by others too<\/a> (*coughs*<\/em>).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The idea of a self-contained file format was brought to life by Unknown\/DOC with his \u00ab\u00a0module\u00a0\u00bb addition, introduced in DOC Soundtracker IX. But Unknown only coded the ability to save a module, so it was really a \u00ab\u00a0last step before release\u00a0\u00bb feature, like an \u00ab\u00a0Export as PDF\u00a0\u00bb option that we see today.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The \u00ab\u00a0Load module\u00a0\u00bb feature was introduced by either TIP\/TNM (according to Thomas’ Twitter thread) or by MnemoTroN\/SPT (according to Claudio’s graph), finally making the format truly sustainable. Now musicians could freely load and save modules, exchange them with other musicians without having to worry about a missing or corrupted sample file, include the module in a scene production, etc. The initial song+samples (<code>.sng<\/code>) format was all but forgotten.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bringing it all full circle, Karsten Obarksi included the ability to save as a module in Ultimate Soundtracker 2.0.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nPhew! What a ride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n  <\/p>\n\n\n\nPostscript to the aside of the interlude: <\/em> While finishing this article, I stumbled upon <a href=\"https:\/\/weaselaudiolib.sourceforge.net\/demo1.html?LoadPlayList=WeaselJukeboxPlayList.json\">this demo<\/a> of <a href=\"https:\/\/weaselaudiolib.sourceforge.net\/#demo_1_-_jukebox\">the Weasel Audio Library<\/a> that uses several early Soundtracker files<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-33\">33<\/a><\/sup>Aptly named \u00ab\u00a0Karsten Obarskis’ Ultimate Soundtracker sound module playing jukebox!\u00a0\u00bb \ud83d\ude42<\/span>, among which those of Karsten Obarski. And while some tracks do use <code>.mod<\/code> or <code>mod.<\/code>, most of the early songs use the <code>stk.<\/code> file prefix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1320\" height=\"458\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-8.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3658\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-8.png 1320w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-8-200x69.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-8-450x156.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-8-768x266.png 768w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-8-1200x416.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1320px) 100vw, 1320px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Karsten Obarski’s Big Top o’ Fun!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nSo, could it be that it was Karsten Obarski himself who chose to prefix Soundtracker files with <code>stk.<\/code> rather than suffix them with <code>.stk<\/code>? And therefore, when the time came to name the Module file format, Michael Hartmann just used <code>mod.<\/code> as the logical continuation of Obarski’s naming scheme?<\/p>\n\n\n\nI’ll update this section once I find more clues…<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Megademo (Red Sector Inc, 1989, Amiga ECS) HQ\" width=\"580\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jcnqcF0b2xw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Now this is a classic that I actually remember: Red Sector & TCC’s \u00ab\u00a0Megademo\u00a0\u00bb, from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=3119\">January 1989<\/a>. It has voice samples and guitar samples!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sharing is caring<\/h2>\n\n\n\nNow, how did the source code spread from Armin and Michael?<\/p>\n\n\n\nIndeed, starting with Master Soundtracker 1.0 and DOC Soundtracker 2.0, we had two coders working from the initial same disassembled codebase: TIP and Unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnd neither were supposed to share that source code.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIt seems that in the graph, each version’s arrows should have gone on and on, and in parallel, but actually… not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1636\" height=\"998\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-15.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3430\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-15.png 1636w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-15-200x122.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-15-450x275.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-15-768x468.png 768w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-15-1536x937.png 1536w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-15-1200x732.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1636px) 100vw, 1636px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Immanenitizing The MnemoTroN.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"355\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-17-450x355.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3434\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-17-450x355.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-17-200x158.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-17.png 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/256468\/\">DOC SoundTracker V2.1<\/a>, released by Unknown\/DOC in 1988.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThree things happen in this part of the graph:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Armin \u00ab\u00a0TIP\u00a0\u00bb Sander released a second and final version of his Master Soundtracker<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-34\">34<\/a><\/sup>v3, possibly because of DOC Soundtracker v2…<\/span> in September 1988, then moved to a new project, the 8-channel Oktalyzer (seen here in the bottom right of the graph).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Michael \u00ab\u00a0Unknown\u00a0\u00bb Hartmann released two\/three<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-35\">35<\/a><\/sup>Depending on the source.<\/span> final versions of DOC Soundtracker, the last one in December 1988, and then no more. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The next 2.x version after Unknown’s 2.2 comes from a newcomer, MnemoTroN, in April 1989.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"284\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-20.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3456\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-20.png 360w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-20-200x158.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/248141\/\">The Ultimate Soundtracker 2.0<\/a>, released by Karsten Obarski in October 1988.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nAlso, we see the very last version produced by Karsten Obarksi, The Ultimate Soundtracker 2.0, with no lineage following it. As the graph shows, UST 2.0 took inspiration from TIP’s own Master Soundtracker 1.0 on some part<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-36\">36<\/a><\/sup>Most importantly, it made official the module format introduced by Unknown in DOC Soundtracker IX.<\/span>, and was released roughly at the same time as Master Soundtracker 2.0. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Amiga demo - Seven sins by Scoopex - 1989\" width=\"580\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8nkgwkOseAM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Love the tune by Uncle Tom in this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=4632\">October 1989<\/a> production!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWe can understand that, despite having created a new kind of musical software, Karsten wasn’t able to keep up with the changes brought by other coders (and which were now expected as standards by the community), and decided to drop his commercially unsuccessful creation<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-37\">37<\/a><\/sup>You can read more about Karsten’s path in <a href=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/2021\/09\/22\/soundtracker-origins-part-1-where-in-the-world-is-karsten-obarski\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2497\">this previous article<\/a> of this series.<\/span>. <\/p>\n\n\n\nSo long, Master Obarski, and thank you!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"284\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-18.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3435\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-18.png 360w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-18-200x158.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/197689\/\">DOC Soundtracker 2.2<\/a>, released by Unknown\/DOC in December 1988.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">MnemoTroN\/SPT<\/h2>\n\n\n\nA member of the <a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/groups\/3361\/\">Spreadpoint<\/a> group, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mnemotron.de\/\">MnemoTroN<\/a> (a.k.a. Thomas<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-38\">38<\/a><\/sup>No last name, because \u00ab\u00a0I don’t really want to share my real name, since after all I was not only doing Soundtrackers, but also did quite some cracking back then.<\/em> \ud83d\ude09\u00a0\u00bb <\/span>) was also quite prolific, with 4 Soundtracker releases to his name. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat inspired him to spend so much time on that tool?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nThomas \u00ab\u00a0MnemoTroN\u00a0\u00bb: <\/strong>The story behind my initial SoundTracker releases is as follows: At a CeBIT show in Hanover (must’ve been in March 1989, because we released SoundTracker 2.3 in April 1989 according to Demozoo) I met Unknown. I can’t remember if we were introduced or if it was a chance encounter. <\/p>\n\n\n\nHe gave me a disk with his SoundTracker source code, probably because I was a bit known in the scene by then due to some small intros and game cracks. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe source was based on previous versions done by Exterminator and TIP, so obviously they exchanged sources before. I kept all that in the credits and the start screen, including Karsten’s name. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview from February 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"355\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-21-450x355.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3482\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-21-450x355.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-21-200x158.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-21.png 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/197690\/\">SoundTracker 2.3<\/a>, released by MnemoTroN\/SPT in April 1989.