furnace/README.md

Furnace Tracker

this is a work-in-progress chiptune tracker compatible with DefleMask modules (.dmf).

downloads | discussion | help | developer info

features

• supports the following systems:
  • Sega Genesis
  • Sega Master System
  • Game Boy
  • PC Engine
  • NES
  • Commodore 64
  • Yamaha YM2151 (plus PCM)
  • Neo Geo
  • AY-3-8910 (ZX Spectrum, Atari ST, etc.)
  • Microchip AY8930
  • Philips SAA1099
  • Amiga
  • TIA (Atari 2600/7800)
• multiple sound chips in a single song!
• clean-room design (zero reverse-engineered code and zero decompilation; using official DMF specs, guesswork and ABX tests only)
• bug/quirk implementation for increased playback accuracy
• VGM and audio file export
• accurate emulation cores whether possible (Nuked, MAME, SameBoy, Mednafen PCE, puNES, reSID, Stella, SAASound and ymfm)
• additional features on top:
  • FM macros!
  • arbitrary pitch samples
  • sample loop points
  • SSG envelopes in Neo Geo
  • full duty/cutoff range in C64
  • ability to change tempo mid-song with Cxxx effect (xxx between 000 and 3ff)
• open-source under GPLv2.

downloads

check out the Releases page. available for Windows, macOS and Linux (AppImage).

discussion

see the Discussions section, or (preferably) the official Discord server.

help

check out the documentation. it's mostly incomplete, but has details on effects.

developer info

NOTE: do not download the project's source as a .zip or .tar.gz as these do not include the project's submodules which are necessary to proceed with building.

dependencies

• CMake
• SDL2
• zlib
• JACK (optional)

SDL2 and zlib are included as submodules.

getting the source

type the following on a terminal/console: (make sure Git is installed)

git clone --recursive https://github.com/tildearrow/furnace.git
cd furnace

(the --recursive parameter ensures submodules are fetched as well)

compilation

your typical CMake project.

Windows using MSVC

as of now tildearrow uses MinGW for Windows builds, but thanks to OPNA2608 this works again!

from the developer tools command prompt:

mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
msbuild ALL_BUILD.vcxproj

macOS and Linux

mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
make

CMake options

To add an option from the command-line: -D<NAME>=<VALUE>
Example: cmake -DBUILD_GUI=OFF -DWARNINGS_ARE_ERRORS=ON ..

Available options:

Name	Default	Description
BUILD_GUI	ON if not building for Android, otherwise OFF	Build the tracker (disable to build only a headless player)
WITH_JACK	ON if system-installed JACK detected, otherwise OFF	Whether to build with JACK support. Auto-detects if JACK is available
SYSTEM_FMT	OFF	Use a system-installed version of fmt instead of the vendored one
SYSTEM_LIBSNDFILE	OFF	Use a system-installed version of libsndfile instead of the vendored one
SYSTEM_ZLIB	OFF	Use a system-installed version of zlib instead of the vendored one
SYSTEM_SDL2	OFF	Use a system-installed version of SDL2 instead of the vendored one
WARNINGS_ARE_ERRORS	OFF (but consider enabling this & reporting any errors that arise from it!)	Whether warnings in furnace's C++ code should be treated as errors

usage

./furnace

this opens the program.

./furnace -console <file>

this will play a compatible file.

./furnace -console -view commands <file>

this will play a compatible file and enable the commands view.

notes

how do I use Neo Geo SSG envelopes?

the following effects are provided:

• 22xy: set envelope mode.
  • x sets the envelope shape, which may be one of the following:
    • 0: \___ decay
    • 4: /___ attack once
    • 8: \\\\ saw
    • 9: \___ decay
    • A: \/\/ inverse obelisco
    • B: \¯¯¯ decay once
    • C: //// inverse saw
    • D: /¯¯¯ attack
    • E: /\/\ obelisco
    • F: /___ attack once
  • if y is 1 then the envelope will affect this channel.
• 23xx: set envelope period low byte.
• 24xx: set envelope period high byte.
• 25xx: slide envelope period up.
• 26xx: slide envelope period down.

a lower envelope period will make the envelope run faster.

how do I use C64 absolute filter/duty?

on Instrument Editor in the C64 tab there are two options to toggle these. also provided are two effects:

• 3xxx: set fine duty.
• 4xxx: set fine cutoff. xxx range is 000-7ff.

my song sounds very odd at a certain point

file a bug report. use the Issues page.

it's probably another playback inaccuracy.

my song sounds correct, but it doesn't in DefleMask

file a bug report here. it still is a playback inaccuracy.

my C64 song sounds terrible after saving as .dmf!

that's a limitation of the DefleMask format. save in Furnace song format instead (.fur).

how do I solo channels?

right click on the channel name.