For best results use Notepad with Font set to "Courier" and size to 10 ---------1---------2---------3---------4---------5---------6---------7---------8 12345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890 Game: Daigasso! Band Brothers ("Jam with the Band" in US) System: Nintendo DS Guide: Score Maker Pro Stereo Placement Guide Version: 1.1 Contents: --------- 01 - Latest Update 02 - Purpose of this guide 03 - Definitions 04 - The Score Maker Pro Stereo Placement System 05 - Moving Channels around 06 - Update History 07 - Acknowledgments 08 - Contact Information ** Copy the above lines for easy searching to sections ** ** Disclaimer ** You know what? I really don't care if you want to rip my guide off. I just don't consider this guide to be of any real value. The information in this guide could easily have been discovered by anyone, I just happen to be the first to write about it. As far as I'm concerned this doesn't mean I should take credit for it seeing as its just a game. I mean, if I was the first to discover a cure for world hunger, then that's a different story... So in a nut shell, plagiarize if you really want. ================================================================================ 01 - Latest Update The latest update is here. For the rest of the updates, check section 06. 2005-03-27: Added more about drum tracks not included; re-worded to make it easier to understand. ================================================================================ 02 - Purpose of this guide So, you unlocked the Score Maker Pro, and you have written an epic masterpiece that Uematsu would be jealous of. However, there's something not right with it. But what is it? Oh, that's it - the bass guitar is on the far left of the stereo mix! Well, fret not, because this guide will explain how the channels are panned within the stereo spectrum. Now, all this information is handy BEFORE you start writing, but what if you're the person above and already has all 8 tracks full of beautiful harmonies? Fret not, because I will also show you a nifty technique to move your channels and instruments around without losing a single channel in the process ;). ================================================================================ 03 - Definitions This is a pretty simple and straight forward guide, so there won't be many definitions here. But here's some that you may need to know: Stereo: Basically 2 channels of sound. Most music is done in stereo because humans have 2 ears to listen with. Mono: 1 channel of sound. Even if you are using 2 speakers, both speakers will produce the exact same track of sound. Pan/Panning: The term used to discribe moving a sound from one end of the stereo spectrum to the other. Pan far left means is completely in the left speaker. This guide also assumes that you understand how stereo panning works in general. Think of the slider or knob that you have on your stereo system that lets you move the sound from one speaker to the other and you'll get the basic idea here. ================================================================================ 04 - The Score Maker Pro Stereo Placement System I'll both explain what goes on with the stereo panning and also give you a simple ascii diagram of possible combinations of stereo placements you could have. If anyone discovers anything not in here and thinks it should be added, just email it to me at the address on the bottom of this guide. Balance is the key. Think of Yin and Yang :D. The designers created a system where each track is placed throughout the stereo spectrum to create an equal balance of sounds left and right. So that nothing is all on the left, or all in the middle, or all on the right; tracks are dispersed evenly throughout both sides so no two tracks occupy the same position in the spectrum. It may not be completely ideal, but if you know which tracks go where in the spectrum, then you can easily work around it and deliberately place instruments almost anywhere you want them. The stereo placement system basically places each track in a set position within the stereo spectrum. They way it decides what track to put where lies in the track order. Basically, the lower the track number, the more central the track placement. Notice how I used the word "lower" and didn't say "track 1 goes in the middle". If you don't use track 1 at all, then the next lowest track number will be the most central track. Again, notice that I said "the most central track" and not "in the middle". Another thing the system does is move lowest tracks around from middle pan to just outside of it depending on the total number of tracks used. This is basically to create an even balance of the total tracks in the spectrum. The key to this is if you have an odd number of tracks, then your lowest track will be in the center. Look at the ascii art for a visual explanation. But you might notice that you have all 8 tracks in use and still have your lowest track centered. The reason for this is because drum tracks aren't included as part of the stereo placement process. This is due to them having their own set of stereo placements for each specific instrument within the Drum Set, therefore already submitting itself into the stereo balancing that all tracks are succumb to. So if one of your tracks is a drum track, then the total number track included in the stereo placement process is one less than your actual total. In other words, if you used all 8 tracks with one being a drum track, then you will use the 7 channel configuration; if you used 5 tracks with one being a drum track, then you will use the 4 channel configuration; if you used 3 tracks with TWO drum tracks then you will use the 1 channel configuration. Whew... that's a little long winded, here's a quick re-cap. 1. The lowest most numbered track goes closest to the center 2. Drum tracks are ignored as part of the placement process; minus 1 to channel configuration 3. Odd number of tracks means lowest numbered track is in the center 4. Drum tracks cannot be used on track 1 I just thought I'd add that "no drums on 1" thing there for the sake of it ;). Anyway, here's the ascii art that more visually describes the stereo placement system. The numbers on the charts represent the position from lowest to highest, NOT the actual track number. So 1 is lowest. Basically, if you used just tracks 3, 5 and 8; then you would have the "3 Channels" configuration and track 3 would be in the middle, track 5 no the far left and track 8 on the far right. 