SVArTracker 1.22 Win32 - Is It Worth Messing With?

[WaxingAndWaning]

Short answer is very much a YES...

It appears that quite a few don't understand this tracker, with cussing & spitting over it... Folks it's just a different sort of tracker & takes a bit of time to get used to & has advanced features as well, very unique but nothing is perfect of course. Still I would rather use this than Buzz or OpenMPT/ModPlug any day of the week...

Version 1.22 was the ONLY free version released, website closed years ago, so where it was at is where it is at...

Still I can't figure out why more haven't tried using it as it seems to accept even synthedit synths in fact almost no problem with ANY synth but more issues with FX where some simply don't pass signal through but since there's billions out there nothing to worry about...




You can get it in several places here's direct DL from Wayback machine-

https://web.archive.org/web/20160818081 ... e_inst.exe

Here as well-

https://modland.ziphoid.com/pub/softwar ... ndows/SVAr Tracker/


It's real good for remastering modules as it accepts so many never had a problem with that yet... You can also bring them in as MIDI or plugin based...

Here is a Good/Bad listing might shed some light-

The Good-

-Sounds just as good but can do this on directsound without needing ASIO which is great cause if you send sample to Audio Editor you don't gotta kill ASIO to hear the editor....

-Has machine view allowing more complex hook-up coupled with machines that can be instanced just by choosing a number...

-Sampler has a number of bells-whistles plus it imports SF2 & DLS...

-The Sampler was actually a commercial product in itself but free in this only freeware version of the tracker...

-Effects pattern commands are 'roll your own' & no other tracker has this also there is drawing automation curves & both these systems can be drawn up & stored in a 'matrix' to get them outta the way...

-Any segment of pattern can be rendered to sampler...

-Has traditional arrangement view & patterns can be stacked end-end or vertically...A particular pattern can be copied & slight 'nudge' underneath for HAAS effect...You can also choose to do 1 instrument for a pattern & use the arrangement as a virtual play-board like ableton...

-Internal sampler can be setup to read direct-from-disc or load samples to RAM...Renoise is ONLY RAM and can use quite alot...

-Deals with MIDI great... Others like Renoise is terrible for MIDI...

-Opens a TON of tracker module formats!... 23 of them including MIDI...

-When opening up such modules you will be able to choose between bringing said module in as plugin based or MIDI based environment...

-Automating VSTi-VST Params is nice, drag a Param down below in lower Arranger view then start drawing out your curves...

-Choosing a VSTi-VST is simple as navigating to one DLL no need for plug scanning garbage...

-This version 1.22 is completely free!

-YES, It DOES SAVE!


-The Bad-

-Biggest issue is a crash that occurs when trying to switch to any other audio driver. For me the same on any XP machine but the directsound connection is pretty good at least...

-It's a bit different than many trackers & is quite powerful so it takes a bit of learning...

-Care must be taken when making changes in the 'O' machine view as that view won't reset if you make a mistake that causes crashing upon launch in this case a reinstall is necessary...

-Necessary to have windows stacked on windows when working in it...

-DirectX connection for plugins is DMO ONLY so just what ones you have on your machine that are DMO...



OK well since instruments are bound to tracks there's a 'program change' lane you could change preset every note if you wanted very EASY! It does not work well with some synths that have internal tiered preset systems like Albino 2-3 or Cameleon 5000 however most will switch like there's no tomorrow...

Some annotated images to ponder-












If you wanted to use DX-DXi in it just use DXSHELL available here-

https://www.xlutop.com/buzz/zip/

Automation will not be available through it though>>>

SVArTracker cool 'different take' on tracking with advanced features & a few others that should have been in it with so many 32bit commercial plugs going freeware never a better time to get distracted with all them-

Also internal sampler loads SF2 & DLS & does great job but load any other sampler as VSTi as well if you wish>>>

SVAr also has plugin 'freeze' component & one can render any selection or whole pattern to internal sampler thus eliminating the need for numerous VSTi instances...

[vekoN]

neat! this reminds me a lot of radium (the daw)

i wonder how well it runs under wine...

[WaxingAndWaning]

If you end up testing it as such then let me know, especially about whether or not you are able to switch audio drivers without a crash>>>

Nice site over there you got, I like the 3D Fractal art... This one reminds me of Nakatomi Plaza Elevator Shaft (Die Hard 1988)-

https://acheney.xyz/images/art/lurasidone.jpg

But in Sci-Fi way, nice & others too... Maybe you are interested in 3D package that has also advanced feature but known by few-

https://www.ppmodeler.com/

Albatross 3D, it has some feature even blender doesn't have, amazing one-man show creation & free...

