Furnace Tracker

this is a multi-system chiptune tracker.

downloads | discussion/help | developer info | unofficial packages | FAQ

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downloads

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

see here for unstable developer builds.

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!
• DefleMask compatibility - loads .dmf modules, .dmp instruments and .dmw wavetables
• clean-room design (guesswork and ABX tests only, no decompilation involved)
• 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!
  • negative octaves
  • 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 or later.

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quick references

• 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.

unofficial packages

some people have provided packages for Unix/Unix-like distributions. here's a list.

• Arch Linux: furnace-git is in the AUR. thank you Essem!
• FreeBSD: a package in ports is available courtesy of ehaupt.
• Nix: package thanks to OPNA2608.
• OpenSUSE: a package is available, courtesy of fpesari.

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developer info

if you can't download these artifacts (because GitHub requires you to be logged in), go here instead.

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. please instead use Git as shown below.

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

Alternatively, build scripts are provided in the scripts/ folder in the root of the repository.

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	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.

note that these commands only actually work in Linux environments. on other command lines, such as Windows' Command Prompt, or MacOS Terminal, it may not work correctly.

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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.

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frequently asked questions

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. additionally, you can change the cutoff and/or duty as a macro inside an instrument by clicking the absolute cutoff macro and/or absolute duty macro checkbox at the bottom of the instrument. (for the filter, you also need to click the checkbox that says volume macro is cutoff macro.)

Q: how do I use PCM on a PCM-capable system?

A: Two possibilities: the recommended way is via creating the "Amiga/Sample" type instrument and assigning sample to it, or via old, Deflemask-compatible method, using 17xx effect

Q: my song sounds very odd at a certain point

A: file a bug report. use the Issues page. it's probably another playback inaccuracy.

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

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

Q: my C64 song sounds terrible after saving as .dmf!

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

Q: how do I solo channels?

A: right click on the channel name.

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footnotes

copyright (C) 2021-2022 tildearrow and contributors.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.

despite the fact this program works with the .dmf file format, it is NOT affiliated with Delek or DefleMask in any way, nor it is a replacement for the original program.