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nWow, Unknown literally handed the reins to the project to MnemoTroN, live in person! Well, of course not quite \u00ab\u00a0handed the reins\u00a0\u00bb, but it’s funny how things turn out.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAlso funny is how I mentioned the CeBIT’s importance <a href=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/2023\/10\/25\/soundtracker-origins-part-3-facing-a-stone-mountain\/\">in my previous article in this series<\/a>, talking about how Chris H\u00fclsbeck could have been influenced by Steinberg \ud83d\ude42 <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nBut still, it’s weird that Unknown would just give the code away like that, since Armin \u00ab\u00a0TIP\u00a0\u00bb Sander specifically asked him not to — remember the Obligement interview? <\/p>\n\n\n\n\u00ab\u00a0I offered to give him _only him_ the assembler source. And if Unknown\/DOC broke his promise, this source could very well become the basis of a number of future Soundtrackers released in the Amiga scene.<\/em>\u00a0\u00bb — TIP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"CBM Amiga cracktro PARANOIMIA "Super Cars"\" width=\"580\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zzTGz06-0PE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aaaaaaah, that cracktro by Paranoimia! I would just pop in the disk and not play the game at all, just listen to the module while doing my homework \ud83d\ude42 This one is from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=9058\">January 1989<\/a>, with a tune by Equalizer (not Jesper Kyd). There’s another <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=NijwAFZV2lE\">classic Paranoimia cracktro here<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nMnemoTroN remembers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nThomas \u00ab\u00a0MnemoTroN\u00a0\u00bb<\/strong>: <\/strong>When I met Unknown again (probably at CeBIT 1990) he said that he gave me the source with the instruction not to release it further, but I really, really cannot remember him telling me that. Maybe it was too loud at the Commodore booth or I was a bit excited of all the dozens of people there (you cannot imagine how many people were there, it was insane). <\/p>\n\n\n\nIt was a bit awkward to hear that because I’m very honest and wouldn’t have released anything based on his source if I actually had heard or remembered that. <\/p>\n\n\n\nAnyway, the deed was done already, the SoundTrackers were released and it was history. So, apologies to him again.<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"355\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-22-450x355.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3485\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-22-450x355.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-22-200x158.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-22.png 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/154471\/\">SoundTracker 2.4<\/a>, released by MnemoTroN\/SPT on July 29th, 1989.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSo TIP gave his source code to Unknown with the promise of not sharing it with anyone else; and Unknown, maybe out of pride, gave it to MnemoTroN with the same promise in mind — but maybe not in speech, or not loud enough at least.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThis might be a misunderstanding that dates back 35 years, for both TIP towards Unknown, and Unknown towards MnemoTroN. At a time when introspective people (well, geeks) couldn’t rely on the Internet or even SMS to patch up misunderstandings without meeting face to face or, Zeus forbid, through a phone call<\/em>, it was quite a blunder.<\/p>\n\n\n\nUPDATE<\/strong> Right after publishing the article and sending it to the various interviewees, Unknown got back to me with these details:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nMichael \u00ab\u00a0Unknown\u00a0\u00bb Hartmann<\/strong>: <\/strong>I’ve just finished reading your article. (…) It all brought back a lot of memories, as well as the Cebit stuff. That was after I moved out and lost contact with Dr. Mabuse<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-39\">39<\/a><\/sup>See section \u00ab\u00a0Let it go\u00a0\u00bb below.<\/span>, so I figured somebody else could benefit from it and handed it to Mnemotron.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail message from March 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nMore details about the source code itself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nThomas \u00ab\u00a0MnemoTroN\u00a0\u00bb<\/strong>: <\/strong>The source code that Unknown gave to me in 1989 was the first one that changed the number of instruments in a SoundTracker song from 15 to 31. That version was unreleased and it seemed they wanted to keep it that way to keep ahead of the competition or something. That is also why he introduced the \u00ab\u00a0M.K.\u00a0\u00bb signature with his real name initials in the song data to distinguish the 15 and 31 instrument song data.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview from February 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nAh! Browsing Claudio’s graph, I always found it weird that it would indicate MnemoTroN’s version as being the one introducing Unknown’s famous \u00ab\u00a0M.K.\u00a0\u00bb marker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1010\" height=\"616\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-19.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3449\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-19.png 1010w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-19-200x122.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-19-450x274.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-19-768x468.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1010px) 100vw, 1010px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"355\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-23-450x355.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3487\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-23-450x355.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-23-200x158.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-23.png 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/258979\/\">Soundtracker 2.5<\/a>, released by MnemoTroN\/SPT on August 27th, 1989.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nNow that explains it: In working with Unknown’s extension of TIP’s source code<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-40\">40<\/a><\/sup>Are you still following? \ud83e\udd2a<\/span>, MnemoTroN was key in spreading that famous marker. Without him, the marker wouldn’t have spread, since it seems Unknown stopped working on Soundtracker before he got a chance to release it himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Crionics - Megademo - Amiga Demo (50 FPS)\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/29PIfropjGM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Again, a megademo consisting of several parts, as was the custom at the time; some nice, some bad. This one by Crionics, from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=16955\">January 1990<\/a>, is rather cool.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nAnd, why did Unknown add that marker in the first place?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nMichael \u00ab\u00a0Unknown\u00a0\u00bb Hartmann<\/strong>: <\/strong>One day, our musician Frog (Timm Engels) came to me and asked me for more than 15 instruments because he was making music for the game \u00ab\u00a0Datastorm,\u00a0\u00bb and he had already used all 15. <\/p>\n\n\n\nI used a free bit (there were four bits free, but I was sure nobody would ever need 255 instruments), so he instantly had an additional 16 instruments. This change took only a few hours to make, but I had to detect during loading if this was 15 or 31 instruments, so I used the old type marker (can’t remember what it said before) and replaced it with \u00ab\u00a0M.K.\u00a0\u00bb (My initials at the time). <\/p>\n\n\n\nOnce the new version was officially released and spread, I got upset when people attributed this 31-instrument format to \u00ab\u00a0Mahoney and Kaktus\u00a0\u00bb. This was the first I’d heard of those guys. But again, this was before the internet, so I couldn’t \u00ab\u00a0correct\u00a0\u00bb it or even really talk to people.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview from January 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nIn a world were scene handles are more well-known than real names, we can’t really <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/funkymed\/online-modplayer\/blob\/master\/docs\/mod%20format.txt\">blame<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lim.di.unimi.it\/IEEE\/VROS\/FAQ\/CRAMIG2.HTM\">sceners<\/a> for thinking \u00ab\u00a0M.K.\u00a0\u00bb was tied to the already-famous Mahoney & Kaktus. But anyway, so the story goes…<\/p>\n\n\n\nOf note, his \u00ab\u00a0I was sure nobody would ever need 255 instruments\u00a0\u00bb rings a bit like Bill Gates’ <a href=\"https:\/\/www.computerworld.com\/article\/2534312\/the--640k--quote-won-t-go-away----but-did-gates-really-say-it-.html\">apocryphal<\/a> \u00ab\u00a0640K ought to be enough for anybody\u00a0\u00bb, since users of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.renoise.com\/products\/renoise\/\">Renoise<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/openmpt.org\/\">OpenMPT<\/a>, or <a href=\"https:\/\/polyend.com\/tracker\/\">Polyend<\/a>, the modern man’s trackers, <a href=\"https:\/\/forum.renoise.com\/t\/support-more-than-255-instruments\/43377\">have<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/forum.renoise.com\/t\/more-than-256-instruments\/58898\">hit<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/forum.openmpt.org\/index.php?topic=2826.0\">this<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/backstage.polyend.com\/t\/is-the-255-samples-limit-a-hard-limit-or-could-that-change-via-firmware\/6944\">limit<\/a> already. Ah, to be young again \ud83d\ude42<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nUPDATE<\/strong> Right after publishing the article and sending it to the various interviewees, MnemoTroN got back to me with these details:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nThomas \u00ab\u00a0MnemoTroN\u00a0\u00bb<\/strong>: <\/strong>Regarding Unknown’s quote that he changed the old signature to \u00ab\u00a0M.K.\u00a0\u00bb: There was NO signature in the original 15-instrument Soundtracker songs. The whole format is quite a mess from an architectural view and also from a coder’s view concerning the CPU time it needed on a stock Amiga with the original player code.