Ripping a GBA soundtrack by Altissimo at 11:51 AM EDT on September 20, 2015
hello, I am new here and if this is better suited to a specific thread or something feel free to point me in the right direction. Anyway I am on a quest to eventually find someone who can help me rip a certain GBA soundtrack that doesn't use the Sappy engine. The game in question is Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Games and I don't know specifically which engine it does use, only that's it not Sappy. I'm trying to upload the soundtracks of the four localized Hamtaro games to youtube (because no one else has ever bothered) and while recording all tracks off my emulator worked fine for one of the games, I'm now at a wall because this game has an ambient soundtrack with many different songs and I don't know how many there are or what they're even called, which is why I want a rip just to be sure I have everything. I understand that without the Sappy engine this is a difficult task, but if anyone could help me with it - or point me in the direction of another person or forum who can - I would be super appreciative.
by birdmanager6 at 8:20 PM EDT on September 20, 2015
First of all, try loading the file into Audacity as an unsigned 8-bit PCM or as ADPCM at about 8000hz or so, and look through the data. If you find full songs, then it's streamed, so it can easily be ripped by splitting the data into the part with each song, and exporting the part as a WAV file. If you just get instruments, however, then I can't really offer any help. I don't know

This game might use the GAX engine. See if it's in the following list: http://pastebin.com/h2PSKQrf
If so, then I don't know how to extract it, but I just posted a similar request.
by Altissimo at 8:35 PM EDT on September 20, 2015
Hmm, I don't see it in the GAX engine list. I have a friend who's helping me check for the Krawall engine, but we haven't come to any conclusions so far.

I did try to load the ROM into Audacity and saw a distinctive part of the resulting audio block (whatever it was called) that was thinner than the rest of it, but it didn't really sound like anything recognizable. I can try again, though, but I don't know how much I might find out from trying again. :/
by Altissimo at 8:51 PM EDT on September 20, 2015
Oh, and if it helps any: the game was made by AlphaDream (the same company behind Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, which does use the Sappy engine).

Some other research shows that someone requested a rip of Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Games (and also Rainbow Rescue, which I also need to upload to Youtube still) here but as far as I can tell nothing ever came of that. Is unknownfile still around and ripping?

edited 9:48 PM EDT September 20, 2015
by MurraySkull at 1:47 AM EDT on September 21, 2015
Superstar Saga only uses Sappy for Mario Bros.
by Altissimo at 9:10 AM EDT on September 21, 2015
wow I don't know how that didn't even cross my mind. It'd explain the discrepancy.
by dj4uk6cjm at 5:00 PM EDT on September 21, 2015
I wish someone would decipher the other half of the engine M&LSS uses in case the game uses midis.
by birdmanager6 at 5:43 PM EDT on September 21, 2015
From what I recall, the non-Mario Bros. portion of the music uses a MODIFIED version of M4A "Sappy", but not the regular version of it. It's most likely the same engine used in most of Nintendo's other games, like Super Mario Advance 2-4.
But, yeah, someone SHOULD research that engine more, which probably does use MIDIs, as the normal M4A engine does. It's kind of surprising and disappointing that after about 10 years, we still only know how to rip one GBA sound engine.

edited 5:55 PM EDT September 21, 2015
by Altissimo at 6:16 PM EDT on September 21, 2015
and it doesn't include the games i want which is a sad fact indeed :p
by MindReader at 7:38 PM EDT on September 23, 2015
Someone needs to figure out the sound engine that Donkey Kong Country 3 uses. That soundtrack needs to be saved.
by RebeccaSugar at 5:52 PM EDT on September 26, 2015
@MR

DKC3's tracks have been ripped by SmartOne in another thread, the files are very low, about a 11300 sample rate in mono or something, still sounds better than it coming from the GBA though.
by MindReader at 8:54 PM EDT on September 26, 2015
@RebeccaSugar

I'd argue that !!!!!'s rip sounds better than that, but it would still be better to have GBAMusRiper support or something like that.
by TheUltimateKoopa at 9:26 PM EDT on September 26, 2015
@MindReader there's only ONE thing that I would be doing if we could rip them as MIDI files with soundfonts... we could apply panning to individual instruments/sections.

