Noisechannel.org

Chiptune NetlabelNoisechannel.orgTumblr (3.0; @noisechannel)http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/New Release: Awesome Force - The Morning After<h2 style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://awesomeforce.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank"><a href="http://awesomeforce.bandcamp.com/">http://awesomeforce.bandcamp.com/</a></a></h2> <p></p><center><iframe style="position: relative; display: block; width: 300px; height: 410px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=4277835845/size=grande3/bgcol=333333/linkcol=FF8800/transparent=true/" frameborder="0" width="300" height="410"></iframe>Â The long awaited new release from NoiChan’s own Â <a title="http://www.noisechanel.org/awesomeforce" href="http://www.noisechanel.org/awesomeforce">Awesome Force</a>.</center><center>Buy it now for just $3.</center> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://awesomeforce.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank"><a href="http://awesomeforce.bandcamp.com/">http://awesomeforce.bandcamp.com/</a></a></h2> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/8420" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30784400083http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30784400083Mon, 03 Sep 2012 02:22:08 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrizeawesome forcemorning afterreleasesSunday! Awesome End of Summer Webshow!<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/415582131832143/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" style="vertical-align: middle;" src="http://i.imgur.com/epWyv.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="380"/></a></p> <p>SUMMER WEBSHOW!<br/> Summer’s nearing and end and I wanted to have one last big blowout before we go back to the grindstone, and us young ‘uns go back to school.<br/> Head to the Facebook Event for more info: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/415582131832143/" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/415582131832143/">http://www.facebook.com/events/415582131832143/</a></a></p> <p>Starts at 8:00, each performer has a 30 minute set, ends whenever frostbyte passes out at the computer (he’s going last cuz he’s got some stupid game or something to go to that night)</p> <p>pre-party cool stuff with</p> <div>Stormblooper! 7:15 ET (4:15 PT) (<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/storm-blooper-s-ginger-quest" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/">http://www.ustream.tv/</a><wbr>channel/</wbr><wbr>storm-blooper-s-ginger-ques</wbr><wbr>t</wbr></a>)<br/> Datacats! 7:30 ET (4:30 PT) (<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/datacats-chip" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/">http://www.ustream.tv/</a><wbr>channel/datacats-chip</wbr></a>)</div> <div>8:00 ET (5:00 PT) Solabear (<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/solarbear" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/">http://www.ustream.tv/</a><wbr>channel/solarbear</wbr></a>)</div> <div>8:30 ET (5:30 PT) *Bitman (<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/mah-tunes" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/">http://www.ustream.tv/</a><wbr>channel/mah-tunes</wbr></a>)<br/> 9:00 ET (6:00 PT) *Cooshinator (<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cooshinator-s-chiptunes" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/">http://www.ustream.tv/</a><wbr>channel/</wbr><wbr>cooshinator-s-chiptunes</wbr></a>)<br/> 9:30 ET (6:30 PT) *Shanebro (<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/shanebro-chipshow" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/">http://www.ustream.tv/</a><wbr>channel/shanebro-chipshow</wbr></a>)<br/> 10:00 ET (7:00 PT) *Parallelis (<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/parallelis-music" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/">http://www.ustream.tv/</a><wbr>channel/parallelis-music</wbr></a>)<br/> 10:30 ET (7:30 PT) *Alex Powrs (<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/alexpowrs" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/">http://www.ustream.tv/</a><wbr>channel/alexpowrs</wbr></a>)<br/> 11:00 ET (8:00 PT) *Auxcide (<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/auxcide" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/">http://www.ustream.tv/</a><wbr>channel/auxcide</wbr></a>)<br/> 11:30 ET (8:30 PT) *Vince Kaichan (<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/vincmg" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/">http://www.ustream.tv/</a><wbr>channel/vincmg</wbr></a>)<br/> 12:00 ET (9:00 PT) *Frostbyte (<a href="http://ustream.tv/channel/frostbyteaptget" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/">http://www.ustream.tv/</a><wbr>channel/frostbyteaptget</wbr></a>)</div> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/8386" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30649451849http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30649451849Sat, 01 Sep 2012 08:21:45 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrizeawesomeLivesummersweetuser submittedwebshowyeahNC038 Released: Mega Flare - Mega Flare's Misadventures<p>Our first release from one of our first few members, <a title="http://www.noisechannel.org/megaflare0" href="http://www.noisechannel.org/megaflare0">Mega Flare</a>. Soothing atmospheric melodies, uncey rock-steadies, and occassional power wubs come together on this, to form Mega Flare’s Misadventures.</p> <p>Mastered by Narayan Choudury aka Spry ay Smoking Mirrors Studios, Cincinnati, OH.</p> <p>Total Playtime: 21:02</p> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/8318" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30562722462http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30562722462Thu, 30 Aug 2012 22:37:05 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrizemega flaremega flare's misadventuresmegaflare0misadventuresnc038releasesBear & Walrus - Words From The Woods<p><a href="http://bearandwalrus.bandcamp.com/album/words-from-the-woods" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" style="vertical-align: middle;" src="http://www.inevitableobject.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/obj0012_webfull.png" alt="Words From The Woods" width="500"/></a></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bearandwalrus.bandcamp.com/album/words-from-the-woods" target="_blank"><strong><a href="http://bearandwalrus.bandcamp.com/album/words-from-the-woods">http://bearandwalrus.bandcamp.com/album/words-from-the-woods</a></strong></a></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Recorded in the woods of Maryland over the past year using all sorts of instruments.</p> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/8305" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30418506814http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30418506814Tue, 28 Aug 2012 19:58:46 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrizebaltimorebaroquetronicabear and walrusphiladelphiapianouser submittedCoOsHiNaToR's NiKi MiNaJ fAnFiC eP<p><a title="http://soundcloud.com/cooshinator/sets/niki-minaj-fanfic-ep/" href="http://soundcloud.com/cooshinator/sets/niki-minaj-fanfic-ep/" target="_blank"><a href="http://soundcloud.com/cooshinator/sets/niki-minaj-fanfic-ep/">http://soundcloud.com/cooshinator/sets/niki-minaj-fanfic-ep/</a></a></p> <p>EMBRACE THE NIKI MINAJ IN YOU</p> <p>PARTY ON BRO</p> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/8287" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30265633922http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30265633922Sun, 26 Aug 2012 16:59:17 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrizebrocooshinatorfanficminajnikithis is not buttpoop epuser submittedUpdated News on FM Portable and the possibility of future VGMM Collaborations!