Tool for importing and exporting Sonic 1 SMPS music files, as well as ideally composing new music. No playback features are planned.
Sonic 1 stores its music in a format which has been labeled by romhackers as "SMPS", Sample Music Playback System. This format contains the following information:
- A general song header
- Specifics about which channels are in use. These channels are:
- 6x FM (frequency modulation) and DAC (PCM playback?) on Yamaha YM2612
- 3x PSG (Programmable Sound Generator) on SN76489
- Header for each channel
- Pattern information, much like in most music tracker formats
- FM voice synthesis table data
Details about the format can be found in the following places:
- https://segaretro.org/SMPS/Headers
- https://segaretro.org/SMPS/Voices_and_samples
- http://info.sonicretro.org/SCHG:Music_Hacking/Pointer_and_Header_Format
- http://info.sonicretro.org/SCHG:Music_Hacking/Voice_and_Note_Editing
- Get Qt Creator, version 5 or later
- Get a working modern compiler
- qmake sonic1_music_gen.pro && make
- alternatively open the .pro with Qt Creator, run qmake, compile
There are limitations as I haven't bothered coding full SMPS support
- FM pattern 1 must be a DAC channel. If you don't need it, write a single F2 coordinate flag in that pattern. When importing, this is done by default if FM channel 1 is empty.
- Hex code meanings in the patterns are in the file hex.md
- The FM voice parameters are complicated to use unless you are familiar with FM synthesis (I'm not). I recommend using Deflemask for creating instruments and then copying the instrument settings into this tool. However, since SMPS formats differ, there a few caveats:
- Deflemask uses the format where operators are ordered 1,2,3,4 while Sonic 1 SMPS uses 1,3,2,4. So when copying FM voice settings from Deflemask into this tool, flip operators 2 and 3.
- The FMS setting does a vibrato, which is currently not supported
- AMS setting is not supported (not sure what this is)
- See the below image to see Deflemesk mappings into this tool. The unlinked controls aren't supported
