Music Project

ssjlance · Post by **ssjlance** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 7:14 pm

I may be a bit new to the forum, but I'd love to help! Just for reference, background would be Rock/Heavy Metal, Funk, and Blues music. Only problem I can think of is I'm a good bit younger than everyone else here (14 yrs.). I play guitar and I have a link of me playing Metallica's Enter Sandman here.

I say we have no neccesarrily *unified idea*, but we go for more of a Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon feel. Just the whole way the album flows together.

carlsson · Post by **carlsson** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 10:38 am

One suggestion how to go ahead with a project like this is that everyone create (compose) the start of the song on the VIC (use any software you find appropriate) and then in post-processing fade/merge it onto the other stuff your song will include. A few of the SID remixes start in this way, and at least I think it is a cute way to do it.

aneurysm · Post by **aneurysm** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 11:03 pm

i like that idea

Jaicen · Post by **Jaicen** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:36 am

Ok, i've seen/heard the future, and it is MEGADRIVER!!!

Heavy metal renditions of everyone's favourite Mega Drive songs, played on a Megadrive guitar! It don't get much better than this!

http://www.megadriver.com.br/sitev2.html

Schema · Post by **Schema** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:44 am

carlsson wrote:One suggestion how to go ahead with a project like this is that everyone create (compose) the start of the song on the VIC (use any software you find appropriate) and then in post-processing fade/merge it onto the other stuff your song will include. A few of the SID remixes start in this way, and at least I think it is a cute way to do it.

Neat concept. It would be interesting to hear the distinctive VIC sound morph into one of a dozen different genres.

But you mentioned SID remixes - why should the C64 scene have all the fun? Maybe we could each do a "remix" of some VIC game's theme, in whatever genre we prefer. Some genres would work better for different game tunes obviously, but I'm sure there's enough potential there for everyone to find something to work with.

carlsson · Post by **carlsson** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:05 pm

Frankly, I can't name many VIC games that have any significant amount of music in them. Short jingles in many cases, which was enough for Timo Raita's VIC-20 Remix in the mid-late 1990's. I also like the idea, but maybe we need to help eachother by compiling a list of games with music.

rork · Post by **rork** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 11:51 am

OK, I'm back. Quite hectic couple of weeks at work combined with my car being damaged by a basketball goal (can you believe that!?), and therefore having to deal with the insurance company, etc., etc.

What did I miss?

carlsson wrote:One suggestion how to go ahead with a project like this is that everyone create (compose) the start of the song on the VIC (use any software you find appropriate) and then in post-processing fade/merge it onto the other stuff your song will include. A few of the SID remixes start in this way, and at least I think it is a cute way to do it.

I like this idea! I've already started working on some music for this project. I talked to a buddy of mine and he agreed to join me. I jam with him on guitars from time to time, plus he has a pretty nicely equipped studio, which will help a lot.

He's one of the Atari people, but I'm slowly converting him to Commodore...

Do we have some kind of timeline for our efforts? Maybe setting up such would help actually realize the project; whad'ya think?

Oh, one more thing: is there some kind of software for VIC-20 that would actually let you play music on it? I remember this piece of software that I used with my C64. It worked with the music keyboard for C64, but it would also let you play with the regular keyboard as well. Does such a thing exist for the VIC?

carlsson · Post by **carlsson** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:05 pm

Live play? At least there are some Basic piano programs that has that option. Otherwise, we could write one. Preferrably a fast one in machine code that has options for vibrato, arpeggio etc. When it comes to sequencing, the two most versatile around would be VIC-Tracker and perhaps Fisichella.

ral-clan · Post by **ral-clan** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:07 pm

There is Sythesound by HES for live play.

On a side note: doesn't Synthesound let you choose waveforms, LFO and other filters? How can they claim that functionality with the VIC chip?

carlsson · Post by **carlsson** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:14 pm

Maybe they used the same instruction sheet as the C64 version? Envelope can be simulated with the volume register, as long as you're satisfied with all voices share the same envelope.

rork · Post by **rork** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:15 pm

carlsson wrote:Live play? At least there are some Basic piano programs that has that option. Otherwise, we could write one. Preferrably a fast one in machine code that has options for vibrato, arpeggio etc. When it comes to sequencing, the two most versatile around would be VIC-Tracker and perhaps Fisichella.

Yeah, that's what I meant; live play. I'll look something up.

I'll have to check those sequencers out, too.

So, who's up for writing that new piece of software?

carlsson · Post by **carlsson** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:19 pm

By the way, I just saw a loose Synthesound cartridge was sold on eBay a few weeks ago, ending at $5.50. In the end of November, someone else put up an empty box (no cartridge) for $1 (+ shipping $3) but got no bids. I wonder if the seller of the loose cart had bought the box, he would have received a higher bid on the complete package? Instruction sheet was missing in any case.

ral-clan · Post by **ral-clan** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:54 pm

I know I have the Synthsound instructions somewhere. I really should find them because it's impossible to use the cartridge otherwise.

rork · Post by **rork** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 1:25 pm

By the way, do you guys know this web site? It's C64, but still very interesting. I apologize if this is old news, but I just found out about it yesterday.

In case you haven't heard it yet, look up "Great Giana Sisters" by Machinae Supremacy. It's pretty awesome, I think. Just a little inspiration for the project, perhaps...