Our circulating s3m files with JJ1 music are probably pretty bad. That's what I noticed and also that's what they clame HERE. I was wondering if converting the original psm files into .it files with OpenMPT is the best way to get a good quality soundtrack from JJ1?

Is it even better to convert it into j2b format? Is j2b a LOSELESS compression? If so, how can this be done? I don't see any option to convert it into j2b in OpenMPT... Neither I've seen any good JJ1 music pack on J2O, apart from the old one in s3m format with a bad quality. I've seen only some of the songs in j2b format but I'm afraid it is just the bad s3m file converted into j2b...


The other thing is music from other games, like Hocus Pocus. Ive seen only music from the first episode in a bad quality. Any way to get more?

Avoid J2B if you can. It's lossless in a sense, but only because module music is pretty much lossless by definition (if you disregard things like MO3). Just use other, more common and feature-rich file types like S3M, IT or XM.

Hocus's music is just midi files.

To improve the quality of a module file, there are many ways you can edit.

I'd like to write a tutorial on conversion - you will achieve surprising results that differ between each file type, but it will work to simply change the format in OpenMPT, Renoise or virtually any other cross-platform music tracker or sequencer.

Other than that, you can just edit the music directly to improve quality. For MIDI files, I recommend using a MIDI cable and an external synthesizer. You can't change the sound of the Windows MIDI synthesizer without breaking your PC, but you *can* apply edits and convert it to a module file, then save to make more edits.

A conversion to .it format is the best quality you'll get using OpenMPT(Since it can't perfectly open PSM files yet -- having said that, it's pretty close), although I'm not sure there's a better way to convert PSM files(At least, not without reverse-engineering Convert).

As for Hocus, you'll need some decent Midi samples for a high-quality conversion(Good luck with that).

Originally Posted by Stijn

Avoid J2B if you can. It's lossless in a sense, but only because module music is pretty much lossless by definition (if you disregard things like MO3). Just use other, more common and feature-rich file types like S3M, IT or XM.

So if you convert an original mod (it, xm, s3m etc.) file into j2b format the new file will still lose some quality (compated to original mod)? Why then so many people on J2O used somehow converted music (found mostly on Mod Archive) to j2b format, instead of it's original?

Also, if j2b sux, where can i find a good quality tracks from JJ2? The ones from Lori Central sux.

Originally Posted by incandescentembers

So if you convert an original mod (it, xm, s3m etc.) file into j2b format the new file will still lose some quality (compated to original mod)? Why then so many people on J2O used somehow converted music (found mostly on Mod Archive) to j2b format, instead of it's original?

Because it sounded the same on the galaxy sound system (the one jj2 uses, not plus), and you got a smaller filesize. Also, it was a way to make custom boss tracks.

There's a j2b converter. But please, don't use it.

J2b doesn't support several module effects, so converting modules to j2b is usually a terrible idea. I convert to mo3 (which is smaller than j2b, and doesn't screw up the track) if the module hasn't yet been used on j2o, and is a plus only level.

Anyone who finds a converted j2b should try to find the original. The unconverted JJ2 tracks were from the OEM versions, so the modules were probably betas, and some samples were improved for the retail release. Which is likely why the non j2b versions of the jj2 modules sound worse.

Epic's .j2b music was converted from .s3m, I believe (the JJ2 soundtrack is also available in .s3m, if I recall correctly) so you might have the most luck there.

As others have said, there's a J2B converter floating around (an official tool used by Epic, I believe), but if you're hoping to get the best quality possible, you definitely shouldn't use that.

http://www.jazz2online.com/jcf/showp...30&postcount=5

Here's my guide on converting to mo3. It's easy.

Sort of irrevelant, though I highly recommend converting to mo3 instead of j2b. I don't notice a difference in sound quality, given I don't try to compress the kbps.

Originally Posted by Black Ninja

As others have said, there's a J2B converter floating around (an official tool used by Epic, I believe), but if you're hoping to get the best quality possible, you definitely shouldn't use that.

I definitely don't care about that anymore, after all that info about j2b's quality.

Originally Posted by Treylina

http://www.jazz2online.com/jcf/showp...30&postcount=5

Here's my guide on converting to mo3. It's easy.

Sort of irrevelant, though I highly recommend converting to mo3 instead of j2b. I don't notice a difference in sound quality, given I don't try to compress the kbps.

What is the point though? My understanding is that lossy compression loses some data and you can't get it back from a file converted to that lossy format. So, for examples, if we don't have original tracks from JJ2, we only have compressed ones in j2b format, then we have no way of bringing back their high, original quality, right?

