http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=NW9h_qKMYw4
Photos:
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
It's Milkcrate Time!
My good friend David Gustafsson and I are doing a milkcrate from tomorrow to Saturday. The theme for this session is "Water and Things That Change the State and Path of Water".
For more information, check out the milkcrate site.
Keep track of our progress on the milkcrate blog.
For more information, check out the milkcrate site.
Keep track of our progress on the milkcrate blog.
VecM (Vectrex MIDI Interface) Announcement Group
I have made a Google Group for announcements regarding the VecM - the MIDI interface for the Vectrex console.
Here is the link: http://groups.google.com.au/group/vecm-announcements
Here is the link: http://groups.google.com.au/group/vecm-announcements
A26F: Atari 2600 Full MIDI Interface
Introducing, the A26F!I love the sounds of the Atari 2600. I made a MIDI interface that gives you full control over the sound output of an Atari 2600.
Watch a demo video here.
I really want to thank Paul Slocum and all of the fantastic work that he has done for the inspiration.
I have created an announcements group for this project here.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
This Is Not Gourmet Update & I Have A Game Boy Fetish Update
Okay, just a quick post about updates to two of my other blogs.
This Is Not Gourmet, a vegetarian cooking blog, has been updated to include a delicious vegan omelette as well as some more recommended eateries in Adelaide. One of the places that I added to the eateries list is Bliss Organic Cafe, a vegan place that is most likely doing the catering for our wedding.
I have also updated I Have A Game Boy Fetish with 14 consoles including two Nintendo DS Lites as well as a rare Little Mermaid translucent blue Game Boy Pocket.
This Is Not Gourmet, a vegetarian cooking blog, has been updated to include a delicious vegan omelette as well as some more recommended eateries in Adelaide. One of the places that I added to the eateries list is Bliss Organic Cafe, a vegan place that is most likely doing the catering for our wedding.
I have also updated I Have A Game Boy Fetish with 14 consoles including two Nintendo DS Lites as well as a rare Little Mermaid translucent blue Game Boy Pocket.
Adelaide Dorkbot #3 Wrap Up
Vinny Bhagat and Martin Victory spoke at the last Adelaide Dorkbot meeting. It was actually a surprisingly successful night - not from the content, because I knew that that was going to be interesting, of course - but because the turnout was the best for any of the Adelaide Dorkbot meetups so far.
Vinny Bhagat presented a network presentation with himself on laptop, computer and motorised percussion (localised), Kym Gluyas on saxaphone (localised), Chris Martin on piano (elsewhere in Adelaide) and Maria Fava on the generation of real-time visuals (located in Italy). The performance was quite engaging and was almost engulfing at times with its swirling masses of sound and visuals. Vinny then spoke about his experiences with network performances and about his upcoming work in the field of sound art and electronic arts in India over the coming quarter.
Martin Victory presented and demonstrated his work on network-based sonification. I am always very impressed with Martin's work, and he delivered this time. The audience was captivated by the ideas and possibilities through his work. His focus in network sonification has been mostly on creative mapping and interfacing - a very interesting subject indeed, which brings up questions about what a creative outcome can be, what a performance and a musical work can be and also the lateral use of technological systems (all of which, if you read this blog with any kind of regularity, you would know interests me greatly).
Thanks to everyone (especially the presenters and performers) for coming along and making it a successful night. The next meeting is scheduled for December (exact date is still to be announced).
Vinny and Kym perform with Chris in a network performance.
Real-time visuals as generated by Maria (whose location was in Italy).
Martin presents about his explorations in network sonification.
Part of Martin's presentation.
Vinny Bhagat presented a network presentation with himself on laptop, computer and motorised percussion (localised), Kym Gluyas on saxaphone (localised), Chris Martin on piano (elsewhere in Adelaide) and Maria Fava on the generation of real-time visuals (located in Italy). The performance was quite engaging and was almost engulfing at times with its swirling masses of sound and visuals. Vinny then spoke about his experiences with network performances and about his upcoming work in the field of sound art and electronic arts in India over the coming quarter.
Martin Victory presented and demonstrated his work on network-based sonification. I am always very impressed with Martin's work, and he delivered this time. The audience was captivated by the ideas and possibilities through his work. His focus in network sonification has been mostly on creative mapping and interfacing - a very interesting subject indeed, which brings up questions about what a creative outcome can be, what a performance and a musical work can be and also the lateral use of technological systems (all of which, if you read this blog with any kind of regularity, you would know interests me greatly).
Thanks to everyone (especially the presenters and performers) for coming along and making it a successful night. The next meeting is scheduled for December (exact date is still to be announced).
Vinny and Kym perform with Chris in a network performance. 
Real-time visuals as generated by Maria (whose location was in Italy). 
Martin presents about his explorations in network sonification. 
Part of Martin's presentation. True Chip Till Death
Herr_Prof has recently created a very nice new chipmusic and chip art blog called "True Chip Till Death". Check it out here: http://truechiptilldeath.com/
"TCTD is a blog showcasing hardware, software, and artists utiliziing obsolete console and computer hardware. With an emphasis on the best and the brighest works and artists in the genre, TCTD hopes to foster greater understanding of the chip movements growth as an art platform and a launching pad for the continued progression of the genre."
A recommended read for anyone interested in all things chip!
"TCTD is a blog showcasing hardware, software, and artists utiliziing obsolete console and computer hardware. With an emphasis on the best and the brighest works and artists in the genre, TCTD hopes to foster greater understanding of the chip movements growth as an art platform and a launching pad for the continued progression of the genre."
