pouët.net

final release in the 2.x series of soundtracker.
2.0 was released by mark langerak a.k.a. the exterminator/jungle command.
2.2 was released by michael kleps a.k.a. unknown/d.o.c. (this version introduced the M.K. string)
2.3 through 2.6 were released by mnemotron/spreadpoint.

soundtracker 2.0 was based on the original 1.21 by karsten obarski.
2.4 was apparently based on both soundtracker 2.2 by unknown/d.o.c. and master soundtracker 1.0 by tip/prophets, which in turn was based on doc soundtracker 9 by unknown/d.o.c...

anyway, unfortunately quite soon after soundtracker 2.4 was released (29th july 1989), mahoney & kaktus came up with noisetracker 1.0 (august 1989), which was based on soundtracker 2.3 but boasted a great number of improvements. mnemotron even added some noisetracker features into soundtracker 2.5, but unfortunately mahoney & kaktus were again one step ahead by releasing noisetracker 2.0 around the same time as soundtracker 2.5 came out, and that pretty much marked the end of soundtracker.

oh, i forgot: one of the more interesting features of soundtracker 2.6 was the sub-patterns, an idea which didn't really catch fire in other trackers... quote from the documentation of icetracker v1.1:

"This idea was initialy implemented by MnemoTroN/Spreadpoint in his SoundTracker v2.6 (The last one he did I've been told, a pity, as he and Mahoney & Kaktus/Northstar made a great impact on the SoundTracker in it's various incarnations). Basically now a pattern instead of being made up of 4 joined tracks (ie: Channels 1,2,3 and 4 were previously classed as one pattern) are now individual sub-patterns in themselves, that is that now it is possible to independantly call up a single sub-pattern to repeat on a certain track (ie: the main beat, for example) without constantly copying it into every 4-track pattern as was previously required."

nope, he did soundtracker 2 not 2.0. The soundtracker history is more complex than a soap ;) I've seen one laying around on the web but it contains several mistakes.

well, the program itself says "soundtracker II" but the documentation signed by the exterminator himself says "soundtracker v2.0". go figure :)

it's complex alright, the docs for the different versions say the following:

- soundtracker v1.0 - copyrights: karsten obarski

- soundtracker v2.0 - copyrights: the jungle command. coding: the exterminator. release date: 1-march-1988. history: v2.0 is based on the original v1.21 version by karsten obarski.

- soundtracker v3.0 - written by: karsten obarski. first editor: the exterminator. second editor: il scuro!. release date: 13-march-1988. history: later edited by the exterminator, and at last completed by il scuro.

- soundtracker v4.0 - written by: karsten obarski. first editor: the exterminator. second editor: il scuro!. third editor: d.o.c. fourth editor: alpha flight (fdt for afl). release date: 7-april-1988. history: later edited by the exterminator, then completed by il scuro and last by doc with their equalizer, but without tempo setting!!!
(i'm guessing that the d.o.c. soundtracker was released prior to afl's soundtracker, that would explain fdt's comments here)

- soundtracker V - update: 9-april-1988. copyrights: doctor mabuse orgasm crackings. coding: unknown. instructions: the jungle command / modified by d.o.c (+corrected).

- soundtracker VI - update: 20-april-1988. copyrights: doctor mabuse orgasm crackings. coding: unknown. instructions: the jungle command / modified by d.o.c (+corrected).

- soundtracker IX - update: july-1988 (19th july '88). update done by: d.o.c (modified by x-rayz to work with a500's). instructions: doctor mabuse of d.o.c / based on j.c.-instruct. for old st.

then there's also d.o.c soundtracker v2.0, of which i have no documentation, but the program itself says:
- d.o.c soundtracker v2.0 - 1st coder: karsten obarski. 2st coder: exterminator/tjc. 3rd coder: unknown/d.o.c. 4th coder: tip/tnm. 5th coder: unknown/d.o.c.
maybe this is actually what's being referred to as "soundtracker v2.2"? at least it has to have been released after tip's "master soundtracker".

actually, it's not... i do have docs for v2.2, and they say the following:
- d.o.c soundtracker 2.2 - update: dezember 1988. update done by: unknown of doctor mabuse orgasm crackings (d.o.c). instructions: tracer and unknown of d.o.c / based on j.c.-instructions. note: this soundtracker is based on the mastersoundtracker v1.0 by tip/agents.

the v2.2 executable says that the new features in this version are "directory sort, new equalizer colors, and a new d.o.c address" :D

whatever!

hahaha ;) yes... whatever! ;)

reed: no, you forgot several important versions, and since the ruthless thought police said *halt* i won't extend it here.

i never said i mentioned ALL of them... don't patronise me :)

my bad, for a couple of minutes i thought you were deeply interested by the exhumation of the early history of soundtracker.

;)

oh i am, those were just the ones i happen to actually have lying around ;)

unfortunately it seems like i can't get my hands on tip's master soundtracker for example... any chance you could fill me in here?

sure

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/franck.charlet/Soundtrackers.rar

great... got it, cheers mate :)

Soundtrackers have been like packers.
Each group had own modifications.

best demotool series :)

It was my 8-bit home studio :)
<3

Didn't we all play around with the various sound/noise/protrackers at least once in our life? :D Thumb up also for the Romeo Knight song on the screenshot that also inspired a lot of other musicians later. :)

I second rez :)

yeah!! still one of THE Trackers !!

perhaps because 2.4 was relased on TIJR, soundtracker will always be ... well, shit, I just love it.

da bomb

incidentally the much later Chiptracker also used the sub-patterns idea.

Cool. I never stumbled into 2.6 because of noisetracker 2.0...

i used to have this! i made a few tunes on it.. couldn't use them in anything though, format was incompatible :(