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen the format was changed to 31 instruments it would have been a really good time to streamline it, and maybe Unknown even thought about it, but [he] just wanted to get the extension to 31 instruments done and added his signature. The rest is history.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail message from March 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Let it go<\/h2>\n\n\n\nBoth Unknown and TIP stopped releasing new Soundtracker versions around the same time: We don’t see any release from them in 1989 nor later. As far as I can tell, it’s not because Michael mistakenly spread Armin’s source code through Thomas. <\/p>\n\n\n\nFor Armin, it’s a story of focusing on more interesting technical issues:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nArmin \u00ab\u00a0TIP\u00a0\u00bb Sander<\/strong>: <\/strong>(…) while I was working at extending the tracker, my motivation soon turned to solving a big problem the composers I knew had: the limitation of the four hardware audio channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n(…) The development of the playback engine took a few weeks, and the development of Oktalyzer itself took about six months.<\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"http:\/\/obligement.free.fr\/articles_traduction\/itwsander_en.php\">Obligement interview<\/a>.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nArmin has since moved on with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.replicator.org\/\">several other projects<\/a>, commercial or not, for the past 30 years. Contrary to this little writing project of mine, Armin is not the nostalgic kind, as his last answer to the Obligement interview will show you. I do invite you to read it; I’ll only copy-paste a small, telling portion:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nArmin \u00ab\u00a0TIP\u00a0\u00bb Sander<\/strong>: <\/strong>I realize that [my old Amiga 3000] strongly connects me to a time when I had a lot of fun making things and met a lot of interesting people. <\/p>\n\n\n\nBut even if my feelings make me wish to hold on and remind me of the past, I must also accept that this time is over and will never come back, and that the only thing that exists, is this very moment, which gives me a tiny opportunity to change the future for me and – if I am very lucky – also for others.<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n(a pause)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nFor Michael, it’s a story of growing up:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nMichael \u00ab\u00a0Unknown\u00a0\u00bb Hartmann<\/strong><\/strong>: <\/strong>Dr. Mabuse got a girlfriend, so he rarely met up anymore [with the rest of the DOC crew], and he didn’t trade as much anymore. <\/p>\n\n\n\nA month later, I turned 18 and moved out of my parents’ house. So, instead of having no responsibilities (hanging out with friends all day and coding\/gaming for fun), I now had a \u00ab\u00a0real\u00a0\u00bb life to take care of.<\/p>\n\n\n\nEven if I had continued to refine our Soundtracker, I would have had no way of \u00ab\u00a0getting it out there\u00a0\u00bb since Dr. Mabuse had disbanded D.O.C by stopping to show up. <\/p>\n\n\n\nSince my move in January 1989, I have only met him once more, when he was driving a taxi and dropped off some passengers in front of my apartment. He rang the doorbell, we talked for about 10 minutes, and then he had to go. That was the last I ever saw of him.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe basically both aged out of the scene as our adult lives began.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview from January 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nBittersweet ending for two guys who had quite an impressive run in 1988.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Amiga demo - Cebit 90 by Red Sector Inc - 1990\" width=\"580\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Ych7zPsRWE8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Now you must give a listen to this demo from RSI in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=3024\">March 1990<\/a>. Not only is it nice graphically, but the music by Romeo Knight is a true change of pace; indeed, \u00ab\u00a0Cream of the Earth\u00a0\u00bb explores new territories with the uses of recent Soundtracker commands, notably the Axx command which applied a slight volume change, giving this very specific sound in the intro, that we would meet again, albeit faster, in Firefox and Tip’s \u00ab\u00a0Hyperbased\u00a0\u00bb module, from the demo \u00ab\u00a0Enigma\u00a0\u00bb by Phenomena in 1991. \u00ab\u00a0Cream of the Earth\u00a0\u00bb is a true classic of Amiga modules, and well worthy of your time.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nBack to MnemoTroN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nThomas \u00ab\u00a0MnemoTroN\u00a0\u00bb<\/strong>: <\/strong>It’s a bit difficult to remember the details from about 35 years ago, but I know that I have spent some of the time coding at a friend’s house where we were gathering (mostly on the weekends) and just looked at new Amiga demos and games our organizer received from his contacts. Working on SoundTracker itself was just fun. I am no musician myself, but friends dabbled in creating their own songs and came up with some ideas how they would like to improve the tool. Since I was the front coder of the group, I tried to accommodate their ideas.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview from February 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nOne funny thing is that fixing Soundtracker wasn’t just about fixing Karsten Obarski’s code, but also fixing the code \u00ab\u00a0improvements\u00a0\u00bb from previous coders:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"355\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-24-450x355.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3489\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-24-450x355.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-24-200x158.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-24.png 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/258989\/\">Soundtracker 2.6<\/a>, released by MnemoTroN\/SPT on November 3rd, 1989.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nThomas \u00ab\u00a0MnemoTroN\u00a0\u00bb<\/strong>: <\/strong>I think one of the first changes was to replace the irritating animated mouse pointer from D.O.C. with the blocky design that survived so many updates and changes to the tool, even in its NoiseTracker and ProTracker variants. <\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nIndeed, some coders started writing their own Soundtracker in reaction<\/em> to the changes brought by DOC Soundtracker — mostly cosmetic ones \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nThomas \u00ab\u00a0MnemoTroN\u00a0\u00bb:<\/strong>The new mouse pointer was drawn by my friend <a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/sceners\/89075\/\">Tuca<\/a>. Tuca and me also created the needed updates to the SoundTracker graphics because the text in them was not printed by the program, but was drawn by hand in Deluxe Paint and then converted to the needed bitplane format of the Amiga.<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Scoopex - Mental Hangover - Amiga Demo (HD 50fps)\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zR9a4vTuuoo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=1472\">April 1990<\/a>, we’re entering the era of demos that you’re not ashamed to show your friends and family \ud83d\ude42 This demo by Scoopex is a gem, and again Uncle Tom gives us a module that is on par with the design.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n… but they also added some new ideas that I didn’t know about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nReed\/FLT: <\/strong>One of the more interesting features of Soundtracker 2.6 was the sub-patterns, an idea which didn’t really catch fire in other trackers… quote from the documentation of Icetracker v1.1: \u00ab\u00a0Basically now a pattern, instead of being made up of 4 joined tracks (i.e.: Channels 1,2,3 and 4 were previously classed as one pattern) are now individual sub-patterns in themselves, that is that now it is possible to independently call up a single sub-pattern to repeat on a certain track (i.e.: the main beat, for example) without constantly copying it into every 4-track pattern as was previously required.\u00a0\u00bb<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nMnemoTroN\/SPT: <\/strong>The sub-pattern stuff maybe was a bit too \u00ab\u00a0advanced\u00a0\u00bb and since there was no easily viewable step\/pattern list it didn’t catch on. People would just copy full patterns to the next and modify them instead.<\/p>\n<cite>Selection of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=13607\">comments about Soundtracker 2.6<\/a> — containing an interesting exchange on Soundtracker history, and this comment from <a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/sceners\/10106\/\">hitchhikr<\/a>, which I took for myself: \u00ab\u00a0for a couple of minutes i thought you were deeply interested by the exhumation of the early history of soundtracker\u00a0\u00bb \ud83d\udc40<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nNifty!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\nSo now we know. <\/p>\n\n\n\nFrom then on, I suppose the source code for each version was shared as openly and widely as the version itself, and anyone could pick it up in good faith and give it a twist.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOur question is answered. We have found The One — and The Ones After Him too.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOur quest has ended. We are free, finally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n*pauses while looking at the sea*<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n*takes deep breaths*<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\nBut let’s not allow that to stop us from digging further!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"460\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-27-450x460.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3498\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-27-450x460.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-27-200x204.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-27.png 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Silents - Guzzler Intro - Amiga Intro\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/318ljbm-r98?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nice and simple, this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=27203\">June 1990<\/a> intro takes us a trip thanks to the music by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jesperkyd.com\/\">Jesper Kyd<\/a> — who would grow up to become a renown game musician, working notably on the Assassin’s Creed series.