WIP Pastebin:
>What is a tracker?
Trackers are lightweight production software primarily used by hobbyist musicians before consumer electronics could handle modern DAWs.
The most basic trackers trigger sampled instruments following user-input placed along a vertical timeline.
Trackers have evolved greatly, and many free and commercial trackers, fitting various niches, are available to modern musicians.
>What kind of music is made in a tracker?
Trackers are a medium, not a genre.
Many styles have been explored by tracker musicians throughout the years, from chiptune to metal.
>Where can I find examples of tracker music?
There are many online collections of tracker modules, or song files.
One of the biggest is the Mod Archive, located at modarchive.org/
In order to play a module, one can either open it in a compatible tracker, or use a module player such as XMPlay, found here support.xmplay.com/
>I want to compose tracker music. Where should I start?
It is highly recommended that one start with one of the many available, free trackers.
Some of the most beginner friendly and well documented trackers include FamiTracker, MilkyTracker, and SunVox.
Tutorials for almost all trackers are readily available on YouTube or elsewhere online.
>What kinds of trackers are available and how are they different from one another?
All trackers have their own unique quirks. An exhaustive list would be quite long, but some of the major ones include:
MilkyTracker - rather straightforward "vanilla" tracker
FamiTracker - emulates the NES/Famicom sound chip
LSDj - runs on an original GameBoy or in an emulator
SunVox - includes a modular soft-synth system, very cross-platform including mobile
ModPlug Tracker - supports VST plugins and a large amount of module formats
Renoise - not free, but debatably the most "powerful" tracker, with great sampler capabilities and plugin support
Feel free to experiment to determine which fit your workflow or desired sound the best.