A small selection from over 80 Acorn Archimedes !Tracker music modules I made back in the early 90s under the guise of BrokenARM Music which were recently rescued from a 30 year old hard disk... 

They were originally released in the early 1990s and made on a beta test copy of !Tracker by Fabrice Mercier on an Acorn Archimedes A-310 computer. !Tracker was essentially an Amiga Soundtracker clone but, unusually, it supported up to 8-channels with soft panning unlike its 4-channel hard-panned counterpart.  These are some of the earlier 8-channel Soundtracker music modules to be released on a home computer (Oktalyzer was released in 1989 on the Amiga). The modules comprise mostly of 8-bit samples from the infamous ST-01 sample library originally bundled with Karsten Obarski's infamous Ultimate Soundtracker in 1987 on the Amiga. 

First released in 1987, the Archimedes was the first commercial computer to feature the hugely successful 32-bit ARM RISC processor and featured 8-audio channels each with stereo panning in hardware.

The playlist includes a segued recording of some of my favourite sections of the sound track I wrote for the Archimedes game !Phaethon which featured over an hour of music.

 I was only 19 when I started making these music modules - it all had to start somewhere! :-]

Huge thank yous to Steve Harrison for writing a custom utility to help me to convert these modules from the original !Tracker format to ProTracker format.

BrokenARM: My Early 1990s Acorn Archimedes 8-bit !Tracker Modules...

An Amiga Protracker music module I wrote 30 years ago under the guise of BrokenARM Music for a game called !Phaethon on the Acorn Archimedes playing live out of one of my new prototype MODjack hardware Amiga module players in glorious 8-bit audio powered by a single AAA battery.

If someone was to tell me back in 1987, when Karten Obarski released his groundbreaking 4-channel 8-bit sample based Ultimate Soundtracker program for the Amiga, that one day it would be possible to play back my music modules on a single 8-bit embedded processor chip costing $1 running off an AAA battery using a playroutine written in C my jaw would have hit the floor.. but here we are now 37 years later thanks to Jarkko Lempiainen's nifty embedded playroutine and a world full of remarkably inexpensive little processors.

This is literally nothing but an 8-bit ATmega328P running at 16MHz and a bunch of resistors making up a 1R-2R DAC powered by an AAA battery from a high-frequency DC-DC convertor.. and it doesn't even sound at all bad.. TBH I'm pretty surprised.

The only downside is that the ATmega328P only has 32K of FLASH so you have to be a bit selective with the modules you can run on this thing..

I keep grabbing these things as convenient audio test sources so one day I might re-develop this concept for a wider audience using one of the new high performance embedded ARM processors.

Composition & Recording Copyright D.A.Wilson, Hideaway Studio 1993/2023.

MODjack: !Phaethon Interlevel (Tiny Amiga MOD Player on a 1/4" Jack)

Recently rescued from a 25 year old hard disk PL259 was an experimental progressive computer music module by BrokenARM Music (aka D.A.Wilson / Hideaway Studio). I made it in late 1990 on a beta test copy of !Tracker by Fabrice Mercier on an Acorn Archimedes A-310 computer and released in early 1991.  !Tracker was essentially an Amiga Soundtracker clone but, unusually, it supported up to 8-channels with soft panning unlike its 4-channel hard-panned counterpart. It is one of the earlier 8-channel Soundtracker music modules to be released on a home computer (Oktalyzer was released in 1989 on the Amiga).  The module comprises mostly of 8-bit samples from the infamous ST-01 sample library originally bundled with Karsten Obarski's Ultimate Soundtracker in 1987 on the Amiga.  Released in 1987 the Archimedes was the first commercial computer to feature the 32-bit ARM RISC processor and featured 8-audio channels each with stereo panning in hardware.

PL259 (Early 8-Channel Computer Music Module)

Recently rescued from a 25 year old hard disk Carnival was one of the first 8-Channel Sound Tracker modules I wrote at the age of 19 under the guise BrokenARM Music.  It was made on a beta test copy of !Tracker by Fabrice Mercier on an Acorn Archimedes A-310 computer in February 1991. !Tracker was essentially an Amiga Soundtracker clone but, unusually, it supported up to 8-channels with soft panning unlike its 4-channel hard-panned counterpart. It is one of the earlier 8-channel Soundtracker music modules to be released on a home computer (Oktalyzer was released in 1989 on the Amiga). The module comprises mostly of 8-bit samples from the infamous ST-01 sample library originally bundled with Karsten Obarski's infamous Ultimate Soundtracker in 1987 on the Amiga. Released in 1987 the Archimedes was the first commercial computer to feature the 32-bit ARM RISC processor and featured 8-audio channels each with stereo panning in hardware.