<p>I am really happy that my FM albums, solo and collaboration alike have all been so well received and appreciated. Thank you so much for your warm support! It means a lot to get feedback from anyone, but especially those who are fellow musicians and chip enthusiasts!</p> <p>Now, to the topic at hand :). You may be wondering what happened with FM Portable or why it hasn’t come out yet. Well, the truth is we have more than enough finished material. Perhaps too much! In fact, if we were to compile what we have it would almost be FM Possible 2!</p> <p>Therefore, we are leaning towards putting out a series of smaller albums over a period of time so that people can have time to take in our new stuff leisurely. However, we still would like your input. What do you think would be best? One big album? Or a steady stream of smaller albums over time? Let me know in your comments bellow :).</p> <p>On another topic that isn’t completely unrelated, I have started up a VGMM collaboration forum. Why? Well, a lot of people have asked me for a tutorial of sorts and while I thought about it…I discovered it already exists and that would be a bit boring anyhow. Just in case you want to check it out it’s here.</p> <p><a title="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zrw34nz5NkY" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zrw34nz5NkY" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zrw34nz5NkY">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zrw34nz5NkY</a></a></p> <p>However, I think the best way to learn is hands on experince! So, why don’t we learn from each other by working together?</p> <p><a title="http://www.noisechannel.org/topic/vgmm-collab" href="http://www.noisechannel.org/topic/vgmm-collab"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/topic/vgmm-collab">http://www.noisechannel.org/topic/vgmm-collab</a></a></p> <p>In here, users can submit song ideas :). My friends and I can take these ideas and attempt to flesh them out. As you download these files and load them into VGMM, you’ll be able to see first hand what we are doing and be able to mess with them yourself. That way, you learn by experince. If you have any questions, post them in the forum and I am right there to try and answer them. Everyone is welcomed, and no doubt it will be a lot of fun to share ideas while building and learning from one another and our collective musical influence.</p> <p>If this really takes off, then maybe it will open the door for a Noichan VGMM compilation! I am pretty sure once you guys start getting the hang of things, you’ll be like me and get hooked :D.Â Mise is new at this but has already started helping us to create some music, and it has been neat having a fresh perspective so I cannot wait to work with everyone and see what we can create together.</p> <p>Don’t depend on me only to do everything though! If you want to be a part, jump in there and try :D. I’ll help when needed, and we’ll make something rad together.</p> <p>So there you have it! Not only do we have plenty of material to release for a new album, we want to make even more and we’d like everyone who wants to learn VGMM to help us out. Let us know how you’d like to see our songs released, and I’ll see you all in the collaboration forums ready to make some more :D.</p> <p>I know many of you would like to learn VGMM, and I know some of you must have unfinished ideas! So yeah, come on Noichan! Jump in, and let’s do this! :D</p> <p>-Jredd</p> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/8166" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30171161544http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30171161544Fri, 24 Aug 2012 18:57:25 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrizeCollaborationFM-PortableJreddnoichanSega Genesisuser submittedVGMMVince Kaichan- On Thin Air<p><p style="text-align: center;"><a title="http://vincekaichan.bandcamp.com/album/on-thin-air" href="http://vincekaichan.bandcamp.com/album/on-thin-air" target="_blank"><img style="vertical-align: middle;" src="http://f0.bcbits.com/z/37/98/3798126589-1.png" alt="On Thin Air cover" width="500" height="500"/></a></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Download here: </span><a title="Download here" href="http://vincekaichan.bandcamp.com/album/on-thin-air"><a href="http://vincekaichan.bandcamp.com/album/on-thin-air">http://vincekaichan.bandcamp.com/album/on-thin-air</a></a></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.016666412353516px; text-align: left; background-color: #eeeeee;">“This album is a sensory experience, if you close your eyes you feel yourself moving. Drifting… There’s so much feeling and emotion, one wonders how Vince Kaichan composed something that goes beyond just sound”</span></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">On Thin Air is four tracks of atmospheric fakebit, created with SunVox 1.6.4, Tweakybeat for iPhone, and a Korg Monotron, all because Vince was stupid enough to crack his DMG screen.</span></span></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">01 Northern Lights</span></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">02 Summit</span></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">03 Binary Lake</span></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">04 Floating on Thin Air</span></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Check it out! I worked really hard on this release and I think it shows!</span></p> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/8261" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30127369373http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30127369373Fri, 24 Aug 2012 18:18:49 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrizefakebiton thin airsunvoxtweakybeatuser submittedvcmgvince kaichanPower Player #32: Bit Shifter<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-8190" title="Photo: chiptography.com" src="http://www.noisechannel.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/portrait.jpeg" alt="" width="335" height="500"/></p> <h1 style="text-align: center;">Power Player #32: <a title="http://www.noisechannel.org/bitshifter" href="http://www.noisechannel.org/bitshifter">Bit Shifter</a></h1> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong><em>Josh Davis is one of the mostÂ influential Chip musicians and is known for his work withÂ The 8-Bit Peoples and The Blip Festival : he has destroyed faces worldwide playing his low-resolution high-impact music in over 200 separate performances. Â Performing under the name <a title="Bit Shifter" href="http://bit.shifter.net/" target="_blank">Bit Shifter</a>, he has moved the collective hearts of thousands armed only with a gameboy (yellow). Â I caught up with Josh and we had ourselves a good old-fashioned internet pow-wow</em></strong></p> <p><strong>So Josh— please tell us a little bit about yourself: age, favorite food,</strong><br/><strong>hometown, and maybe a playful anecdote? Â </strong></p> <p>Hi there Internet â my name’s Joshua Davis, I live in Brooklyn, New York. Born in Chicago (in the same hospital as <a title="TCTD TCTD TRUE CHIP NEVAR DIEZ" href="http://www.truechiptilldeath.com">Peter Swimm</a>, in fact, though not at the same time, and not from the same lady). Did most of my growing up outside of Buffalo, New York. Big on craft beer, Alan Moore, and Japanese food. Old enough to know better.