XM (standing for eXtended Module) is a popular module music file format, that was introduced in 1994 in FastTracker2 by Triton demo group. Akin to MOD files, it bundles both digital samples (instruments) and instructions on which note to play at what time (patterns), which provides good audio quality with relatively small file size. Audio is reproducible without relying on the sound of particular hardware samplers or synths.
This page hosts a formal specification of Extended Module using Kaitai Struct. This specification can be automatically translated into a variety of programming languages to get a parsing library.
All parsing code for Python generated by Kaitai Struct depends on the Python runtime library. You have to install it before you can parse data.
The Python runtime library can be installed from PyPI:
python3 -m pip install kaitaistructParse a local file and get structure in memory:
data = FasttrackerXmModule.from_file("path/to/local/file.xm")
Or parse structure from a bytes:
from kaitaistruct import KaitaiStream, BytesIO
raw = b"\x00\x01\x02..."
data = FasttrackerXmModule(KaitaiStream(BytesIO(raw)))
After that, one can get various attributes from the structure by invoking getter methods like:
data.preheader # => get preheader
# This is a generated file! Please edit source .ksy file and use kaitai-struct-compiler to rebuild
import kaitaistruct
from kaitaistruct import KaitaiStruct, KaitaiStream, BytesIO
from enum import Enum
if getattr(kaitaistruct, 'API_VERSION', (0, 9)) < (0, 9):
raise Exception("Incompatible Kaitai Struct Python API: 0.9 or later is required, but you have %s" % (kaitaistruct.__version__))
class FasttrackerXmModule(KaitaiStruct):
"""XM (standing for eXtended Module) is a popular module music file
format, that was introduced in 1994 in FastTracker2 by Triton demo
group. Akin to MOD files, it bundles both digital samples
(instruments) and instructions on which note to play at what time
(patterns), which provides good audio quality with relatively small
file size. Audio is reproducible without relying on the sound of
particular hardware samplers or synths.
.. seealso::
Source - http://sid.ethz.ch/debian/milkytracker/milkytracker-0.90.85%2Bdfsg/resources/reference/xm-form.txt
ftp://ftp.modland.com/pub/documents/format_documentation/FastTracker%202%20v2.04%20(.xm).html
"""
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.preheader = FasttrackerXmModule.Preheader(self._io, self, self._root)
self._raw_header = self._io.read_bytes((self.preheader.header_size - 4))
_io__raw_header = KaitaiStream(BytesIO(self._raw_header))
self.header = FasttrackerXmModule.Header(_io__raw_header, self, self._root)
self.patterns = []
for i in range(self.header.num_patterns):
self.patterns.append(FasttrackerXmModule.Pattern(self._io, self, self._root))
self.instruments = []
for i in range(self.header.num_instruments):
self.instruments.append(FasttrackerXmModule.Instrument(self._io, self, self._root))
class Preheader(KaitaiStruct):
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.signature0 = self._io.read_bytes(17)
if not self.signature0 == b"\x45\x78\x74\x65\x6E\x64\x65\x64\x20\x4D\x6F\x64\x75\x6C\x65\x3A\x20":
raise kaitaistruct.ValidationNotEqualError(b"\x45\x78\x74\x65\x6E\x64\x65\x64\x20\x4D\x6F\x64\x75\x6C\x65\x3A\x20", self.signature0, self._io, u"/types/preheader/seq/0")
self.module_name = (KaitaiStream.bytes_terminate(self._io.read_bytes(20), 0, False)).decode(u"utf-8")
self.signature1 = self._io.read_bytes(1)
if not self.signature1 == b"\x1A":
raise kaitaistruct.ValidationNotEqualError(b"\x1A", self.signature1, self._io, u"/types/preheader/seq/2")
self.tracker_name = (KaitaiStream.bytes_terminate(self._io.read_bytes(20), 0, False)).decode(u"utf-8")
self.version_number = FasttrackerXmModule.Preheader.Version(self._io, self, self._root)
self.header_size = self._io.read_u4le()
class Version(KaitaiStruct):
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.minor = self._io.read_u1()
self.major = self._io.read_u1()
@property
def value(self):
if hasattr(self, '_m_value'):
return self._m_value
self._m_value = ((self.major << 8) | self.minor)
return getattr(self, '_m_value', None)
class Pattern(KaitaiStruct):
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.header = FasttrackerXmModule.Pattern.Header(self._io, self, self._root)
self.packed_data = self._io.read_bytes(self.header.main.len_packed_pattern)
class Header(KaitaiStruct):
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.header_length = self._io.read_u4le()
self._raw_main = self._io.read_bytes((self.header_length - 4))
_io__raw_main = KaitaiStream(BytesIO(self._raw_main))
self.main = FasttrackerXmModule.Pattern.Header.HeaderMain(_io__raw_main, self, self._root)
class HeaderMain(KaitaiStruct):
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.packing_type = self._io.read_u1()
_on = self._root.preheader.version_number.value
if _on == 258:
self.num_rows_raw = self._io.read_u1()
else:
self.num_rows_raw = self._io.read_u2le()
self.len_packed_pattern = self._io.read_u2le()
@property
def num_rows(self):
if hasattr(self, '_m_num_rows'):
return self._m_num_rows
self._m_num_rows = (self.num_rows_raw + (1 if self._root.preheader.version_number.value == 258 else 0))
return getattr(self, '_m_num_rows', None)
class Flags(KaitaiStruct):
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.reserved = self._io.read_bits_int_be(15)
self.freq_table_type = self._io.read_bits_int_be(1) != 0
class Header(KaitaiStruct):
