On the subject of modern CPC tunes...

[tastefulmrship]

When BATMAN FORVER was released, a lot of CPC Vs C64 threads appeared across the world. This one in pouet.net had me the most vexed! (Well, not too vexed, obviously, as I've only just come to it!)

Anyway, one comment in particular hit me hardest; it was from someone I have always admired as a game/cracktro musician since the 80s. In response, I'd like to list my 10 most memorable modern AY tunes! Proving that the 1hz AY chip isn't boring, isn't dead and isn't going away!

So, (and in no particular order... other than saying OCTOPUS/TARGHAN is best! ^_^) here's my list:

Targhan - Octopus (From DemoIzArt)
Targhan - Carpet (From Midline Process)
TomEtJerry - Edge A (From Edge Grinder)
TomEtJerry - From Stratch
EgoTrip - Underground Base (Appears on his soundcloud account)
Factor6 - Batman Forever (Main & End)
FenyxKell - Bobline
Mr. Lou - Blu Mix (From Blue Angel 69)
McKlain - Take Off!
Megus - Autumn Is Calling (Appears on Bloc Us! Cracktro) - UPDATE: This tune is actually a ZX tune and therefore shouldn't really be included.
... Ok, one more...
Ultrasyd - Bloc Us!

Does anyone else have any other modern CPC tunes that they consider to be memorable? Or do you think some of these tunes are not memorable? Please to be comment! (Self promotion is accepted here if you think one of your tunes is memorable!)

[redbox]

EgoTrip - Underground Base (Appears on his soundcloud account)

I think "The Adventure Begins" and "Mutant Forest" (pure AY class this one) by EgoTrip are superb.

[MaV]

When he talks about the CPC "cruzer" says:

This machine is almost 3 years newer than the C64, so according to Moore's law it should overall be 4 times as good, but let's see if that holds up.

Kudos for abusing Moore's law in an 8-bit war (again? yawn!).

Let me quote from the Wikipedia article on Moore's law:

The number of transistors that can be placed inexpensively on an integrated circuit doubles approximately every two years.

Moore's law has nothing to do whatsoever with the year a computer was sold.

I don't even want to read further. If he hasn't learnt to read properly, he's an idiot.

[redbox]

I don't even want to read further. If he hasn't learnt to read properly, he's an idiot.

It's written by a C64 fanboy crying about how good the Batman Forever demo is.


You don't need to read any further 

[MaV]

It's written by a C64 fanboy crying about how good the Batman Forever demo is.

You don't need to read any further 

You're right. But whenever such a discussion begins nowadays I expect valid arguments, or at least they should acknowledge that it's their opinion.

The listed AY-Tunes are all great. But I can imagine that it needs an ear accostumed to the AY-chip.

[tastefulmrship]

The listed AY-Tunes are all great. But I can imagine that it needs an ear accostumed to the AY-chip.

This is a good point; back in the day, everyone I knew had a C64 and I always thought the sound from the SID was harsh and metallic. All of the game-tunes sounded the same and weren't very good. (Possibly due to the television speaker used)
In contrast, I heard (and still do hear) the Amstrad AY-chip sound as a clean, clear waveform and the music (especially in the 80s before HARDENV) had a better, crisper sound. (Possibly due to my CPC464 being connected to a stereo)

Even comparing the Spectrum, Atari, MSX and Amstrad AY sound, they're all different! (Differing frequencies afterall) It's whichever you grew up with that's your preference!

(Am I a CPC fanboy? Probably... yes!)

[MacDeath]

I'm quite surprised you didn't include the ColorLine "album"... yes this game was supplied with a lot of lot of tunes and I like them a lot.

[TFM]

What do you consider modern? Must it be Starkos or is Soundtrakker ok?

[tastefulmrship]

I'm quite surprised you didn't include the ColorLine "album"... yes this game was supplied with a lot of lot of tunes and I like them a lot.

My list was solely taken from the tracks I've listened to over the past year or so..

Also, that is simply my Top10; I had to discard a load of other tunes as well! Without trying to sound like some kind of fanboy, they were mostly Targhan and T&J tunes I left out; I just picked two of my favourites of each from their extensive catalogues!

What do you consider modern? Must it be Starkos or is Soundtrakker ok?

I mentally defined modern as anything from 2000 onwards, regardless of music source. (Bootracker, Soundtrakker, STarkos, etc)
However, if there's a better way of defining it, then I'm happy to go along with that.

[TFM]

Well, in this case I may add the two Songs from Kangaroo made for FutureSofts upcoming Giana Sisters Clone. You actually have to play the WIP on a real CPC with stereo speakers for full enjoyment IMHO.

[tastefulmrship]

Well, in this case I may add the two Songs from Kangaroo made for FutureSofts upcoming Giana Sisters Clone. You actually have to play the WIP on a real CPC with stereo speakers for full enjoyment IMHO.

These are original tunes and not remakes of CH's original soundtrack, I take it.
I wouldn't mind checking them out, is the WIP downloadable?

[TFM]

These are original tunes and not remakes of CH's original soundtrack, I take it.
I wouldn't mind checking them out, is the WIP downloadable?