</p> <p><strong>When you first started making chip music was it a deliberate choice, orÂ something that you fell in to accidentally? Were there any directÂ influences that shaped your aesthetic decisions in your use of format andÂ composition with the gameboy, or was it something that you had wanted to doÂ </strong><strong>deep down?</strong></p> <p>Totally accidental, but probably an accident waiting to happen. As a musician I’d always had an interest, lurking around the background, in the aesthetic of old home computing & video games. It was never a primary focus, and didn’t really manifest itself all that consciously, but it would pop up fromÂ time to time as I was experimenting with synth sounds or MIDI programming, things like that. It wasn’t until I came across the<a title="Nanoloop website" href="http://www.nanoloop.de/" target="_blank"> Nanoloop website</a> (and the <a title="Little Sound DJ" href="http://www.littlesounddj.com" target="_blank">Little Sound DJ</a> site soon afterwards) at some point in 2001 that everything came together â here was a way to explore that actual soundset, on the genuine hardware, and in a way that was cheap, portable, interestingly subversive, and above all, seriously cool-sounding. In fact the demo .mp3s that were available on the Nanoloop site at the time instantly blew away any preconceptions I’d had and drove home how wide-open the possibilities were. Oliver Wittchow, the program’s developer, had written these loops of minimal techno to demonstrate the capabilities of the software & hardware, and what struck me right away was how divorced it was from anything you’d expect; the music had no conventional association with the Game Boy whatsoever. This was like encountering a Game Boy that had been raised in the wild, by <a title="Autechre" href="http://autechre.ws/eps-1991-2002/" target="_blank">Autechre</a>. I thought it was brilliant, I was floored. So of course needless to say, I ordered a Nanoloop cartridge immediately, an <a title="LSDJ cartridge " href="http://store.kitsch-bent.com" target="_blank">LSDJ cartridge</a> a week or two after that, and I was off & running. So for me, the tools definitely inspired the project, rather than the other way around. But I think that for whatever reason, I was predisposed to liking something like this â exactly this, really â so I’m pretty thankful for whatever wrinkle in Internet Fate it was that steered me toward finding out about this stuff.</p> <p><strong>You have done immeasurable amounts of important and massively influential</strong><strong>Â work with <a title="The 8-bit Peoples" href="http://www.8bitpeoples.com/" target="_blank">The 8-bit Peoples</a> and <a title="Blip Festival" href="http://www.blipfestival.org" target="_blank">Blip Festival</a>, can you give us some insight</strong><strong>Â into what it was like starting out? What was the original goal you had in</strong>Â <strong>mind for Blip Festival and The 8-bit Peoples when you first started, and how</strong><strong>Â different/unchanged has that original goal remained/become?</strong></p> <p>Hahaha you make it all sound so legit! For my part â I wasn’t a founding member of 8bitpeoples myself, so I can’t take any credit there. My friend Jeremiah (a.k.a. <a title="Nullsleep" href="http://www.nullsleep.com" target="_blank">Nullsleep</a>) founded it in 1999 with Detroit musician <a title="Mesu Kasumai" href="http://mesukasumai.8bitpeoples.com/" target="_blank">Mesu Kasumai</a>. I came along a few years afterwards, but I think I understood pretty much at first glance what 8bitpeoples was doing â giving a home to DIY music, visual art, and technology that adopted the aesthetic of early home computing or gaming and then took it in new directions â and I was totally behind it, I thought it was great. It was really exciting & inspiring to see what 8bitpeoples had been doing and releasing, it was all really fresh & new. Over time, Jeremiah & I found ourselves working together more often on projects â organizing live shows, planning releases, alerting each other to cool artists, musicians, graphics, hardware, and so forth, and my participation gradually blurred over into more of an official role. And at that point the two of us basically just continued to push forward with the same objectives and mission that had characterized the label/collective from the beginning.</p> <p>The first Blip Festival was a pretty spontaneous development, not the product of much forethought, so the goals of that project developed as we went, mostly as we set about organizing that first one in 2006. At the time our friend Mike Rosenthal had been spearheading an annual circuit bending festival called the Bent Festival, it was seriously great, and the notion of taking something so niche-oriented and showcasing it on such a large scale was really inspiring. We knew we’d wanted to apply the same idea to chipmusic, but it wasn’t until mid-2006, when we were contacted by a group of Japanese chipmusicians planning a joint NYC visit later in the year, that we had the catalyst that set it all into motion â and by November, the first Blip Festival was happening.</p> <p>On one level, our goals at the time were pretty short-term â throw a big giant party showcasing chipmusic and hopefully get some people to come check it out. But we also knew we wanted to take it seriously, to do what we could to assemble a lineup that could serve as a credible snapshot of the worldwide chipmusic community â visualists and musicians alike â showcasing its range & breadth, geographic diversity, array of styles, techniques, platforms, and so forth. Basically we wanted to do our best to present a valid cross-section of the chipmusic landscape, as comprehensively as possible within the constraints of a single event. And as we’ve continued on with the Blip event series, that’s probably been the goal that’s remained most central to the whole thing. It’s not a goal you’re ever going to reach with 100% perfection, but we always felt it was one worth trying to hit. I think we’ve done a pretty okay job of it.</p> <p><strong>There were several moments during the “<a title="Reformat the Planet" href="http://www.2playerproductions.com/projects/rtp" target="_blank">Reformat the Planet</a>” documentary that</strong><strong>Â you seemed to be without proper words to describe the complex emotions that</strong><strong>Â chip music has stirred within you, and what you think about the future of</strong><strong>Â the ‘genre’— now that we’re a few years out from that documentary, have</strong>Â <strong>you been able to coerce any thoughts on that?</strong></p> <p>Oh it has nothing to do with complexity of emotions; having trouble finding proper words is just an everyday handicap for me. Happens at work, at the deli, at the grocery store. Not that the grocery store doesn’t stir complex emotions. I guess I don’t have any more of an idea about the future of chipmusic now than I did then. I’ve never been very good at seeing or forecasting the bigger picture. If I had to predict a particular scenario, as boring of an answer as this is, it’d be a continuation of what we see happening now. The chipmusic aesthetic will continue to bubble to the surface of mainstream culture, the way it has been over the last few years, integrating itself into the output of more established media decision-makers or better-positioned producers, etc., and meanwhile the core chipmusic community will continue chugging along under its own steam, devising its own outlets and dovetailing more tightly with indie game developers and things like that, and basically continuing to do as it’s always done, going about its business more or less unconcerned with what’s happening aboveground.