After that blatant bit of self-promotion, I'll tell you that I use Modplug Tracker. You can get it from www.modplug.com and it's rather easy to use once you get the hang of it (there's a tutorial provided in the Quick Start pack).
As for converting wavs and mp3s to MODs, it's possible due to the style of the MOD format but not really recommended. All you have to do is set up a MOD that plays that one WAV file, then save it out and use it.
mod isn't the same as mp3,
mod is just something like mp3,
except you put in a little wave sound
like drums, guitars, pianos, explosions,
whatever.
Then you create a rythm with these sounds
and that's saved in a mod file.
Midi is more or less the same, but midi
uses the build in wavetable of your soundcard.
(Or software driver, like yamaha synth).
I've been using a program called Impulse Tracker since '98 (which also is a tracker) and let me tell you all:
Midi is shit compared to mods.
Midi uses extremely low quality sounds where mods use whatever you want. In some cases the quality of a mod is even better than an mp3.
But mods can't just be created just like that. You gotta know about music and how it works. But i recommend the prog i use, Impulse Tracker which is at http://www.noisemusic.org/it
There's just one problem, IT works best if you use a program called VDMSound.
WARNING: Tracking (= creating mods) can be _very_ tricky business if you're completely new to it
Your best bet for creating MODs is getting a good MOD maker, some basic instruments - drums, bass, guitar, synth (square wave/sawtooth wave and all that), piano and sax, for example - and just try making a drum track. After you've made a good rhythm, you can start adding other instruments until you get the hang of it. From there you can start adding other patterns, and finally create a sequence.
Alternatively, look for a tutorial somewhere. I'm sure someone made one...
Midi is shit compared to mods.
Midi uses extremely low quality sounds where mods use whatever you want. In some cases the quality of a mod is even better than an mp3.
MIDI is hardware dependent, unless you use DirectMusic to play the MIDI. Modern soundcards have reasonably good MIDI instruments, and they get better if you have a more expensive one (over £20 perhaps).
Quality of a MOD is only better than an MP3 if the MP3 has been poorly encoded. Filesize of MODs are smaller, though. MO3s are even smaller than that!
another thing about midi is that, as we've established, how it sounds is dependant on your soundcard. With mods, they always sound more or less the same, even if played on a bad soundcard. Another thing is that the samples used in midi (and that's generally speaking!) are really really awful and sound like buckets being hit on and stuff. With mods, you yourself decide how good samples should be etc.
why convert them at all?????????????????????????????????
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(Darl McBride is CEO of The SCO Group)
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