A recommended read for anyone interested in all things chip!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Sega Mega Drive II VS Twin Pad Player
This post is part of is an ongoing look between the sound output of various Sega Mega Drive-based devices (whether they are first party or 'clones'). The benchmark will be the PAL Sega Mega Drive II with an unmodified AV output, because this seems to be quite common (at least where I am from).
The Twin Pad Player (TPP) is a Sega Mega Drive-On-A-Chip (a Sega "clone") that has 20 games built in and is quite small in size (much smaller than a SMDII for example). It also features a cartridge input. This device was released in 2008.
In terms of source, I used the direct AV output.
The TPP is lacking in bottom end but seems to be a little clearer in the mid to high range. This clearness is also accompanied to some degree by added digital artifacts that seem to resemble alias frequencies or some other factor of playing back digital synthesis samples through a DAC.To put it frank, it sounds hollow and without soul. But that is a very, very subjective statement.
Another striking feature is the fact that the TPP is approximately four semitones lower than the PAL SMD II. The PAL/NTSC switch did not change the pitch at all.
The following examples have been normalised.
Sega Mega Drive II test example.
Twin Pad Player test example.
The Twin Pad Player (TPP) is a Sega Mega Drive-On-A-Chip (a Sega "clone") that has 20 games built in and is quite small in size (much smaller than a SMDII for example). It also features a cartridge input. This device was released in 2008.
In terms of source, I used the direct AV output.
The TPP is lacking in bottom end but seems to be a little clearer in the mid to high range. This clearness is also accompanied to some degree by added digital artifacts that seem to resemble alias frequencies or some other factor of playing back digital synthesis samples through a DAC.To put it frank, it sounds hollow and without soul. But that is a very, very subjective statement.
Another striking feature is the fact that the TPP is approximately four semitones lower than the PAL SMD II. The PAL/NTSC switch did not change the pitch at all.
The following examples have been normalised.
Sega Mega Drive II test example.
Twin Pad Player test example.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
NanoGroover: Triplets and Quintuplets in Nanoloop
Introduction
I made a device that generates Nanoloop sync data for two Game Boys. The thing is that the user can set the ratio of sync clock of one of the Game Boys to the other, in the following ratios:
• Two in the time of four (double speed)
• Three in the time of four (three against four cross rhythms)
• Four in the time of four (1:1; the sync is equal)
• Five in the time of four (quintuplets)
• Six in the time of four (triplets)
There are also controls for controlling the speed of sync (via a potentiometer; aka a "knob") and interrupting / stopping the sync signals for either Game Boy, so that it stops.
Of course I know that this would be easy to make in Arduino or Picaxe or using an Atmel or a PIC - but all of this would require the user to program a chip in some way. The nice thing is that this design only requires three logic chips (which I bought locally for around AU$2.50 in total), a capacitor, a resistor and a pot. No programming or "special parts" are required. A Game Boy link cable needs to be hacked up.
Quick Video Demo
You can watch a video of length 53 seconds here:
Power Source
If the Game Boy link cable doesn't have 5V / 3.5V wire or pin, then a suitable power source will be required. 5V would be required for Original Game Boy / Pocket / Color. 3.5V would be required for Game Boy Advance / SP / Micro.
For the one that I made, I have been using three rechargeable 1.2V NiMH batteries - the output is around 4V, and it works fine for me.
Schematic
The overall range of the tempo control (pot R1) can be set by changing the values of R1, R2 and C1.
Battery cells G1, G2 and G3 are 3 x AA NiMH batteries and are required if the GB / GBA link cable is lacking pin 1 (the voltage pin). 2 x non-rechargeable batteries may also work, although this has not been tested.
Other ratios than 2:4, 3:4, 4:4, 5:4 and 6:4 (see above) can be achieved by changing pins Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5 and Q6 to other Qn pins. See the "how it works" section for more information.
The eight switches in the DIL-8 switch (SW1) operate as follows:
• 1 - 5 sets the ratio from 2:4 to 6:4. Only one of the switches should be up at a given point in time.
• 6 and 7 interrupts the sync signal to each Game Boy independently if set to the off position.
• 8 turns the device on and off.
Below you can see a photo of the GBA link cable with the appropriate pins that you need to use. As you can see, my link cable here is missing the voltage pin (pin 1: VDD).
Pictures
How it Works
Nanoloop sync is quite simple in that it is clock signal that is constantly moving at a rate of 12 pulse per quarter note, as shown below:
So we can generate suitable oscillations using, say, an RC type oscillator. We can also use such an oscillator as a control clock signal for generating slightly more complex clock structures using other ICs like the 4017.
The 4017 is a decade counter, which means that it has 10 outputs labeled Q0 to Q9, each of which outputs a 'tick' one after the other if a clock signal is applied to the input in a repeating setup like this:
The nice thing is that the 4017 also has a reset pin, which sets the counter back to zero, so that the next clock tick will be output on Q0. So by connecting one of the Qn outputs back to the reset, we can generate a counter signal at any ratio from 1:1 to 10:1 in relation to the original clock signal.
Then its simply a matter of connecting Q0 to the Nanoloop clock input, and generating a different clock phase using a 4017 counter per Game Boy.
So for example, imagine that we have two 4017 counters, both of which are driven by the same clock signal from a square wave oscillator. Q0 of both 4017's are connected to the Nanoloop clock input of two Game Boys.
