Tag Archive for chiptunes

Bits and Chips

Cover image by ChrisGampat on flickr

It’s all about nostalgia and limitation as Mike chips away (ahhh?!?!?) at the world of chiptunes music. If you played video games years and years ago, you’ll hear a set of sounds that will be completely familiar, even when used in unfamiliar compositional genres. Mike explores the anatomy of chiptunes sounds and composition, and looks into chiptunes’ relationship to hacking and the counterculture.

PLUS: lots of clips of music from the video games of bygone times. And Mike pronouncing more European names. And the line “making bonk-bonk noises.”

MUSIC

Intro and Outro – Square and Enjoy by Goto80
Break #1: Can’t Stop Us by Chipzel
Break #2: Chango Island by Kupa
Break #3: mushroom giggles by minusbaby

SOURCES

  • Endless Loop: A Brief History of Chiptunes by Kevin Driscoll and Joshua Diaz
  • Game Sound: An Introduction to the History, Theory, and Practice of Video Game Music and Sound Design  by Karen Collins
  • Playing with Sound by Karen Collins
  • Music in Video Games, ed. Donnelly, et al
  • The Sound of Playing: A Study into the Music and Culture of Chiptunes by A. Yabsley

And a special thanks to these Reasonably Sound Patrons: Brandon Bennes, Hans Buetow, Xander C, Talia F E, Camilla Greer, Parker Higgins, Joe Krushinsky, Tod Kurt, Ethan Rose, and Susan Rugnetta.