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neilbaldwin
Account closed
Registered: Sep 2009
Posts: 48 |
Plogue Chipsounds is released.
I'm really surprised nobody has mentioned this yet.
Plogue Chipsounds is a VSTi/AU plugin that emulates several different old systems (including NES/GB/C64/Atari 2600). It's been a couple of years in the making and they seem to have gone to great lengths to make it as accurate as possible.
http://www.plogue.com/?page_id=43
http://ploguechipsounds.blogspot.com/
I've just bought my copy and will be giving it a test soon.
I've been quite excited about this for some time but it raises interesting discussion I think:
- what does this mean for purists who think you should only use the original hardware?
- does it mark the death of the "chip sound", making it available to the masses with none of the limitations/work-arounds we are so fond of working with?
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SIDWAVE
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Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 2238 |
I dont seem to find the BUY button anywhere :( |
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neilbaldwin
Account closed
Registered: Sep 2009
Posts: 48 |
Quote: I dont seem to find the BUY button anywhere :(
First link Jan, big red button to the right underneath the logo.
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SIDWAVE
Account closed
Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 2238 |
Well, with a VST, its possible to add DSP in realtime, and the process of sampling the HardSID and loading it back into the tracker for processing, is over.
That is why i wanted to build a superSID synth, but everybody says that software is easier to make..
The famous C64 arpeggio is already being overused in some house music, but the industry's chip sounds are mostly based on stealing samples from sids, as happened with one of Jeff's tunes.
Quadrasid VST was around for a long time, but the user interface is horrible, i wasnt able to make anything really good with it..
However, the coming of the sidwave, that is already here, will continue to spread around, and you cannot stop it.
One fine day not too soon, a tune like JT in space, or another funky tune by Jeroen tel, written in 1988, has a very good chance to become a real world hit, in its original raw form.
When this happens, all the commercial bastards will embrace a VST like this, because they want the sound of the SID.
It's already happened. in the danish pro forum, they constantly ask how to make this and that sound on their advanced megasynth, but unlike the real sid coder, they have no idea how to make a basic sound, they use heaps of sample cds, LOL :) |
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SIDWAVE
Account closed
Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 2238 |
Quote: First link Jan, big red button to the right underneath the logo.
Got it.
Now i can make that world hit, without sampling each voice individually from a real sid, and spending weeks on mixing and cutting it :) |
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neilbaldwin
Account closed
Registered: Sep 2009
Posts: 48 |
Quote: Well Neil... I guess that there are still many chip musicians who are much more used to this chip style of doing things, so I'm not really scared that this VSTi will kill things for us.
Also, we still can't use VST music in demos/games on the c64.
:-)
But many non chip musicians will probably think:" YAY! now I can do great CHIP music like those old CHIP Legends!"
I think it's all about having a good idea.
So again... I'm not really touching cloth here! :-D
Jeff - I didn't mean death of the scene so much as the death of the current cultural obsession with "chip sound" in wider media.
Up until this point, getting that "chip sound" pretty much meant having to own the hardware or at the very least (if using an emulator, VICE for example) you still had to work within the limitations of the hardware (3 channels, using existing trackers/tools etc.). It's a set of restrictions that doesn't really exist in the realm of computer-based sequencers and software instruments. But this masochistic challenge is part of what we're all attracted to. We all nod in appreciation when someone manages to squeeze even more out of our beloved boxes. It's an appreciation that has to be explained to people who are not part of it. It would be like if someone figured out how to play a 7-note chord on a guitar. To guitarists it's astonishing, to anyone else.....*shrugs shoulders*.... :)
But now, with this software, any fool can drop a VST into their track and fill it full of C64 sounds without a care or an ounce of knowledge.
I don't want to sound like I'm down on the VST - I think it's an amazing technical achievement and the developers should be congratulated.
I just wonder what the knock-on effect will actually be.
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NecroPolo
Registered: Jun 2009
Posts: 231 |
Seems to be great! Thanks for the info.
- Purists will probably keep using real C64 until the day all the chips die and keep on using an emulator I guess. That's the most probable future way to go. For me, VICE either provided that old feel and the flexibility of new times - so I use my old Beast for testing purposes only.
- No, most definietly it doesn't mark the end of the chip sound. For example, the long available (2002 or so) VSTi "QuadraSid" what I used all the way of my soon-to-be-released remix album is a brewtally powerful tool for creating C64 sounds that integrate seamlessly into modern DAWs and efficient workflow. Despite that, it did not mean an end of SIDding. I think, it probably even inspired some non-C64 people to check the real thing and go into SID music. Besides, releasing the full power of these tools, knowing well the secrets of SID is quite essential :)
Expanding the limitations of these 8-bit barriers is still hell of a challenge and that rocks the boats of many people. This instrument just seems to be a great tool for musicians who are using 8-bit sounds anyway. For example, I'm sure it will find a home in many SID remixers' sonic arsenal.
Regards,
NP |
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Soren
Registered: Dec 2001
Posts: 547 |
well, for me the charm is gone with such an emulation of chips. I still need the c64 environment :-)
Also we'd probably experience a lot of crap chip music, as too many people think they can do really nice and catchy music.
...maybe :) |
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Stainless Steel
Registered: Mar 2003
Posts: 966 |
Quoting NeilJeff - I didn't mean death of the scene so much as the death of the current cultural obsession with "chip sound" in wider media.
Hallelujah, i'd much appreciate it if those buffoons would stop raping our sacred SID for their utterly horrific "mainstream media" abominations. |
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Soren
Registered: Dec 2001
Posts: 547 |
Joe: It's called "Plague Chipsounds" for a reason ;-)
But well, if it's any good, hopefully it means that people start using some decent pulse lead sounds in their VST music,
atleast THAT would be one step towards adding some expressions to melodies. Then they've just gotta use slide+vibrato a bit more interesting... Put it at the "right" spots and so. Having an instrument with portamento doesn't do the job of having decent slides in a melody. :-) |
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SIDWAVE
Account closed
Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 2238 |
Neil:
>I don't want to sound like I'm down on the VST - I think >it's an amazing technical achievement and the developers >should be congratulated.
>
>I just wonder what the knock-on effect will actually be.
Good sounds will catch on and be used.
The effect will be, as i wrote, that average joe is more likely to accept a raw sid tune as is, because he gets accustomed to the sound and feel of it.
Over here in denmark, chip music made with gameboy, sid, etc. is becoming widely accepted. Its especially the minimal music style that attrackt people, because it usually has more musical creativity than a 50 track sample copy/paste job.
And boys and girls grow up with a gameboy, wii, and so on, and they know these styles and sounds, just as our generation grew up with the C64. |
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