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README.md
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the biggest multi-system chiptune tracker ever made!
[downloads](#downloads) | [discussion/help](#quick-references) | [developer info](#developer-info) | [Unix/Linux packages](#packages) | [FAQ](#frequently-asked-questions)
[downloads](#downloads) | [discussion/help](#quick-references) | [developer info](#developer-info) | [Unix/Linux packages](#packages)
---
## downloads
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- AY-3-8910/YM2149(F) used in several computers and game consoles
- Commodore VIC used in the VIC-20
- Microchip AY8930
- TI SN76489 used in Sega Master System and BBC Micro
- TI SN76489 used in Sega Master System, BBC Micro, and many others
- PC Speaker
- Philips SAA1099 used in SAM Coupé
- OKI MSM5232 used in some arcade boards
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- Generic PCM DAC
- mix and match sound chips!
- over 200 ready to use presets from computers, game consoles and arcade boards...
- ...or create your own - up to 32 of them or a total of 128 channels!
- ...or create your own presets - up to 32 chips or a total of 128 channels!
- DefleMask compatibility
- loads .dmf modules from all versions (beta 1 to 1.1.9)
- saves .dmf modules - both modern and legacy
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---
# quick references
- **discussion**: see the [Discussions](https://github.com/tildearrow/furnace/discussions) section, or the [Discord](https://discord.gg/QhA26dXD23).
- **help**: check out the [documentation](doc/README.md).
- **help**: check out the [documentation](doc/README.md), [quick start guide](doc/1-intro/quickstart.md), and [frequently asked questions (FAQ)](doc/1-intro/faq.md).
- **discussion**: see the [Discussions](https://github.com/tildearrow/furnace/discussions) section.
## packages
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**note that console mode may not work correctly on Windows. you may have to quit using the Task Manager.**
---
# frequently asked questions
> where's the manual?
it is in [doc/](doc/README.md).
> is there a tutorial?
[a video tutorial of tracker concepts is available on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q37XuOLz0jw). thanks Button Masher!
> can I import VGM or NSF?
nope. it's a feature that's been requested many times, but I don't have plans to implement that yet.
for NSF import, you can use [a modified version of FamiTracker called NSFImport](http://rainwarrior.ca/projects/nes/nsfimport.html), and then import the resulting .ftm into Furnace.
it's all speed 1 though, so don't expect any songs to be nicely laid out with instruments and all.
> how about MIDI? can I import these?
nope. it's not implemented.
also, Furnace isn't a MIDI tracker.
> it doesn't open under macOS!
this is due to Apple's application signing policy. a workaround is to right click on the Furnace app icon and select Open.
> it says "Furnace" is damaged and can't be opened!
**as of Monterey, this workaround no longer works (especially on ARM).** yeah, Apple has decided to be strict on the matter.
if you happen to be on that version (or later), use this workaround instead (on a Terminal):
```
xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /path/to/Furnace.app
```
(replace /path/to/ with the path where Furnace.app is located)
you may need to log out and/or reboot after doing this.
> I've lost my song!
Furnace keeps backups of the songs you've worked on before. go to **file > restore backup**.
> .spc export?
**not yet!** coming in 0.7 though, eventually...
> ROM export?
**not yet!** coming in 0.7 though, eventually...
> Roland MT-32 support?
MT-32 is used with MIDI in 99.999% of situations. it lacks a direct register interface.
also, Furnace is not a MIDI tracker....
> my .dmf song sounds odd at a certain point
Furnace's .dmf compatibility isn't perfect and it's mostly because DefleMask does things different.
> my song sounds terrible after saving as .dmf!
you should only save as .dmf if you're really sure, because the DefleMask format has several limitations. save in Furnace song format instead (.fur).
---
# footnotes
copyright (C) 2021-2024 tildearrow and contributors.

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[How to Learn Chiptune Trackers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q37XuOLz0jw): video tutorial created by Button Masher. covers the basic mechanics of chiptune tracking using Furnace for demonstration.
[Furnace Tutorials](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCELB6AsTZUnwv0PC5AAGHjvg47F44YQ1): video tutorials created by Spinning Square Waves. be noted that these may not apply to the current version.
## for more information
see the [frequently asked questions](faq.md).