Full stereo versions of those would be awesome. The old E3 demos were stereo (although the audio files floating around are mono): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsWYtWu72O8
by birdmanager6 at 12:54 AM EDT on October 2, 2015
...and also the first two games as well. Seriously??? Nobody's getting cracking on any of this research? Even die-hard DKC fans? Yet they cracked the SNES trilogy's engine...
I know this sounds very sad, but I think M4A's probably the only engine we'll know about for at least 10 more years if nobody is interested in these sound drivers...

edited 1:01 AM EDT October 2, 2015
by Altissimo at 11:19 AM EDT on October 10, 2015
Is it possible to tell what engine a game uses just by listening (soundfonts, sound quality etc)? Because - this is back to my original question about ripping the Hamtaro track - I've personally uploaded a Youtube playlist with the entire soundtrack (recorded from emulator) of another game in the Hamtaro set that was also made by Alpha Dream and is unripped (implying a non-Sappy engine, just like the game I want ripped) and I was curious as to whether it might provide some clues toward the engine of itself and the game I want ripped.
by loveemu at 5:42 AM EDT on October 20, 2015
Hamtaro - Ham Ham Heartbreak [Tottoko Hamtaro 3 - Love Love Daibouken Dechu] GSF
* Ripped by Caitsith2.

Hamtaro - Rainbow Rescue [Tottoko Hamtaro 4 - Nijiiro Daikoushin Dechu] GSF
* Ripped on March 25 2015, not tagged yet.

Hamtaro - Ham-Ham Games [Tottoko Hamtaro - Ham Ham Sports] GSF
* Not tagged yet. I think I will never do.


edited 5:42 AM EDT October 20, 2015
by Altissimo at 11:00 PM EDT on October 20, 2015
Huh. I'll have to check this out over the weekend. Thanks!

edit: And then I checked it out tonight but how can I listen to the files? I downloaded Audio Overload, which should let me listen to them (I use a Mac) but it tells me it can't play them, even though it should support minigsf.
Forgive me if I'm being technically incompetent, I really don't know much about these kinds of things, I just wanted a rip of a soundtrack :V

edit edit: A friend using Winamp said she didn't have any success either :/

edited 11:12 PM EDT October 20, 2015

edited 11:15 PM EDT October 20, 2015

edited 12:00 AM EDT October 21, 2015
by kode54 at 1:26 AM EDT on October 21, 2015
On Mac, you may use either my fork of Cog:

https://kode54.net/cog/

Or you may use my builds of DeaDBeeF:

https://static.kode54.net/deadbeef_osx.zip
by loveemu at 8:27 AM EDT on October 21, 2015
Donkey Kong Country 3 [Super Donkey Kong 3] GSF

Edit: File replaced, for some reasons.

edited 10:37 AM EDT October 21, 2015
by hcs at 11:16 AM EDT on October 21, 2015
IPFS mirror (should be the replacement): Donkey Kong Country 3 [Super Donkey Kong 3] (2005-11-07)(Rare)(Nintendo).7z

and:
Hamtaro - Rainbow Rescue [Tottoko Hamtaro 4 - Nijiiro Daikoushin Dechu] (2003-03-23)(AlphaDream)(Nintendo).7z
Hamtaro - Ham-Ham Games [Tottoko Hamtaro - Ham Ham Sports] (2004-07-15)(AlphaDream)(Nintendo).7z
Hamtaro - Ham Ham Heartbreak [Tottoko Hamtaro 3 - Love Love Daibouken Dechu] (2002-05-31)(Pax Softnica)(Nintendo).7z

edited 11:27 AM EDT October 21, 2015
by Altissimo at 1:07 PM EDT on October 21, 2015
COG WORKS LIKE A CHARM THANKS THANKS I AM SO HAPPY YOU DONT EVEN KNOW
by ChillyBilly at 10:31 PM EDT on October 22, 2015
As long as this thread is addressing as-of-yet to be ripped GBA titles, I'd like to ask: Is it possible to rip any of Konami's Pocket Power Pro Kun GBA entries? I've been searching for rips of those for quite some time, but.... no dice. I'm also curious about Natsume's GBA Power Rangers titles, for that matter. I wouldn't mind taking a whack at ripping those games myself if I have the chance, but I'd like to know if ripping them is possible at all period, lol.
by SmartOne at 11:27 PM EDT on October 22, 2015
Not that I'm going to accomplish anything useful, but how do real people do reverse engineering? For example, is there free software that will disassemble a GBA binary? Like, is there free software better than this?:

http://pel.hu/armu/

Dynamically disassemble!:

http://problemkaputt.de/gba.htm

Interactive DisAssembler Pro exists, but it requires you to exchange currency for bits, or some crazy thing:

https://www.hex-rays.com/products/ida/index.shtml

A decompiler would be cool. Something tells me Donkey Kong Country 3 was written in C, so it might be easier to understand whatever a decompiler could deduce in C. Something doesn't tell me that Donkey Kong Country 3 was written in ARM/THUMB assembly.