Carnival (Early 8-Channel Acorn Archimedes Computer Music Module)

Selected excerpts from the in-game music suite for the Acorn Archimedes game !Phaethon by BrokenARM Music aka D.A.Wilson / Hideaway Studio. released in 1993.  The game originally featured over 1 hour of original music written in !Tracker in 4-channel 8-bit audio which was essentially an Amiga Sound Tracker clone.

!Phaethon: Selected Excerpts (Acorn Archimedes In Game Music)

Recently rescued from a 25 year old hard disk ARMatWork was one of the first 8-Channel Sound Tracker modules I wrote at the age of 19 under the guise BrokenARM Music. It was made on a beta test copy of !Tracker by Fabrice Mercier on an Acorn Archimedes A-310 computer in February 1991. !Tracker was essentially an Amiga Soundtracker clone but, unusually, it supported up to 8-channels with soft panning unlike its 4-channel hard-panned counterpart. It is one of the earlier 8-channel Soundtracker music modules to be released on a home computer (Oktalyzer was released in 1989 on the Amiga). The module comprises mostly of 8-bit samples from the infamous ST-01 sample library originally bundled with Karsten Obarski's infamous Ultimate Soundtracker in 1987 on the Amiga. Released in 1987 the Archimedes was the first commercial computer to feature the 32-bit ARM RISC processor and featured 8-audio channels each with stereo panning in hardware.

ARMatWork was recorded directly off the unfiltered output of an Archimedes A3000 as the module was played in !Tracker.

Originally released 21.06.91.. the same year the infamous game Lemmings was released!

ARMatWork (Early 8-Channel Acorn Archimedes Computer Music Module)

The Awakening was an 8-bit 8-channel computer music module by BrokenARM Music aka D.A.Wilson / Hideaway Studio.. It was made in the early 1990s on a beta test copy of !Tracker by Fabrice Mercier on an Acorn Archimedes A-310 computer. !Tracker was essentially an Amiga Soundtracker clone but, unusually, it supported up to 8-channels with soft panning unlike its 4-channel hard-panned counterpart. It is one of the earlier 8-channel Soundtracker music modules to be released on a home computer (Oktalyzer was released in 1989 on the Amiga). The module comprises mostly of 8-bit samples from the infamous ST-01 sample library originally bundled with Karsten Obarski's infamous Ultimate Soundtracker in 1987 on the Amiga. Released in 1987 the Archimedes was the first commercial computer to feature the 32-bit ARM RISC processor and featured 8-audio channels each with stereo panning in hardware.

The Awakening (8-Channel Acorn Archimedes Computer Music Module)

One of my very first music compositions - sequenced, sampled and played back in glorious 8-bit audio on a 1987 Acorn Archimedes.  Originally released on the 10th January 1991 by BrokenARM Music aka D.A.Wilson / Hideaway Studio.

It was made on a beta test copy of !Tracker by Fabrice Mercier on an Acorn Archimedes A-310 computer. !Tracker was essentially an Amiga Soundtracker clone but, unusually, it supported up to 8-channels with soft panning unlike its 4-channel hard-panned counterpart. It is one of the earlier 8-channel Soundtracker music modules to be released on a home computer (Oktalyzer was released in 1989 on the Amiga). The module comprises mostly of 8-bit samples from the infamous ST-01 sample library originally bundled with Karsten Obarski's Ultimate Soundtracker in 1987 on the Amiga. Released in 1987 the Archimedes was the first commercial computer to feature the 32-bit ARM RISC processor and featured 8-audio channels each with stereo panning in hardware.

On A Knife Edge (Early 8-Channel Computer Music Module)

One of my very first music compositions - sequenced, sampled and played back in glorious 8-bit audio on a 1987 Acorn Archimedes. Originally released on the 22nd January 1991 by BrokenARM Music aka D.A.Wilson / Hideaway Studio.

It was made on a beta test copy of !Tracker by Fabrice Mercier on an Acorn Archimedes A-310 computer. !Tracker was essentially an Amiga Soundtracker clone but, unusually, it supported up to 8-channels with soft panning unlike its 4-channel hard-panned counterpart. It is one of the earlier 8-channel Soundtracker music modules to be released on a home computer (Oktalyzer was released in 1989 on the Amiga). The module comprises mostly of 8-bit samples from the infamous ST-01 sample library originally bundled with Karsten Obarski's Ultimate Soundtracker in 1987 on the Amiga. Released in 1987 the Archimedes was the first commercial computer to feature the 32-bit ARM RISC processor and featured 8-audio channels each with stereo panning in hardware.

