good chiptune labels/chipbreak?

  On 5/3/2010 at 6:09 AM, Xyrofen said:

I do believe that chiptune stuff has quite a bit to do with nostalgia from old video games, as frankly, everyone I know that likes it is just as nerdy as me, if not more. Being able to point out sounds that you heard in your childhood in those old games just makes people like me feel warm and fuzzy (best example is when I heard a sound that was like the noise Koffing made in Red when you sent him out). It's also cool, to me, that you can make stuff that sounds quite cool (again, to me) using something I used to futz around with during my elementary years.

I acknowledge that nostalgia can be a big factor in many people's appreciation of chip music, but personally I find it plays a minor role. I'm more interested in the themes of appropriation (which you also alluded to) and limitations. I also appreciate simpler hardware, because it gives me the feeling of working more closely to the machine. While being able to hear the aliasing in a 4-bit volume envelope as a note decays out might be undesirable for most people, I actually find these artifacts rather attractive, in the sense that they make the underlying data more transparent to the listener.

  On 5/3/2010 at 9:21 PM, Deepex said:

Nullsleep, 8bps should press up some of the more popular releases on some limited runs. I know they'd fly off the shelves. The CD's in the shop seem to do pretty well.

 

I'd love to have Bitshifter's Information Chase, Random's Bad Joke EP, Stu's GreateST HITs, I, Cactus, or Electric Heart Strike.

 

Mull it over!

We have been speaking about doing more physical releases through 8bitpeoples -- pressing some vinyl has been part of the discussion. 8bitpeoples has been around for over 10 years now, and we've offered nearly everything we've produced for free. As I mentioned before, it's really mostly a question of generating some money to fund these projects -- something we are still trying to figure out how to navigate without abandoning the free music philosophy. It will happen sooner or later.

  On 5/3/2010 at 11:39 PM, Nullsleep said:

  On 5/3/2010 at 6:09 AM, Xyrofen said:

I do believe that chiptune stuff has quite a bit to do with nostalgia from old video games, as frankly, everyone I know that likes it is just as nerdy as me, if not more. Being able to point out sounds that you heard in your childhood in those old games just makes people like me feel warm and fuzzy (best example is when I heard a sound that was like the noise Koffing made in Red when you sent him out). It's also cool, to me, that you can make stuff that sounds quite cool (again, to me) using something I used to futz around with during my elementary years.

 

I acknowledge that nostalgia can be a big factor in many people's appreciation of chip music, but personally I find it plays a minor role. I'm more interested in the themes of appropriation (which you also alluded to) and limitations. I also appreciate simpler hardware, because it gives me the feeling of working more closely to the machine. While being able to hear the aliasing in a 4-bit volume envelope as a note decays out might be undesirable for most people, I actually find these artifacts rather attractive, in the sense that they make the underlying data more transparent to the listener.

The challenge of pushing those limitations out as far as you can in creative ways is one of the things I enjoy about it most as well. I understand this aspect of it can be more rewarding for me than the listener, but then there is a big percentage of chiptune fans who have worked with the hardware/software themselves at some point and can appreciate the work behind a composition. Then there are those who just like the nostalgic/fun nature of 8-bit (or 16-bit) sounds too which is great.

No one has to like it but I would think that even those who don't care for the chip sound/scene could at least appreciate it? Or am I too much of an optimist? I have listened through plenty of noise albums that I didn't care for but could appreciate because I understand the theory/idea/work behind it.

  On 5/3/2010 at 11:39 PM, Nullsleep said:

I acknowledge that nostalgia can be a big factor in many people's appreciation of chip music, but personally I find it plays a minor role. I'm more interested in the themes of appropriation (which you also alluded to) and limitations. I also appreciate simpler hardware, because it gives me the feeling of working more closely to the machine. While being able to hear the aliasing in a 4-bit volume envelope as a note decays out might be undesirable for most people, I actually find these artifacts rather attractive, in the sense that they make the underlying data more transparent to the listener.

Okay, so when are you going to admit that your whole crusade is based on a shitty fucking gimmick? Or realise that you never really gave a fuck in the first place? You can rinse your notes in all the envelopes you want but it's not making the obvious "lets just put random shit into this tracker and see if it sounds any good" any less apparent. You can probably fool some kids on myspace with your pretentious tech shit, but there's no magic in it at all.

When the supposed major players in the scene start releasing something other than predictable, no-dynamics music and stop waving around on the stage like idiots I'll pass on some respect.

sometimes this forum is so rude..

  On 5/4/2010 at 4:51 AM, Echo said:

Okay, so when are you going to admit that your whole crusade is based on a shitty fucking gimmick? Or realise that you never really gave a fuck in the first place? You can rinse your notes in all the envelopes you want but it's not making the obvious "lets just put random shit into this tracker and see if it sounds any good" any less apparent. You can probably fool some kids on myspace with your pretentious tech shit, but there's no magic in it at all.

 

When the supposed major players in the scene start releasing something other than predictable, no-dynamics music and stop waving around on the stage like idiots I'll pass on some respect.

I've already stated my feelings here. But hey -- everyone needs a hobby, and if you want to keep railing against chip music, knock yourself out. Just don't expect me to jump in and wrestle in the shit with you over it.

