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I have some very old audio files from an old DOS game, which are in oktalyzer (.okt) format. I don't know much about the octalyzer format so I'm not sure what these are based on, though, when played through WinAmp, it seems as if they are playing over MIDI, although, it's quite possible that they use a software based sampler.

Anyhow, I would like to convert them to MIDI format so that I can import them into a digital audio workstation for editing.

Is this possible, and if so, can anyone offer me advice on how to do this?

Matthew Layton
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3 Answers3

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I would like to convert oktalyzer (.okt) to MIDI format

You could try Awave Studio:

Awave Studio is a multi-purpose audio tool that reads a veritable host of audio carrying file formats from different platforms, synthesizers, trackers, et c. It can be used in a variety of ways — as a file format converter, as an audio editor, or as a synthesizer instrument editor.

...

.OKT - Oktalyzer modules

Features:

8-bits, mono, loop, name, collection.

Supported by:

Awave Studio (read only).

...

.MID - Standard MIDI files

This program supports two types of standard MIDI files 'format 0' and 'format 1'. Which one will be used when you save depends on what format the source data is - see the format info in the MIDI song properties dialog.

Format 0 has all data for all channels stored in a single track. This is the most portable format.

Format 1 has the data for each channel separated into it's own track. There is also an extra track (the first one) that contains 'control information' (e.g. tempo changes). This is the format most often used by sequencers and is the format that we recommend.

Format 2 is used to store temporally disjoint 'sequences' in different tracks. This format is seldom used and may not be correctly handled by this program.

Hint: You can use the MIDI processing wizard to convert from format 1 to format 0 or vice versa.

Features:

MIDI song data.

Supported by:

Awave Studio (read + write).

Source: Awave Studio

It runs on Windows 11 / 10 / 8 / 7 / Vista and there is a free shareware version with a few limitations:

Limitations of the trial version:

  • 30-day trial time limit.
  • After saving a file, you must restart before you can save again.
  • You can save waveforms and single instruments, but not instrument collections.

You can buy the full version for €80 / $90.

DavidPostill
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Yes and No

Yes! You absolutely can but there are some caveats.

MIDI Files

MIDI files contain instructions, messages and information about notes.

Like sheet music. So audio devices with synthesizer capabilities (or actual instruments with MIDI support) can recreate an approximation of what the music was supposed to sound like.

MIDI files contain no actual samples (recorded) audio data. Just instructions.

Which is the reason why MIDI files can sound very different depending on equipment synthesizer/playback hardware/firmware revisions etc.

Oktalyzer Modules

Oktalyzer files are one of MANY different Amiga Tracker Module formats.

Tracker Modules contain their own equivalents of most (if not all) features supported by MIDI files.

They also contain actual recorded audio samples. Tiny clips of things like drums, voice clips, piano, guitar, bass, what ever you could want.

Many tracker formats also have instructions used to modify/tweak each audio sample in real-time during playback. Stuff like pitch changes, volume ramps, playback loops, reversed playback, etc.

So one single sample could potentionally be made to sound very different each time it's referenced in a track.

Every time each of those tiny clips are played back, they can be changed in real-time. All according to instructions saved in the module.

Conclusion

It would be a lot of work (if not impossible) to make it sound anything close to the original by using just MIDI.

You could extract, upsample, filter, and convert each of those old samples to MAYBE sound ALMOST good enough for use in modern projects.

Possible Best Bet?

Have you heard of MilkyTracker?

It is a free Tracker program. Very similar in functionality to many Amiga Trackers. Including playback, editing, import/export of samples, etc.

It supports LOADS of different formats including (but not limited to):

  • Oktalyzer Mods
  • Amiga Samples
  • Even MIDI files

It also comes with support for modern stuff like wav and mp3.

It looks a bit dated and clunky compared to modern offerings, but is written to run on more modern hardware/software platforms.

I've personally used it both in Windows and on Linux, and It WILL let you interpolate/filter audio, and also export samples to wav, or edit mods before exporting mod playback to wav/mp3/etc.

svin83
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One way is to use a program to record what your computer is playing.

Search on Google for "record what you hear"; this does exactly that - it will allow your PC to record all the sounds the PC makes.

Here is an example with Audacity (free software, Google it). From Audacity you can save to any file format it offers (wav, mp3 etc).

The issue with this is, if for example whilst recording "what you hear" if a notification sound is played (such as new email) then you will record this sound as well and will have to restart.

Of course, you also need to have the appropriate drivers installed to give you this option. It's more tricky with Vista + but you didn't mention your OS.

Any way, after this, you now have a wav/mp3 file. Now, search Google for "wav to midi" or "mp3 to midi" and see the options, download/pay for one and convert it! This video may help but I can't test it.

Dave
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