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20230316093224\/http:\/\/helllabs.org\/tracker-history\/trackers.svg\">Open the graph again<\/a>, zoom in to Soundtracker 2.3, and scroll down a bit lower. There! Can you see it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1298\" height=\"684\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-25.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3492\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-25.png 1298w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-25-200x105.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-25-450x237.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-25-768x405.png 768w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image-25-1200x632.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1298px) 100vw, 1298px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s NoiseTracker!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhile MnemoTroN was enjoying himself producing a couple of Soundtracker releases, in comes the dynamic duo of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/groups.php?which=1836\">Mahoney & Kaktus<\/a>, with their own Noisetracker — those same Mahoney & Kaktus that Unknown complained about for inadvertently stealing his \u00ab\u00a0M.K.\u00a0\u00bb meaning!<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnd it seems that their clone of Soundtracker had fans: \u00ab\u00a0The most important tracker developed since the ultimate soundtracker (until protracker came along).<\/em>\u00a0\u00bb — said the aforementioned Reed\/FLT, in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=13360#c128448\">a 2004 comment on Pou\u00ebt<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"284\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-3.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3555\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-3.png 360w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-3-200x158.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/252339\/\">NoiseTracker 1.0<\/a>, released by Mahoney & Kaktus in August 1989.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mahoney & NoiseTracker<\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn <a href=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/2021\/09\/22\/soundtracker-origins-part-1-where-in-the-world-is-karsten-obarski\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2497\">the first article of this series, about Karsten Obarski<\/a>, I already mentioned Mahoney, through an interview of him that I found online:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n\u00ab The basic idea of \u200b\u200bSoundtracker was delightful, but unfortunately there were some serious bugs and other shortcomings. I tried to contact Karsten Obarski with bug reports, but was told that he was not going to do anything about it and that Soundtracker was not a commercial success. Today it would be classed as abandonware, but at the time it was just frustrating. \u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\nPex Tufvesson took matters into his own hands and disassembled the entire program. After much effort, he had the entire assembly code for Soundtracker on his desk. He fixed the bugs, increased the number of samples from 15 to 31, and released Noisetracker 1.0 on August 1, 1989. However, this first version also contained some bugs, so version 1.1 was released just a week later.<\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"https:\/\/techworld.idg.se\/2.2524\/1.586076\/noisetracker-fyller-25-ar\">Techworld interview<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/techworld-idg-se.translate.goog\/2.2524\/1.586076\/noisetracker-fyller-25-ar?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=fr&_x_tr_pto=wapp\">automatic English translation<\/a>)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"284\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-4.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3556\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-4.png 360w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-4-200x158.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/223619\/\">NoiseTracker 1.1<\/a>, released by Mahoney & Kaktus in August 1989.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nHalf of Mahoney & Kaktus, a duo quite legendary through their quality\/fun contributions to the demoscene, with not only NoiseTracker but also milestone releases such as the double-disk, 101-songs, 4-hours long <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=gm2b9vuRG3o\">His Master’s Noise<\/a> musicdisk, Pex \u00ab\u00a0Mahoney\u00a0\u00bb Tufvesson has remained quite involved in the demoscene to this day, <a href=\"https:\/\/livet.se\/mahoney\/index_timeline.php\">documenting all of his contributions along the way<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\nI could explore how and why he (along with Kaktus) created NoiseTracker), but he was kind enough to do a talk just about that in 2017, at Datastorm<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-41\">41<\/a><\/sup>Yes indeed, that same name as the game for which Unknown\/DOC expanded Soundtracker from 15 to 31 instruments.<\/span>, an oldskool Amiga\/C64 computer party in Gothenburg, Sweden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Story of NoiseTracker by Pex Mahoney Tufvesson\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Z1SkQDhUBkQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"284\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-5.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3557\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-5.png 360w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-5-200x158.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/131266\/\">NoiseTracker 2.0<\/a>, released by Mahoney & Kaktus on June 30th, 1990.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe talk is fun and shows the character of Pex and his willingness to share, but if you’re in a hurry, jump at the 20-minutes mark, where he starts talking about NoiseTracker itself. <\/p>\n\n\n\nI’ll pick a few citations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nPex \u00ab\u00a0Mahoney\u00a0\u00bb Tufvesson: <\/strong>[The Ultimate Soundtracker] did things pretty well, but it didn’t show much. (…) When you played a song, it didn’t scroll the patterns, so it was quite frustrating.<\/p>\n<cite>From the above video.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nPex \u00ab\u00a0Mahoney\u00a0\u00bb Tufvesson: <\/strong>[The Ultimate Soundtracker] was not the only tracker; I’m going to show you another one, which I was so disgusted of that I had to change it: The DOC Soundtracker.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThere are two things that I really didn’t like about it, and this (points to the scrolling text<\/em>) is the really really bad thing: when I’m in the creative zone of making music, I don’t wanna read a fucking scrolltext, that’s a no-no.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMy solution at first was to put some tape on my monitor to hide the scroller. But I found a better way and decided to rewrite it.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAlso, you couldn’t edit your own samples in that program. (…)<\/p>\n\n\n\nSo I took this program, disassembled it into some 1,400 lines of code, 200 kb of sourcecode, and made something like this (loads NoiseTracker<\/em>).<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nPex \u00ab\u00a0Mahoney\u00a0\u00bb Tufvesson: <\/strong>There’s quite a lot of sceners and people that have grown up with NoiseTracker and used in as an experience platform to get to know music, and to get to know how to make music, [including Axwell of the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Swedish_House_Mafia\">Swedish House Mafia<\/a>].<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"256\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-6.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3559\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-6.png 320w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-6-200x160.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=52277\">His Master’s NoiseTracker<\/a> (or Smaksak-91), written by Mahoney & Kaktus in 1991, to produce the small-sized songs of their His Master’s Noise musicdisk, with a \u00ab\u00a0top secret very special\u00a0\u00bb song-format<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nPex \u00ab\u00a0Mahoney\u00a0\u00bb Tufvesson: <\/strong>NoiseTracker has sold 0 copies, it has earned 0 billions dollars, but what I got from NoiseTracker was a bunch of letters from people being happy with our music program.<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nPex \u00ab\u00a0Mahoney\u00a0\u00bb Tufvesson: <\/strong>I still receive letters and messages from people who were introduced to NoiseTracker as young people, including a few weeks ago when someone wrote: \u00ab\u00a0You and Karsten Obarski destroyed my youth but shaped my whole life, so that’s ok mate!\u00a0\u00bb That still puts a small golden edge on existence.<\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"http:\/\/techworld.idg.se\/2.2524\/1.586076\/noisetracker-fyller-25-ar\">Techworld interview<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20160113080124\/http:\/\/techworld.idg.se\/2.2524\/1.586076\/noisetracker-fyller-25-ar\">English translation<\/a>).<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Anarchy & Skid Row - Lemmings Cracktro (Amiga) PAL 50Hz - Full HD\" width=\"580\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PbEUM4PQuzQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Can’t resist showing you one of the best chiptune<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-42\">42<\/a><\/sup>= A module with synth-like samples only, to minimize diskspace.<\/span> ever, \u00ab\u00a0LFF\u00a0\u00bb (or \u00ab\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stef.be\/bassoontracker\/?file=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.modarchive.org%2Fdownloads.php%3Fmoduleid%3D36874\">chiptune<\/a>\u00ab\u00a0) by <a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/sceners\/1342\/\">4mat<\/a> in 1990, in the way that I discovered it: the cracktro for Lemmings \ud83d\ude00 That specific cracktro is so appreciated that it has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=4021\">its own Pou\u00ebt page<\/a> with many comments, and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/4mat#Demo_scene\">its own line in 4mat’s Wikipedia page<\/a>, even though the module was used <a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/music\/231841\/\">in several other prods<\/a> \ud83d\ude42<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nComing back to the Techworld interview above, it has this to say about Pex: \u00ab\u00a0After much effort, he had the entire assembly code for Soundtracker on his desk. He fixed the bugs, increased the number of samples from 15 to 31, and released NoiseTracker 1.0<\/em>\u00ab\u00a0.