Challenge: 8-bit Tune

[PinkiePieSwear]

I know there are a few bronies that excel in this type of stuff, but I think it would be interesting to post a few VSTs for classical 8-bit sounds and see what everypony can do with them.

I've never made an 8-bit video gamish song, so that's something I would be interested in trying out sometime. What do you guys think?

[Icky]

Never did any 8-bit, but sounds like a ton of fun. So what do you have in mind, just create an 8-bit tune or any (pony related) theme mabye?

[PinkiePieSwear]

Good question. I think the original pony songs have been redone in 8-bit/chiptunes a lot already, so I guess I would be tempted to say original tunes only, which would include songs that you feel fit a particular pony's theme.

[DavidReinold]

I use garageband, so I generally use Magical 8-bit Plug when doing 8bit music

http://www.ymck.net/magical8bitplug/index.html
(warning: site is in Japanese)

I've done some remixes of Yu-Gi-Oh! Season 0 music with it, in case you want to see what this plugin can do:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqTrxGdZmFg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0eYT8PPSIk

The only reason these didn't seem realistic was because I forgot to use modulation and pitchbend. If you use those, you can get a perfect 8bit sound using Magical 8bit Plug.

[sci]

I'm all for this, as long as the VSTs in question are free. (and as long as I have free time. that's been draining away recently...)

Also, I've been thinking about starting a new compo category for random musical challenges: "Whatever Compo".
This could be a great theme for the first round of WhateverCompo.
Want to use my compo system? :D
http://toastbeard.comli.com/pony/index.php
</plug>

[Interrobang Pie]

Have been doing so for about a year. Have some examples: 1 2 3

I use Famitracker myself - nice and easy to get some doodles down once you know how to use it. It's also authentic and system accurate (allows for .nsf export, which means you can put it on an NSF cart and play it on a real NES). I also use cause I hate piano rolls.

FUN

[DerpyGrooves]

Famitracker, too, is my preferred medium by which I create chiptunes. I have some non-pony stuff up at my other youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUzkprKow4U

The reason I prefer Famitracker is because it's tirelessly true to the source hardware from the sound standpoint. IMHO, vsts provide too much flexibility in a lot of cases while Famitracker is precisely true to vintage specs.

LSDJ is also pretty cool, and cheap as hell too. If you must use a VST, I'm a big fan of Tweakbench's work, and I find his plugins are really versatile and minimalist.

Anyway, I haven't been working with anywhere as much 8-bit stuff as I once did (Almost exclusively), but arranging for a reduced number of voices/timbres is a good thing for ANY musician to know, and I keep those ideas in mind for almost all of the music I compose.

EDIT: Almost forgot the Atari Synthcart! Technically not 8-bit (2 BIT D:) but if you hook it up to a TV, it's fun as hell for a noisy/glitchy jam.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgDyOSDUAx0 Check this mess.

[Kil]

I've always used Tweakbench's VSTs, but lately I've been wanting to get more accurate with chiptunes so I've started trying famitracker. It's pretty painful and I don't know all the hotkeys and whatnot.

[VINXIS]

TIME TO BRING THE DEAD POST TO LIFE!! and dis wud beh fn

[Kagetori]

I have four pretty good 8-bit tracks for a game, but I never uploaded them and they're old from back when I first started using FLS, because I didn't have any good sounds. I was also new to arranging music, so they're not that great, but I'll upload them anyways I guess. BRB.

I only found two out of four I made, sorry. The "menu theme" though was kind of boring anyways so not much loss there. The game wasn't made anyways so these would never be herd anyways-

<Nonpony><Original>
http://soundcloud.com/e9p3/stage2
http://soundcloud.com/e9p3/stage3
Also, they're meant to loop.

I also used the second song for my wobble bass test video, but not the melody itself really-

[VINXIS]

This thread runs away too fast, anyways, what instruments would be almost/always used in chiptune?

[Camsy]

I'd like to have a go at this, I've never done 8-bit before, I've looked into it and Logic Pro comes with plenty of VST for 8-bit but I'm not sure how to go about making the 8-bit style drums, anyone wanna help me out?