5 ms·

The Family Bass - Music with an NES

178 points by rcarmo 2y ago

nick__m 2y ago
this cart look easier to use https://wayfar.net/0xf00000_overview.php https://wayfar.net/0xf00000_overview.php
- malexw 2y ago
  Unfortunately the Midines is basically vaporware. I don't think he has actually built and delivered a cart in more than 15 years. He took my money for one about 18 years ago and never delivered. They do occasionally show up on eBay and Reverb though.
  - nick__m 2y ago
    I was wondering why it was more expensive on reverb than on his site, now I understand. You saved me the price he ask, thank you!
gwbas1c 2y ago
IMO: Play the second video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gds1EeQGMaQ&t=166s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gds1EeQGMaQ&t=166s) for a few seconds, and observe when Linus plays with the Japanese Famicom keyboard. It'll give you a good idea for what he's making. (The music video is also really cool.)
RamRodification 2y ago
This was great. I always recommend watching his old Chipophone video (homemade 8-bit synthesizer from a repurposed old electronic organ). He has made many cool instruments since. Some of which maybe more tehcnically impressive, I can't tell. But this one is probably still on my all time top 10 "most enjoyment from watching a Youtube video" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1pchpDD5EU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1pchpDD5EU Such cool sounds and he plays it well!
klodolph 2y ago
For those who want to try it out, you can also access these sounds in a somewhat easier way by using an NES audio emulator in your favorite DAW, or by using one of the various tracker programs: https://www.mattmontag.com/projects-page/nintendo-vst https://www.mattmontag.com/projects-page/nintendo-vst http://famitracker.com http://famitracker.com
- mock-possum 2y ago
  Further, FYI: famitracker has a few different variants, with DN–famitracker being the fork, currently closest to accurately reproducing, the NES and the most common extant sound expansion chips: https://github.com/Dn-Programming-Core-Management/Dn-FamiTracker https://github.com/Dn-Programming-Core-Management/Dn-FamiTra... And Famistudio is an excellent alternative if you prefer composing on a piano roll: https://famistudio.org https://famistudio.org
- xxr 2y ago
  This one lets you play the bass on the left hand of a keyboard and the square waves (should really be PWM) on the right hand: https://aframe.itch.io/famikondo https://aframe.itch.io/famikondo
kstrauser 2y ago
This is the nerdiest, hackeriest thing I've seen in ages, and I love every moment of it. That was brilliant.
Lammy 2y ago
Super cool, and I also love how this page has text and still-image content equivalent to what's said and shown in the video.
omoikane 2y ago
I am a fan of these Famicom/NES synthesized sounds, they have a flavor that is rarely found in modern game music. There are a few musicians who does rearrangements of songs for playback on the Famicom, example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM3bYVt-c1k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM3bYVt-c1k Original song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIKKyrGGaDk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIKKyrGGaDk
ethagknight 2y ago
So many other videos are amazing as well. I am blown away. https://www.linusakesson.net/music/vivaldi-summer-presto/index.php https://www.linusakesson.net/music/vivaldi-summer-presto/ind... https://www.linusakesson.net/music/withering-bytes/index.php https://www.linusakesson.net/music/withering-bytes/index.php
Dwedit 2y ago
Seems like a homebrew program that uses the Miracle Piano would be a lot nicer to use than a Famicom keyboard.

178 points by rcarmo 2y ago

nick__m 2y ago

this cart look easier to use https://wayfar.net/0xf00000_overview.php https://wayfar.net/0xf00000_overview.php

malexw 2y ago
Unfortunately the Midines is basically vaporware. I don't think he has actually built and delivered a cart in more than 15 years. He took my money for one about 18 years ago and never delivered. They do occasionally show up on eBay and Reverb though.
- nick__m 2y ago
  I was wondering why it was more expensive on reverb than on his site, now I understand. You saved me the price he ask, thank you!

gwbas1c 2y ago

IMO: Play the second video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gds1EeQGMaQ&t=166s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gds1EeQGMaQ&t=166s) for a few seconds, and observe when Linus plays with the Japanese Famicom keyboard. It'll give you a good idea for what he's making. (The music video is also really cool.)

RamRodification 2y ago

This was great. I always recommend watching his old Chipophone video (homemade 8-bit synthesizer from a repurposed old electronic organ). He has made many cool instruments since. Some of which maybe more tehcnically impressive, I can't tell. But this one is probably still on my all time top 10 "most enjoyment from watching a Youtube video" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1pchpDD5EU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1pchpDD5EU Such cool sounds and he plays it well!

klodolph 2y ago

For those who want to try it out, you can also access these sounds in a somewhat easier way by using an NES audio emulator in your favorite DAW, or by using one of the various tracker programs: https://www.mattmontag.com/projects-page/nintendo-vst https://www.mattmontag.com/projects-page/nintendo-vst http://famitracker.com http://famitracker.com

mock-possum 2y ago
Further, FYI: famitracker has a few different variants, with DN–famitracker being the fork, currently closest to accurately reproducing, the NES and the most common extant sound expansion chips: https://github.com/Dn-Programming-Core-Management/Dn-FamiTracker https://github.com/Dn-Programming-Core-Management/Dn-FamiTra... And Famistudio is an excellent alternative if you prefer composing on a piano roll: https://famistudio.org https://famistudio.org
xxr 2y ago
This one lets you play the bass on the left hand of a keyboard and the square waves (should really be PWM) on the right hand: https://aframe.itch.io/famikondo https://aframe.itch.io/famikondo

kstrauser 2y ago

This is the nerdiest, hackeriest thing I've seen in ages, and I love every moment of it. That was brilliant.

Lammy 2y ago

Super cool, and I also love how this page has text and still-image content equivalent to what's said and shown in the video.

omoikane 2y ago

I am a fan of these Famicom/NES synthesized sounds, they have a flavor that is rarely found in modern game music. There are a few musicians who does rearrangements of songs for playback on the Famicom, example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM3bYVt-c1k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM3bYVt-c1k Original song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIKKyrGGaDk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIKKyrGGaDk

ethagknight 2y ago

So many other videos are amazing as well. I am blown away. https://www.linusakesson.net/music/vivaldi-summer-presto/index.php https://www.linusakesson.net/music/vivaldi-summer-presto/ind... https://www.linusakesson.net/music/withering-bytes/index.php https://www.linusakesson.net/music/withering-bytes/index.php

Dwedit 2y ago

Seems like a homebrew program that uses the Miracle Piano would be a lot nicer to use than a Famicom keyboard.