Do you agree with this?

Ambassador (5605)

07-05-2010, 21:19

MSX's AY scene is not developed, because the platform has many sound extensions.
http://8bitcollective.com/wiki/index.php/AY-3-8910

I dunno...

Por wolf_

Ambassador_ (9972)

07-05-2010, 21:37

Yes.

Why bother with arpeggios to form 'chords' when you have an FM-PAC, MUSMOD or Moonsound which does that, and a lot more? Why bother with PSG at all?

And so, the main trackers of our scene (Soundtracker, Moonblaster) never supported those kind of effects.

Por JohnHassink

Ambassador (5605)

07-05-2010, 21:52

I kind of agree with that.
Though I must add there is a good and simple reason to fiddle with PSG:
playing with noise == FUN!

Ah well, I suspect one of the few things nowadays which keeps developers interested in PSG is MSXdev...

Por boomlinde

Resident (54)

07-05-2010, 22:21

Quite a few recent MSX demos make good Spectrum-like use of the PSG, right? I think it's part of a recent trend of supporting a "bare-bones" computer setup (like the C64 scene has always been).

Naruto made some excellent PSG tunes, too. Of course not as many technical tricks (like arpeggio chords, sid buzzer, sync, etc ) as in the European scene, but it's still someone doing it. Maybe there are more Japanese people doing this?

EDIT: I think the type of PSG music Naruto makes is "thinking inside the box" (tries to explore sound within the three channels -- "3 channels of audio => three channels of music") while the ST/Spectrum scene is reaching "outside the box" (trying to expand sonic capabilities with arpeggio chords and detailed wavetable sounds)

Por JohnHassink

Ambassador (5605)

07-05-2010, 23:31

@ boomlinde
What is "Spectrum-like use of the PSG"?
Do you mean the arpeggios etc.?

As far as I know, Japanese chiptune composers hardly ever used this technique, and if they did, it was usually only pure octave modulation to imitate/evoke a certain 'timbre'.
I suppose that conveying the notion of full chords by use of software arpeggiators was, aesthetically, a bit too 'crude' in the eyes of 'traditionally' trained Japanese composers.

IMHO an excellent example of absolutely great and relevant arpeggio use was the theme song of Death Wish III, which can be listened to here:
http://www.bgmsx.com/index.php?contenido_servicio_tabla=show_themes&contenido_cat_hist=,87

By the way, what do you mean with "sync"?

Lastly, have you got links concerning some works of Naruto? I google my ass off but can't find...

Por wolf_

Ambassador_ (9972)

07-05-2010, 23:45

Probably oscillator sync, which means that the phase of one oscillator is reset at the rate of another oscillator.

Por JohnHassink

Ambassador (5605)

08-05-2010, 00:49

wolf_, I see.
Is this in any way similar to the effect obtained when swapping FM instrument while the tone is still playing?
(a trait which -most notably- MicroCabin thankfully exploited)

Por wolf_

Ambassador_ (9972)

08-05-2010, 01:01

Click 'ere for bald goatee Jordan Rudess.

And here (0:52) for a visual example.

Por JohnHassink

Ambassador (5605)

08-05-2010, 09:15

So cool.
It's the Jordan Rudess of Dream Theater(*) and Liquid Tension Experiment (DT without the annoying vocals), right?

Both are good explanations BTW!

(*) AKA in The Netherlands as Dream Tieten. Huh huh

Por MäSäXi

Paragon (1884)

09-05-2010, 10:46

I agree.

Por ro

Scribe (4714)

09-05-2010, 11:54

jordan rules for sure

droomtieten? DT's one of my fave bands