Now, imagine that the Q3 pin of one of the 4017s is connected back to the reset, whilst the Q3 pin of the other 4017 is connected back to its respective reset pin. We get the following result:
See? It takes three pulses of the second 4017 to equal the same amount of time as four pulses of the first 4017 - in other words, we are generating a clock signals that are at a speed of three is to four in relation to one another. Thus, we can generate a number of ratios by using the various Qn outputs.
I made a device that generates Nanoloop sync data for two Game Boys. The thing is that the user can set the ratio of sync clock of one of the Game Boys to the other, in the following ratios:
• Two in the time of four (double speed)
• Three in the time of four (three against four cross rhythms)
• Four in the time of four (1:1; the sync is equal)
• Five in the time of four (quintuplets)
• Six in the time of four (triplets)
There are also controls for controlling the speed of sync (via a potentiometer; aka a "knob") and interrupting / stopping the sync signals for either Game Boy, so that it stops.
Of course I know that this would be easy to make in Arduino or Picaxe or using an Atmel or a PIC - but all of this would require the user to program a chip in some way. The nice thing is that this design only requires three logic chips (which I bought locally for around AU$2.50 in total), a capacitor, a resistor and a pot. No programming or "special parts" are required. A Game Boy link cable needs to be hacked up.
Quick Video Demo
You can watch a video of length 53 seconds here:
Power Source
If the Game Boy link cable doesn't have 5V / 3.5V wire or pin, then a suitable power source will be required. 5V would be required for Original Game Boy / Pocket / Color. 3.5V would be required for Game Boy Advance / SP / Micro.
For the one that I made, I have been using three rechargeable 1.2V NiMH batteries - the output is around 4V, and it works fine for me.
Schematic
The overall range of the tempo control (pot R1) can be set by changing the values of R1, R2 and C1.Battery cells G1, G2 and G3 are 3 x AA NiMH batteries and are required if the GB / GBA link cable is lacking pin 1 (the voltage pin). 2 x non-rechargeable batteries may also work, although this has not been tested.
Other ratios than 2:4, 3:4, 4:4, 5:4 and 6:4 (see above) can be achieved by changing pins Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5 and Q6 to other Qn pins. See the "how it works" section for more information.
The eight switches in the DIL-8 switch (SW1) operate as follows:
• 1 - 5 sets the ratio from 2:4 to 6:4. Only one of the switches should be up at a given point in time.
• 6 and 7 interrupts the sync signal to each Game Boy independently if set to the off position.
• 8 turns the device on and off.
Below you can see a photo of the GBA link cable with the appropriate pins that you need to use. As you can see, my link cable here is missing the voltage pin (pin 1: VDD).
Pictures
How it Works
Nanoloop sync is quite simple in that it is clock signal that is constantly moving at a rate of 12 pulse per quarter note, as shown below:
Clock: |--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__| = 1 quarter noteThis type of signal is very easy to generate with, say, a simple square wave control oscillator. Another important thing to note about this sync signal is that the Game Boy doesn't care what the pulse width of this signal is - all it needs is a high state followed by a low state, repeated twelve times per quarter note.
So we can generate suitable oscillations using, say, an RC type oscillator. We can also use such an oscillator as a control clock signal for generating slightly more complex clock structures using other ICs like the 4017.
The 4017 is a decade counter, which means that it has 10 outputs labeled Q0 to Q9, each of which outputs a 'tick' one after the other if a clock signal is applied to the input in a repeating setup like this:
CK: --__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__--__
Q0: --______________________________________
Q1: ____--__________________________________
Q2: ________--______________________________
Q3: ____________--__________________________
Q4: ________________--______________________
Q5: ____________________--__________________
Q6: ________________________--______________
Q7: ____________________________--__________
Q8: ________________________________--______
Q9: ____________________________________--__
The nice thing is that the 4017 also has a reset pin, which sets the counter back to zero, so that the next clock tick will be output on Q0. So by connecting one of the Qn outputs back to the reset, we can generate a counter signal at any ratio from 1:1 to 10:1 in relation to the original clock signal.
Then its simply a matter of connecting Q0 to the Nanoloop clock input, and generating a different clock phase using a 4017 counter per Game Boy.
So for example, imagine that we have two 4017 counters, both of which are driven by the same clock signal from a square wave oscillator. Q0 of both 4017's are connected to the Nanoloop clock input of two Game Boys.
Now, imagine that the Q3 pin of one of the 4017s is connected back to the reset, whilst the Q3 pin of the other 4017 is connected back to its respective reset pin. We get the following result:
4017 1: --__________--__________--__________--__________
4017 2: --______________--______________--______________
See? It takes three pulses of the second 4017 to equal the same amount of time as four pulses of the first 4017 - in other words, we are generating a clock signals that are at a speed of three is to four in relation to one another. Thus, we can generate a number of ratios by using the various Qn outputs.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
A Week in the Life of 8BC: 164-track Super Mash Mega Mix
I have made a super mash mega mix of all tracks that were uploaded to 8bc from 11 October 2008 to 17 October 2008.
Get it here: http://supermash.milkcrate.com.au/
Sunday, October 19, 2008
little-scale: five step plan (2008)
Five Step Plan contains all of the material that I played at a show on the 17th of October in Melbourne, Australia. For the most part, this is unreleased stuff. I hope that you enjoy it.
