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themoors
Joined: Dec 15, 2003 Posts: 148 Location: northern england
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Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2003 5:55 am Post subject:
Anyone into computer music in the old days? |
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ive recently been thinking about an old idea i had about old computers and music. I prepose to use several connected home computers, built prior to the arrival of the amiga/atari st, to create music, possibly as part of a live performance. The sort of hardware im thinking off is the ZX spectrum ,BBC and the Commadore 64 (which is supposed to have a really good sound chip). I remember the speccy did have some sort of midi abilitys, if upgraded and it certainly produced some weird noises.
THe idea is to use old computers exculsively but i am willing to use a more up to date sequencer to control the sound generators if required.
I was wondering if any one has any direct experience in using this type of computer to create music and could suggest the best way to get started, my main problems as i see it are conectivity and what software to use and where to obtain it (the hardware isnt much of a problem as it can be bought cheaply enough).
thanks |
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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18197 Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 212
G2 patch files: 60
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Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2003 8:52 am Post subject:
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I never got into music on those early computers, but I wish you luck. The sound ships were 8 or 12 bit. Most of the time they sound like early Nintendo machines.
I heard of a fellow around these parts that uses old SoundBlaster cards for electronic music. You can get them very cheaply. He puts several in old ISA computers. These have better synthesizers than the early C64s and such.
My gut feeling is why not spend your precious time learning a modern computer music environment. There is very good software you can get for free. If you want something with the same Earthy funk of the old gear, maybe you should look into Trackers. Mr. Emitter and others may have something to suggest in that department. http://skale.org/.
Please keep us informed as you make progress. This sounds very interesting. |
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themoors
Joined: Dec 15, 2003 Posts: 148 Location: northern england
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Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2003 9:46 am Post subject:
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Thanks for your reply
Having used the Tracker programs in the early 90's i am very interested to see how they have evolved so thanks for the link.
For some reason I really love that 8-bit sound (probalby due to a mispent childhood playing computer games)and i have reached the end of the learning curve as far as logic audio is concerned and so i am looking for a new challenge.
I am also influenced by the electronic musicians of old, in that i beleive the art lies in the method as much as the end result so the fact that this is somthing of a odd way of creating music only adds to it
Again thanks for the support and i will keep you informed |
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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18197 Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 212
G2 patch files: 60
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Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2003 10:00 am Post subject:
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Cool. I can understand how you could dig 8 bit sound.
You might be interested in another thread going on about influences on music. http://electro-music.com/forum/topic-885.html |
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Michael Chocholak
Joined: Nov 27, 2003 Posts: 305 Location: Cove, Oregon, USA
Audio files: 2
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Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2003 6:51 pm Post subject:
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Hey, I hear ya! I wrote and performed quite a bit on my Commadore 64. I thought the chip was cool. You could get some really intriguing & classic sound out of it - which I tended to run through outboard gear just like my electric guitar.
The only group I was familiar with that performed with individual computers was The Hub. They are apparently still out there doing it at http://www.artifact.com/hub.html (Artifact apparently being another of the many arms of Ubu).
Been too long for me to know what's currently up with software, but the C64 still has a lot of followers & users so I doubt it'll be hard to find some. Besides, it's programmed in Basic, which even I could figure out, so you can probably do your own with a minimum of research.
Anyway, cool, go for it, have fun, & hopefully post some of the music here. _________________ Que la musique sonne - Edgard Varese
I was seriously tempted to give up everything and go be a farmer or something... - Jack Endino, Seattle record producer |
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Michael Chocholak
Joined: Nov 27, 2003 Posts: 305 Location: Cove, Oregon, USA
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Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2003 1:50 pm Post subject:
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Plus I notice new member Michael Briel has some C64 & Amiga tracks on his site worth checking out (listening to Arkanoid right now... ) http://www.brielmusik.de/mp3/. Hmmm... makes me think about digging my rig out of the closet. _________________ Que la musique sonne - Edgard Varese
I was seriously tempted to give up everything and go be a farmer or something... - Jack Endino, Seattle record producer |
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Kruge
Joined: Dec 28, 2003 Posts: 106 Location: Bonn, Germany, Europe, Earth, Sol System, Milky Way, Universe, Multiverse etc...
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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18197 Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 212
G2 patch files: 60
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Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2003 8:20 pm Post subject:
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Mezmer wrote: | makes me think about digging my rig out of the closet. |
Gasp, I get the shakes just thinking about digging into my closet. |
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Michael Chocholak
Joined: Nov 27, 2003 Posts: 305 Location: Cove, Oregon, USA
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Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2003 8:26 pm Post subject:
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Ha! Well, then do like I do; pile data boxes full of equipment and videos, etc in front of the door, or perhaps a piano if you're squeezed for space, and then you're safe cuz the thought process is probably about as far as you'll ever go! _________________ Que la musique sonne - Edgard Varese
I was seriously tempted to give up everything and go be a farmer or something... - Jack Endino, Seattle record producer |
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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18197 Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 212
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Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2003 8:29 pm Post subject:
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Sounds like my house. |
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paul e.
