Chiptune forum

A hard topic to think when you're composing is where are you going to output the sound. The sound chip offers three possibilities: left channel, center channel or right channel. There's no way to progressively change between each other (progressive panning), so it's important to decide which instruments will have each output. Or maybe it would be a good idea to change this as the song plays (O effect).

If you are not planning to change a concrete output during the song, set the output in the channel you prefer in the instrument editor (L for left, R for right, and LR for center). It is not a good thing to create two or three different instruments with different outputs unless you need them, as you will be taking precious blocks from the memory when saving. For example, if you need a lead which bumps from a channel to other constantly, it is not necessary to create two identical instruments with different output; it is enough to put an O effect when playing, or if you need the effect column for other purposes, what about creating a table? You would also get a nice surround effect! Let's see:
   

Left, I0B window. Right, I0B in action.

Here we have instrument I0B set to sound in the middle channel (OUTPUT LR), but then I have set it to be changing the output channel constantly (OL-, O-R, OL-, O-R...), so I will get a "bumping sound" effect without creating two different instruments. This effect sounds better with headphones, but it is quite nice without them indeed. You will probably get more professional results if you make your songs stereo (think that LSDJ is a very powerful tracker, designed to bring all the possibilities the GB sound chip offers).

Don't abuse of the stereo effect, it is better to have a "mono" song than having a crappy stereo song because of the bad use of the O effect.