http://www.arm.com/

David Wise, please release the studio version of the soundtrack. At least CD-quality. Yes, you can. Your fans will like you better.
by rebooter23 at 11:52 AM EDT on October 23, 2015
I would like to remind everybody that there are still no SF2/MIDI Versions of Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Zero Mission available.
by dj4uk6cjm at 1:31 PM EDT on October 23, 2015
Sheesh! I would love a midi rip of Metroid Fusion, I have used the android app VGBA to try and record some of the music in the game to midi in the past but it hasn't worked and I think the game uses a different engine so gbamusriper doesn't work either :( hope someone figures the format out soon.
by birdmanager6 at 2:54 PM EDT on October 23, 2015
@rebooter23
VGBA didn't record in MIDI, because the recorder only records the PSG channels.
by TheUltimateKoopa at 4:58 PM EDT on October 23, 2015
@rebooter23

Soneek did this 2 years ago.

edited 5:01 PM EDT October 23, 2015
by dj4uk6cjm at 5:58 PM EDT on October 23, 2015
Um lol I think you meant to direct that post to me @birdmanager6 and thanks TUK for the midi rip, didn't know soneek made one.
by TheUltimateKoopa at 6:57 PM EDT on October 23, 2015
I should also mention that it's not perfect. I don't think the percussion is ripped properly at all, for example.
by MarkGrass at 7:55 PM EDT on October 23, 2015
@TheUltimateKoopa - Many thanks for the reupload :)

@Soneek - Many thanks for the MID+SF2 rip of Metroid Zero Mission!
by dj4uk6cjm at 11:14 PM EDT on October 23, 2015
Was there a midi rip of Metroid Fusion by any chance?

edited 11:16 PM EDT October 23, 2015
by hcs at 3:18 AM EDT on October 24, 2015
IPFS mirror: Metroid Zero Mission.rar
by rebooter23 at 12:19 PM EDT on October 24, 2015
Wow Koopa, thanks! I used Google and couldn't find anything.

I second dj4uk6cjm. Any Metroid Fusion Midi Rip there?
by birdmanager6 at 5:23 PM EDT on October 24, 2015
Good news, guys! I managed to find a find a new program that rips MIDIs from Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga (except for the Mario Bros. music) today:
http://origami64.net/portal.php?page=2
Soundfont support isn't present yet, but it also includes support for Banjo Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge, with partially implemented soundfont. He should really release the source code.

edited 5:32 PM EDT October 24, 2015
by dj4uk6cjm at 8:36 PM EDT on October 24, 2015
Waaaahooooooooooooooooo!!!!! Yessssssss M&LSS midis!!! Thanks @birdmanager6 you are a godsend oh my gee I didn't know there was a converter out for this already :D its a dream come true lol am going to test this out immediately, hope it works. Thanks so much again.

Edit: Dammit...didn't see a way to convert anything to soundfont either but at least we have the midis now, that's what counts! Amazing how far VGM hacking has come. Hopefully this guy will get in touch with the author of gbamusriper and work on something for SF2 support in the future!



edited 9:12 PM EDT October 24, 2015
by robotortoise at 10:49 PM EDT on October 24, 2015
Awesome! Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga midis! We're one step closer to a static free soundtrack!
by hcs at 12:39 PM EDT on October 25, 2015
IPFS mirror: Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga Midis.7z
by MurraySkull at 7:59 PM EDT on October 25, 2015
Well, here are the Grunty's Revenge MIDIS:
https://www.mediafire.com/?loh02cpczv0plae
Still need a soundfont.
by RebeccaSugar at 8:04 PM EDT on September 10, 2016
Is this an appropriate thread to post the remasters? Yes, maybe?
These are for Superstar saga, Here I go!

Stardust Fields: https://mega.nz/#!aN01ETBB!_8RnJZpnHNN58DabiJYb1OLG0doOWP5Z2bT3epRzHc8

It has a different, less bass-oriented kick than the GBA version, the rest is pretty spot on though.