Joined: Sep 22, 2003 Posts: 1567 Location: toronto, canada
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Kruge
Joined: Dec 28, 2003 Posts: 106 Location: Bonn, Germany, Europe, Earth, Sol System, Milky Way, Universe, Multiverse etc...
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Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2003 5:37 pm Post subject:
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Yeah - actially I'd suggest using that synth instead of "real" C64s...
IIRR it's using four *real* SID Chips (thus being able to do a bit more than just one C64) and of course you won't have to worry about midi software ort something, since it's fully included.
Sidstation _________________ brielmusik myspace reverb nation twitter |
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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18197 Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 212
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 6:42 am Post subject:
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sudden wrote: | ..then you SID lovers will really enjoy this synth [vst-i]
QuadraSID 1.4 by refx
refx.com[url][/url] |
This URL is messed up. I get a page error. |
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Kruge
Joined: Dec 28, 2003 Posts: 106 Location: Bonn, Germany, Europe, Earth, Sol System, Milky Way, Universe, Multiverse etc...
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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18197 Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 212
G2 patch files: 60
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 11:40 am Post subject:
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I corrected Sudden's URL. Both products are very interesting. I'm quite surprized that people are still interested in these devices. |
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Kruge
Joined: Dec 28, 2003 Posts: 106 Location: Bonn, Germany, Europe, Earth, Sol System, Milky Way, Universe, Multiverse etc...
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 11:43 am Post subject:
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Actually I believe the reason for this is quite obvious - and I'm not talking about the quite unique sound of the SID chip alone (which, to some extend, I've managed to simulate on other devices), but simply the NOSTALGIC factor.
I *bet* I'm not the only one out there who started to write music on the C64, simply because we had nothing else. And the people who, like me, grew up on the C64 are now in the age to buy synths... _________________ brielmusik myspace reverb nation twitter |
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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18197 Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 212
G2 patch files: 60
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 11:49 am Post subject:
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Yes, I can see that. I started making electronic music before there were any synthesizers by using a shortwave radio and cutting tape. I've been thinking of setting up an old 1962 tube receiver here in the studio.
I listened to some of the FRFX demo tunes. They actually sound pretty nice. Can you point us to any of your C64 tunes, or good stuff from other people? |
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themoors
Joined: Dec 15, 2003 Posts: 148 Location: northern england
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 1:21 pm Post subject:
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Just had a listen to Michael Briels stuff quite inspirational, really makes me want to go ahead with this project. I bought two C64's and a BBC the other day so i have somwhere to work from.
thanks guys, ill keep you all informed |
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elektro80
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Joined: Mar 25, 2003 Posts: 21959 Location: Norway
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Kruge
Joined: Dec 28, 2003 Posts: 106 Location: Bonn, Germany, Europe, Earth, Sol System, Milky Way, Universe, Multiverse etc...
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 2:59 pm Post subject:
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Here's the link to my C64 tunes:
Click!
Arkanoid and Chipwar are actual *remixes* done from the original tunes recorded over a sidplayer on the PC, the other tracks are original works I did with Chris Hülsbeck's Sound Monitor (including Aztec Suite which, of course, is a 'coverversion' of the game's tune).
If you're into gametune coverversions (modern ones then check http://www.c64audio.com/) _________________ brielmusik myspace reverb nation twitter |
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opg
Joined: Mar 29, 2004 Posts: 954 Location: Berkeley, CA, US
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7
Joined: Apr 04, 2004 Posts: 69
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Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2004 2:35 am Post subject:
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I did some music programming back in the C64 days. Let me say I do not miss it one bit. Programming took forever! It was all entered in a version of Basic and it mostly consisted of plotting the track out on paper first, doing some math to figure out how long notes were going to play, then entering the note and time values into a long boring "run" program.
Eeeesh.
The end effect was cool, but man was it boring and uninspiring work. I'd much rather sample the old computer sounds, load them into Gigasampler, fire up Sonar and play the lines out on the keyboard.
I have one track on my music page from mid 80's which used the TI-99 computer and a Moog. It's called Johnny and Mary. You can find it here - http://www.ampcast.com/tictok - It's near the bottom of the page. Excuse the recording, it's kind of shot because I only have a copy of this on an old cassette. The masters were lost in a flood. |
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seraph
Editor
Joined: Jun 21, 2003 Posts: 12398 Location: Firenze, Italy
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Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2004 5:11 am Post subject:
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that's cool, I like it. It reminds me of things like "Tubular Bells" and of the old days............. _________________ homepage - blog - forum - youtube
Quote: | Don't die with your music still in you - Wayne Dyer |
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7
Joined: Apr 04, 2004 Posts: 69
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Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2004 4:43 pm Post subject:
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seraph: Heh... thanks |
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Freakydile
Joined: Apr 07, 2004 Posts: 3 Location: Zolder - Belgium - Europe
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2004 12:01 pm Post subject:
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Hello,
you can build this, like I'm doing nowadays...
www.midibox.org
Greetings,
Axel |
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