New 2600 Music

[Paul Slocum]

I wanted to show off a few new tricks I've developed for 2600 music including phasing effects and percussion that is less intrusive on the melody. I made an MP3 demo (recorded directly from the Atari) and the ROM is attached if anyone wants to try it.

 

http://qotile.net/audio/phase_demo2.mp3 (1.1M)

phase.zip

[Cupcakus]

I listened to this when you posted it to [stella] Fantastic :-)

 

If only you were around doing this 20 years ago :-) We'd be playing the Atari 20800 right now :-)

[El Destructo]

How did you get reliable phasing? With cycle-accurate timing when setting the pitch and distortion/volume registers? Solaris seems to attempt this effect when sending your ship into hyperspace, but it's only occasionally effective.

 

I particularly liked the breakdown sequence, with high-pitched engine sound as a percussive element. I could use that in my electro mix set. Do you plan to release any 2600 "chip music", a la the 8-bit Construction Set?

[Paul Slocum]

Thanks for the nice comments.

 

I've actually done a lot of work on it since I posted that version on Stella. This version has a lot more parts and I've done more with the percussive effects.

 

The phasing isn't exactly reliable, but it's more consistent. I had the same issue as Solaris with my previous experiments with phasing. The problem is that once you start playing the same note on each oscillator, whatever phase it happens to hit will be locked in. But I found that if you throw off the pitch register on one voice for a few cycles and then set it back, it often shifts the phase. So I do this every frame to keep the phase shifting.

 

I might release some 2600 chiptunes at some point, but I usually prefer using this stuff with other instruments rather than letting it stand on its own. However, with these new tricks the 2600 is getting closer to being able to stand on its own. I will be posting some of my full length 2600 tunes on my website.

 

-Paul

[MegaManFan]

I wanted to show off a few new tricks I've developed for 2600 music including phasing effects and percussion that is less intrusive on the melody.  I made an MP3 demo (recorded directly from the Atari) and the ROM is attached if anyone wants to try it.  

 

http://qotile.net/audio/phase_demo2.mp3 (1.1M)

 

Sah-weet. Everybody get down and jam with your Atari 2600! At the rate Paul is going, the 2600 is going to end up being recognized as an official music instrument and bands everywhere are going to use it in their songs! Well, maybe not, but I can always hope.

[Adrian]

Paul, that's pretty kick-ass... I've been DJing every Thursday night at a bar in San Francisco -- it's a night called Smashed, and we spin a weird mix of tunes, but always throwing in a healthy dose of electroclash. I totally want to mix your Atari 2600 tunes into the set, mixing them into and around a solid 808 drum beat, or some other drum loop. Cool!

 

You should post all of your Atari 2600 tracks as MP3s on MP3.com... or on your own web site. Your rock! Kudos!

[Albert]

Wow, that sounds even better than what you posted to the Stella list yesterday! Amazing that this music is coming from a stock 2600!

 

..Al

[+Nathan Strum]

Amazing... I swear I'm hearing four simultaneous sounds at times. Nice.

 

Of course that brings up the question... could you actually incorporate something like that into a game?

[moycon]

If music like this can be added to a game... My first suggestion would be Reactor.

[ATARI TROLL]

Made me crawl out from under my bridge and start rocking! This Kicks Ass! Reminds me of a Pitfall II theme. Keep it up!

 

[liveinabin]

Wow! you could mistake that for C64 music easily, this is really the second coming of the Atari:)

[joeybastard]

That is ASTOUNDING! You should make a whole album of Atari music, I would definetely buy that. Keep up the amazing work

[Happy_Dude]

 

 

[Room 34]

I have been impressed with all of the music I've heard from the Synthcart, but this new stuff is REALLY amazing. Are you going to be making a Synthcart II?

[Godzilla]

first the fmv dancing baby and now this, i think my brain will explode. 2600 RULEZ!

[Thomas Jentzsch]

You should make a whole album of Atari music...

With all his current collaborations with other 2600 homebrewers there should be enough material soon.

[Paul Slocum]

Glad you guys like it!!

 

... could you actually incorporate something like that into a game?

 

The latest driver probably uses a little fewer resourses than the orignal driver I used in Combat Rock and Berzerk, so it would be very reasonable to make this music play in the background of a game.

 

-Paul

[AtariKari]

Oh man is that sweet Full tone, good stuff.

 

To what extent is something like this possible with the Synthcart? I haven't picked one up, yet...

[Godzilla]

a friend of mine was like 'thats a mix' and i was like 'nah thats straight up 2600 power baby!' :-) no just do 'hooked on a feeling' for the baby demo

[Trey]

wow. amazing.

 

if you can do that with the 2600, i bet you sythesize an entire orchestra with a 7800.

[Andrew Davie]

a friend of mine was like 'thats a mix' and i was like 'nah thats straight up 2600 power baby!' :-) no just do 'hooked on a feeling' for the baby demo

 

If Paul were to do that, I'd polish up the Dancing Baby demo and we could have an awe-inspiring '2600 demo cart. but *alas* I know he already has a lot on his plate - and 'Hooked on a Feeling' is probably un-doable anyway

 

Cheers

A

[Jess Ragan]

Ho-lee crap. That's what I'm shaking out of my pantleg after hearing that tune. You're simply marvelous, Paul! I hope you'll consider adding some of that voodoo that you do so well to my Jungle King hack.

 

JR

[MegaManFan]

wow.  amazing.  

 

if you can do that with the 2600, i bet you sythesize an entire orchestra with a 7800.

 

Dam skippy! Give this man a Pokey chip and we'll hear Valkyries soaring out of our Ataris in no time.

[Rob Mitchell]

Sounds great on my Atari 2600 with Stereo Outputs ... plugged into a ONKYO receiver with Bose speakers ...

 

The melody channel (left) is a little quiet when compared to the percussion channel (right).

 

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

[ZylonBane]

if you can do that with the 2600, i bet you sythesize an entire orchestra with a 7800.

The 7800 has exactly the same sound chip as the 2600.