Tracklisting
1. Dallas, Four AM
2. Objectives
3. Perspectives
4. Piranhas
5. Lines
6. Boundaries
7. Strategies
8. The Discovery of Slowness
Download
link (15.2megabytes)
Two Channels Only Comp Released on CDK Records
The Two Channels Only Compilation is now out through CalmDownKidder Records! I organised this one, and I had a track in it as well.
Download it from here: http://calmdownkidder.com/records/?p=59
"WOO HOO! The two channel compilation is finally here! We got Nestroyer, Jellica, 8GB, Unicorn Dream Attack, Random, Failotron, esc AND LOADS MORE! Each artist has had to make a song using only two channels of their choice, making the restrictive art of chiptune even more restrictive! Watch this space for a one channel comp soon, then a non-channel comp! (the last one may not be true) - Artwork by CDK fave Sparkyboy!"
Thanks to Sparkyboy for the artwork!
Thanks to CDK Records for hosting and releasing this one!
Tracklisting
Disc 1
1. Orphanage by The J. Arthur Keenes Band
2. Post-Apology Nation by little-scale
3. MPDJ by Ten Thousand Free Men & Their Families
4. Y2K by Astro Zombies
5. Modus operandi by Emartransformo
6. Manhattan Dynamite by Vintaque
7. Cobra Attack Squad by Sybi0t
8. 2ChanLifespan by Joedouken!
9. Gold by Lazerbeat
10. Space Dust Inhilation Theory by TristEndo
11. Galway Funk by 8GB
12. Whack Attack by TurboDaze
13. The Drone by White Circuit
14. Shortwobble1 by Jellica
15. Strangers by Nestroyer
16. 2 Tones by Subway Sonicbeat
17. Neko by SMES
Disc 2
1. Treehouse by Arms Akimbo
2. Mutoid Bit by Buskerdroid
3. Alabaster and Tears by Unicorn Dream Attack
4. Reminiscences by Secret Lab
5.Why Chip Tune Sucks In 26' by Flashbob
6. Jupiters by Micro Knight
7. Double Espresso by Random
8. sClick2 by Infradead
9. 2channelproductions by failotron
10. History by Sparkyboy
11. BRB, BRKDWN TYM! by TRASHAPPY!
12. The Journey Of Squarrel by Varia Vaku
13. Flying Laser Sharks by Flegmatical
14. RocketShoe by L-Tron
15. 97 Minutes by Environmental Sound Collapse
16. Donkey Lasher by Fluxxin
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
nitro2k01 with a small n: INSEX Micro EP
nitro2k01 with a small n has released a very nice so-called "micro EP" of his recent 48hr challenge.
I really like it, although I don't know if I would describe it as "noise music" as he does - it's far too "nice" for that.
There are two things that interest me about this release:
1) The constraints under which it was written / produced.
"'twas a regular day at #hexawe when moustache man schm0uhm complained that no
one accepted his crazy 48h compo request:
- = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = -
I challenge anyone to make a track in lsdj using only noise channel and pulse
channel 1*
(*instruments in pulse channel 1 may not exceed 02 in length)"
2) The 'warning' about the .sav file:
"Beware that INSEX Micro EP is recorded from a DS running Lameboy DS, so I
can't guarantee it will sound the same when played back on the real thing. Or
rather, i can affirmatively guarantee it won't sound the same due to certain
differences in how the sound is handled."
Get some goodness into you now. Download it here.
I really like it, although I don't know if I would describe it as "noise music" as he does - it's far too "nice" for that.
There are two things that interest me about this release:
1) The constraints under which it was written / produced.
"'twas a regular day at #hexawe when moustache man schm0uhm complained that no
one accepted his crazy 48h compo request:
- = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = -
I challenge anyone to make a track in lsdj using only noise channel and pulse
channel 1*
(*instruments in pulse channel 1 may not exceed 02 in length)"
2) The 'warning' about the .sav file:
"Beware that INSEX Micro EP is recorded from a DS running Lameboy DS, so I
can't guarantee it will sound the same when played back on the real thing. Or
rather, i can affirmatively guarantee it won't sound the same due to certain
differences in how the sound is handled."
Get some goodness into you now. Download it here.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Game Boy DMG Normal VS Pro Sound Output
The so-called Pro Sound modification for the Nintendo Game Boy bypasses some audio circuitry normally used for the headphone jack, resulting in a cleaner sound.
Here are some results from a single Nintendo Game Boy, comparing its normal headphone audio output with its Pro Sound output. Same Game Boy model, same unit, same gain setting used during recording, same recording gear. The only difference was the output used. "Stopped silence" refers to having LSDJ booted up but not playing anything at all. "Music" refers to music. "Played silence" refers to a chain and a phrase with nothing in them, but still having the LSDJ tracking actually playing. Note the difference in the Pro Sound output when comparing the stopped silence to the played silence.
stopped silence:
- prosound: -63.9 dbFS
- normal: - 61.1 dbFS
music:
- prosound: -2.7 dBfs
- normal: -15.8 dBfs
played silence:
- prosound: -53.5 dBfs
- normal: - 63.9
Here are some sonogram images. Note how there is no increase in bass levels (or at least that I can really notice).
Pro Sound output
Normal output
Here are some results from a single Nintendo Game Boy, comparing its normal headphone audio output with its Pro Sound output. Same Game Boy model, same unit, same gain setting used during recording, same recording gear. The only difference was the output used. "Stopped silence" refers to having LSDJ booted up but not playing anything at all. "Music" refers to music. "Played silence" refers to a chain and a phrase with nothing in them, but still having the LSDJ tracking actually playing. Note the difference in the Pro Sound output when comparing the stopped silence to the played silence.
stopped silence:
- prosound: -63.9 dbFS
- normal: - 61.1 dbFS
music:
- prosound: -2.7 dBfs
- normal: -15.8 dBfs
played silence:
- prosound: -53.5 dBfs
- normal: - 63.9
Here are some sonogram images. Note how there is no increase in bass levels (or at least that I can really notice).