<br/></p> <p><strong>Speaking of ‘Reformat the Planet”— the song that the documentary is named</strong>Â <strong>after was written by you, and has become an anthemic ‘standard’ in the world</strong>Â <strong>of chip music. The song has evolved since you first composed it— is this</strong><strong>Â representative of your evolution as an artist or is this more of a cognizant</strong>Â <strong>effort on your part to alter the context or the original song in order to</strong><strong>Â change the ‘conversation’ about chip music in general?</strong></p> <p><a href="http://youtu.be/uKfaOd-1xY8" target="_blank">reformat the planet, slow version via CHIPMUSIC CHRONICLE</a></p> <p>Haha oh man â that song’s been called the “<a title="Free Bird" href="http://youtu.be/2oN5_fmKgms" target="_blank">Free Bird</a>” of chipmusic more than once, which obviously means it’s time to go home and fucking delete the thing. I’d started tinkering with the original track a while back, mainly to make it more interesting for me to perform live â adding patterns that could optionally be used during performances, giving me a little bit of leeway to change things around (or fuck them up) at shows. So the changes made in that case were the product of just continuing to explore & adjust the original song, mainly for the sake of performances.</p> <p>Unrelated to that, there’s also a second, slow version that I did more recently. That one started out at the request of the <a title="http://www.2playerproductions.com/" href="http://www.2playerproductions.com/" target="_blank">2 Player Productions</a> guys (the filmmakers behind the Reformat the Planet documentary), who’d wanted a short, subdued cut-down of the song to use as a menu loop in the DVD edition of the film. After we hit on a final version that they liked, Paul Levering of 2 Player Productions texted me at one point to request a full version done in that style (just for kicks, having nothing to do with the DVD). I laughed it off at the time, but later found myself thinking it was a pretty neat idea, and so why not do it. It was a fun experiment, but mainly an exercise in putting an existing song into new clothes, so to speak. An alternate rendition, rather than any sort of intentional “evolution” of the track.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-8178" title="Photo: chiptography.com" src="http://www.noisechannel.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/jhkhjkhjkjhkjhkhjk-500x332.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332"/><br/><strong>When it comes to sitting down and composing music using the gameboy, where</strong>Â <strong>does your inspiration come from? As far as emotional content is concerned,</strong>Â <strong>what place to you go to when you write— and where would you like to take</strong>Â <strong>your audience when they listen to your music?</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;">Wanting to make something in a particular style or mood is about as close as I ever get to composing with a preconceived idea. I might be in the mood to make a drum & bass track, for instance, and I’ll use that basic stylistic framework as a guide (tempo & rhythm, etc.), and then dive in with an otherwise clean slate and see what comes out of it. I guess my process tends not to involve having a specific end result in mind, and then setting about creating it; most of my songwriting process is pretty exploratory. I’m realizing as I’m answering more and more of the questions in this interview how totally non-goal oriented I am. I feel like my strategy as a whole involves just wandering into everything I do and occasionally stumbling into a lucky result. No wonder I was never any good at gaming.</p> <p><strong>When you aren’t listening to chip music, what is a normal playlist for Josh</strong>Â <strong>Davis?</strong></p> <p>My listening habits are pretty messy (not to be confused with “eclectic”) â taking the chipmusic out of the “recently played” playlist reveals: The Bug, Quicksand, Milf, Worlds Collide, Bastro, Public Image Ltd., AFX, Ice-T, Sex Pistols, Cannibal Ox, David Last, Plastikman, Think Tree, Mike Patton, the Catherine Wheel. So, basically a cross section of a 2003 hipster record store’s closeout bin.</p> <p><strong>Do you have any plans for any new Bit Shifter releases any time soon?</strong></p> <p>I do, though it depends on how you define “soon” I guess. At the beginning of 2008, I told myself “This is the year I’m going to really focus and put together a full-length.” Thankfully I’m a chipmusician, so a refusal to abandon outdated ideas is basically second nature.</p> <p><strong>Can you give us any updates about the status of Blip Festival? Based onÂ recent posts and discussions on the topic many people have said that it isÂ very much like the ‘pause’ in 2010 and that Blip Festival is going to comeÂ back. Can you shed any light on this?</strong></p> <p>The Blip Festival event series has been a blast, probably the coolest and most exhilarating roller coaster I’ve ever gotten to ride. A lot of thrilling peaks and, somehow, not too many valleys. I love that damn roller coaster. But whether I want to ride it for six years straight â hard to say.</p> <p>The pause you mention in 2010 was a conscious adjustment in the pacing of the festivals. At the time, we were planning September editions in Japan and Denmark, essentially back-to-back, and we recognized in the lead-up to those that we were leaving ourselves with no real room to operate for a New York edition in the winter (where it had traditionally fallen). So we made the call to shift it into May of 2011, as a means of giving ourselves room to regroup and to plan it properly, not to mention we figured that this way the event would be a lot less likely to get sacked with a blizzard.</p> <p>That was a different call than the one we’re making now. In our announcement a few weeks back, we referred to the upcoming Tokyo edition as the last Blip Festival for the foreseeable future, and by that we mean to say it’s not a postponement, not an adjustment of the stride-length between events. However, with that said â the future is of course wide open, and we aren’t ruling anything out. We just want to regroup, refocus, start returning some of our attention to 8bitpeoples as a label, and devoting some time & energy to a handful of other projects that have been stuck on the back burner for the last several years. The roller coaster’s awesome, don’t get me wrong, but I hear the theme park has some other rides too, and we just wanted to give those a spin.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="size-full wp-image-8179 aligncenter" title="Photo: chiptography.com" src="http://www.noisechannel.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/the-last.jpeg" alt="" width="500" height="333"/></p> <p><strong>Are there any awesome projects you are working on that we should be on theÂ </strong><strong>lookout for? Your work on ‘<a title="Warm Moving Bodies" href="http://soundcloud.com/bit-shifter/units-warm-moving-bodies" target="_blank">bodies</a>’ was top notch— can we expect more likeÂ </strong><strong>that?