8 Channels 7 Channels L7--5--3--1|2--4--6--8R L-6--4--2--1--3--5--7-R 6 Channels 5 Channels L5---3----1|2----4---6R L4---2-----1-----3---5R 4 Channels 3 Channels L3-------1-|-2-------4R L2---------1---------3R 2 Channels 1 Channel L--1-------|-------2--R L----------1----------R Notice that all the odd numbered configurations (on the right) have the lowest numbered track in the center and that the even numbered configurations (on the left) have the lowest numbered track sharing the opposite position as the 2nd lowest numbered track. If you think about it, this is just to balance it all out. That pretty much covers stereo placement 101. Use this information wisely, like putting bass tracks lower or placing 2 string tracks on opposite sides or something. I'm sure you'll think of a way to use this info ;). ================================================================================ 05 - Moving Channels around So you've got that perfect song, but you've used up all the tracks and can't move anything around? Well, actually you can. I'll do both a detailed and simple explanation. If I get anything wrong here, just email me at the address at the bottom and I'll update this guide. Lets correct that track order! This method just abuses the games ability to differentiate between copying tracks and copying notes. Most of you probably know about copying tracks. Its the middle bottom option in the track selection pop-up. BTW, canceling this option is just a matter of copying to same track. Anyway, you'll probably also know that this copy option is also present in the track editor (bottom left purple button, then left middle yellow button). Both these copy functions are independent of each other. This means, that you can copy an entire track via the "do re me type" (or track) editor, and still paste it after deleting the track you copied it from. You just need a track to paste it into ;). For both explanations, start at the track view screen (the one where you can see all 8 tracks and the instrument names, not the screen with the playback controls on the bottom). Skip to the short explanation if you know how to navigate the editor. *** PLEASE, PLEASE save your song before you do any of this. I hope I don't need to state how obvious that is to do. Also, I will not be held responsible if you delete a track and can't get it back. I've tested everything I've done here and it works fine for me. If I did however get a step wrong, then please email me right away at the address on the bottom of this guide and I'll fix it up asap. *** Here's the long of it (with menu explanations): 1. Select the track you wish to move and select the top left most option to get into the track editor 2. Make sure you're at the beginning of the track by holding L until you can't go back any further 3. Select the left purple button on the bottom of the screen then press the left yellow button under the green one in the pop-up menu 4. A new button will be highlighted green, press it and this will mark the start of the section you want to copy 5. The button will turn red, but don't press it yet; hold down the R button until the whole track is selected (you could go to bar 120 or just to the end of your song if its easier) 6. When you've reached the end of your selection, press the red button (it was green before) to mark the end of your selection 7. Now press the bottom right yellow button to exit this pop-up; DO NOT press the bottom left yellow button (that's the paste button that you'll use later) 8. Press the bottom right yellow button on the track edit screen to return to the track selection screen 9. Select the track you just came out of, and press the red button in the pop-up menu to delete it 10.Now that you have a spare track, move tracks around to your liking by copying them into the spare track and deleting the original; just make sure you don't do any copying and pasting within the track editor itself 11.Once you're happy with where the tracks have been moved to, select the new spare track you've made for the first track you deleted and select the top right option in the pop-up to choose the instrument 12.Select the same instrument as before and make sure that it brings you to the start of the track editor; if it doesn't, just hold down L until you get to the start 13.Select the left bottom purple button again, and this time just press the bottom left yellow button to paste in the notes you copied in steps 3-6 14.You've now successfully moved your tracks around! Have a listen to the song to make sure its in order; if it isn't then DON'T save the song, reload it and try again. Here's the short of it (without menu explanations): 1. Go into the editor for the track you wish to move 2. Copy the entire track from start to finish; do not paste the track anywhere and do not copy anything else in track editor 3. Go into the track view screen and delete the track you just copied 4. Begin to move tracks around by using the spare slot you've just created; don't worry about over riding the copy of notes you've done, its held separately 5. Once you've freed the track you want, create the track and assign the same instrument as before 6. In the track editor for the new track, simply paste your notes in that you copied in step 2 7. Done! ================================================================================ 06 - Update History 2005-03-27: Added more about drum tracks not included; re-worded to make it easier to understand. 2005-03-25: Guide created. ================================================================================ 07 - Acknowledgments This guide would not be possible without thanking the following: - PlayAsia; have always been great in importing games, highly recommended. - Nintendo; always ready to innovate and entertain with their products. - ndsart; a great new site dedicated to the DS, nice people there too ;). - Gamefaqs; for hosting this and providing an endless resource to gamers worldwide. - You; for reading this guide and therefore making it "useful"... to an extent anyway ;) ================================================================================ 08 - Contact Information If for any reason, you would like to contact me, send an email with 'Band Brothers' somewhere in the subject line to here: finalatomicbuster (at) hotmail (dot) com I can also be found lurking in the ndsart/ndsmusic forum and gamefaqs forum for this game.