Yes, at www.futureos.de

You can send me an email to "futuresoft at gmx dot de" and I send you the actual WIP back. However the soungs are the same. Different songs in Level 1 and 2. Sound for getting diamonds, dying and enter-new-level iirc.

[tastefulmrship]

However the soungs are the same. Different songs in Level 1 and 2. Sound for getting diamonds, dying and enter-new-level iirc.

The level 2 song is definitely a remake of one of the most famous Giana Sisters SID (subtune 5) by ChrisH (famous if you're an Amiga cracktro fan, anyway). I don't know where remakes would stand as being considered "modern chiptunes" as they are based on olde-skool tunes. Don't get me wrong, though! K.M. has done a brilliant job, yet again, of converting the tune; making my pathetic attempts of chip-tune conversion look even worse in comparison! If I was being critical in any way, I'd say his Commando remake is still the best!

Nice work on the game though! It did crash a few times and I got stuck in the wall at the end of level 2, but the scrolling is very fast for an overscan screen and it plays well! Can't wait for the finished version. And you mentioned something about me being the first to get the "nude patch"... ^_^

[TFM]

Thank's a lot. Yes you get that patch first ;-)

Back to music, if I think a bit about it... well, show me one song that is not a remake/cover from songs from Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Led Lepplin and very few other bands (.... and Vivaldi and Bach). Hehehe!

The Giana tunes have been supposed to be close to the original, but it didn't work out that way. Haha. Feature not a bug ;-)

[tastefulmrship]

Back to music, if I think a bit about it... well, show me one song that is not a remake/cover from songs from Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Led Lepplin and very few other bands (.... and Vivaldi and Bach). Hehehe!

Now you're going into musical influences and preferences; which I think is a little deep for a chiptune thread. We could analyse all 11 of the tunes I mentioned above and dissect where the influences are and maybe even find sequences that are very similar to commercial music. However, to me they were composed this millenium by new-skool composers and I think they are memorable enough to be accepted by the whole demo-scene as examples of CPC musical brilliance. And may there be many more in the future.


EDIT: Post #FF

[TFM]

Now this leads us to the point I want to make.


If a song is "memorable", then it must be one that you like or respect, but it must neither be a totally new one nor a remake. Don't you think so?


For me it just counts if I like the CPC song or not, easy :-)


BTW: Have you seen Kangaroos Soundtrakker Songs? Guess it's some hundreds or so. Have no link now, sorry.

[tastefulmrship]

If a song is "memorable", then it must be one that you like or respect, but it must neither be a totally new one nor a remake. Don't you think so?

I like a lot of tunes, I think very few of them are memorable and, I guess, worth remixing. Without boring everyone with the same olde fanboy nonsense, OCTOPUS is a memorable tune. Infact, I'm humming it at the moment. I can also think of many musical genres someone could remix it in.

The next problem is; define MEMORABLE!

BTW: Have you seen Kangaroos Soundtrakker Songs? Guess it's some hundreds or so. Have no link now, sorry.

http://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=53684 <--- Lots of CPC musics!
I'm about 20% in and some of them are simply amazing considering they're only 3 channel, AY tunes! (Can't remember names right now)

[Gryzor]

Lots of commercials jingles are memorable, so there goes the argument

[tastefulmrship]

Lots of commercials jingles are memorable, so there goes the argument

Other than the "118 247" advert created by the online retro-genius, Weebl; (which I believe was made on a C64 or a SIDStation, but don't quote me!)


118 247 Directory Heaven 'EXTENDED VERSION' TV ad by Weebl
I do not know of any commercial jingles created specifically on a CPC; either back in the day or in modern times. Most 'music producers' prefer the SID sound to the waveform AY/YM. Tempest's famous battle against Timbaland's plagiarism is testament to that!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timbaland_plagiarism_controversy

[Gryzor]

No, I meant normal jingles, not ones created on or after chip tunes.

My argument was that 'memorable' is not quite an epitome (@Bryce) of the quality of a tune.

[RockRiver]

I'm thinking about to create a ChipTune section in future remodeling of my ugly and seedy webpage.
¿Another YM tunes page/collection? NOp!!!
I'm considering the CPC *.AYC files. What do you think about this CPConly music file? Others are better? I think it is the standard file for CPCmusic (like YM on emu/pc platform). You find some problems with AYC?

Next will be *.VGM , I love the work of ValleyBell with that file. That alows me to rip MIDI data from Arcades music and supports many soundchips.

[Gryzor]

Well, according to the relevant wiki article, the AYC is just compressed YM, so what's the point?


PS Hey, there's no article on YM? Pity...

[TotO]

"118 247"

@ 0:47, the "bat" with an human 'badge" on it and it's "human" broken leg...
And the "chines crab ball on the table, with it's shadow (+hand shadow combinated) looking like a crab claw ! LOL

[TFM]

Well, what can I say?


Spider Murphy Gang - Skandal im Sperrbezirk

[khisanth]

Will take a listen of these when I get home today. I still prefer the sound of the SID over the AY, for me it sounds warmer and less harsh.