Category: Amiga

  • The origin of the chiptune phenomenon

    chiptunes_sidmon_song-editorAnders from Chipflip has linked to an interesting interview he conducted with Metin Seven, one of the developers of SIDMon. In it, they discuss the transition from c64 to amiga, and the retro-origin of the intial use of the chiptune term. Great read!

    AC: Hi Metin. I’m a tracker musician researching the history of chipmusic for a master thesis. Currently I’m looking the epistemology of the word chipmusic or chiptune. Since you were involved with SIDmon the first synthetic Amiga tracker, right? I wanted to ask if you have any memories of this.Hi Anders. That’s the coolest master thesis subject I’ve heard of so far.

    :-SIDmon was indeed the first synth audio editor for the Commodore Amiga. Its name refers to the legendary MOS Technology 6581/8580 SID Sound Interface Device chip, best known from the equally legendary Commodore 64 home computer, the Amiga’s predecessor in terms of Commodore flagships. The “mon” part of SIDmon refers to “monitor” and was inspired by the first music tracker I can remember: Soundmon for the Commodore 64.SIDmon’s interface was primitively designed compared to today’s design standards, SIDmon’s graphics reflected the game-oriented 2D graphics style of those days. It was divided in four parts: a waveform editor for creating synth sounds, a sound sample editor, a pattern editor for arranging the sounds into music patterns, and a song editor where you could combine the patterns into a four-channel song.

    via Metinsevendotcom

  • Tom Woxom – live in Berlin

    l_ca891d7196e84bbf9d91f376f82a49aaYou are going out tonight? Need to set your mood right for the evening?
    Do yourself a favour and listen to Tom Woxom this weekend. This deutsche guy knows how to lay down a beat or two to make your booty shake. German precision!

    His liveset at the Micromusic Get Together 2009 that happened in Berlin at the same time as Blipfest Europe (and as such, quite largely going under the radar) is pretty damn cool.

    Leech set here

  • Legowelt, Amiga powered.

    Legowelt goes back to basics
    Legowelt goes back to basics

    So, I catched this through Goto80’s amazing Chipflip, and I wanted to post it.

    Well known dutch “disco nouveau” formation Legowelt are going to release a new record, entirely made with a bunch of Korg synths, a Roland 808 and an Amiga 1200 computer running Octamed. Why do this today with its limitations? Evidently, there’s something for them that they liked about it. Whatever the motivation was, this is a very nice, gloomy, electro beat (the real electro, not that whatever they call electro nowadays) album that’s going to land a special spot in my collection once acquired. It’s not as “disco-ish” as other Legowelt releases, so think more of their older, electro-oriented releases. You’ll recognize the 808 beats and surrender to their powerful dominance…

    I take it that as well as the sequencing of the vintage hardware, the few non-synth samples you hear are being shot from the tracker too. Whatever the method is, it sounds cool. I can already hear the screams of “This is not cheaptoon! Where’s my squarewave!? I’m gonna cry!” and, to be honest, I couldn’t care less about your fundamentalist moaning :).

    So, here’s the link where you can check out previews of this album’s 16 tracks. Available for purchase soon through Strange Life Recordings!

  • Modbox Multiformat Tracker for the iPhone appeared.

    ModBox is a free universal Tracker Format Player for the iPhone that plays Amiga and PC module music (e.g. Protracker, Fasttracker, Screamtracker). It features a song database with direct-download from various authors, an integrated FTP Server and support for all common module formats (e.g. Protracker, Fastracker, Screamtracker, etc.).

    Features:

    • * Direct internet access to the finest selection of modules from the Modland library with a preselection of over 5.000 freely available songs, over 200 hours of music playtime and access to three decades of computer music. You can easily browse and download your favourite songs from the internet via WiFi, UTMS or EDGE. Using ModBox all your tracked computer music is right away available in your pocket (Modland access requires an active internet connection, internet access fees are not covered by this player). Downloaded songs get stored in the local library for further offline usage or manual management.
    • * Built-in iPhone/iPod Touch FTP Server so you can manage your own songs or backup your library over WiFi using standard ftp. Additionally you can use your iPhone/iPod Touch as a WiFi FTP USB Stick or provide anonymous access to your module library for friends.
    • * Support for 669 (Composer 669, Unis 669), AMF (DSMI Advanced Module Format), AMF (ASYLUM Music Format V1.0), APUN (APlayer), DSM (DSIK internal format), FAR (Farandole Composer), GDM (General DigiMusic), IT (Impulse Tracker), IMF (Imago Orpheus), MOD (15 and 31 instruments), MED (OctaMED), MTM (MultiTracker Module editor), OKT (Amiga Oktalyzer), S3M (Scream Tracker 3), STM (Scream Tracker), STX (Scream Tracker Music Interface Kit), ULT (UltraTracker), UNI (MikMod) and XM (FastTracker 2) modules.

    via Free Universal Tracker Player For The iPhone » Synthtopia. (THX laD)

  • TCTD Podcast #005 – Doskpop

    “Tracked, cheezy, retro-futuristic synth pop influenced by italo disco” is one possible definition of doskpop, but it’s hard to say what exactly defines the genre. The name was invented by Lizardking, who also crowned himself the “King of Doskpop”. However, he was far from first composing this style of music. It’s arguably as old as Amiga music itself, and has it’s roots in other electronic music, like italo disco as mentioned.

    This episode gives you a small representation of some of my favorite doskpop (and similar styles). Enjoy!

    Click and listen online!
    [audio:http://www.truechiptilldeath.com/wp-content/podcast/TCTD_Podcast_005.mp3]

    Download mp3: TCTD Podcast 005
    Subscribe:

    Playlist:
    1. Virgill – Interference.modd
    2. Alf – Astroflux.mod
    3. Misty & Daeron – Iridium.mod
    4. Lizardking – Transatlantic.mod
    5. Night Beat – Sinescape.mod
    6. The Hardliner – Retro Attivo.mod
    7. Jester – Stardust Memories.mod
    8. Lizardking – Art of Chrome.xm
    9. Mantronix & Tip – Voyage-Overload.mod

    All tunes in this week’s episode can be downloaded in original .MOD or .XM format at www.modland.com.