Nic Alderton (England)
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RockABIT: Why making music on Soundchips?
When I first played games on the Vic20, C64 and ST one of the joys was the music that enhanced the action. When demos started to take off, the music and sound was another part of the machine that coders could try to push, to squeeze the most out of. I found it was one of the things I enjoyed, turning code into tunes.
RockABIT: Describe your way of creating an YM2149 chiptune…
First, write your synthesiser! I had to learn how the YM chip worked and write the code for the synth. Thereafter each tune was written in hex and included in the source code for compilation. I never got around to writing a tracker so I would have to write each section, compile the code and listen back to see if I had it right.
RockABIT: Your greatest achievement in Sound programming on the ST?
I like the strange bassy effects I managed to achieve with the YM. Creating odd sounds was always rewarding; an exploratory approach to music like The Art Of Noise (C64).
RockABIT: Which of your Atari tunes stays special for you and why?
They are all so different but there's a special place in my heart for the "Reset music" from The Decade Demo.
RockABIT: Where did your musical Influences came from?
I grew up with film soundtracks from composers like Vangelis,Tangerine Dream, Simon Boswell. Also people like Mike Oldfield and Pink Floyd.
RockABIT: Life with 80s Homecomputer was…
A way to learn things outside of the system. And frustrating when a fuse blew and lost a day's work.
RockABIT: Does your Demoscene experience have an effect on your Life today?
It educated me about technology and computers before the WWW exploded. Also about teamwork and creativity. It was a useful self-education in collaborative creativity which helps me in my work today.
RockABIT: What do you think about the actual retro-phenomenon?
Great! There's always something to learn from the past. Evolving previous forms creates new art.
RockABIT: When you listen to Chipmusic nowadays…
It brings back memories of long sleepless nights coding and sounds like the birth of modern electronic music.
RockABIT: Are you still composing? Any plans?
I have written some music for film but I'm mainly concentrating on filmmaking now.
RockABIT: Thank you very much, Nic, and good luck for your upcoming projects!
When I first played games on the Vic20, C64 and ST one of the joys was the music that enhanced the action. When demos started to take off, the music and sound was another part of the machine that coders could try to push, to squeeze the most out of. I found it was one of the things I enjoyed, turning code into tunes.
RockABIT: Describe your way of creating an YM2149 chiptune…
First, write your synthesiser! I had to learn how the YM chip worked and write the code for the synth. Thereafter each tune was written in hex and included in the source code for compilation. I never got around to writing a tracker so I would have to write each section, compile the code and listen back to see if I had it right.
RockABIT: Your greatest achievement in Sound programming on the ST?
I like the strange bassy effects I managed to achieve with the YM. Creating odd sounds was always rewarding; an exploratory approach to music like The Art Of Noise (C64).
RockABIT: Which of your Atari tunes stays special for you and why?
They are all so different but there's a special place in my heart for the "Reset music" from The Decade Demo.
RockABIT: Where did your musical Influences came from?
I grew up with film soundtracks from composers like Vangelis,Tangerine Dream, Simon Boswell. Also people like Mike Oldfield and Pink Floyd.
RockABIT: Life with 80s Homecomputer was…
A way to learn things outside of the system. And frustrating when a fuse blew and lost a day's work.
RockABIT: Does your Demoscene experience have an effect on your Life today?
It educated me about technology and computers before the WWW exploded. Also about teamwork and creativity. It was a useful self-education in collaborative creativity which helps me in my work today.
RockABIT: What do you think about the actual retro-phenomenon?
Great! There's always something to learn from the past. Evolving previous forms creates new art.
RockABIT: When you listen to Chipmusic nowadays…
It brings back memories of long sleepless nights coding and sounds like the birth of modern electronic music.
RockABIT: Are you still composing? Any plans?
I have written some music for film but I'm mainly concentrating on filmmaking now.
RockABIT: Thank you very much, Nic, and good luck for your upcoming projects!