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# frequently asked questions
## general
### how do I use Furnace?
the [quick start guide](quickstart.md) and [concepts list](concepts.md) are great first steps in getting used to the tracker way. after that, try exploring the demo songs to learn more about how to get the sounds you want.
### is there an Android build?
yes and no. Furnace can be successfully built for Android and it even has some rudimentary touch UI support, but it's extremely unfinished and extremely unsupported. there are many good reasons that it's not in the official releases yet.
### is there an iOS build?
nope.
### will Furnace ever have a piano roll or DAW interface?
there are no plans for this.
### I've lost my song – what do I do?
Furnace keeps backups of the songs you've worked on before. go to **file > restore backup**.
## workflow
### how do I compose in 6/8, 5/4, or other time signatures?
set the pattern length to a multiple of the number of beats (6 or 5 as mentioned above). don't forget to change the row highlight values to match!
### how do I do triplets, quintuplets, or other tuplets?
there are two common methods:
- use delay commands (`EDxx`) to offset notes into their correct places. this is good for the occasional set of tuplets, but if you expect to use a lot of them...
- plan ahead for the song to have them by making your pattern length a multiple of that number. remember to adjust row highlight values to match.
depending on the tempo of the song, it may only be possible to get perfectly even tuplets by changing the tick rate. mind that this may hinder playback in games or sound engines that use the vertical blank interval for their timing.
### why do certain notes not play low enough, high enough, or in tune?
each chip has its own set of limitations regarding what frequencies it can play. if these limits are likely to be found in normal tracking, they'll be mentioned in [that chip's documentation](../7-systems/).
### can I add effects to the output like EQ or reverb?
not yet, but it's in the early development stage.
## chips
### will Furnace support the Sony PlayStation?
it's in the plans, with no target date.
### will Furnace support the Sega Saturn?
it also is in the plans, with no target date.
### will Furnace support the Nintendo 64?
the N64 lacks any form of audio synthesizer chip. many games use MIDI or XM or other such formats internally, but everything is mixed in software and sent to a simple stereo DAC.
### will Furnace support this obscure PCM-only chip?
probably not, as with very few exceptions these are effectively all the same.
### will Furnace support the Roland MT-32?
no. MT-32 is used with MIDI in 99.999% of situations. it lacks a direct register interface.
also, Furnace is not a MIDI tracker....
## importing
### will Furnace import MIDI files?
nope. Furnace is not a MIDI tracker.
### why does this imported file sound wrong?
There are fundamental differences between formats that cannot be directly translated. an import should always be considered the starting point of a conversion, not a final product.
### can I import VGM or NSF?
nope. it's a feature that's been requested many times, but there are no plans to implement it.
for NSF import, you can use [a modified version of FamiTracker called NSFImport](http://rainwarrior.ca/projects/nes/nsfimport.html) and then import the resulting .ftm into Furnace.
it's all speed 1 though, so don't expect any songs to be nicely laid out with instruments and all.
### how can I use an SF2 soundfont?
one way is to use [OpenMPT](https://openmpt.org/) to open the SF2 file, and save WAV files from there. [Polyphone](https://www.polyphone.io/) is another way.
### how do I import instruments from this SNES game?
use [split700](https://github.com/gocha/split700) to extract the BRR samples from an SPC. there is presently no way to import envelopes or other parameters.
### how do I import instruments from this Sega Genesis game?
extract FM patches from a VGM file using [vgm2pre](https://github.com/vgmtool/vgm2pre) or similar tool. bear in mind that these are only the parameters for the FM synth, and the way the instrument is heard in-game may include pitch bends or other effects that can't be extracted.
for PSG instruments, see the next question.
### how do I import instruments from this NES/SMS/GB/C64/etc. game?
PSG chips (such as those in the systems mentioned) don't have any inherent concept of instruments or patches. all of that is handled in software, and each sound driver has its own way of doing things. generally, the only option is to recreate the instrument from scratch.
## exporting
### will Furnace export MIDI files?
nope. Furnace is not a MIDI tracker.
### why does this exported VGM sound weird when I play it in other software?
just as Furnace offers a choice of emulation cores, VGM players may use different cores with varying degrees of accuracy. also, some aspects of a song may not be supported by the VGM format, such as chip clock speeds.
### why does this exported DMF sound wrong in DefleMask?
while Furnace did start life as a DMF player, it's grown in functionality quite a bit, and many Furnace features simply don't exist in that format. there are also cases where the emulation cores in DefleMask sound different from those available in Furnace.
### when will Furnace be able to export to a ROM for a particular system or an emulated music format?
each system will need its own method of converting Furnace songs into code that can be played back on hardware. this requires writing a driver for the hardware in question, which is no small task. that having been said, there are several efforts in progress, both for direct export from Furnace itself and external converters such as [furSPC](https://github.com/AnnoyedArt1256/furSPC), [furNES](https://github.com/AnnoyedArt1256/furNES), and [furC64](https://github.com/AnnoyedArt1256/furC64).
### can Furnace export MP3/OGG/FLAC files?
not presently. for now, use an external converter such as FFmpeg.
## other
if a question isn't answered within this manual, check in the [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/tildearrow/furnace/discussions) to see if it's answered there, and post if needed.

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the index follows.
1. [introduction](1-intro/README.md)
- [quick start guide](1-intro/quickstart.md)
- [FAQ](1-intro/faq.md)
2. [interface](2-interface/README.md)
3. [patterns](3-pattern/README.md)
4. [instruments](4-instrument/README.md)