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TIGSource ForumsPlayerGeneralChiptunes
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Author Topic: Chiptunes  (Read 14237 times)
Matt
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« on: November 10, 2007, 09:22:02 PM »

People often mention chipunes and I find I don't know much about the genre.
Any recommendations of good artists or groups?
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Golds
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« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2007, 10:57:23 PM »

Here are a few...

The emissions releases: http://kaoz.org/ethos9/e9-rels.htm
cta-modules: http://chiptune.de/complete/cta-modules.zip
Monotik: http://www.mono211.com/content/releases/monomod.html
Blibb Blobb podcasts: http://blibbblobb.blogspot.com/
Galahad Net Label: http://gainlad.com/

As for a few artists: 8 Bit Weapon, Reed Richards, Virt..

Also, this is fun and kind of random.  A few years back, somebody took a bunch of commodore 64 game music and layered hip-hop vocals on top.  Check it out: http://netilium.org/~mad/markvii/

What's cool about that is top-40 hip-hop has started to embrace the SID chip/chiptune sound in actual mainstream production.  Timbaland is kind of notorious for this.  Witness timbaland's production on the latest 50-cent / Justin Timberlake single for some straight-out-of-sid-chip arpeggio backing:

« Last Edit: November 10, 2007, 11:11:32 PM by Golds » Logged

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« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2007, 10:59:41 PM »

Tugboat does some very nice work. (Try the songs that don't have "remix" in the titles.) And he has a very cheap CD you can order, which I recommend. (It does not include those songs with "remix" in their titles.)

I also like the free chiptune Christmas album on this page by 8bitpeoples.

Desert Planet is a Finnish group that I like. You can download some of their songs for free from their site.

Goto80 has some good songs, my favorite being Killer Piller (which you can download free from this page).

Of course, the ultimate collection of chiptunes is the High Voltage SID collection, which is ripped Commodore 64 music--probably enough to listen to continuously for the rest of your life (no exaggeration). You can find a list (and downloads) of some of the best (or at least most popular) on this page.

Many of my favorite chiptunes are MOD files. Naming specifics would make this post way too long.
« Last Edit: November 10, 2007, 11:05:30 PM by wourme » Logged
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« Reply #3 on: November 11, 2007, 12:25:16 AM »

I second Goto80.

II is a very neat "music label and community with a focus on unorthodox forms of 8-bit music yet prone to various other styles" that I've only just discovered. From what I've listened to so far, they're all pretty awesome.


Also making interesting music within the 8-bit limitations, I would recommend Bud Melvin.


And on a completely different note, if you're not afraid to die from extreme cuteness, I highly recommend YMCK. They're lovely!
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« Reply #4 on: November 11, 2007, 12:38:13 AM »

I quite often listen to http://www.kohina.com, oldschool game and demo music :-)

Wow, those chiptunes with hip hop vocals rock  :D I love that he's used the lyrics from old rap songd (Public Enemy etc)  Cool
« Last Edit: November 11, 2007, 12:47:48 AM by ColossusEntertainment » Logged
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« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2007, 04:24:47 AM »

Taking advantage of the oportunity...whats the easiest way to start fiddling around with chiptunes/creating them?

Best software and stuff ?
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« Reply #6 on: November 11, 2007, 07:35:47 AM »

Try finding songs from a Japanese group called YMCK. Those kick major ass!
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ithamore
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« Reply #7 on: November 11, 2007, 09:14:45 AM »

Vim: I've enjoyed pretty much everything he has released online. "Console Related Depression", his untitled release from 2002, and "Timecrunch" are good places to start. I just downloaded his 170+ tracker modules from 1993-2000, which has added a couple of extra hours to my playlist for the time being. I don't know why I didn't download them before, but it's a nice look into his past even if most of what I've heard so far has been less developed or mature than his post-millennial mp3s (I'm definitely going to do some pruning of the 170+). He has some releases at the previously mentioned netlabel Monotonik, and he had a nice release, Extended Loo Break, at 8bitpeoples.