Pro Sound output
Normal outputMonday, October 13, 2008
Adelaide Dorbot #3: Netbot
Adelaide Dorkbot #3 is this Wednesday. Come along! It will be fun. Coffee and snacks provided.
DORKBOT ADELAIDE presents !!NETBOT!!
Presentations by:
Vinny Bhagat - networks FOR music
Martin Victory - networks AS music
Discussions by:
Hidden Village (brief Electrofringe report)
You! - if you have any ideas/ projects please feel free to bring them along to show the group or discuss them over a coffee and tim tam or two!
Date: Wednesday 15 October 2008 (THIS WEDNESDAY!!!)
Time: 7:30 - 9:30
Location: Schulz Building, University of Adelaide (off Kintore Avenue)
Its Free
See you there! and feel free to pass the information along.
Web: http://dorkbot.org/dorkbotadelaide/
Email: dorkbotadelaide@dorkbot.org
Mailing List: http://dorkbot.org/mailman/listinfo/dorkbotadelaide‐blabber
RSS: feed://dorkbot.org/dorkbotadelaide/?feed=rss2
DORKBOT ADELAIDE presents !!NETBOT!!
Presentations by:
Vinny Bhagat - networks FOR music
Martin Victory - networks AS music
Discussions by:
Hidden Village (brief Electrofringe report)
You! - if you have any ideas/ projects please feel free to bring them along to show the group or discuss them over a coffee and tim tam or two!
Date: Wednesday 15 October 2008 (THIS WEDNESDAY!!!)
Time: 7:30 - 9:30
Location: Schulz Building, University of Adelaide (off Kintore Avenue)
Its Free
See you there! and feel free to pass the information along.
Web: http://dorkbot.org/dorkbotadelaide/
Email: dorkbotadelaide@dorkbot.org
Mailing List: http://dorkbot.org/mailman/listinfo/dorkbotadelaide‐blabber
RSS: feed://dorkbot.org/dorkbotadelaide/?feed=rss2
Sound Bytes Show in Melbourne this Friday
Hidden Village is playing this Friday at the Bunker Lounge in Melbourne. I will also be doing a solo set. 8PM onwards.
Two Performance Boys
Finally, i have done up my two best looking and sounding Game Boys to be my performance / recording boys. Both have had the post-pot, internal ProSound modification done to them. I have also replaced the Game Boy buttons and D-pad with NES controller equivalents - these fit perfectly and look quite nice I think. At any rate, I can now tell which Game Boys are the best to use for shows. This was part of the prep for the upcoming Melbourne show.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Sync Options for Game Boy Music
Last updated: 29 October 2008
Thanks heaps to: nitro2k01, Athleos and Low-Gain for pointing out my mistakes and inacurracies.
A question that gets asks from time to time is "How Do I Sync My Game Boy?". The two major Game Boy music programs (Nanoloop and LSDJ) both allow different types of synchronisation.
I thought it might be a good idea to lay out all of the options that are available. Some of the options require various levels of DIY skills - having said that, DIY stuff can be very, very affordable and can bring about a sense of satisfaction (if it works properly, of course).
This is not supposed to be a critique of each sync device (I'm not having a go at anyone!), I'm just trying to make this information available to people.
Quick Overview of the Devices
I have here a prepared table. For more details about each device, please scroll down.
Game Boy Link Cables
Okay, so the first option is an obvious one, but I thought we would start off with something simple. Link cables let you sync up two Game Boys to each other, so that they play in time.
On the positive side...
• They're cheap. Pick some up from Ebay for around AU$5 to AU$8. Quite often, you can pick them up in a package including a Game Boy and some games.
• They're plug'n'play. You don't have to press anything to get them working, you just plug them in, set up your software to a master / slave configuration and there ya go.
On the negative side...
• You can only sync a Game Boy to another Game Boy (unless you have a MIDI sync box such as LSDJMC2, Arduinoboy or syncThing).
Delfy's Six Way Sync Box
This is a custom-made passive sync box that allows the user to synchronise up to six game boys to one another. As far as i know, there is only one in existence, but Delfy might be persuaded into making another if you contact him.
On the positive side...
• It's plug'n'play. You don't have to press anything to get them working, you just plug them in, set up your software to a master / slave configuration and there ya go.
On the negative side...
• You can only sync a Game Boy to another Game Boy (unless you have a MIDI sync box such as LSDJMC2, Arduinoboy or syncThing).
• The availability of this item is unknown, but it should be quite easy to replicate.
Low-gain's 1x3 DMG-07 Mod
This modification takes an original 4 player Game Boy link connector and converts it into a device that takes one master sync signal and outputs three slave signals. Sounds like it would be a hit at parties!
On the positive side...
• They're plug'n'play. You don't have to press anything to get them working, you just plug them in, set up your software to a master / slave configuration and there ya go.
• You can use this to multiply your number of sync outputs from a given MIDI sync device.
• Can be used in an infinite daisy chain.
• Can be used to multiply other sync outputs from MIDI devices.
On the negative side...
• You can only sync a Game Boy to another Game Boy (unless you have a MIDI sync box such as LSDJMC2, Arduinoboy or syncThing).