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThat seems to contradict all that I’ve written so far. Gasp! <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat’s his take?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nPex \u00ab\u00a0Mahoney\u00a0\u00bb Tufvesson: <\/strong>I did reverse engineer the whole program myself.<\/p>\n<cite>Email interview from January 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nDouble-gasp!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n… and which tracker did he work from? Was it DOC Soundtracker, according to his talk, or MnemoTroN’s Soundtracker 2.3<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-43\">43<\/a><\/sup>Which, as we saw, is based on the unreleased DOC Soundtracker codebase, so a mix up is of course possible.<\/span>, as the graph says?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nPex \u00ab\u00a0Mahoney\u00a0\u00bb Tufvesson: <\/strong>My final word is that so much water has passed under my bridges since then that these kind of details are long forgotten.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHowever, I did not extend the number of samples from 15 to 31, that was already done in the version I reverse engineered. And, the magic word \u00ab\u00a0M.K.\u00a0\u00bb in the module file format \u00ab\u00a0.mod\u00a0\u00bb does not come from \u00ab\u00a0Mahoney & Kaktus\u00a0\u00bb. It’s the initials of the guy who actually did the 15-to-31 instrument change.<\/p>\n<cite>Email interview from January 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nComing from Mahoney himself, that remark about \u00ab\u00a0M.K.\u00a0\u00bb will certainly please Unknown\/DOC \ud83d\ude42 <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nSo, the 31-instrument extension thing is telling: NoiseTracker is indeed based on MnemoTroN’s Soundtracker 2.3 at the earliest, which is the version that introduced the \u00ab\u00a0M.K.\u00a0\u00bb marker to the World.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMahoney & Kaktus brought heaps of improvements and new features of their own, turning the tracker into a more streamlined music production tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nThe really big improvements came with Noisetracker version 2.0, which was released in April 1990. In it, the user can sample his own instruments and manage his instrument collection better, including through direct editing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n[Pex] wrote a real-time zooming tool so that the musician can more easily control the amplitude of the samples.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPex \u00ab\u00a0Mahoney\u00a0\u00bb Tufvesson: <\/strong>\u00ab\u00a0I also added simple support for MIDI.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u00ab\u00a0That version of Noisetracker was roughly equivalent to the music program I myself wanted.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"http:\/\/techworld.idg.se\/2.2524\/1.586076\/noisetracker-fyller-25-ar\">Techworld interview<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20160113080124\/http:\/\/techworld.idg.se\/2.2524\/1.586076\/noisetracker-fyller-25-ar\">English translation<\/a>).<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n… and it sure was what many people wanted!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\nThe last version of Obarski’s Ultimate Soundtracker was released in October 1988, and NoiseTracker 1.1 was released in August 1989 — some 10 months later. By this time, I suppose Karsten Obarski had given up on the project, because…<\/p>\n\n\n\n(drumroll<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n… because EAS, the publisher of Ultimate Soundtracker, actually contacted Mahoney & Kaktus in order to release NoiseTracker officially. You can even see a \u00ab\u00a0(c) EAS\u00a0\u00bb on the <a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/131266\/\">screencapture of NoiseTracker 2.0<\/a>, released in June 1990! I suppose that makes NoiseTracker 2.0 the most legal clone of Ultimate Soundtracker. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nWe’ll talk more about the legal aspect later, because here comes another contender<\/em>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Cryptoburners - The Hunt for 7th October - Amiga Demo\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gUcyg_m3Da8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Can’t really talk about Amiga modules without mentioning (again) Walkman’s magnificent and surprising \u00ab\u00a0Klisje Paa Klisje\u00a0\u00bb, whose fame clearly overshadowed that of the demo it was written for, Cryptoburners’ \u00ab\u00a0The Hunt for 7th October\u00a0\u00bb, released in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=2993\">October 1990<\/a>. A multipart tune with piano, guitars, which sounds way different than anything that was being done at the time — it’s no wonder History retained Walkman’s name… and that <a href=\"https:\/\/modsamplemaster.thegang.nu\/module.php?sha1=a7eb599b68c0e24a69c4567dc6432b9c27d6ad5b\">so many later modules<\/a> used its samples \ud83d\ude42<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nTowards the end of 1990, more trackers began to appear, for example Protracker which took over when Tufvesson stopped further developing his program. Noisetracker slowly fell into oblivion as [Pex] took on new challenges himself. <\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"http:\/\/techworld.idg.se\/2.2524\/1.586076\/noisetracker-fyller-25-ar\">Techworld interview<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20160113080124\/http:\/\/techworld.idg.se\/2.2524\/1.586076\/noisetracker-fyller-25-ar\">English translation<\/a>).<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"372\" height=\"296\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-9.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3706\" style=\"width:372px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-9.png 372w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-9-200x159.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 372px) 100vw, 372px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/272945\/\">Protracker 1.0a<\/a>, released by Lars Hamre & Anders Hamre in September 1990.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lars Hamre & Protracker<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWe’ll scroll one last time down the graph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1714\" height=\"1236\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-7.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-7.png 1714w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-7-200x144.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-7-450x325.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-7-768x554.png 768w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-7-1536x1108.png 1536w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-7-1200x865.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1714px) 100vw, 1714px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Protracker enters stage left.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nProtracker might be the most well-known \u00ab\u00a0old\u00a0\u00bb tracker today — heck, even the MOD format is <a href=\"https:\/\/wiki.multimedia.cx\/index.php\/Protracker_Module\">sometimes<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/wiki.openmpt.org\/Manual:Module_formats#The_ProTracker_MOD_format.28.mod.29\">referred<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/eljaco.se\/SWAG\/SOUND\/0062.PAS.html\">to as<\/a> \u00ab\u00a0the Protracker module format\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLars Hamre is the one behind Protracker, and just like Michael \u00ab\u00a0Unknown\/DOC\u00a0\u00bb Hartmann, it seems that he kept on being on the tooling side of music: after being part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/old.ultrafunk.com\/about\/\">Ultrafunk<\/a> collective, he’s currently the lead developer in the <a href=\"https:\/\/newtone.no\/r+d\/about\/\">R&D team<\/a> at <a href=\"https:\/\/newtone.no\/\">NewTone<\/a>, a creative workspace in Oslo, which provides a recording studio, a repair shop, and of course, a workshop where they build <a href=\"https:\/\/newtone.no\/r+d\/projects\/\">all sorts of prototypes for clients<\/a>, either software or hardware.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBack in 1990, Lars was 21, and somehow he came out of nowhere to swoop the tracker crown: even after he left the scene, many would try to continue improving trackers through the Protracker \u00ab\u00a0brand\u00a0\u00bb — so much that Protracker had its own little Cambrian explosion, with several developers wanting to build on it. The Soundtracker \u00ab\u00a0brand\u00a0\u00bb was all but retired by the time Protracker came around.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"355\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-10-450x355.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3708\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-10-450x355.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-10-200x158.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-10.png 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/179795\/\">Protracker 1.1a<\/a>, released by Lars Hamre in December 1990.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSo, why did Lars start Protracker? Let’s ask him…<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u00ab\u00a0Hello Mr. Hamre!\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nLars \u00ab\u00a0ZAP\u00a0\u00bb Hamre: <\/strong>Hello Xavier, and yes, you can call me that \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<cite>Email interview in January 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\u00ab\u00a0… or shall I say, Zap\/Amiga Freelancers ? \ud83d\ude42 \u00ab\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nLars <s>\u00ab\u00a0ZAP\u00a0\u00bb<\/sub><\/s> Hamre: <\/strong>Well, no thanks. It was a big mistake to even write \u00ab\u00a0Zap\u00a0\u00bb in the Protracker graphics. I didn’t like it then and I don’t like it now.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt was never a nickname that anyone used to address me.<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nAlright, sure! With Noisetracker taking the tracker crown at the times, what pushed him to create his versions of Soundtracker?  Did he find Noisetracker or Soundtracker too buggy, or did he have bigger plans?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nLars Hamre: <\/strong>My brother pushed me. He was the one who wanted trackers to do slightly different things, so he acted as the managing part while I wrote the actual code to implement the changes, of course adding ideas of my own.