[WaxingAndWaning]

OK moving on actually testing the Effects Processor which is a trip, now I am here just using in a basic way as you could script into it as well>>>

This is a Tracker's Automation Dream really>>>

You can draw curves from different samplers or VSTi & VST into a SINGLE FX Cell with it's own unique pattern command. This cell can also be copied & pasted to another with slight changes made or curves added or taken away with a DIFFERENT command>>>

You may think syncing it to the notes would be an issue...NO!...You can loop the pattern & at any time hit the 'Run' button to see how the magic works at any particular place in the pattern before placing the command on the pattern, Once you have the start figgered out & place the command you can still loop the pattern whilst adjusting the curves for accuracy>>>

This is the first time I have tried this form of automation & so far appears superior to the static way of creating a lane in the arranger view-




Also if you load a soundfont into the AntiWave sampler make sure you turn quality knob all the way to the left for maximum quality interp-




As to the 'Packet Cell' of commands you now have it all sorted out to use anywhere else in the tune just by putting 'a00' or whatever it happens to be in the pattern. I also see that you can switch out a param on an already drawn curve just by dragging a DIFFERENT param onto the curve>>>

Things just keep looking better & better for SVArTracker>><<>><<>><<>><<>>

[WaxingAndWaning]

Just noticed that default pattern second track has THREE note lanes so apparently one can have more note lanes just haven't figured out how it's done...

Here's a chance to show you are way smarter than me have a clue?




And YES they all play in poly mode (the three notes)>>>

[WaxingAndWaning]

OK FOUND IT!... I Feel like a moron as it is under Song/Restructure Track or New Track>>>

Also changed the font size, colors, spacing to make better to see-






Doing up chords is so easy as it advances TO THE RIGHT after every note entered until ALL notes are filled then it advances DOWN as per whatever line skip is chosen>>>

This is quickly becoming my favorite tracker, seeing as this was I would've BOUGHT IT at version 1.30 which was the last, this is SAD the dev is gone this tracker has so many ingenious features & this version is from 2008>><<>><<>><<>><<

[vekoN]

oof, my computer freezes when i try to run the installed program

but i do see the window open beforehand, it must be an issue with the audio driver

[WaxingAndWaning]

Is that under 'wine' or other deely-ma-bob?

[vekoN]

yes, wine

[WaxingAndWaning]

You can override the cool chord mode temporarily or more by pressing the 'Force Vertical Input' button which will make the line skip happen after EVERY note placement>>>




Also looking at the Input Mask Templates it seems like you can also have up to THREE FX lanes per track as well>>>

[WaxingAndWaning]

SVArTracker wants to hook your directsound as default, I would not think that would be a problem. Other than that it wants to hook & detect your DirectX DMO plugs if you have them>>>

[WaxingAndWaning]

SVArTracker detects DMO Plugins on your system if you have them-




Used to be all OS of windows variety had these who knows nowadays I don't use anything newer than XP SP3>>>

[WaxingAndWaning]

As well as multiple note lanes if necessary your patterns can all be of different lengths, You can rename & also input some information about said pattern>>>




Most everything checking out good, one issue I have is with using a MIDI Keyboard, I can hook it up to the VSTi & play it but can not get the MIDI to enter into the Pattern itself, So currently I use MIDI Keyboard for auditioning VSTi Presets then record actual notes into pattern with QWERTY>>>

[WaxingAndWaning]

Page on the wayback machine that had some demo tunes done in SVArTracker-

https://web.archive.org/web/20120904192 ... music.html

[WaxingAndWaning]

Since the Arranger has ability to place patterns anywhere not just butted up to the right inline it makes for a different sort of ability like making patterns that are just one instrument & naming whatever riff-chord then 'playing' around moving them about for ideas or actually getting something done. Sorta like clips in Ableton or Project5>>>

The patterns tend to 'snap' but the resolution becomes finer when you zoom in so it like becomes 'not snapping'>>>

Double a pattern & slightly overlap for a double-hit or HAAS effect. For a musical legato feeling this method pretty good but might be a good idea to make a click track first either with a VSTi or HiHat brought in you can make a pattern up to 128 lines>>>