Gwem's LSDJ Pitch Control
Gwem has made the plans available for his LSDJ Pitch control. This device has been around for a while, but it's a nice design and allows the user to control the tempo of LSDJ using both a 'coarse' and a 'fine' control. It's really made for live use.
On the positive side...
• Great for live use, as you can control the tempo using two pots!
• The electronic components are cheap and easy to find
• A chip (microcontroller) does not need to be programmed in any way
On the negative side...
• It's just made for real-time control - ie. no MIDI. But this is a just question of purpose so I'm just mentioning it here in the negative as a warning.
• Looks slightly - only slightly - more difficult to build than other DIY options
• Premade units are not available.
Gwem's DIY MIDI Interface
Gwem has also made a MIDI clock sync interface. Just like his Pitch Control, this device features only common components that do not require any programs to be uploaded to a chip (and is the only DIY MIDI clock sync device to do so).
On the positive side...
• Made from cheap, simple components that should (hopefully) be sourced locally.
• Syncs LSDJ to a MIDI clock signal
• Does not require the user to upload a program to a chip
On the negative side...
• Syncs only LSDJ
• The interface expects to only receive MIDI clock signals - other MIDI messages may / will interfere with the sync
Oliver Wittchow's Nanoloop Sync Cable
This cable allows one to sync Nanoloop 1.x and 2.x to a MIDI clock signal.
On the positive side...
• Very small and portable - its basically a cable with a small area for the chip in the middle.
• Uses the Game Boy connection for power.
• Easy to use with Nanoloop.
• They were originally made as premade devices (and relatively affordable as such) but will be available as kits soon.
On the negative side...
• Only syncs one Game Boy.
• Only syncs Nanoloop.
• Premade units are no longer available - but a kit is available soon
Official LSDJ Sync
There was an official LSDJ MIDI sync device made a while ago. They are no longer produced.
On the positive side...
• Very small and portable
On the negative side...
• They are not produced anymore.
Firestarter's LSDJMC2
Firestarter designed a PIC-based device that allows the synchronisation of LSDJ and Nanoloop to a MIDI beat clock. Low-gain from 8BC is currently producing these devices.
On the positive side...
• It's a premade device, which means its tested.
• Low-gain's and Firestarter's models look very nice and appear to be quite sturdy.
• The device features a number of useful modes / options
• You can even make your own!
• These devices sync up to 2 Game Boys to a MIDI clock
On the negative side...
• The premade devices are quite expensive (with good reason), and as such may not be suitable for everyone.
Trash80's ArduinoBoy
This is an Arduino-based sync device, making it easy to build. It responds to MIDI start, stop and sync commands. It has many features of the LSDJMC2. A new version currently support a custom program that allows for full control over the Game Boy's sound chip (much like PushPin)
On the positive side...
• Very easy to build!
• Sync many Game Boys to MIDI
• Features four different sync modes for Nanoloop and LSDJ
• Stable and accurate
On the negative side...
• Premade units are not available
Gijs' Master Clock Generator
This is an Arduino-based sync device, making it easy to build. It outputs MIDI clock rather than syncing to MIDI clock. It also outputs LSDJ, Nanoloop and Sync24 clock signals. The overall tempo is controlled by a potentiometer.
On the positive side...
• Synchronise 4 x LSDJ, 3 x Nanoloop, 2 x MIDI and 2 x Sync24 devices!
• Control the speed with a pot control - great for live performances and such!
On the negative side...
• Does not accept MIDI clock, it only generates it
• Premade units are quite expensive (but are made by Gijs himself!!)
little-scale's syncThing and syncTank
This is a Freeduino-based sync device, making it easy to build. It synchronises 6 copies of LSDJ as well as 6 copies of Nanoloop to MIDI clock. The syncTank is a related device, being able to sync up to 15 copies of LSDJ to MIDI clock.
On the positive side...
• Sync a large number of Game Boys to MIDI clock (12 for the syncThing, 15 for the syncTank)
• Sync both Nanoloop and LSDJ
• Cheap to build; I can send you flashed Freeduino chips.
On the negative side...
• Premade units are no longer available
little-scale's nanoGroover
This device generates triplets and other weird timings for Nanoloop!
On the positive side...
• Generate weird timings for Nanoloop like 2:4, 3:4, 5:4 and 6:4. Finally, you can do triplets in Nanoloop!
• Very cheap and easy to build. Requires no programming of parts or special ICs.
On the negative side...
• Requires two Game Boys and two copies of Nanoloop.
• Premade units not available.
little-scale's nanoSync24
This device will sync Nanoloop to a Sync24 signal.
On the positive side...
• Sync Nanoloop to Prophet 64, so that the C64 is controlling the speed of Nanoloop.
On the negative side...
• Premade units not available.
LSDJ Keyboard Adaptor
This is not a synchronisation device. But it will allow you to control notes in LSDJ using a standard PS/2 (ie. PC with the mini-DIN connector) computer keyboard.
On the positive side...
• Wow! Play notes on the keyboard and the sounds come out of the Game Boy!
• Very easy and cheap to make; many people have PS/2 keybaords already lying around.
On the negative side...
• Premade units not available.
Vawter and Whitman's Pushpin
This is not a sync device. This setup allows you to have complete control over the Game Boy's sound output. Brilliant!
On the positive side...
• Very cheap and easy to build the hardware part; requires no programming of chips and such
• An amazing level of control!
On the negative side...
• Premade units not available.