Chucklefuck Woods: https://mega.nz/#!mQUj0R5b!leUu0hTbjTEDYeDVTEh6Pz2YrgmpUEkBZVcz4H_OgnY

Woohoo Hooniversity: https://mega.nz/#!GcNkhSBK!enwfwegCLSXWdWt80Bmo5dra_r_jZbY1ds9T86RCjjI

Teehee Valley: https://mega.nz/#!HMEigZ4K!sD8u7ExHUL6E1IJcVYVKciUXLAM4p8TJdelS3rhqRAw

Sea Bed: https://mega.nz/#!GQNzAbYZ!ElBGROeMgEAEVn6ksCO7T-LQy95WcBwFsvDfJV2QmzQ

Joke's End: https://mega.nz/#!6ElwCbyb!MhRsbwjBJ4ZzSk-seweNYO7oTsM8Y9pxA_p6G4LyGEw

Victory: https://mega.nz/#!vJtjGZCL!ODo0lJJxFD4AvzN8DygN3393UWSwnYqAspNOXcfLeg0



Knowing the reputation of this site, I'm pretty sure you've all heard these before, but whatevs. Take 'em.
I also have some for MOTHER 3 if you guys would like them.
by Vector Harbor at 8:13 PM EDT on September 10, 2016
@RebeccaSugar

Awesome Remaster version !

I which you could do this for the rest of the soundtracks ^_^
by RebeccaSugar at 8:21 PM EDT on September 10, 2016
@Vector

Thank you vector! This was about a year ago though, I just never bothered to upload them, Unfortunately, I don't have the time to try to make a frankenstein soundfont either, or use FL Studio/Anvil to piece it together. I'm not too patient with these kinds of things.

I will keep it in mind though! Since I'm getting really impatient waiting for GAX/etc to be cracked! (:
by SatoMew at 3:17 PM EST on November 30, 2016
Hey guys, I need your assistance.

I attempted to rip the music from an English Pokémon Ruby ROM using saptapper. The result was a .gsflib file and .minigsf files with hex IDs ranging from 0000 to 01D3.

The problem is that neither Winamp or foobar2000 can play them. And yes, I installed the GSF player component on both players.

What am I doing wrong?
by yuegasuki at 6:14 AM EST on January 2, 2017
Could you rip midi from Card Captor Sakura?
Card Captor Sakura - Sakura Card-hen - Sakura to Card to Otomodachi
(Sakura Card Friends)

http://gsf.joshw.info/c/Card%20Captor%20Sakura%20-%20Sakura%20Card-hen%20-%20Sakura%20to%20Card%20to%20Otomodachi%20(2004-04-23)(-)(MTO).7Z

Translated by Google
Ripping Gba Non Sappy by KVega at 10:36 PM EDT on April 11, 2020
Hello for if anyone decides to respond. Is there a way to rip a GBA soundfont/midi for Chicken Little for the GBA and for Scooby Doo Unmasked for the GBA too?? I've tried countless times to find something but nothing at all within my efforts. Could anyone please help out? It would mean so much and put to rest my quest after 3 years of trying and giving up XD
by zenikat at 4:38 PM EST on November 10, 2022
I'm trying to rip the sound files from The Land Before Time GBA game but it doesn't use the sappy engine and i dont know how to just, extract and get the files themselves :(

edited 4:39 PM EST November 10, 2022
by marcoxD95 at 1:19 PM EST on November 30, 2022
From what I know, if a GBA game uses a own non Sappy sound engine, you are pretty much screwed since there are no extractors for it. Best you can get are low quality GBA sounding GCFs but no Midis or Soundfonts. So far I havent heard of a method to extract non Sappy game music but feel free to update me on this front.
by fedex1 at 6:59 AM EST on January 30, 2023
I would like to get updates as well if it will possible to get midi from a game that use a non-sappy sound engine in the future


Go to Page 0

Search this thread

Show all threads

Reply to this thread:

User Name Tags:

bold: [b]bold[/b]
italics: [i]italics[/i]
emphasis: [em]emphasis[/em]
underline: [u]underline[/u]
small: [small]small[/small]
Link: [url=http://www.google.com]Link[/url]

[img=https://www.hcs64.com/images/mm1.png]
Password
Subject
Message

HCS Forum Index
Halley's Comet Software
forum source