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.song_length = self._io.read_u2le()
self.restart_position = self._io.read_u2le()
self.num_channels = self._io.read_u2le()
self.num_patterns = self._io.read_u2le()
self.num_instruments = self._io.read_u2le()
self.flags = FasttrackerXmModule.Flags(self._io, self, self._root)
self.default_tempo = self._io.read_u2le()
self.default_bpm = self._io.read_u2le()
self.pattern_order_table = []
for i in range(256):
self.pattern_order_table.append(self._io.read_u1())
class Instrument(KaitaiStruct):
"""XM's notion of "instrument" typically constitutes of a
instrument metadata and one or several samples. Metadata
includes:
* instrument's name
* instruction of which sample to use for which note
* volume and panning envelopes and looping instructions
* vibrato settings
"""
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.header_size = self._io.read_u4le()
self._raw_header = self._io.read_bytes((self.header_size - 4))
_io__raw_header = KaitaiStream(BytesIO(self._raw_header))
self.header = FasttrackerXmModule.Instrument.Header(_io__raw_header, self, self._root)
self.samples_headers = []
for i in range(self.header.num_samples):
self.samples_headers.append(FasttrackerXmModule.Instrument.SampleHeader(self._io, self, self._root))
self.samples = []
for i in range(self.header.num_samples):
self.samples.append(FasttrackerXmModule.Instrument.SamplesData(self.samples_headers[i], self._io, self, self._root))
class Header(KaitaiStruct):
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.name = (KaitaiStream.bytes_terminate(self._io.read_bytes(22), 0, False)).decode(u"utf-8")
self.type = self._io.read_u1()
self.num_samples = self._io.read_u2le()
if self.num_samples > 0:
self.extra_header = FasttrackerXmModule.Instrument.ExtraHeader(self._io, self, self._root)
class ExtraHeader(KaitaiStruct):
class Type(Enum):
true = 0
sustain = 1
loop = 2
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.len_sample_header = self._io.read_u4le()
self.idx_sample_per_note = []
for i in range(96):
self.idx_sample_per_note.append(self._io.read_u1())
self.volume_points = []
for i in range(12):
self.volume_points.append(FasttrackerXmModule.Instrument.ExtraHeader.EnvelopePoint(self._io, self, self._root))
self.panning_points = []
for i in range(12):
self.panning_points.append(FasttrackerXmModule.Instrument.ExtraHeader.EnvelopePoint(self._io, self, self._root))
self.num_volume_points = self._io.read_u1()
self.num_panning_points = self._io.read_u1()
self.volume_sustain_point = self._io.read_u1()
self.volume_loop_start_point = self._io.read_u1()
self.volume_loop_end_point = self._io.read_u1()
self.panning_sustain_point = self._io.read_u1()
self.panning_loop_start_point = self._io.read_u1()
self.panning_loop_end_point = self._io.read_u1()
self.volume_type = KaitaiStream.resolve_enum(FasttrackerXmModule.Instrument.ExtraHeader.Type, self._io.read_u1())
self.panning_type = KaitaiStream.resolve_enum(FasttrackerXmModule.Instrument.ExtraHeader.Type, self._io.read_u1())
self.vibrato_type = self._io.read_u1()
self.vibrato_sweep = self._io.read_u1()
self.vibrato_depth = self._io.read_u1()
self.vibrato_rate = self._io.read_u1()
self.volume_fadeout = self._io.read_u2le()
self.reserved = self._io.read_u2le()
class EnvelopePoint(KaitaiStruct):
"""Envelope frame-counters work in range 0..FFFFh (0..65535 dec).
BUT! FT2 only itself supports only range 0..FFh (0..255 dec).
Some other trackers (like SoundTracker for Unix), however, can use the full range 0..FFFF, so it should be supported.
!!TIP: This is also a good way to detect if the module has been made with FT2 or not. (In case the tracker name is brain- deadly left unchanged!)
Of course it does not help if all instruments have the values inside FT2 supported range.
The value-field of the envelope point is ranged between 00..3Fh (0..64 dec).
"""
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.x = self._io.read_u2le()
self.y = self._io.read_u2le()
class SamplesData(KaitaiStruct):
"""The saved data uses simple delta-encoding to achieve better compression ratios (when compressed with pkzip, etc.)
Pseudocode for converting the delta-coded data to normal data,
old = 0;
for i in range(data_len):
new = sample[i] + old;
sample[i] = new;
old = new;
"""
def __init__(self, header, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self.header = header
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.data = self._io.read_bytes((self.header.sample_length * (2 if self.header.type.is_sample_data_16_bit else 1)))
class SampleHeader(KaitaiStruct):
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.sample_length = self._io.read_u4le()
self.sample_loop_start = self._io.read_u4le()
self.sample_loop_length = self._io.read_u4le()
self.volume = self._io.read_u1()
self.fine_tune = self._io.read_s1()
self.type = FasttrackerXmModule.Instrument.SampleHeader.LoopType(self._io, self, self._root)
self.panning = self._io.read_u1()
self.relative_note_number = self._io.read_s1()
self.reserved = self._io.read_u1()
self.name = (KaitaiStream.bytes_terminate(self._io.read_bytes(22), 0, False)).decode(u"utf-8")
class LoopType(KaitaiStruct):
class LoopType(Enum):
none = 0
forward = 1
ping_pong = 2
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.reserved0 = self._io.read_bits_int_be(3)
self.is_sample_data_16_bit = self._io.read_bits_int_be(1) != 0
self.reserved1 = self._io.read_bits_int_be(2)
self.loop_type = KaitaiStream.resolve_enum(FasttrackerXmModule.Instrument.SampleHeader.LoopType.LoopType, self._io.read_bits_int_be(2))