• Only works on Game Boy Color
Trash80's Arduinoboy + mGB
This is not a sync device. This setup is an extension to Trash80's awesome Arduinoboy project. It allows you to control the sound output of the Game Boy via MIDI.
On the positive side...
• Arduino based, so you know it's easy to make!
• An amazing level of control!
On the negative side...
• Premade units not available.
• Not completely finsihed yet (?)
Thanks heaps to: nitro2k01, Athleos and Low-Gain for pointing out my mistakes and inacurracies.
A question that gets asks from time to time is "How Do I Sync My Game Boy?". The two major Game Boy music programs (Nanoloop and LSDJ) both allow different types of synchronisation.
I thought it might be a good idea to lay out all of the options that are available. Some of the options require various levels of DIY skills - having said that, DIY stuff can be very, very affordable and can bring about a sense of satisfaction (if it works properly, of course).
This is not supposed to be a critique of each sync device (I'm not having a go at anyone!), I'm just trying to make this information available to people.
Quick Overview of the Devices
I have here a prepared table. For more details about each device, please scroll down.
Game Boy Link Cables
Okay, so the first option is an obvious one, but I thought we would start off with something simple. Link cables let you sync up two Game Boys to each other, so that they play in time.
On the positive side...
• They're cheap. Pick some up from Ebay for around AU$5 to AU$8. Quite often, you can pick them up in a package including a Game Boy and some games.
• They're plug'n'play. You don't have to press anything to get them working, you just plug them in, set up your software to a master / slave configuration and there ya go.
On the negative side...
• You can only sync a Game Boy to another Game Boy (unless you have a MIDI sync box such as LSDJMC2, Arduinoboy or syncThing).
Delfy's Six Way Sync Box
This is a custom-made passive sync box that allows the user to synchronise up to six game boys to one another. As far as i know, there is only one in existence, but Delfy might be persuaded into making another if you contact him.
On the positive side...
• It's plug'n'play. You don't have to press anything to get them working, you just plug them in, set up your software to a master / slave configuration and there ya go.
On the negative side...
• You can only sync a Game Boy to another Game Boy (unless you have a MIDI sync box such as LSDJMC2, Arduinoboy or syncThing).
• The availability of this item is unknown, but it should be quite easy to replicate.
Low-gain's 1x3 DMG-07 Mod
This modification takes an original 4 player Game Boy link connector and converts it into a device that takes one master sync signal and outputs three slave signals. Sounds like it would be a hit at parties!
On the positive side...
• They're plug'n'play. You don't have to press anything to get them working, you just plug them in, set up your software to a master / slave configuration and there ya go.
• You can use this to multiply your number of sync outputs from a given MIDI sync device.
• Can be used in an infinite daisy chain.
• Can be used to multiply other sync outputs from MIDI devices.
On the negative side...
• You can only sync a Game Boy to another Game Boy (unless you have a MIDI sync box such as LSDJMC2, Arduinoboy or syncThing).
Gwem's LSDJ Pitch Control
Gwem has made the plans available for his LSDJ Pitch control. This device has been around for a while, but it's a nice design and allows the user to control the tempo of LSDJ using both a 'coarse' and a 'fine' control. It's really made for live use.
On the positive side...
• Great for live use, as you can control the tempo using two pots!
• The electronic components are cheap and easy to find
• A chip (microcontroller) does not need to be programmed in any way
On the negative side...
• It's just made for real-time control - ie. no MIDI. But this is a just question of purpose so I'm just mentioning it here in the negative as a warning.
• Looks slightly - only slightly - more difficult to build than other DIY options
• Premade units are not available.
Gwem's DIY MIDI Interface
Gwem has also made a MIDI clock sync interface. Just like his Pitch Control, this device features only common components that do not require any programs to be uploaded to a chip (and is the only DIY MIDI clock sync device to do so).
On the positive side...
• Made from cheap, simple components that should (hopefully) be sourced locally.
• Syncs LSDJ to a MIDI clock signal
• Does not require the user to upload a program to a chip
On the negative side...
• Syncs only LSDJ
• The interface expects to only receive MIDI clock signals - other MIDI messages may / will interfere with the sync
Oliver Wittchow's Nanoloop Sync Cable
This cable allows one to sync Nanoloop 1.x and 2.x to a MIDI clock signal.
On the positive side...
• Very small and portable - its basically a cable with a small area for the chip in the middle.
• Uses the Game Boy connection for power.
• Easy to use with Nanoloop.
• They were originally made as premade devices (and relatively affordable as such) but will be available as kits soon.
On the negative side...
• Only syncs one Game Boy.
• Only syncs Nanoloop.
• Premade units are no longer available - but a kit is available soon
Official LSDJ Sync
There was an official LSDJ MIDI sync device made a while ago. They are no longer produced.
On the positive side...
• Very small and portable
On the negative side...
• They are not produced anymore.
Firestarter's LSDJMC2
Firestarter designed a PIC-based device that allows the synchronisation of LSDJ and Nanoloop to a MIDI beat clock. Low-gain from 8BC is currently producing these devices.
On the positive side...
• It's a premade device, which means its tested.
• Low-gain's and Firestarter's models look very nice and appear to be quite sturdy.
• The device features a number of useful modes / options
• You can even make your own!
• These devices sync up to 2 Game Boys to a MIDI clock
On the negative side...
• The premade devices are quite expensive (with good reason), and as such may not be suitable for everyone.