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt was never about being bothered by or wanting to fix other people’s bugs. For the most part it was only about adding functionality and features. Getting to add whatever we felt was useful and desirable at the time.<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Amiga 3D Scenedemo - Quo Vadis by Exit (Theatre&Network 1990)\" width=\"580\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/AK996oYv3CY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An original demo idea for once: This one, from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=17655\">December 1990<\/a>, has \u00ab\u00a0real\u00a0\u00bb 3D — in that the 3D vectors on the screen where shown as 3D anaglyphs. Grab your red-and-blue glasses and have fun with that! The module, composed by the coder of the demo, makes use of piano and drum samples already heard in \u00ab\u00a0Klisje Paa Klisje\u00a0\u00bb, but is still a nice change a pace from the usual ST-01 stuff.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"284\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-11.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3709\" style=\"width:360px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-11.png 360w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-11-200x158.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/209492\/\">Protracker 1.2a<\/a>, released by Lars Hamre in July 1991.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nWas he in contact with other tracker authors? Did he feel there was a competition to make something better than the others?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nLars Hamre: <\/strong>No, I don’t think that I was ever in contact with any other tracker authors. I was not involved in any swapping of ideas or code with them or anything like that.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThere was no real competition going on either. The actual reality was more that we were a very small group of people who mainly did it for ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSure, we got useful input from others, and probably included some of that – not that I can remember specifics. People sent bug reports, help requests and so on. General \u00ab\u00a0fan mail\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-13-450x360.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3712\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-13-450x360.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-13-200x160.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-13.png 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/209492\/\">Protracker 2.0<\/a>, released by Lars Hamre in February 1991.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nIt seems he stopped coding Protracker in 1992, and that the name was officially taken over by Peter \u00ab\u00a0Crayon\u00a0\u00bb Hanning. What made him stop?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nLars Hamre: <\/strong>After having enjoyed playing with more proper music hardware than what the Amiga had to offer, the limitations of the Amiga were slowing things down.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOther developers found ways to push it a little further, but it was too little and too late. Commodore itself gave up only a few years later.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe PC was barely there as a replacement in ’92 but things would accelerate quickly from there on.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThere was also the realization that, \u00ab\u00a0Damn, I helped create a tool that gave people who had no musical talent the ability to make some form of music anyway.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe source was uploaded somewhere, and after that I didn’t really check in any detail who chose to develop it any further.<\/p>\n<cite>Ibid.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"284\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-12.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3710\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-12.png 360w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-12-200x158.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/productions\/209494\/\">Protracker 1.3b<\/a>, released by Lars Hamre in June 1991.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nIndeed, just like Armin Sander, Lars Hamre is not the nostalgic kind, as his AMP interview shows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nLars Hamre: <\/strong>After that I moved to PC and never looked back. No more Amigas ever, and I’m happy with that. I think it’s utterly stupid to watch all the people who still try to keep the machine alive, making new hardware and os.. etc.. just got to laugh \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n(…)<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt was fun while it lasted. I have lots of good memories from those years. But it’s over now.. come on, say after me: it is over!!! no more, gone \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<cite>From <a href=\"https:\/\/amp.dascene.net\/detail.php?view=4196&detail=interview\">his AMP interview<\/a>.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nWell, that’s it for Lars Hamre then. After Protracker, he produced more musical\/creative tools <a href=\"https:\/\/old.ultrafunk.com\/\">with Ultrafunk<\/a>, which was absorbed by Newtone as its R&D unit. Cool moves!<\/p>\n\n\n\nAfter Lars, there were more Protracker versions by several people, notably <a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/groups\/704\/\">Cryptoburners<\/a> which tried to push the enveloppe even further with the 3.xx branch, but that’s not a story for this series of articles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"720\" height=\"568\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-14.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3713\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-14.png 720w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-14-200x158.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-14-450x355.png 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An example of a later version: <a href=\"http:\/\/janeway.exotica.org.uk\/release.php?id=104345\">Protracker 3.53<\/a>, released by RD10 in May 1996, and based on Cryptoburner’s <a href=\"http:\/\/janeway.exotica.org.uk\/release.php?id=25300\">Protracker 3.15<\/a> (June 1993). Yeah, the interface got a little more complex with the hi-res.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\nStill, that’s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hajodick.com\/amiga\/index.php?id1=5&id2=60&id3=64\">a lot of very similar trackers<\/a> by wildly different developers, all continuing on the tracks<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-44\">44<\/a><\/sup>Pun intended \ud83d\ude0e<\/span> of a single initial tool, isn’t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Phenomena - Enigma - Amiga Demo (HD 50fps)\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iGpU3DicbLQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Now this is it. The Amiga demo scene could have stopped at this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=394\">March 1991<\/a> production, and it seems everyone would have been satisfied. \u00ab\u00a0Enigma\u00a0\u00bb is a milestone, era-defining demo — helped in no small way by the most-excellent module by Firefox & Tip (no, not TIP, another Tip). The style is still cool today, it’s just the 3D world that looks a bit ridiculous.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About forking software<\/h3>\n\n\n\nUnderlying <a href=\"http:\/\/janeway.exotica.org.uk\/release.php?id=17706#connections\">the whole expansion of the tracker concept<\/a><a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-45\">45<\/a><\/sup>After clicking that link, scroll down to \u00ab\u00a0Evolution tree\u00a0\u00bb. Yup, there are a lot more clones\/authors not mentionned in this small-ish<\/em> article.<\/span>, from the original Ultimate Soundtracker by Karsten Obarski and the dozens of forks<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-46\">46<\/a><\/sup>\u00ab\u00a0fork<\/strong> (plural<\/em> forks) — 6.2 (<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/fork#Noun\">software<\/a>) The launch of one or more separate software development efforts based upon a modified copy of an existing project, especially in free and open-source software.<\/em>\u00a0\u00bb <\/span>(\u00ab\u00a0Cambrian explosion\u00a0\u00bb and all that), is the question of whether all of this was legal.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe know that Ultimate Soundtracker wasn’t a commercial success and was dropped pretty quickly from EAS’ catalogue. We also know that Karsten was less than happy with the competing trackers that took his work and got cheered on — hence why he didn’t wish to work any more on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt’s difficult to say what would have happened to the Soundtracker concept without the huge contribution from other coders. Many things are intertwined:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Would Soundtracker have been commercially successful quickly enough despite its initial issues and shortcomings? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wouldn’t the demoscene, and its host of amateur musicians<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-47\">47<\/a><\/sup>And therefore, <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Shareware\">a shareware model<\/a>.<\/span>, be a better target market than \u00ab\u00a0real\u00a0\u00bb musicians, who for their part were more keen on solfege and staff notation<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-48\">48<\/a><\/sup>You know, \ud83c\udfbc.<\/span> rather than hexadecimal numbers?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Would Karsten have continued working on Soundtracker solo if it had been successful? For how long? Would he have had some help? <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Would we still remember Soundtracker & Kasten Obarski today if not for the demoscene, while other musical tools of the times have long been forgotten? Would I even be<\/em> writing this series of articles?<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-49\">49<\/a><\/sup>Which is the key factor to me<\/em>, of course.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is success tied to money, or rather to recognition? As an aside, will it be possible, one day, to pay rent & food with recognition?