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Forums > C64 Composing > Experiments on the Sound
2024-04-17 18:59
Mr SQL

Registered: Feb 2023
Posts: 137
Experiments on the Sound

I've been working on an algorithm to dynamically recompile the byte code for the SID chip, creating interesting and pleasing tunes provide the original tune is melodic.

Basically GIGO (garbage in garbage out) ensues with this algorithm if the tune used as the input has no Melody.

I've received a lot of feedback with earlier versions of the algorithm with some C64 fans really enjoying the sound and some not as pleased, either way share your thoughts here and any ideas to improve the algorithm.

Cross platform algorithmic arrangements:

This algorithm runs cross platform and works on the Atari 2600 TIA as well as the SID.

Here is the WIP for STARBLITZ Neon Sound on the C64 and Atari respectively:

https://youtu.be/ixuHdHvqMK8
https://youtu.be/FfAga57yJFs

The original musical composition can be heard at 4:30 in the Atari version, a Blues piece. Various soft piano and Jazz and electronic sound implementations are heard in the C64 version. I find it interesting that different music genres appear to emerge as the musical score is recursively processed by the algorithm.

Another algorithm is used to interpret the TIA on the C64 SID which sounds completely different. Even trying to get the 6581 and 8050 SID models to sound uniform is very difficult. I am not trying to get the same exact Sound like the gameplay and graphics (besides the motion pixel art).
 
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2024-06-02 10:04
Jetboy

Registered: Jul 2006
Posts: 337
@Oswald: Well, i would expect more from a generator.
2024-06-02 10:09
Oswald

Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 5094
Quote: @Oswald: Well, i would expect more from a generator.

probably because I dont know shit about music and music generators, and you do know more :)
2024-06-02 20:11
chatGPZ

Registered: Dec 2001
Posts: 11386
Something like an endless random pentatonic lead over a random blues scheme shouldn't be too hard to do, even on c64 :) And the result shouldn't turn out too shabby either (probably no different to many existing tunes which are basically just that)
2024-06-03 16:46
Frantic

Registered: Mar 2003
Posts: 1648
Idea: Automatic Drax song generator compo.

Speaking of randomization of music on the C64; In Essentials I did a kind of hack that randomly imposes algoritmic variations on top of the original Druid II tune/player. It is obviously primarily meant to be spaced out, than "good", but still an example of random variation within certain constraints. You can control how much randomness is imposed by dragging the bar further to the right. At the leftmost side no randomness is imposed, and at the rightmost side there is quite a lot of weird stuff happening. (The randomness "engine" is built on the same principles as the code that generate a lot of glitches on top of the Hat Trick game in HT Gold with different "layers" of random tweaks that operate separately, and therefore potentially also on top of each other, at the same time.)

Some other time I did a random music generator for one of those 256 bytes player compos: Block Acid Dub [254 bytes] In this case it is mostly drums, bass and various bleepz.
2024-06-03 20:15
tlr

Registered: Sep 2003
Posts: 1790
Compo idea, algorithmic music?
2024-06-04 05:08
Mr SQL

Registered: Feb 2023
Posts: 137
Quoting Frantic
Idea: Automatic Drax song generator compo.

Speaking of randomization of music on the C64; In Essentials I did a kind of hack that randomly imposes algoritmic variations on top of the original Druid II tune/player. It is obviously primarily meant to be spaced out, than "good", but still an example of random variation within certain constraints. You can control how much randomness is imposed by dragging the bar further to the right. At the leftmost side no randomness is imposed, and at the rightmost side there is quite a lot of weird stuff happening. (The randomness "engine" is built on the same principles as the code that generate a lot of glitches on top of the Hat Trick game in HT Gold with different "layers" of random tweaks that operate separately, and therefore potentially also on top of each other, at the same time.)

Some other time I did a random music generator for one of those 256 bytes player compos: Block Acid Dub [254 bytes] In this case it is mostly drums, bass and various bleepz.


The 256 byte tune is fantastic!
Excellent example with the interactive slider for Druid II.
Can the engine work on any SID tune?

Also liked the petscii animated Mech Robot!
2024-06-04 05:26
Mr SQL

Registered: Feb 2023
Posts: 137
Quoting chatGPZ
Something like an endless random pentatonic lead over a random blues scheme shouldn't be too hard to do, even on c64 :) And the result shouldn't turn out too shabby either (probably no different to many existing tunes which are basically just that)


Agree that could sound really good.

Here is an interesting pentatonic scale algorithm programmed using the Atari 2600 BASIC Programming cartridge:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JliXJueItZY
2024-06-04 05:54
Mr SQL

Registered: Feb 2023
Posts: 137
Quoting JackAsser
Please explain the research, because visuals and audio only doesn't make me understand tbh. Anyway, please keep up whatever floats your boat.


Sure. Here is the C64 version of Tron Deadly Discs featuring the latest version of the generator:

https://youtu.be/xc4pzIDNCZ8

How it works is there are basically three chip tunes in the game.

One tune that plays repeatedly and two tunes that may merge or temporarily take over the melody whenever the player or Master Control Program Guards are hit.

The first round has the three tunes unchanged by the generator. Like Frantic's slide generator it uses existing tunes as inputs for algorithmic variations on the sound.

Select 1080p60 to play the video clearly for the visual Fx.
2024-06-04 18:03
Frantic

Registered: Mar 2003
Posts: 1648
Quoting Mr SQL
The 256 byte tune is fantastic!
Excellent example with the interactive slider for Druid II.
Can the engine work on any SID tune?


Thanks. The Druid II hack is tailored to the specific song/player in this case. I had to figure out some reasonably simple tweaks that would suit this particular composition and still sound at least fairly "musical". For example, it may be okay to randomly change the waveform of some "piano" instrument between sine/triangle/square or to enable/disable ring modulation on that sound, but perhaps not to change a drum sound by changing noise wave to another waveform as that would only sound crappy. (Not that there are any drums in this particular tune, but you get the point).

On a more abstract level, I guess one could say that it would be possible to do "the same thing" on other tunes as well. That is, to use the same general approach.
2024-06-06 07:56
F7sus4

Registered: Apr 2013
Posts: 117
Almost as if it would be wonderful to have a randomizer in a music editor one day. :D
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