Trash80's ArduinoBoy
This is an Arduino-based sync device, making it easy to build. It responds to MIDI start, stop and sync commands. It has many features of the LSDJMC2. A new version currently support a custom program that allows for full control over the Game Boy's sound chip (much like PushPin)
On the positive side...
• Very easy to build!
• Sync many Game Boys to MIDI
• Features four different sync modes for Nanoloop and LSDJ
• Stable and accurate
On the negative side...
• Premade units are not available
Gijs' Master Clock Generator
This is an Arduino-based sync device, making it easy to build. It outputs MIDI clock rather than syncing to MIDI clock. It also outputs LSDJ, Nanoloop and Sync24 clock signals. The overall tempo is controlled by a potentiometer.
On the positive side...
• Synchronise 4 x LSDJ, 3 x Nanoloop, 2 x MIDI and 2 x Sync24 devices!
• Control the speed with a pot control - great for live performances and such!
On the negative side...
• Does not accept MIDI clock, it only generates it
• Premade units are quite expensive (but are made by Gijs himself!!)
little-scale's syncThing and syncTank
This is a Freeduino-based sync device, making it easy to build. It synchronises 6 copies of LSDJ as well as 6 copies of Nanoloop to MIDI clock. The syncTank is a related device, being able to sync up to 15 copies of LSDJ to MIDI clock.
On the positive side...
• Sync a large number of Game Boys to MIDI clock (12 for the syncThing, 15 for the syncTank)
• Sync both Nanoloop and LSDJ
• Cheap to build; I can send you flashed Freeduino chips.
On the negative side...
• Premade units are no longer available
little-scale's nanoGroover
This device generates triplets and other weird timings for Nanoloop!
On the positive side...
• Generate weird timings for Nanoloop like 2:4, 3:4, 5:4 and 6:4. Finally, you can do triplets in Nanoloop!
• Very cheap and easy to build. Requires no programming of parts or special ICs.
On the negative side...
• Requires two Game Boys and two copies of Nanoloop.
• Premade units not available.
little-scale's nanoSync24
This device will sync Nanoloop to a Sync24 signal.
On the positive side...
• Sync Nanoloop to Prophet 64, so that the C64 is controlling the speed of Nanoloop.
On the negative side...
• Premade units not available.
LSDJ Keyboard Adaptor
This is not a synchronisation device. But it will allow you to control notes in LSDJ using a standard PS/2 (ie. PC with the mini-DIN connector) computer keyboard.
On the positive side...
• Wow! Play notes on the keyboard and the sounds come out of the Game Boy!
• Very easy and cheap to make; many people have PS/2 keybaords already lying around.
On the negative side...
• Premade units not available.
Vawter and Whitman's Pushpin
This is not a sync device. This setup allows you to have complete control over the Game Boy's sound output. Brilliant!
On the positive side...
• Very cheap and easy to build the hardware part; requires no programming of chips and such
• An amazing level of control!
On the negative side...
• Premade units not available.
• Only works on Game Boy Color
Trash80's Arduinoboy + mGB
This is not a sync device. This setup is an extension to Trash80's awesome Arduinoboy project. It allows you to control the sound output of the Game Boy via MIDI.
On the positive side...
• Arduino based, so you know it's easy to make!
• An amazing level of control!
On the negative side...
• Premade units not available.
• Not completely finsihed yet (?)
Monday, October 06, 2008
8BC Ninja Beats Compilation
The 8BC Ninja Beats Compilation is out now! My track is called 'Tall Bamboo' and features Sega Mega Drive, NES and Shamisen.
Get all the tracks here. Out through Robo-bot Records.
10K Remix of 'Orange'
Ten Thousand Free Men and Their Families has done a remix of my track called 'Orange' from Red Yellow and Orange. It's actually a really cool remix because the feel is quite different yet it is still on a Game Boy (a 1/2 clocked one at that!).Enjoy it here!
Hidden Village Pics from Electrofringe
Please note that if anyone is in one of these images and they would like the image removed from here, please let me know.
You can download our EP here.
Things that we did during the workshop:
- circuit bending very cheap toys using pots, LDRs, capacitors and the human body
- a basic digital logic sequencing / synthesis demo
- introduction to little sound dj, a game boy music program written by Johan Kotlinksi
- the underclocking of game boys, as presented by Gieskes and first pioneered by Kbud
Things that we spoke about during the presentation:
- Music for Two Desklamps
- Atari Christmas Lights
- Black Dog, White Dog
- Imaginary Menagerie
- 24 Points of Articulation
- The Starmaker EP
- Sega Mega Drive Interfacing
- Sync Devices
- Printer Drum Machines
- Vectrex Interfacing
- Tape-o-tron
- Sega Master System
- Toriton (Water Music)
Workshop:
Presentation:
You can download our EP here.
Things that we did during the workshop:
- circuit bending very cheap toys using pots, LDRs, capacitors and the human body
- a basic digital logic sequencing / synthesis demo
- introduction to little sound dj, a game boy music program written by Johan Kotlinksi
- the underclocking of game boys, as presented by Gieskes and first pioneered by Kbud
Things that we spoke about during the presentation:
- Music for Two Desklamps
- Atari Christmas Lights
- Black Dog, White Dog
- Imaginary Menagerie
- 24 Points of Articulation
- The Starmaker EP
- Sega Mega Drive Interfacing
- Sync Devices
- Printer Drum Machines
- Vectrex Interfacing
- Tape-o-tron
- Sega Master System
- Toriton (Water Music)
Workshop:
Presentation:
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