Music Modules (MODs) are a mix of streaming audio and direct music. MODs work a lot like MIDIs. They tell when, how long and at what pitch each instrument should play. However, unlike direct music files, MODs do not get their instrument sounds from your sound card. Instead, they have an independent instrument library, which was imported into the MODs when they were created. So for example, someone imports a custom piano sound into a MOD. The program to create MODs now has added the sound to the sound library of this particular MOD. Now, by changing the pitch of the sound, the program can create from this one piano sound a whole range of piano sounds, all at a different note! By manually adding loop start & end points, you can make the piano sound loop so you can play this sound as long as you'd like. And that's basically how a MOD is made. See also: What is a Mod?
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Creating Modules
With this knowledge, you now may want to know how to create MODs. OK, for that you need some programs to create music modules. These are called tracking programs. I recommend using the ModPlug Tracker, because it's a Windows based program and very easy to understand. You can download the ModPlug Tracker (MPT) at ModPlug.com. Explaining the whole process of creating a module would be pointless here, since it is all explained on this page. I'll just give a brief summary of how a MOD is created:
- Find the audio samples (instrument sounds) that you're going to use in the MOD and import them into MPT. (samples tab)
- Create loops and instruments from the samples, if needed. (samples tab + instruments tab)
- Switch to the patterns tab and hit the keys on your keyboard - almost every key produces a different tone of the selected instrument.
- Insert the notes (by hitting keys) for your song in the appropriate order from top to bottom.
- Each instrument should be assigned to a different channel (column). Click play and listen how it sounds. You may need to adjust the speed in the Global tab.
- Tweak with the track until you have the desired melody.
I suggest you start by creating the basic of every song, which is adding the rhythm by importing some drum samples and creating the rhythm. You can then copy this block of rhythm and paste it again and again so you get a drum loop. You now have the fundation of the song and you can expand it by adding other instruments.
Information and Help Resources
There's much more involved in creating and understanding MODs. Following is a list of sources where you can acquire knowledge on music modules.
- This ModPlug page has a list of music module resources. Virtually everything you need to know about MODs is linked there.
- Don't forget that MPT has a help file where the functions of MPT are explained in.
- You can ask questions about MODs at the ModPlug Community Forums.
- There's always Google.com that can provide you with info on MODs.
Don't forget that there are other tracking programs. You should get the one you feel the most comfortable with. I've added links on MPT, just because I use it. Doesn't mean there aren't any other tracking programs with their own help resources...
For exmaple, I know there's FastTracker, Impulse Tracker & ProTracker
Any other suggestions anyone?
Here are a couple of sites with sound samples and wave editors, should you need them to create music modules:
- Wave Editors:
- Goldwave.com - Goldwave is usually the editor for people who want to do some serious wave editing. Licence: shareware.
- Waschbusch.com - Here you can find a wave editor called Encounter 2000. It has many features and a good interface. Licence: freeware.
- Audacity.sourceforge.net - Audacity is an open source wave editor with basic features as well as more advanced. The program is continuously under progress. Licence: open source.
- Musical instrument samples:
- FindSounds.com - The site has a pretty advanced search engine to search for virtually any sound.
- Samplenet.co.uk - Many people's favourite instrument sample database. Features a huge instrument sample database.
- Arturia.com
- ModArchive.com - Has many instrument samples. Many from professional musical keyboards.
- SoundProz.com - Has a decent collection of instrument samples.
- SampleArena.com - The site has a long list of samples.
Finding and Downloading Modules
If you don't want to create MODs yourself, there's always the option of downloading MODs, made by other users and using it in your map.
Attention: Before you download loads of MODs for your maps, please read the copyright & credits terms below. Also, note that there's a maximum sound quality in modules that the Unreal Engine supports. I'll be adding this after the copyright notice.
Copyright Issues and Credits
When you download modules from the Internet, be sure to read the readme file (if there is one) which is included! Sometimes, the person who has created the module doesn't want his module to be used in any project or map. Or sometimes, this person wants you to explicitly mention his (nick-)name in your readme file when you distribute the map/project. Adding someone's music to your map without any permission or mentioning his name is simply considered as wrong. You should always make clear that it was not you who created the music for the map and report who did create the music. Even if this is not claimed in the readme file included with the module.
Always mention the (nick-)name of the person who created the module in your readme file!
So give credits to that person. Not that you'll get sued the minute you don't, but by doing this, you indicate who made it, so people will know who was responsible for the music and maybe try out some other modules of that person. Also, you'll be showing this person respect by including his/her name in your readme file and this in turn will make you more respected...
Comments
Birelli: This page is all content moved from the Music page. It's relevant, but it's very general and could apply to anything (not just UT), so it fits nicely on its own page.