</strong></p> <p>Hey, thanks â I really appreciate it. That was a fun remix to do. To be honest, I don’t really have anything in my back pocket at the moment. Things have been busy enough over the last two or three years in particular that my own projects have taken a back burner. Now that we’re bringing Blip Festival to a close, I’m looking forward to clearing my head and hopefully rediscovering the impulse to make some more music, ideally some of my own as well as doing more collaborations & remixes.</p> <p><strong>How do you feel about the contemporary chip scene?</strong></p> <p>I love it, honestly. Like any movement that means anything, it’s a spectacular parade of wingnuts and geniuses, all coming to this from wildly different backgrounds and bringing with them different insights and ideas, and as a result the whole community is constantly percolating with new input and new directions, and things never get a chance to become too structured or rigid or stale. In fact it’s probably the most driven, DIY, punk rock community I’ve ever seen â probably even more so than actual punk rock. It’s constantly fun, strange, unexpected, challenging, genuine, and rewarding. Regular recurring chip event series are popping up in new places all the time, and one-off chip shows are even more prevalent than that. Now, I live in New York, where we’re fortunate enough to be totally spoiled when it comes to chip events and artists in the area, so it’s not lost on me that I might be seeing things from a perspective skewed toward the positive. But even doing my best to correct for that, it seems like empirically speaking, there really is a whole lot going on, and an enormous amount of talented people at work to make music, make visuals, hack hardware, write software, make events happen, and create new avenues to get all that great stuff out into the world. It’s fantastic. Now I want to hug everybody. Except <a title="Monodeer stinks" href="http://monodeer.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Monodeer</a>, he smells.</p> <p><strong>Everyone messes up on stage, or has a cartridge fail mid-song— what’s your</strong>Â <strong>most memorable ‘fudge-up’ ?</strong></p> <p>In late 2001 or early 2002 I started making chipmusic.</p> <p><strong>Do you have any words of advice for people just starting out making chip</strong>Â <strong>music?</strong></p> <p>There’s a lot that’ll seem strange or idiosyncratic or nonsensical, whether due to limitations or quirks in hardware, or the inevitable bugs in homebrew software, or the truly crazy gear acrobatics sometimes necessary in getting ROMs and song data onto and off of proprietary cartridge hardware and shit like that. Don’t get frustrated, try to push through & roll with it. Importantly, remember that A: people have been making chipmusic for 30 years, not 2 or 5 or 10; B: the Game Boy is by no means the only chipmusic platform (in fact become an Atari ST musician if you really want to get the chicks, that thing’s a beast), and C: always put the screamo in a separate file.</p> <p><strong>So when you compose with LSDJ, do you have any ‘stand-by’ things that you</strong><strong>Â like to do? (I like to put E commands in my noise channel and V:F4/V:F7 on</strong><strong>Â my pulse leads)</strong></p> <p>Aha â nice ideas, I’ll have to try those. I have a few tricks I return to sometimes, but nothing that I really treat as essential. Except for a WAV channel kick drum setup that <a title="Saskrotch" href="http://saskrotch.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Saskrotch</a> showed me. That one shows up a lot. Thanks again Nigel.</p> <p><strong>Do you play any instruments other than the gameboy?</strong></p> <p>None well. Guitar, keys, some other odds and ends. It doesn’t count as “playing” in the same way but I also enjoy MIDI sequencing with hardware synths, drum machines and so forth.</p> <p><strong>So……Dogs or cats?</strong></p> <p>Dogs dogs dogs dogs dogs dogs.</p> <p><strong>Any parting words you would like to leave us with? Words of wisdom? A</strong>Â <strong>daily affirmation?</strong></p> <p>I leave you with a quote from one of my favorite philosophers, <a title="Horse Ebooks" href="http://horse-ebooks.com/" target="_blank">Horse Ebooks</a> â “You Deserve The Lawn Of Your Dreams.”</p> <div><strong><em>thus concludes our interview with Josh Davis, aka: Bit Shifter////</em></strong></div> <div><strong><em>all photo credits to Â Marjorie Becker at <a title="www.chiptography.com" href="http://www.chiptography.com" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.chiptography.com">www.chiptography.com</a></a>Â </em></strong></div> <div><strong><em>be sure to check out chiptography’s <a title="kickstarter" href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chiptography/blip-festival-tokyo-2012-a-photographic-documentar" target="_blank">kickstarter</a> and help her get to Blip Tokyo 2012!Â </em></strong></div> <div><strong><em>LET’S HUG FOREVER//////////////////</em></strong></div> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/8176" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30116113092http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30116113092Fri, 24 Aug 2012 15:00:09 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrize8-bit peoplesBit Shifterblip festivalblipfestnanoloopnycS.P.R.Y. - Natural Tendencies [Album Launch]<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>S.P.R.Y.’s newest album - Natural Tendencies - is now up for free download! 5 tracks of hard hitting LSDJ from the land of Cincy Chiptunes! </strong></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://spry.bandcamp.com/album/natural-tendencies"><a href="http://spry.bandcamp.com/album/natural-tendencies">http://spry.bandcamp.com/album/natural-tendencies</a></a> </strong></p> <p><a title="Natural Tendencies" href="http://spry.bandcamp.com/album/natural-tendencies" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" style="vertical-align: middle;" src="http://www.noisechannel.org/wp-content/uploads/gallery/user/72/44/S.P.R.Y.-Natural-Tendencies-Leaves-2-750x750.jpg" alt="Natural Tendencies" width="500" height="500"/></a></p> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/8142" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30024575868http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30024575868Thu, 23 Aug 2012 04:13:14 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrizeChiptunescincinnatinaturalsprytendenciesuser submittedImage Contest: Make Stickers - Win Prizes (nonelectronics.com)<p><a title="http://www.nonelectronics.com/" href="http://www.nonelectronics.com/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-8115" title="nonelectronics: Make Stickers - Win Prizes" src="http://www.noisechannel.