A Race Against Time (Early 8-Channel Computer Music Module)

One of my very first music compositions - sequenced, sampled and played back in glorious 8-bit audio on a 1987 Acorn Archimedes. Originally released on the 27th September 1991 by BrokenARM Music aka D.A.Wilson / Hideaway Studio.

It was made on a beta test copy of !Tracker by Fabrice Mercier on an Acorn Archimedes A-310 computer. !Tracker was essentially an Amiga Soundtracker clone but, unusually, it supported up to 8-channels with soft panning unlike its 4-channel hard-panned counterpart. It is one of the earlier 8-channel Soundtracker music modules to be released on a home computer (Oktalyzer was released in 1989 on the Amiga). The module comprises mostly of 8-bit samples from the infamous ST-01 sample library originally bundled with Karsten Obarski's Ultimate Soundtracker in 1987 on the Amiga. Released in 1987 the Archimedes was the first commercial computer to feature the 32-bit ARM RISC processor and featured 8-audio channels each with stereo panning in hardware.

Nomen Luni (Early 8-Channel Computer Music Module)

One of my very first music compositions - sequenced, sampled and played back in glorious 8-bit audio on a 1987 Acorn Archimedes. Originally released on the 28th April 1991 by BrokenARM Music aka D.A.Wilson / Hideaway Studio.

It was made on a beta test copy of !Tracker by Fabrice Mercier on an Acorn Archimedes A-310 computer. !Tracker was essentially an Amiga Soundtracker clone but, unusually, it supported up to 8-channels with soft panning unlike its 4-channel hard-panned counterpart. It is one of the earlier 8-channel Soundtracker music modules to be released on a home computer (Oktalyzer was released in 1989 on the Amiga). The module comprises mostly of 8-bit samples from the infamous ST-01 sample library originally bundled with Karsten Obarski's Ultimate Soundtracker in 1987 on the Amiga. Released in 1987 the Archimedes was the first commercial computer to feature the 32-bit ARM RISC processor and featured 8-audio channels each with stereo panning in hardware.

The Long Haul (Early 8-Channel Computer Music Module)

One of my very first music compositions - sequenced, sampled and played back in glorious 8-bit audio on a 1987 Acorn Archimedes. Originally released on the 9th July 1991 by BrokenARM Music aka D.A.Wilson / Hideaway Studio.

It was made on a beta test copy of !Tracker by Fabrice Mercier on an Acorn Archimedes A-310 computer. !Tracker was essentially an Amiga Soundtracker clone but, unusually, it supported up to 8-channels with soft panning unlike its 4-channel hard-panned counterpart. It is one of the earlier 8-channel Soundtracker music modules to be released on a home computer (Oktalyzer was released in 1989 on the Amiga). The module comprises mostly of 8-bit samples from the infamous ST-01 sample library originally bundled with Karsten Obarski's Ultimate Soundtracker in 1987 on the Amiga. Released in 1987 the Archimedes was the first commercial computer to feature the 32-bit ARM RISC processor and featured 8-audio channels each with stereo panning in hardware.

On Safari (Early 8-Channel Computer Music Module)

D.A.Wilson is an Electronic Engineer, Sound Designer & Vintage Synth Specialist with a particular interest in combining vintage tube, classic analog and modern digital technologies working as a synth engineer looking after a very considerable amount of vintage studio equipment for Will Gregory (Goldfrapp / Moog Ensemble) and a number of other internationally celebrated electronic musicians and producers.  Having undertaken several major restorations and produced custom electronic designs for a number of major artists including Jean-Michel Jarre, Dani is also known for fully restoring two out of the world's four remaining 1979 Crumar GDS and partially restoring 1938 Novachord 346 (the only known operational Novachord in the UK) to playable order along with developing and producing the new Elfin family of 8-bit polysynths and the popular MIDI Front Panel Animator (FPA), Filter Defeat Module (FDM) and XD-280 Drive Emulator upgrades for the AKAI S612 sampler.

Demos of the S612 Upgrades in Action: 

https://soundcloud.com/hideaway-studio/sets/hideaway-studios-s612-front


Hideaway Studio Kontakt Sound libraries may be purchased directly from: 
https://www.lootaudio.com/category/kontakt-instruments/hideaway-studios
 

..and a nice introduction by Cory Pelizzari to the Hideaway Studio Kontakt Libraries:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-C7a3ChC9U&feature=emb_title


For more on releases from Hideaway Studio for Kontakt please visit the blog at:  www.hideawaystudio.net