Sustainability of Digital Formats: Planning for Library of Congress Collections

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Module Music Formats (Mods)

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Format Description Properties Explanation of format description terms

Identification and description Explanation of format description terms

Full name Module Music Formats (Mods)
Description A group of digital music file types produced by a variety of software applications called trackers. Mod files include sequencing information (similar to MIDI_SD) and waveform samples (generally PCM audio), and may be compared to XMF_1_0 files. Information about a variety of mod formats was provided through 2009 at http://pipin.tmd.ns.ac.yu/extra/fileformat/modules/index.htm; several mod file types are enumerated in File type signifiers, below.
Production phase May be used by composers or arrangers for initial-state activities, in middle-state exchange of data or archiving, or for final-state, end-user delivery.

Local use Explanation of format description terms

LC experience or existing holdings None
LC preference See the Library of Congress Recommended Formats Statement for format preferences for audio works

Sustainability factors Explanation of format description terms

Disclosure Little or no documentation.
    Documentation None located at this time.
Adoption Various types of mods are encountered on the web. One commentator writes, "Mods are extremely popular in the demo world and offer a way of making music of an acceptable level of quality rather cheaply."
    Licensing and patents None investigated by the compilers of this document.
Transparency Unknown; may be relatively transparent.
Self-documentation Unknown.
External dependencies See MIDI_SD and DLS_1_1b.
Technical protection considerations None known to the compilers of this document.

Quality and functionality factors Explanation of format description terms

Sound
Normal rendering Good support
Fidelity (high audio resolution) Not applicable; fidelity depends upon the performance of external hardware and software.
Multiple channels [Same as MIDI_SD ?]
Support for user-defined sounds, samples, and patches Yes
Functionality beyond normal rendering Not investigated at this time

File type signifiers and format identifiers Explanation of format description terms

Tag Value Note
Filename extension 669
amf
dmf
far
it
med
mod
mt2
mtm
okt
s3m
stm
ult
wow
xm
From the list of extensions and associated tracker programs originally at www.modplug.com and as of late 2013 at resources.openmpt.org/modfaq.

Additional signifier information for some mod types is provided in the following three-row sets.

Tag Value Note
Filename extension 669
From the list of extensions and associated tracker programs at resources.openmpt.org.
Internet Media Type application/playerpro
For 669 (669 Tracker Module), from The File Extension Source.
Magic numbers Hex: 4A 4E
ASCII: JN
Hex: 69 66
ASCII: if
For 669 (669 Tracker Module), from The File Extension Source.
Tag Value Note
Filename extension dmf
From the list of extensions and associated tracker programs at resources.openmpt.org.
Internet Media Type Not found.  Comments welcome.   
Magic numbers Hex: 44 44 4D 46
ASCII: DDMF
For dmf (Delusion/XTracker Digital Music File), from The File Extension Source.
Tag Value Note
Filename extension far
From the list of extensions and associated tracker programs at resources.openmpt.org.
Internet Media Type Not found.  Comments welcome.   
Magic numbers Hex: 46 41 52 FE
ASCII: FAR
For far (Farandoyle Tracker Music Module), from The File Extension Source.
Tag Value Note
Filename extension it
From the list of extensions and associated tracker programs at resources.openmpt.org.
Internet Media Type audio/it
For it (Impulse Tracker Music Module), from The File Extension Source.
Magic numbers Hex: 49 4D 50 4D
ASCII: IMPM
For it (Impulse Tracker Music Module), from The File Extension Source.
Tag Value Note
Filename extension med
From the list of extensions and associated tracker programs at resources.openmpt.org.
Internet Media Type application/soundapp
audio/med
audio/x-mod
For med (Amiga MED/OctaMED Tracker Module Sound File), from The File Extension Source.
Magic numbers Hex: 4D 4D 44
ASCII: MMD
For med (Amiga MED/OctaMED Tracker Module Sound File), from The File Extension Source.
Tag Value Note
Filename extension mtm
From the list of extensions and associated tracker programs at resources.openmpt.org.
Internet Media Type Not found.  Comments welcome.   
Magic numbers Hex: 4D 54 4D
ASCII: MTM
For mtm (MultiTracker Music Module), from The File Extension Source.
Tag Value Note
Filename extension okt
From the list of extensions and associated tracker programs at resources.openmpt.org.
Internet Media Type application/soundapp
For okt (Oktalyzer Tracker Module), from The File Extension Source.
Magic numbers Hex: 4F 4B 54 41 53 4F 4E 47 43 4D 4F 44
ASCII: OKTASONGCMOD
For okt (Oktalyzer Tracker Module), from The File Extension Source.
Tag Value Note
Filename extension s3m
From the list of extensions and associated tracker programs at resources.openmpt.org.
Internet Media Type audio/s3m
audio/x-s3m
For s3m (ScreamTracker v3 Sound File), from The File Extension Source.
Magic numbers Hex (position 25): 00 00 00 1A 10 00 00
For s3m (ScreamTracker v3 Sound File), from The File Extension Source.
Tag Value Note
Filename extension xm
From the list of extensions and associated tracker programs at resources.openmpt.org.
Internet Media Type audio/xm
audio/x-xm
audio/module-xm
audio/mod
audio/x-mod
For xm (Fast Tracker 2 Extended Module), from The File Extension Source.
Magic numbers Hex: 45 78 74 65 6E 64 65 64 20 6D 6F 64 75 6C 65 3A 20
ASCII: Extended module:
For xm (Fast Tracker 2 Extended Module), from The File Extension Source.

Notes Explanation of format description terms

General  
History  

Format specifications Explanation of format description terms


Useful references

URLs


Last Updated: 05/01/2023