The "happy little E-tune" posted previously ([mp3 removed]--eventually it'll get a real title) is reinterpreted here on the SidStation synth: mp3 removed]. Also working on an extended remix of the Sid version, with drums, etc.
This version has more of that "videogame sound" because the Sid is built around the old Commodore SID chip. The machine isn't truly polyphonic: it has 3 oscillators and a kind of step designer feature called "wave table synthesis" that can be used to write multi-voice songs, but I haven't burrowed into that yet. One person who has is Jotsif, who posted some fine tunes on this Elektron Instruments forum thread.
If you don't use wave tables, in order to play several melodic parts simultaneously you have to "overdub" them, in a sequencer, as separate digital audio tracks. This is a pain in the ass (but not as much of a pain in the ass as programming wave tables on a 2 inch LCD screen). The above .mp3 is played with the following presets, in ascending order of pitch: Velobass, Killer, Cutting Lead, and Vengasynth.
Update: I took down the Sid performance I originally posted here and substituted another take, where the Sid-playing is run through the Mutator. It's a bit prettier that way. The non-Sid happy e-tune I posted first (with the electric piano) is much better, I know, I just like hearing how different instruments change the exact same melodies.
Hi Tom & thanks!
And it's absolutely no problem, i'm glad you liked them.
I'll upload some new songs, completely sidstation based ( i've got two nowadays ) in a couple of days. Keep an eye at elektron-users.com or get back to my page if you feel to!
You thought about kickin that SID old skool? A real C64 with Prophet 64 (which I believe will soon be released on cartridge) or M64? If the Prophet 64 comes out on cart and isn't too expensive, that's an easy cheapo SID setup. Although if you want MIDI you'll have to shell out a little more for a MIDI interface cart and cart expander.
I'm about to release my C64 synth cartridge too, but mine doesn't support sequencing (only live playing at the moment).
http://www.prophet64.com/
http://gallium.prg.dtu.dk/anyware/
My Sidstation is supposed to have a sidsong player called asid, which enables you to play old C64 tunes directly from the chip, but the version of the operating system I have evidently doesn't include it. Too bad, because I like that stuff.
Is your cartridge something you play with a MIDI keyboard and/or QWERTY keyboard? What are old Commodores going for these days? How much maintenance is involved?
My cart's designed to work with this keyboard overlay thing like this: http://qotile.net/images/cynthmod3.jpg
Those overlays were popular in the 80's and are easy to find. C64's go for around $20 on Ebay w/ a power supply. They're reasonably reliable (just unplug the power supply when you're not using it). The disk drives aren't as reliable, but if you're using a cart, you don't have to worry about that.
I wonder if you could get an upgrade for your Sidstation? If you could get it to play SIDs, then you could use GoatTracker to compose SIDs on your PC and then play them on the real thing using the sidstation. That would be reasonably badass.
Other option is a hardSID PCI card. My friend's got one and it's pretty cool. But that's too softsynthian for me. I like my SIDs in a box that I can set in my lap.
-paul
More (related stuff) here and here.
|
The "happy little E-tune" posted previously ([mp3 removed]--eventually it'll get a real title) is reinterpreted here on the SidStation synth: mp3 removed]. Also working on an extended remix of the Sid version, with drums, etc.
This version has more of that "videogame sound" because the Sid is built around the old Commodore SID chip. The machine isn't truly polyphonic: it has 3 oscillators and a kind of step designer feature called "wave table synthesis" that can be used to write multi-voice songs, but I haven't burrowed into that yet. One person who has is Jotsif, who posted some fine tunes on this Elektron Instruments forum thread.
If you don't use wave tables, in order to play several melodic parts simultaneously you have to "overdub" them, in a sequencer, as separate digital audio tracks. This is a pain in the ass (but not as much of a pain in the ass as programming wave tables on a 2 inch LCD screen). The above .mp3 is played with the following presets, in ascending order of pitch: Velobass, Killer, Cutting Lead, and Vengasynth.
Update: I took down the Sid performance I originally posted here and substituted another take, where the Sid-playing is run through the Mutator. It's a bit prettier that way. The non-Sid happy e-tune I posted first (with the electric piano) is much better, I know, I just like hearing how different instruments change the exact same melodies.
- tom moody 4-24-2005 7:27 pm
Hi Tom & thanks! And it's absolutely no problem, i'm glad you liked them. I'll upload some new songs, completely sidstation based ( i've got two nowadays ) in a couple of days. Keep an eye at elektron-users.com or get back to my page if you feel to!
- Jotsif 4-25-2005 12:46 pm
You thought about kickin that SID old skool? A real C64 with Prophet 64 (which I believe will soon be released on cartridge) or M64? If the Prophet 64 comes out on cart and isn't too expensive, that's an easy cheapo SID setup. Although if you want MIDI you'll have to shell out a little more for a MIDI interface cart and cart expander.
I'm about to release my C64 synth cartridge too, but mine doesn't support sequencing (only live playing at the moment).
http://www.prophet64.com/
http://gallium.prg.dtu.dk/anyware/
- paul (guest) 4-26-2005 5:39 am
My Sidstation is supposed to have a sidsong player called asid, which enables you to play old C64 tunes directly from the chip, but the version of the operating system I have evidently doesn't include it. Too bad, because I like that stuff.
Is your cartridge something you play with a MIDI keyboard and/or QWERTY keyboard? What are old Commodores going for these days? How much maintenance is involved?
- tom moody 4-27-2005 7:57 am
My cart's designed to work with this keyboard overlay thing like this: http://qotile.net/images/cynthmod3.jpg
Those overlays were popular in the 80's and are easy to find. C64's go for around $20 on Ebay w/ a power supply. They're reasonably reliable (just unplug the power supply when you're not using it). The disk drives aren't as reliable, but if you're using a cart, you don't have to worry about that.
I wonder if you could get an upgrade for your Sidstation? If you could get it to play SIDs, then you could use GoatTracker to compose SIDs on your PC and then play them on the real thing using the sidstation. That would be reasonably badass.
Other option is a hardSID PCI card. My friend's got one and it's pretty cool. But that's too softsynthian for me. I like my SIDs in a box that I can set in my lap.
-paul
- paul (guest) 4-27-2005 9:58 pm
More (related stuff) here and here.
- tom moody 6-07-2005 8:29 pm