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Sticker-Contest7b.png" alt="" width="500" height="700"/></a></p> <p><a title="http://chip-con.org/" href="http://chip-con.org/" target="_blank">ChipCon</a>, <a title="http://www.brkfest.org/" href="http://www.brkfest.org/" target="_blank">BRKfest</a>, <a title="http://www.toastyco.com/" href="http://www.toastyco.com/" target="_blank">ToastyCo</a>, <a title="http://www.noisechannel.org/8112" href="http://www.noisechannel.org/8112" target="_blank">No<wbr>iChan</wbr></a>, and <a title="http://www.nonelectronics.com/" href="http://nonelectronics.com/" target="_blank">NonElec</a> are coming together on this awesome contest! We want you to design the next LSDJ sticker to be distributed at the <a title="http://nonelectronics.com/catalog/" href="http://nonelectronics.com/catalog/" target="_blank">NonElectronics shop</a>. These stickers will make their way around the globe to hundreds. if not thousands. of LSDJ users! Imagine seeing your design on a cartridge at the next show you attend! As if that wasn’t enough, <a title="http://www.noisechannel.org/nonfinite" href="http://www.noisechannel.org/nonfinite" target="_blank">Nonfinite</a> is giving away $100 in store credit to the grand prize winner, with $50 awards for 2nd and $25 for 3rd place. Any subsequent designs used after that will receive honorable mention with full credit on <a href="http://nonelectronics.com/" target="_blank">nonelectronics.com</a>.</p> <p><strong>The rules:</strong></p> <p>By entering the contest you are agreeing to let NonElectonics use your design. Entries must be 40mmx22mm. Template logos are already correctly sized for ease of use. Final submissions need to be in one of the following formats: TIF, PSD, EPS, AI, SVG, PDF, JPG (300 - 600 dpi) AI or other vector formats preferred. Submissions are due by Friday, September 7th @ 11:59PM Central Standard Time (We’ll be flexible if you’re a few minutes late though!)</p> <p>To submit your entries, pleasure use the upload form below.</p> <p><strong>Protips:</strong></p> <p>Use this <strong><a title="http://www.noisechannel.org/wp-content/uploads/thumbs/LSDJ%20Sticker%20Template.ai" href="http://www.noisechannel.org/wp-content/uploads/thumbs/LSDJ%20Sticker%20Template.ai" target="_blank">template</a></strong> to help with your design. If you don’t have Adobe Illustrator, you can open and edit .AI files with <a title="http://inkscape.org/download/?lang=en" href="http://inkscape.org/download/?lang=en" target="_blank">Inkscape</a>, a free vector program similar to Adobe Illustrator. .AIs can also be opened in Photoshop if you plan to submit your design in a raster format!</p> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/8112" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30017879564http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/30017879564Thu, 23 Aug 2012 00:45:55 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrizecontestelectronicseventsnonelectronicsnonfiniteshopstoreNC037 Released: Groovemaster 303 - Vector Nova (The B-Side Remixes)<p>All tracks written by Trevin Hughes (<a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/jredd">Jredd</a>), Additional production and remixes by David Burton (<a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/groovemaster303">Groovemaster303</a>).</p> <p>Download the original Vector Nova soundtrack at <a title="http://www.noisechannel.org/nc032" href="http://www.noisechannel.org/nc032"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/nc032">http://www.noisechannel.org/nc032</a></a></p> <p>Total Playtime: 23:12</p> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/posts/8025" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/29751687762http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/29751687762Sat, 18 Aug 2012 22:45:02 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrizeB-SidesGroovemaster303JreddreleasesRemixesThe B-Side RemixesVector NovaJredd's Favorite Gems #1<p>Some of you may remember that I used to have a series of articles here called “Jredd’s Hidden Gems” In it, I basically looked for songs that were good that didn’t get much love on 8 bit collective while it was around. However there have been many factors that have changed things. 1. 8bc is now down. 2. Due to the recent awesome compilation album here and many other things like it, more people are getting some attention and that’s awesome. 3. However, in general the absence of 8bc makes just about everyone hidden to some degree, on the bright side that also makes just about anyone a potential gem to feature as well :).</p> <p>I’d like to start off with one of my favorite NES artists around, and he’s just recently created something new so naturally I have to share it.</p> <p><a title="http://chipmusic.org/zan-zan-zawa-butt/music/kofi-anan" href="http://chipmusic.org/zan-zan-zawa-butt/music/kofi-anan" target="_blank"><a href="http://chipmusic.org/zan-zan-zawa-butt/music/kofi-anan">http://chipmusic.org/zan-zan-zawa-butt/music/kofi-anan</a></a></p> <p>It’s an interesting track from Zan Zan. He really has a style all his own. Intricate melodies, excellent sound design, and crisp DPCM samples used very creatively make this one a real joy to listen to. Highly recommended! Just look at his song titles. Who knew four letter words could sound so good? :P</p> <p>Next up, it’s yet another favorite artist that I am quite glad to see make a return. It’s cartoonbomb!</p> <p><a title="http://ucollective.org/music/cartoonbomb/MAGBeach/" href="http://ucollective.org/music/cartoonbomb/MAGBeach/" target="_blank"><a href="http://ucollective.org/music/cartoonbomb/MAGBeach/">http://ucollective.org/music/cartoonbomb/MAGBeach/</a></a></p> <p>Strong melodies, tight grooves, and just the right amount of post processing at the right time. His style just oozes polish. Floaty leads with delay, strong thumping bass, and a time signature change at just the right moment to keep things fresh the entire way through. It makes this a no brain-er as to why his song is here. Go listen to it, you’ll be glad you did :).</p> <p>For my last pick, it’s going to be a bit unorthodox but I did say “anyone” can be a favorite! As you all well know, Groovemaster303 is a good friend of mine but he also happens to be a hell of a musician himself. That’s why for my last pick I choose a remix of a song he did that just so happens to be one of my songs! Talk about an almost sure fire way to be a favorite! It’s shameless self indulgence I know, but with all the works in progress we share with one another I suppose such a thing is almost inevitable. If you liked the original “Neon Star Field” then you’re sure to enjoy this remix entitled “Neon Star Groove” I think I’ll just let this one speak for itself :).</p> <p><a title="http://chipmusic.org/groovemaster303/music/neon-star-groove" href="http://chipmusic.org/groovemaster303/music/neon-star-groove" target="_blank"><a href="http://chipmusic.org/groovemaster303/music/neon-star-groove">http://chipmusic.org/groovemaster303/music/neon-star-groove</a></a></p> <p>Well I think that’s it for now :). I’m a bit rusty at writting articles so it feels odd yet good to post again. Oh, and if you liked that remix of Groove’s I’d suggest keeping an eye out on the releases page :). You never know what might pop up…</p> <p>Yeah, I’ll leave it at that :D. Take it easy guys, and as always if you liked this article feel free to share it with friends.</p> <p>Keep composing guys, you never know when you might become one of my favorite gems :).</p> <p>-Jredd</p> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/8020" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/29792136566http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/29792136566Fri, 17 Aug 2012 17:30:18 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrizecartoonbombGemsGroovemaster303JreddNeon StarTrevin Hughesuser submittedZan ZanNC034 Released: turtlesaur - an underwater epic<p>Seattle’s own turtlesaur, with a dance release created on nanoloop, which is very mellow and aquatic. turtlesaur delivers nearly an hour of shellshock, without once surfacing for air.