What Is ModPlug and How Does It Relate to OpenMPT?

ModPlug most often refers to the original ModPlug Tracker, a Windows music tracker written by Olivier Lapicque. OpenMPT (short for Open ModPlug Tracker) is the free, open-source continuation of that program, and it is the name you will see on the current software today. If you are looking for the modern, maintained version of ModPlug Tracker, OpenMPT is what you want.

The short answer

• ModPlug = the original ModPlug Tracker by Olivier Lapicque.
• OpenMPT = Open ModPlug Tracker, the free software based on that original code.
• They are the same lineage: OpenMPT is the successor, not a separate unrelated tool.

What OpenMPT actually is

According to the OpenMPT project, it is a popular tracker software for Windows. It is completely free and lets you create and play back music on your computer. It is based on the original ModPlug Tracker written by Olivier Lapicque.

Key points from the project's own description:

• It is free software.
• It can import a wide variety of module formats.
• It offers an intuitive, native GUI.
• It includes advanced features such as VST plugins and ASIO output.
• Besides its own song format, it can natively edit Impulse Tracker, FastTracker, Scream Tracker and ProTracker module files.

What a tracker does

A tracker is a type of music sequencer where you enter notes and effects into a pattern grid rather than playing them in live from a keyboard. OpenMPT is described as a step sequencer supporting many tracker module formats, so it fits this model: you build songs pattern by pattern, then play them back.

Formats you can work with

OpenMPT can natively edit several classic module formats:

It also has its own song format and can import a wide variety of other module formats.

Beyond the tracker: libopenmpt

The same project also provides libopenmpt, a cross-platform C++ and C module playback library. It is based on the player code of the Open ModPlug Tracker project and offers high-quality module playback on a variety of platforms. So even if you do not use the Windows tracker itself, the ModPlug/OpenMPT playback engine is available to other software.

How to decide what to use

• If you want to create or edit module music on Windows, use OpenMPT.
• If you only need to play back module files inside another application or on another platform, look at libopenmpt.
• If you have old ModPlug Tracker projects or habits, OpenMPT is the direct continuation to move to.

Common points of confusion

• "ModPlug" and "OpenMPT" are sometimes used interchangeably, but the maintained project is OpenMPT.
• OpenMPT is not only a player; it is a full editor for tracker modules.
• The free status and feature list above come from the OpenMPT project's own description. For current version numbers and downloads, check the OpenMPT site directly.