Blast Off Forever

Since there's a chiptune thread going on, I figured I'd show y'all that Game Boys don't have all the fun! Here's one of the tracks I performed at last year's Blip Festival, written under the constraints of the Neo Geo arcade system -- very much a classic "chiptune" machine, even though it featured snazzy FM synthesis and limited PCM waveform data.

I love FM synthesis more than almost anything -- from pop albums to today's phone ringtones, it's all around us, but too often overlooked as a fascinating way to generate sound. It's challenging to program good instrument patches with, but the timbre is so rich that it's worth it.

If you're interested in getting into this kind of stuff yourself, or just want to read more about it, I've collected a ton of links to interesting articles and sites (and even forums) that specialize in FM stuff.
Enjoy!

(Get Flash to see the track player.)
posted by jake (11 comments total)

Rad! That thread actually reminded me to go back and find a previous tune of yours.
I will go dig around in your links when I am not at work.
posted by jprind at 2:10 PM on August 19, 2008

Awesome. I was just about to complain in that thread that there weren't enough chiptunes in Music. Oh man, I'm hitting up those links after work.
posted by Mister Cheese at 2:42 PM on August 19, 2008

FM synthesis is like black pepper. When used in the right amounts it makes everything better, but too much and the whole concoction becomes unpalatable.

This tune is delicious.
posted by lekvar at 2:50 PM on August 19, 2008

Greatness.
posted by AppleSeed at 7:31 PM on August 19, 2008

Man, this is awesome. Great FM synth sounds, a fun composition, and there's a section in 7. Be still my heart!
posted by danb at 8:50 PM on August 20, 2008

Oh you awesome. This reminded me of the music off Carrier Air Wing - which is a Good Thing.
posted by RokkitNite at 6:26 AM on August 21, 2008

Holy shit, this is just the best damn thing ever - the synth horns! the harmonies! the transitions! the timing shifts! the brief diversion into Zappa world at 2:35!

I JUST WEE'D A LITTLE BIT!
posted by Jofus at 7:10 AM on August 21, 2008

Epic.
posted by booticon at 10:36 AM on August 21, 2008

It's so exciting I can't stand it. This will be the soundtrack for when I put on my ninja suit, climb into my giant robot, and fly across the city.
posted by Astro Zombie at 9:07 AM on August 23, 2008

Turns out this IS the perfect song for blasting space aliens:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyxolArsE78
posted by Popular Ethics at 9:25 PM on January 6

Oh shit it's virt. Awesome.
posted by mkn at 10:22 PM on January 9