There are some other nice artists listed in the Discography of 8bitpeoples. I like some of Nullsleep and Minusbaby songs, most of I, Cactus (the songs aren't pure chiptunes but in the spirit, and "Yellow Cactus was used as the background music for the Splume video; it's nice to hear truly indie music used in a way at least related to an indie game even if it's not in the game), Rugar's My Girl, The Princess sounds like music from a long lost NES game, and much of Yuppster's music influenced by video games and game sounds from the 80's amongst other things. Not everything at 8bitpeoples can be labeled as chiptunes, but all of it is trying to recreate sounds from the same era from which chiptunes are inspired.

I'll have to add some more info and links later.
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Golds
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« Reply #8 on: November 11, 2007, 09:22:47 AM »

Taking advantage of the oportunity...whats the easiest way to start fiddling around with chiptunes/creating them?

Best software and stuff ?

It depends on the style you're going for.  I know a lot of people who have success emulating analog-synthy, chippy sound in Propellerhead's Reason.  A few people in the TIGS comminuty are pxTone (Cave Story sequencer) aficionados.

If you want to do hardcore tracked music, there are editors for the .SID format, but the .MOD format seems to be popular for c64 style tunes.  Here's a list of trackers/sequencers for different platforms.

Try finding songs from a Japanese group called YMCK. Those kick major ass!

YMCK also makes a free AU/VST plug-in for making 8-bit music.

But anyway, I'm an amateur.  Other people here probably have better advice.  Wink
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Ivan
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« Reply #9 on: November 11, 2007, 10:03:30 AM »

Taking advantage of the oportunity...whats the easiest way to start fiddling around with chiptunes/creating them?

Best software and stuff ?

I'd say the easiest way of getting into them is FamiTracker.

http://famitracker.shoodot.net/

It's got a simple tracker-like interface and creates NSF chiptunes (the NES music format).
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« Reply #10 on: November 11, 2007, 11:21:38 AM »

Maniacs of Noise is awesome. Also, like Golds said, Reed Richards.

So many awesome groups here! I'll have to check 'em out some time.
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Matt
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« Reply #11 on: November 12, 2007, 08:00:57 AM »

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have to say I am impressed so far. The impressions I had received from friends and some write-ups of chiptunes was a genre languishing in nostalgia, but quite to the contrary I have found many of the suggested works inventive, well-crafted and fun.
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fish
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« Reply #12 on: November 12, 2007, 08:17:14 AM »

some of my favs:
Nullsleep,
BitShifter
6955 (Fez's music, that's him)
Anamanaguchi (playing at GAMMA)

if you're gonna be in the NYC area between nov29 and dec02, there's the 2nd annual BLiP fest going on. http://www.blipfestival.org/

im hitching a ride with some of the bands playing GAMMA on the 29th, and we're all going to BLiP, because, theyre playing there, and i need to meet with 6955, who's playing too.

its gonna be such great fun.

and yeah, since you're gonna be at GAMMA, you're gonna be hearing some of NYC's finnest; anamanaguchi and bubblyfish.
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Ivan
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« Reply #13 on: November 12, 2007, 12:39:49 PM »

All the peeps that are going to be in NYC for Blip, let's have us a good TIGSource drinking!
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Derek
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« Reply #14 on: November 12, 2007, 04:28:01 PM »

[offtopic] toastie, I Kiss your avatar [/offtopic]

I Kiss chiptunes, too!  Good thread.
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Ivan
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alright, let's see what we can see


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« Reply #15 on: November 13, 2007, 11:26:09 AM »


But no seriously, if anyone's in town, let me know. I'll take you to the divest bars you'll likely ever see.
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« Reply #16 on: November 13, 2007, 11:49:23 AM »

All the peeps that are going to be in NYC for Blip, let's have us a good TIGSource TIGERSauce drinking!

Fixed!
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Ivan
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« Reply #17 on: November 13, 2007, 11:55:57 AM »

It... It all just happened so fast... My mind is still coming to terms with this spicy new world.
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fish
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« Reply #18 on: November 13, 2007, 12:56:21 PM »

hmmm, seedy bars uh?
i will only go if you can guarantee me that they will be full of 1975 Debby Harry-lookin chicks who really really like french canadian nerds.
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Ivan
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« Reply #19 on: November 13, 2007, 05:04:23 PM »

Why do you think people go to these places?
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