Originally Posted by incandescentembers

What is the point though? My understanding is that lossy compression loses some data and you can't get it back from a file converted to that lossy format. So, for examples, if we don't have original tracks from JJ2, we only have compressed ones in j2b format, then we have no way of bringing back their high, original quality, right?

There's a j2b to it converter.

http://www.jazz2online.com/downloads/3999/-/

However, I did use it on an unofficially converted j2b once and it came out even worse. gg. Maybe it'll come out okay if you try the official j2bs, though.

The point of compression is to save on the downloading times. It's very useful for big modules. Who knew?

I don't follow you.
Besides you can convert j2b to .it format with OpenMPT. I just doubt that converting j2bs back into .it brings back any higher quality. The same way you can convert MP3s (once converted from WAV) back to WAV format, but it won't get back it's original quality, it was lost once it was converted into MP3 and that file doesn't contain any information which could help bringing it back... Or maybe I'm confusing and wrong?

Theoretically, Alexander Brandon probably has the originals, so perhaps if there was a GOG re-release, he'd put up MP3s of all of it(Which would be playable in Plus), but that's probably as close as we'll get to anything better than the J2Bs(And even then, it's just a theory).

(Also, anyone ever notice that Dang.j2b would have quite possibly originally been called Dang.it?)

Nevermind, I think I found the original non-j2b versions on modland. There's one that says prerelease too, so those may be from the OEM versions, so I suppose these ones are from the final release? I don't guarantee it though, as I haven't downloaded them myself.

ftp://ftp.modland.com/pub/modules/Impulsetracker/Siren/
ftp://ftp.modland.com/pub/modules/Sc...ker%203/Siren/
ftp://ftp.modland.com/pub/modules/Sc...ren/coop-Hein/

That's a good find! There are indeed the original versions (not only OEMs like on Lori Central) and the date of creations of the files suggests that they are created before the j2b files of JJ2. The quality for sure is better than stuff from Lori Central but I don't know how to compare that to official music in j2b format.

Originally Posted by Treylina

Nevermind, I think I found the original non-j2b versions on modland. There's one that says prerelease too, so those may be from the OEM versions, so I suppose these ones are from the final release? I don't guarantee it though, as I haven't downloaded them myself.

ftp://ftp.modland.com/pub/modules/Impulsetracker/Siren/
ftp://ftp.modland.com/pub/modules/Sc...ker%203/Siren/
ftp://ftp.modland.com/pub/modules/Sc...ren/coop-Hein/

This is actually a really interesting find. I haven't had a chance to listen to all of these, but it certainly sounds like they're high-quality versions of the original music from the final release (from what I've heard).

What about the quality of the MP3s on loudr.fm? (These were the same ones they put up during the Humble Video Game Music Bundle thingy) They sound better than my s3m versions. I don't know anything about music formats and audio quality though.

http://loudr.fm/release/jazz-jackrabbit-1-2/mY3Kc

Originally Posted by Hare

What about the quality of the MP3s on loudr.fm? (These were the same ones they put up during the Humble Video Game Music Bundle thingy) They sound better than my s3m versions. I don't know anything about music formats and audio quality though.

http://loudr.fm/release/jazz-jackrabbit-1-2/mY3Kc

Eeww, the MP3 artifacts. Also the low quality samples are a lot more noticeable in the JJ2 tracks. Infact, some don't even seem to play properly (menu2.s3m is particularly noticeable, even if it's one of the more boring JJ2 tracks).

Infact, these jj2 tracks seem to be ripped from the OEM versions. This album is basically the worst quality you can find.

My earlier post has this thread covered.

Ah, ok. I'm just using my TV's speakers, so I am probably missing out.

Originally Posted by Treylina

Infact, these jj2 tracks seem to be ripped from the OEM versions. This album is basically the worst quality you can find.

I thought the OEM ones were higher quality, since they're pre-J2B conversion.

Originally Posted by Robo4900

Theoretically, Alexander Brandon probably has the originals, so perhaps if there was a GOG re-release, he'd put up MP3s of all of it(Which would be playable in Plus), but that's probably as close as we'll get to anything better than the J2Bs(And even then, it's just a theory).

(Also, anyone ever notice that Dang.j2b would have quite possibly originally been called Dang.it?)

Lori Central still has those, supposedly exclusively from Alex himself. One of the bonus and one of the boss themes are missing, but I think that's it. There's some unused ones, and some songs are in earlier stages of development than they are in the game. They may come from the OEM versions of the game, I'm not too familiar with those.

... Wow, good to know.
Any chance anyone has a prerelease version of FunkyG or the other Boss one, then? It would be nice to complete my HQ JJ2 soundtrack collection.