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nWhat was the feeling of each coder about taking code and running with it? <\/p>\n\n\n\nOf course most of them were kids in 1988\/89, or at best young adults, so pirating games and software was pretty much the norm; but still, I wanted to address the elephant in the room with the adults that they all became since then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nMark Langerak: <\/strong>Well… I am not necessarily proud to admit that things like copyright and ownership were not at all a consideration for me at that time :-O <\/p>\n\n\n\nPretty much anything anywhere was pirated warez, be it games, assemblers, tools… So in that light I gave it not a second thought to take Karsten’s work and do whatever with it, copyright legal or not. <\/p>\n\n\n\nOf course, I was in some sense aware that Soundtracker was in fact not abandonware, but someone’s (Karsten’s) effort for generating income. However \/everything\/ was pirated in those days and so it went. <\/p>\n<cite>LinkedIn interview from November 2023.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nMichael \u00ab\u00a0Unknown\u00a0\u00bb Hartmann: <\/strong>Back then, I thought the genie was out of the bottle (other trackers based on the disassembled source were already out), so I figured that having one more wouldn’t do any additional harm. <\/p>\n\n\n\nNowadays, being older, having the benefit of hindsight, and running a business myself, I see this very differently, but back then, it was just \u00ab\u00a0normal.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview from January 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nArmin \u00ab\u00a0TIP\u00a0\u00bb Sander: <\/strong>I did not think about that and – as I can remember – the topic never came up. The excitement and novelty was the salient north pole, and I guess it wasn’t so different for the other authors.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview in January 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nThomas \u00ab\u00a0MnemoTroN\u00a0\u00bb: <\/strong>I don’t think I thought much about copyrights back then. We all had our dozens copies of games and applications and since we were mostly in school at the time, no money to spend anyway. I received the source from Unknown and just started tinkering with it.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview from February 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Amiga Demo : Substance \/ Alliance Design of Quartex (1991)\" width=\"580\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RDCJHBDXDzs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">I have to mention a production by Moby (no, not the techno\/dance one, the Amiga-rock one, now known as Elmobo), and I chose this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=3017\">April 1991<\/a> production even though I gave a lot more listens to More Than Music, from another <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=9578\">April 1991<\/a> production (but a more visually boring one). Each time, a very long, multipart and rocking module from the French master himself. I do wonder where he has gone now: After doing <a href=\"https:\/\/elmobo.bandcamp.com\/\">game music<\/a> for several years, he hasn’t shared much since his <a href=\"https:\/\/elmobo.bandcamp.com\/track\/the-prince-who-never-was\">rejected Prince of Persia project<\/a>…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nPex \u00ab\u00a0Mahoney\u00a0\u00bb Tufvesson:<\/strong> As the Ultimate Soundtracker was kind of \u00ab\u00a0impossible to buy\u00a0\u00bb where I lived in the South of Sweden, there was no other way to get hold of it other than getting it from a friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThis kind of music making tool was breaking new ground, and me trying to improve this rough diamond was more in the spirit of \u00ab\u00a0helping myself and my friends to having a good time\u00a0\u00bb. <\/p>\n\n\n\nAt that time, I did not have a feeling that this in any way could hurt anyone financially or breach any rights. Being a 15-year-old boy, \u00ab\u00a0rights and permissions\u00a0\u00bb isn’t a big part of your life.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview from January 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nLars Hamre:<\/strong> To be honest, we never really cared much about rights and permissions and fair use or anything like that. Standard procedure was that everyone we knew, including ourselves, freely made copies of anything that was available.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt was never a commercial venture done to make money.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview from January 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nAh, those damned kids \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\nDid they try to contact Karsten about this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nMark Langerak: <\/strong>I never was in contact with Karsten myself, but I do have a vague memory that John van Dijk (<a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/sceners\/42889\/\">Boil<\/a>) heard through the grapevine that Karsten was (unsurprisingly) not happy that his Soundtracker was pirated and exploited. <\/p>\n\n\n\nI remember thinking at the time \u00ab\u00a0well, we made it better, so…?\u00a0\u00bb. Which of course is a terrible take on what is, in truth, stealing someone else’s work, but I was still young and naive then.<\/p>\n<cite>LinkedIn interview from November 2023.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nMichael \u00ab\u00a0Unknown\u00a0\u00bb Hartmann: <\/strong>There was no way for me to reach Karsten Obarski.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview from January 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nArmin \u00ab\u00a0TIP\u00a0\u00bb Sander: <\/strong>Yes, once, I dialed his telephone number and he picked up. I remember vaguely that my intention was to find out what he thinks about that the Amiga Scene improved on his works. I wasn’t thinking about that we did something illegal, I only thought in terms of creative advancement and expected, quite naively, that he was proud and excited. <\/p>\n\n\n\nI can’t remember what he said, but the sentiment was that he did not care at all. It was an overall very detached, cold, and short conversation, as if SoundTracker was unimportant to him at that time. Perhaps I lost a hero back then.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview in January 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nThomas \u00ab\u00a0MnemoTroN\u00a0\u00bb: <\/strong>No, I never tried to contact Karsten. Although one or two of my friends knew people at reLINE in Hanover, which was also for whom Karsten initially started to create his music. <\/p>\n\n\n\nI don’t even know if I knew or realized that SoundTracker was a commercial piece of software back then. I think the original version of it \u00ab\u00a0passed by\u00a0\u00bb, but since I’m not into making music I only glanced at it and carried on. The potential wasn’t clear at first.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview from February 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nPex \u00ab\u00a0Mahoney\u00a0\u00bb Tufvesson:<\/strong> Me and Anders \u00ab\u00a0Kaktus\u00a0\u00bb Berkeman got contacted by E.A.S., the software company selling the Ultimate Soundtracker, as they wanted to sell our version. However, they filed bankrupt just before Noisetracker 2.0 was released, and the story ends there. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWe never got hold of Karsten himself.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview from January 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nLars Hamre:<\/strong> Karsten Obarski was a name on the soundtracker screen. Not much further knowledge was available.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview from January 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Amiga demo: Vector All Times (Natural Movement) by Tristan Lorach\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Dz9VhRtik9k?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Not a particularly great module in this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/prod.php?which=3401\">August 1991<\/a> demo, but I wanted to make room for the poetic part of the demoscene…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nYeah I know, that previous section sounded a bit like a collective \u00ab\u00a0Sorry Karsten, we were just kids having fun!\u00a0\u00bb, all contrived and guilty.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMeh.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBut I’m keeping it, if Master Obarski ever browses by this page someday. Hi Karsten!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\nNow let’s bring back the fun<\/em>!<\/p>\n\n\n\nI’ll try to finish this overly long article<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-50\">50<\/a><\/sup>Some stats as I write this: 51,998 characters, 9,098 words, 34 minutes reading time, equivalent to 43 standard pages in LibreOffice. And I haven’t even started writing down the part about Lars Hamre yet.<\/span> by not only bringing it all full circle, but also by closing the M\u00f6bius strip altogether. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Crossing the streams, again<\/h2>\n\n\n\nAt the same Datastorm 2017 event as the video above, Pex had the opportunity to interview Chris H\u00fclsbeck — yes, the guy that you read about <a href=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/2023\/01\/01\/soundtracker-origins-part-2-welcome-to-turrican-aah-hahahaha\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2540\">in Part 2 of this series<\/a>! <\/p>\n\n\n\nWorlds colliding!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Chris H\u00fclsbeck interview by Pex Mahoney Tufvesson\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/WS8-muaPE7I?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\nBeing an oldskool demoscene event, it’s a deep dive into the early career of Chris H\u00fclsbeck, with plenty of reference to non-demoscene productions and contemporary stuffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAs an illustration during that discussion, Pex made an animation built on Claudio’s graph<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-51\">51<\/a><\/sup>\ud83e\udd2f<\/span>, and added this box at the very top<a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-52\">52<\/a><\/sup>In his defense, Claudio <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/cmatsuoka\/tracker-history\/blob\/master\/soundmonitor.txt\">did add Soundmonitor<\/a> to his graph’s datasource <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/cmatsuoka\/tracker-history\/commit\/d85c2f337f03770160ee833aeb736d158c4805a2\">in 2012<\/a>, and linked Ultimate Soundtracker to it <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/cmatsuoka\/tracker-history\/blob\/master\/soundtracker.txt#L15\">as an \u00ab\u00a0influence\u00a0\u00bb<\/a>, but this somehow never made it to the visual representations available online.