</p> <p>Total Playtime: 54:44</p> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/posts/7794" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/29258479675http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/29258479675Sun, 12 Aug 2012 07:05:56 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrizean underwater epicdancekelpnanoloopreleasesSeattleturtlesaurNC033 Released: Jake Allison - Chizzle Dizzle<p>Oklahoma’s crown prince of iNanoloop brings us his latest release featuring his signature brand of funky bass-fueled beats. Whether you’re chilling with Chizzle Dizzle or swinging around like a dumb kid with Jungle Gymnast, there’s a little something for everyone. Oh, and did I forget to mention that he’s brought his friends along for the ride? Included are remixes by Decktonic, tozo and bollocks office, and if you’d like to do a remix of your own, just let him know. Thanks for listening.</p> <p>Total Playtime: 26:34</p> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/posts/7776" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/29141498812http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/29141498812Fri, 10 Aug 2012 15:57:09 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrizeChizzle DizzleinanoloopiphoneJAke AllisonnanoloopDatathrash artists featured on The Creators Project<p>The Creators Project is doing a three part article on Datathrash artists. Â Part one is up now:</p> <p><a href="http://thecreatorsproject.com/blog/the-inner-workings-of-a-chip-tune-empire-heres-how-datathrashs-musicians-use-game-boys-and-more-to-create-8-bit-magic" target="_blank"><a href="http://thecreatorsproject.com/blog/the-inner-workings-of-a-chip-tune-empire-heres-how-datathrashs-musicians-use-game-boys-and-more-to-create-8-bit-magic">http://thecreatorsproject.com/blog/the-inner-workings-of-a-chip-tune-empire-heres-how-datathrashs-musicians-use-game-boys-and-more-to-create-8-bit-magic</a></a></p> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/posts/7768" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/29069711119http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/29069711119Thu, 09 Aug 2012 15:49:15 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrizeuser submittedWebShow - Aug5 9:30pm EDT (GMT-5) Solarbear & More!<p>‎9:30PM EDT (GMT-5)! SOLARBEAR, DAMAGE THERAPY, I LIKE YOU and ONE NIGHT STANDARDS!!!</p> <center><object id="utv429008" width="500" height="307" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="flashvars" value="autoplay=false&brand=embed&cid=11032672&v3=1"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="src" value="http://www.ustream.tv/flash/viewer.swf"><embed id="utv429008" width="500" height="307" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.ustream.tv/flash/viewer.swf" flashvars="autoplay=false&brand=embed&cid=11032672&v3=1" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br/><a style="padding: 2px 0px 4px; width: 400px; background: #ffffff; display: block; color: #000000; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline; text-align: center;" href="http://www.ustream.tv/" target="_blank">Streaming live video by Ustream</a></center> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><a title="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/solarbear" href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/solarbear" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/solarbear">http://www.ustream.tv/channel/solarbear</a></a></h2> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/posts/7730" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/28798005901http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/28798005901Sun, 05 Aug 2012 19:57:21 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrizeconcertDAMAGE THERAPYI LIKE YOUONE NIGHT STANDARDSperformancesolarbearwebshowPower Player #30: hunterquinn<h1 style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-7718" src="http://www.noisechannel.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/hunter-500x500.jpg" alt="hunterquinn" width="500" height="500"/><br/><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/posts/6787/554289_10150799608236940_762036674_n-1" rel="attachment wp-att-6795"><br/></a><br/> Power Player #30: <a title="http://www.noisechannel.org/hunterquinn/" href="http://www.noisechannel.org/hunterquinn/">hunterquinn</a></h1> <p><em>Cincinnati-based chip musician hunterquinn has been shredding the gnar in the nasty ‘nati for quite some time now. we thought it would be a good idea to interview him— so after an arduous trek and many sleepless nights, I finally pinned him down. We both put on our internet hats, and drank some bourbon.</em></p> <p><strong>Okay for starters, tell us a little bit about yourself.</strong></p> <p>My actual name is Hunter Quinn, so it kind of a convenient name for starters. Been writing music on and off for the last 10 years and now I’ve been making music with LSDJ for about a year.</p> <p><strong>How/why did you get into chipmusic? What was the catalyst that started it all for you?</strong></p> <p>Well, probably about 2 years ago, my buddy Andrew Gould called me and said “Get the fuck over to my house! You have to see this!”. “this” was <a title="Reformat The Planet" href="http://2playerproductions.com/projects/rtp/" target="_blank">Reformat The Planet</a> and I about shit my pants. From there it was a tireless effort by Andrew Gould (known now as AndaruGO) to find out how to make this kind of music that harnessed the power of our childhood. So after a few months he found out about LSDJ. We are and were both pretty poor at the time so we saved up, lurked flea markets and got gameboys of our own and got our carts and that’s when we made it go.</p> <p><strong>I know you went to blip festival this year - how was that? Are there any things that stick out in your mind specifically?</strong></p> <p>That’s kind of an interesting question because to be honest, blipfest was like a dream that I never wanted to wake up from. Everything about it was amazing except for the beer prices and the bouncers. But the thing that I think stuck out the most for me was running into Joshua Davis <a title="(bitshifter)" href="http://bit.shifter.net/" target="_blank">(bitshifter)</a> on a subway back to the place I was staying. That stuck out the most because he was just a normal super nice guy. This man I had been looking up to for so long actually gave me the time of day and actually WANTED to talk to the friends I was with and myself. It was something that I was super surprised by but it ended up being very similar when I ended up meeting all the other chip guys I met there. So long story short I would have to say that the best thing about blipfest was how “real” people can be.</p> <p><strong>That’s really awesome, how did that make you feel about the chip scene as a whole?</strong></p> <p>It got me super stoked. I had kind of hit a rut at that point writing music. After blip I was on a roll, and I was just really excited to be a part of this “thing”</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-7719" src="http://www.noisechannel.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/hunter2-500x500.jpg" alt="hunterquinn" width="500" height="500"/></p> <p><strong>Do you have any influences in your musical style outside of chipmusic? and what are the chipmusic influences that you DO have?