Bob's Blog

What would be very cool (if highly unlikely) is an app that would let you hook up a MIDI keyboard to your computer and allow you to play emulated 2600 sounds through it, record them, make adjustments to them (pitch, duration), and the export the results as 2600 code.

 

It'd be nice if the app were smart enough to only play two sounds at a time, and be able to playback a track (say a bass line) while recording a melody line at the same time.

 

And a drum machine, too.

 

Sort of like Apple's GarageBand, but with 2600 sounds, and the whole "output 2600 code" thing.

 

(Hey... I can dream.)

 

I wonder though... if it's possible to make a set of 2600 samples to use with GarageBand.

What would be very cool (if highly unlikely) is an app that would let you hook up a MIDI keyboard to your computer and allow you to play emulated 2600 sounds through it, record them, make adjustments to them (pitch, duration), and the export the results as 2600 code.

 

It'd be nice if the app were smart enough to only play two sounds at a time, and be able to playback a track (say a bass line) while recording a melody line at the same time.

 

That would be pretty dope, although from what I understand of the 2600's limitations, something like that would be a little dubious when it comes to playing in tune. Since the frequencies of each pitch all vary (i.e. very few of the notes are at perfect pitch), playing on a keyboard wouldn't necessarily be the best representation of what the 2600 could do. And you'd also need to be a pro at transposing. But yes, it would definitely be the bomb if it were possible.

 

--hope you don't mind me sharing these with the world, T.

Nope. In fact, if anybody really cares, I put them all on my webspace so I could look at them easier every time you told me they sound bad. Here they are: http://www.wou.edu/~tmontg1/MetroidMusic/JPEGs/

That would be pretty dope, although from what I understand of the 2600's limitations, something like that would be a little dubious when it comes to playing in tune.  Since the frequencies of each pitch all vary (i.e. very few of the notes are at perfect pitch), playing on a keyboard wouldn't necessarily be the best representation of what the 2600 could do.

 

Ah, but what if the software was limited only to reproducing what the 2600 was capable of (out-of-tune notes and all)? For notes that were missing entirely, it'd play nothing, or the 2600 note closest to the key you hit. Then you'd hear exactly what you'd be ending up with. If it played notes that the 2600 couldn't create, there wouldn't be much point to it.

Ah, but what if the software was limited only to reproducing what the 2600 was capable of (out-of-tune notes and all)? For notes that were missing entirely, it'd play nothing, or the 2600 note closest to the key you hit. Then you'd hear exactly what you'd be ending up with. If it played notes that the 2600 couldn't create, there wouldn't be much point to it.

 

Back in '94, I wrote a program for the 2600 that would accept note data through a joyport at 19,200 (IIRC) and play it. I worked out the data for my (yet unreleased) Wormy tune that way and it turned out pretty well.

Thanks Bob. This'll be useful when I get back to my 4K game.

You're welcome! Hope it helps.

What would be very cool (if highly unlikely) is an app that would let you hook up a MIDI keyboard to your computer and allow you to play emulated 2600 sounds through it...

 

Should be possible if you get some kind of MIDI composing app which would let you decouple the keyboard input from the playback.

 

Hmm.... really, what's required is a MIDI voice set of the 2600. So you tell your MIDI app to play using "2600 VCS". Each note, i.e. C4#, would have a sample of the equivalent TIA output, or silence if it isn't possible. Different "instruments" could include "notes" for drum-sounds, just like normal MIDI.

 

I bet there's even MIDI sample sets & software which uses them out there already. There may even be synths which would allow you to upload a complete sample set.

Okay, I've done up 194 WAV files of the sounds the TIA makes for AUDC=1 (saw), 4/5+12/13 (lead), 6/10+14 (bass), and 7/9+15 (pitfall). All at 32,400Hz (NTSC colorburst / 114) and around 1 second per file.

 

If anyone is interested let me know and I'll make a blog entry to post them.

 

For completeness I should try to track down the bit patterns for AUDC=2/3 and 8.

 

PS I used SoX to make WAV files out of the raw data I created using QBasic.