<\/span>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2180\" height=\"1156\" src=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3553\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-2.png 2180w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-2-200x106.png 200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-2-450x239.png 450w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-2-768x407.png 768w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-2-1536x815.png 1536w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-2-2048x1086.png 2048w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-2-1200x636.png 1200w, https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-2-1980x1050.png 1980w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2180px) 100vw, 2180px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Seen here, Pex and Chris are having a ‘fireside’ chat, with Pex pointing to Soundmonitor, the C64 predecessor to Amiga’s Ultimate Soundtracker.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nPex<\/strong>: I want to rewrite history and say that Soundmonitor was the first tracker.<\/p>\n\n\n\nChris<\/strong>: (laughs<\/em>) Oh wow, thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPex<\/strong>: Do you agree on this version?<\/p>\n\n\n\nChris<\/strong>: Well, I think it could be called \u00ab\u00a0the grandfather of trackers\u00a0\u00bb. Because it’s not exactly a tracker, but it has a lot of the concepts of a tracker already.<\/p>\n<cite>From the above video.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nI’ll add another small \u00ab\u00a0world colliding\u00a0\u00bb anecdote here: Mahoney was a fan of the band Art of Noise<\/em><a href=\"javascript:void(0)\" role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000000002e1d0000000000000000_3275-53\">53<\/a><\/sup>As I read <a href=\"http:\/\/janeway.exotica.org.uk\/target.php?idp=5884&idr=7879&tgt=1\">in this interview<\/a> from 1991.<\/span>, which I understand is the reason behind the name NoiseTracker. And for their part, Art of Noise <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Art_of_Noise#Beginnings\">were among the early adopters of the Fairlight CMI<\/a> sampling station<\/em> \ud83d\ude42 I really need to get to that article about the Fairlight CMI, and how it ties to the story of Soundtracker!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Part(y)ing words<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Nooon - Stars: Wonders of the World (1995) demoscene demo 2160p60 retro PC\" width=\"580\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Z2gj_m_soUk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">I just love Groo’s music for this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/groups.php?which=138\">August 1995<\/a> production on PC, by the group Nooon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow fun was it to be part of the Soundtracker saga in 1988-90, and of the demoscene in general in those early days?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nMark Langerak: <\/strong>Being part of a demo scene was great fun \ud83d\ude42 Lots of friends pushing each other in friendly competition to try and outdo each other to make the computer do things no one had done before. <\/p>\n\n\n\nI hadn’t thought much of those days or of Soundtracker until you contacted me. I wasn’t really aware there was a whole subscene of Soundtracker development that came after Soundtracker\/TJC Soundtracker II. <\/p>\n\n\n\nI don’t want to claim I started anything (someone else would’ve if I hadn’t) but it feels good to be at the top of that graph \ud83d\ude00 It is like having the highscore at the local arcade \ud83d\ude00<\/p>\n<cite>LinkedIn interview from February 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nMichael \u00ab\u00a0Unknown\u00a0\u00bb Hartmann: <\/strong>We were all 16-17 at the time. We copied each other’s ideas only after somebody released something new. Every [tracker] release was a competition with others. You created demos and trackers to build a reputation, to have something unique to trade, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n(…) Since we didn’t know we were in the \u00ab\u00a0golden days,\u00a0\u00bb it felt like any other day. It was just our life. Nothing special.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview from January 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nArmin \u00ab\u00a0TIP\u00a0\u00bb Sander: <\/strong>May be there was some competition [with other tracker developers], and of course being at the front lines of creative development is a great feeling. <\/p>\n\n\n\nBut for me – in retrospect – competition wasn’t a primary motivator. I liked the impact it had on the musicians around me and the challenges that came with putting new cool features into code.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview in January 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nThomas \u00ab\u00a0MnemoTroN\u00a0\u00bb: <\/strong>It sure was fun. I never had the contacts to others in the scene, though, that was handled by the organizers. So I never really had feedback if others received or saw my productions. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen the 2000’s came and sites like Pouet started tracking all the productions from the scene I realized \u00ab\u00a0Oh, wow, people actually saw the stuff and remember my handle\u00a0\u00bb. That made me smile.<\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview from February 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\nLars Hamre:<\/strong> It was a fun and youthful time. <\/p>\n<cite>E-mail interview from January 2024.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n(grmbl, I forgot to ask that question to Marco and Pex, oh well…)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\nAnd that’s it!<\/p>\n\n\n\nThis closes what I thought would be a tiny interlude between two bigger articles in this series. But it turns out, when you send a handful of questions to a handful of people, you receive a LOT of content to use in a single article \ud83d\ude05<\/p>\n\n\n\nThanks to all these guys for still being there to tell the tale, 35 years later!<\/p>\n\n\n\nGreetings go out to Mark Langerak, Marco Nelissen, Michael Hartmann, Armin Sander, Thomas X, Pex Tufvesson, and Lars Hamre. Thank you all!<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnd thank you, dear reader, if you are one of the happy few<\/em> who read the entirety of this overly long article — including the many notes \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\nNow, let’s get some sun on that skin…<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n   <\/p>\n\n\n\n   <\/p>\n\n\n\n  <\/p>\n\n\n\n… ah well, first let’s listen to one more module.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Amiga music: Firefox & Tip - Hyperbased (Enigma demo theme)\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EcTPUoFUN3I?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">One last thing<\/h2>\n\n\n\nThis article was made possible by the awesomeness of <a href=\"https:\/\/scene.org\/\">scene.org<\/a>, who hosts <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pouet.net\/\">Pou\u00ebt<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/demozoo.org\/\">Demozoo<\/a>; and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.exotica.org.uk\/wiki\/Main_Page\">exotica.org.uk<\/a>, who hosts <a href=\"http:\/\/janeway.exotica.org.uk\/\">Kestra Bitworld<\/a>. Those were my three main sources for tracking down the what<\/em>, the when<\/em> and the who<\/em> of this saga. Huge thanks to all staffers for these awesome online projects: you’re the true l33t!<\/p>\n\n\n\nThanks also to <a href=\"http:\/\/obligement.free.fr\/\">Obligement<\/a> for the Armin Sander interview, and to other projects with great documentation, which stirred me in the right direction: <a href=\"https:\/\/ftp.modland.com\/pub\/documents\/format_documentation\/Ultimate%20Soundtracker%20(.mod).txt\">modland<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/weaselaudiolib.sourceforge.net\/\">Weasel Audio Lib<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/artscene.textfiles.com\/music\/information\/karstenobarski.html\">Text<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.textfiles.com\/programming\/FORMATS\/\">files<\/a>.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\nOther articles in this series:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/2021\/07\/11\/soundtracking-sur-amiga-passion-explications-et-exemples\/\">Soundtracking sur Amiga : passion, explications et exemples<\/a> — The Twitter thread that started it all (in French).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/2021\/09\/22\/soundtracker-origins-part-1-where-in-the-world-is-karsten-obarski\/\">Soundtracker origins, part 1: Where in the World is Karsten Obarski?<\/a> — About Karsten Obarski, author of The Ultimate Soundtracker.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/2022\/12\/23\/the-origin-of-soundtrackers-mod-format\/\">The origin of Soundtracker\u2019s MOD format<\/a> — When you see a Twitter thread with key information, it is your duty to preserve it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/2023\/01\/01\/soundtracker-origins-part-2-welcome-to-turrican-aah-hahahaha\/\">Soundtracker origins, part 2: Welcome to Turrican, aah hahahaha<\/a> — About Chris H\u00fclsbeck, author of Soundmonitor.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/2023\/10\/25\/soundtracker-origins-part-3-facing-a-stone-mountain\/\">Soundtracker origins, part 3: Facing a stone mountain<\/a> — About Karl Steinberg, author of MIDI Multitrack Sequencer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Soundtracker Origins, interlude: The coders behind the Cambrian explosion<\/strong> — Where I get to interview a few key people in the Soundtracker saga.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Remember Part 3 of this series of articles on Soundtracker? Those were the days! I fondly remember writing the following, near […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3275","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-musique","category-technologies"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3275","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3275"}],"version-history":[{"count":332,"href":"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3275\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4107,"href":"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3275\/revisions\/4107"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3275"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3275"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xavier.borderie.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3275"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}