“1-bit 2-channels CHIPTUNES – new MISTER BEEP’s ZX Spectrum album”
Hi there.
A new micromusic album appeared.
http://berlin_hq.micromusic.net/bhack.html
http://milkcrate.com.au/berlinhq/BHQ003.zip (direct URL)
Tracklist:
01. MISTER BEEP – Horace’s Adventure
02. MISTER BEEP – The 90s have never come here!
03. MISTER BEEP – Binary Universe
04. MISTER BEEP – Press the corresponding number
05. MISTER BEEP – The game is over
06. MISTER BEEP – Romantic Central Processing Unit
07. MISTER BEEP – Pacman will eat you alive!
08. MISTER BEEP – One Bit Sound
09. MISTER BEEP – In the Mystic Woods
10. irrlicht project – L’autre valse d’Amélie (BONUS TRACK)
11. irrlicht project – Another Music Studio Hit (BONUS TRACK)
Total time: 21:52
The 90s have never come here! :)
Info:
ZX Spectrum 48K is a home-computer made in United Kingdom and released by Sinclair Research LTD in 1982 (its American/Portuguese version – Timex Computer 2048 – has been released in 1984). The machines were very popular in Europe and not only. Their monophonic sound generator is 1-bit quality only.
This time I decided to keep Spectrum’s the most oldschool sound (no 8 channels, no software volumes nor envelopes etc) to remind people – and to myself – how it sounded in 80s. So you should rather treat this album more like a micromusic sound experiment than like real music. ;)
For the purpose mentioned above, only 80s music-editors has been used while making my music.
The songs are really oldschool 2-channels chiptunes with 1-bit quality of sound (no envelopes, no volumes even). Generated by Z80 chip, played through ULA chip and recorded from real hardware. The chiptunes have been composed with use of two classic Spectrum48 programs:
· The Music Studio (1989)
Music from this editor might sound like 3 channels but the engine is in fact 2-channels only. I just put sounds very densely to cheat human ears. Also, in every empty space one should put bass twice to boost it (originally ZX/TC has only one channel so the more additional channels added – software mixing – the less bass) therefore making music on it is kind of tricky. Only notation, only linear editing, no copying, no patterns, no nothing. ;)
· The Music Box (1985)
It has 2 channels max. but I used to say that songs made on Music Box have only 1,5 of channel. It’s because when tones play – you have 2 chnls but when drums are playing – nothing more can play, so then it’s only 1 chnl to use. That’s why actually Music Box tunes have not full 2 channels of sound. Like I wrote once, making such music reminds embroidering a tapestry or a carpet: you must put sounds among lonely drums. Kind of backbreaking work but can be done. Like above: only notation, only linear editing, no copying, no patterns, no nothing. ;)
_________________________________