My beef isn't with "chip music". There are plenty acts out there who incorporate a DMG into their array and pull of something with actual staying power. My beef is with idiots who make shit music, look like pretentious snobs while doing it and fail to innovate despite having zombies all over their gigs and what have you.

Agitating music is important, so fuck you if you can't take criticism. Dismissing it as 'flamebait' doesn't nullify it.

Fuck this I'm gonna go listen to Drumized.

  On 5/4/2010 at 7:09 AM, Echo said:

My beef isn't with "chip music". There are plenty acts out there who incorporate a DMG into their array and pull of something with actual staying power. My beef is with idiots who make shit music, look like pretentious snobs while doing it and fail to innovate despite having zombies all over their gigs and what have you.

 

Agitating music is important, so fuck you if you can't take criticism. Dismissing it as 'flamebait' doesn't nullify it.

 

Fuck this I'm gonna go listen to Drumized.

I actually agree with almost everything you've said here.

But for someone that doesn't have a beef with chip music, its strange that 2 pages back you were saying, "I'm really put off by Chiptunes. It really reeks of crass, tripe commodity music ..." -- Which sounds like a pretty sweeping condemnation to me.

I'm fully capable of taking criticism and agree that its important. Unfortunately, I don't see any actual critique here -- just a lot of name calling, generalizations, and indecipherable shit ("you can rinse your notes in all the envelopes you want" ... what?)

If you really feel the need to carry on this conversation, let's do it via PM to avoid derailing this thread any further.

I guess I got a bit too amped about venting my thoughts on chiptunes with a known artist. For the record though, your t-shirts are pretty damn rad.

Let's all just chill out and listen to Maxi German Rave Blast Hits 3.

Final thoughts and I'll leave you alone forever, haha.

So I should clarify that there is chipmusic I can definitely get behind. My main gripe though, is with people using the Gameboy in particular, and that is what most people think of with chiptunes. I can condense my argument into something sensible and coherent: When there's only a few tools to make music on, it's kind of hard to break new ground. Limitations are okay, but the problem is that everything is already layed out on the table. Everything that can be done with the Gameboy has already been pre-imagined by Role Model when he programmed LSDJ.

So what would really get me excited is people breaking it open and just messing with it and getting new sounds with it or mixing it up and using it in interesting ways. Pretty much more stuff like KPLECRAFT?

  On 5/4/2010 at 7:09 AM, Echo said:

My beef isn't with "chip music". There are plenty acts out there who incorporate a DMG into their array and pull of something with actual staying power. My beef is with idiots who make shit music, look like pretentious snobs while doing it and fail to innovate despite having zombies all over their gigs and what have you.

 

Agitating music is important, so fuck you if you can't take criticism. Dismissing it as 'flamebait' doesn't nullify it.

 

Fuck this I'm gonna go listen to Drumized.

This bit made me

Hundreds of genres each with thousands and thousands of artist and you choose Chiptune to pick on.

So what, there is some awful awful chip out there. Theres awful IDM, theres awful rock theres awful pop.....I could go on. Stop being suck a dick. How any new members keep posting here is beyond me, how did I get away without being chastised, musta been luck.

Shit, I almost forgot.

I was going to start a thread about this a while back but sure this is as good a thread as any for it.

I would highly recommend this:

DK Jams.

Probably my favourite track:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXQHYkB0CPI

i don't get this happy house-like gameboy tracks these teens in their tight pants have been making for the past years.

most these kids are tone def, but you do have some kids from time to time that know what the fuck they are doing

Yeah, the scene / emo kids posing with their DMGs is kinda a turnoff...

My favorite chiptune is SID music, and I like tracker stuff and Amiga music. Gameboy stuff is alright.

I think the major innovator in the chiptune community is little-scale and I recommend everyone check out his music which is available for free on last.fm and check out his videos on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/littlescale

Yeah the stuff little-scale is doing with fm synthesis is pretty interesting. There's a lot you can get out of that little yamaha chip :')

The Game Boy segment of the chip music scene does certainly seem to have a higher percentage of posers and a lower signal-to-noise ratio than the overall community. I'm guessing that this can mostly be attributed to the fact that this hardware has the lowest barriers to entry, in terms of acquiring the hardware and its related costs. Which, before I get accused of elitism, is by no means a bad thing in itself but is sort of analogous to the youtube effect. Tons of content, lots of shit to wade through to find the good stuff.

Some of the most interesting things being done right now are certainly being done by little-scale, both musically and technically. The guy is a powerhouse. His performance at Blip Festival last year was outstanding, and I'm happy to say that he should have a release out on 8bitpeoples this year.

The KPLECRAFT suggestion is also one that I'd agree with. Really excellent use of (non-typical) instrumentation (saxophone, conga, djembe, bongo, didgeridoo) combined with Famicom and Game Boy material.

Hello everybody,

If you want a complete list of all good chiptune/chipmusic labels, check here :

http://woolyss.com/chipmusic-netlabels.php

goto80 is the bomb.

Late-coming here, but my favorite chiptune release I have heard is Rugar's "My Girl, The Princess" -- masterfully programmed!

this album is soo good, and the best thing about it, is that it's free, peep it!
http://cerror.bandcamp.com/