</strong></p> <p>Alright, I would have to say my biggest musical influences outside of chip (in no order) would be: Cut Copy, Pedro the Lion, The Number 12 Looks Like You, Circle Takes the Square, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada, Godspeed You Black Emperor, OLD! Dillinger Escape plan, OLD! The Red Chord, and Whitehouse. And when it comes chip influences! In no order: Nullsleep, Bitshifter, Covox, Random, Glomag, AndaruGO, Quantum Wave, <a title="Eldrick's Armour" href="http://soundcloud.com/erdricks-armor" target="_blank">Erdrick’s Armor</a>, NNNNNNNNNNNNN, <a title="knife city" href="http://knifecity.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Knife city</a>, Animal Style, ctrix, CCDM, and so many others. These are just the people who got me into chip, and kept me interested. The rest of the chip guys I know will probably surpass alot of these influences at some point and I can’t wait to see that happen!</p> <p>…and of course SAILORBOAR</p> <p>The music I make comes from a really dark place, and not like “omg I am so dark lolz”. More of I make the music that I do to make people to have an off feeling if you get what I mean. It winds in and out of super UNCE and really slow chord based progressions. A lot of the bands that I grew up with had that indescribable sound that just put me on edge. Saying that I like to have people dance to my music, so I end up making it all bumpse bummpse tsss tsss woub woub yeaaaarrrrarrrrb. But when it comes to the chip influences I have, they all have really FULL music. So put all of this together and one can see my attempt at having my gameboy scream at you like someone who is disappointed in you because of something you can’t help. It’s yelling because it needs more attention, and wants chip to evolve forever.</p> <p><strong>Do you have any pro-tips, or advice for people just starting out making chip music?</strong></p> <p>SLOW DOWN! It gets better I promise. Also, use a lot of tables, always make new wav instruments, and never settle for anything less than your best. If you don’t then you are wasting everyone’s time. Lastly just because people around you don’t get what you are doing, don’t let it beat you up, just don’t give up. Strive to be the push your city needs for people to appreciate this amazing thing, and get your friends in on it too! It’s all about a supportive scene, without that you really don’t have a lot.</p> <p>…and when I say slow down, I mean tempo dawgss</p> <p><strong>[You and I] were in a band together. Talk about that.</strong></p> <p>trololololol</p> <p>OK once upon a time, there were 2 highschool geeks in tight pants with angular haircuts. One of those kids was andaruGO, one of those kids was hunterquinn. We joined a band called ALTERBOY and had a great time playing shows, getting our feet wet in the whole music scene more than we had before that time. Met a lot of great people and I learned a lot of shitty things about being in a band. Eventually Andrew and I were the only ones holding this band together who almost got signed by 2 different labels, was planning a tour, the whole shebang. But there was only so much we could do after the band lost its vocalist in a super shitty way. So we gave up on music for a while. Sad story</p> <p><strong>On a scale of one to bad-ass, where do you think you stack up?</strong></p> <p>Honestly, it depends on the day. Sometimes I feel like I’m pretty fucking spectacular. Other days I’d say I’m feeling more of a stale fart smell.</p> <p><strong>When do you usually take your shirt off during a set?</strong></p> <p>Usually when ever I have a brk from shredding the gnar. or when I’m too wet to see, then I use it to wipe the liquid nerdgasm off my face. Or when I see AndaruGO, then it just comes off by itself.</p> <p><strong>So are you going to play any songs from your first release, Bourbon Back Attack at your next show?</strong></p> <p>Dude…. seriously fuck you hahaha</p> <p style="text-align: center;">_________________________________________________________________________</p> <p><em>You can listen to Hunter’s music on soundcloud <a title="here." href="http://soundcloud.com/hunterquinn">here</a>. He also came 6th out of 60 in the <a title="http://www.noisechannel.org/posts/6478" href="http://www.noisechannel.org/posts/6478">LSDJ Showdown 2012</a> with his track <a title="http://www.noisechannel.org/downloads/showdown2012-finalists/HunterQuinn%20-%20finaLLY.mp3" href="http://www.noisechannel.org/downloads/showdown2012-finalists/HunterQuinn%20-%20finaLLY.mp3" target="_blank">finaLLY</a>.</em></p> <p style="text-align: center;">_________________________________________________________________________</p> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/posts/7717" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/28798952027http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/28798952027Sun, 05 Aug 2012 19:34:28 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrizeandarugoblipfestcincinattiHunterQuinnreformat the planetNoiChan Back Online + Shop Repaired<p>We’re back in business.</p> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/posts/7715" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/28791910640http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/28791910640Sun, 05 Aug 2012 18:23:15 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrizesite newsWebShow Starts Now!<p><object id="utv426897" width="500" height="307" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="flashvars" value="autoplay=false&brand=embed&cid=11032672&v3=1"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="src" value="http://www.ustream.tv/flash/viewer.swf"><embed id="utv426897" width="500" height="307" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.ustream.tv/flash/viewer.swf" flashvars="autoplay=false&brand=embed&cid=11032672&v3=1" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br/><a style="padding: 2px 0px 4px; width: 400px; background: #ffffff; display: block; color: #000000; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline; text-align: center;" href="http://www.ustream.tv/" target="_blank">Broadcasting live with Ustream</a></p> <p><a title="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/solarbear" href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/solarbear" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/solarbear">http://www.ustream.tv/channel/solarbear</a></a></p> <p>Check back later for more details.</p> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/posts/7708" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/28736303306http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/28736303306Sat, 04 Aug 2012 22:13:25 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrizeconcertLiveperformanceshowwebshowNC032 Released: Jredd - Vector Nova<p>Another amazing Sega-style release by Jredd, created using VGM MM. Join Captain Hex Vector aboard the Vector Nova, on his quest to stop the Evil Dr. Otto Toon from spreading his main stream ray of death, to save the world, preserve chip music, and restore balance to the universe.</p> <p>Total Playtime: 32:52</p> <p class="tumblrize-permalink"><a href="http://www.noisechannel.org/posts/7693" title="Go to original post at NoiChan - Chiptune Network" rel="bookmark">Original Article</a></p>http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/28587941765http://noisechannel.tumblr.com/post/28587941765Thu, 02 Aug 2012 19:25:35 -0400chiptuneschiptune8bitvgmgameboylsdjtumblrizeDr. Otto TuneHeX VectorJreddnc032Otto ToonreleasesVector Nova