It’s March ! We’re embarking on the BLACK WHITE Tour. Yes, we named it after the newest edition of Pokemon that is coming out this month. We were going to print up shirts (see sweet design by Gideon), but our travel costs are a little more than we could handle. Please come and see us if you can! If you’re unable to attend, please consider donating a couple bucks on our Bandcamp page(http://theshortsleeves.bandcamp.com).
(_/¯~_~)_/¯ THE SHORTSLEEVES BLACK WHITE TOUR ¯\_(~_~¯\_)
3/8/2011 – New York, NY – Fontana’s with Burnkit 2600, Beta Club Field Trip + InvaderBacca
3/10/2011 – Rochester, NY – The Bug Jar with Revingineers and Walmart Supercenter
3/12/2011 – Philadelphia, PA – 8static with Bit Shifter, Kris Keyser + The C-Men
3/13/2011 – Boston, MA – PAX East / Boston8Bit Chip Showcase with glomag + Corset Lore, Disasterpeace, facundo, 7th Gear
3/15/11 at The Apohadian (Portland, ME) with Computer at Sea and The Gloaming
From the Upcoming Collapsed Desires DVD comes this TCTD exclusive transcript of bonus commentary from chip vj PARIS GRAPHICS. The interview, taken from bonus digital content currently being prepared for Kickstarter backers, talks about his background as a motion visualist and how he came to be involved n the chip scene.
More info about the DVD, which will be limited to 100 copies, can be found HERE.
“I’d like to give a little background on what got me into doing visuals, what I’ve been doing within the chip community, and what’s next.
It all sort of starts with electronic music: I used to be part of a duo called Voltage Control that made electronic music with analog equipment—synthesizers, function generators, Navy surplus equipment… anything we could get our hands on. With synthesis there are two aspects. One is taking elementary waveforms to create sounds. It might be something that emulates a sound you’re familiar with, like a plucked string, a trumpet or a drum. Or it might be creating a brand new sound that is all yours.
The other thing you can do is take these elementary wave forms and create patterns of rhythm, melodic patterns and things of that nature, which to me have a great correspondence with visuals and creating visual patterns. From there, we started making visuals with oscilloscopes. Then it went on to taking the equipment and plugging it into TVs, making patterns that varied with the wavelength, frequency, amplitude and so on.
This isn’t something that we had invented. It had been done in the 1970’s, but we were new to it. We were just learning about it and exploring it. It was quite a bit of fun. Then I moved to New York and all of a sudden I’m 3,000 miles away from all this equipment and I wanted to start doing things. I started playing around with a laptop and seeing what I could do. Some other years went by and I went to my first chip show. I remember thinking, wow, this is really cool! These guys had portable little synthesizers in their hands, the Game Boy. The Game Boy has a sound chip in it that does elementary waveforms and here they are making these great sounds. I started going on a regular basis to all the shows. Continue reading Paris Graphics – Videogame Music in Context
One of my favourite composers of the C64 and Amiga eras, creator of marvelous soundtracks like the one for the game Giana Sisters, the amazing Turrican series soundtracks and the guy who made the first computer sequencer we all call “tracker” (so you owe him a damn lot), has released his record “Symphonic Shades” some time ago, to a mass of hungry fans who got it on “sold out” status sooner than you can identify yet another boring Game Boy square wave. The tracks are rearranged by legend demoscener Mr. Purple Motion as well so this is something worth giving a listen. How would compositions made with chipmusic or chiptune techniques change when performed on “legacy” instruments? Is the composition really that good or does the gimmick of chipmusic give it its only appeal? You should find the answers to these questions checking out this CD (while you make them too about your music).
So, now on reprint, here’s your chance to grab this record. Let’s read the blurb:
With its transparent standard-tray the new edition is lower priced 17.95 instead of 22.00 Euro than the first edition. All other details incl. CD content and the extensive booklet with interview, photos and artwork are identical.
The CD presents all songs of the concert performed in August 2008 in Cologne, which was a world-premiere: Minimalist homecomputer sounds turned into arrangements for 120 musicians of orchestra and choir – a complete symphonic concert dedicated to the works of one video game musician exclusively. The name of this person is Chris Huelsbeck, whos regarded as legend among enthusiasts for his music in game classics of the C64- and Amiga-homecomputer era such as “Giana Sisters” or “Turrican”. The songs were rearranged by demoscene legend Jonne Valtonen aka Purple Motion / Future Crew, director was Grammy-winning artist Arnold Roth.
My friend The C-Men has a similar project with Jeroen Tel, the C64 Orchestra, where they have repurposed Jeroen and Rob Hubbard’s tunes using an orchestral arrangement. You should check that one out too
Head over to MAZ SOUNDS to preview and purchase this CD.
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