The Pico-8 multi-sampler is out, files attached below!
What is a multi-sampler? It’s a group of samples, organized musically. In this case, I recorded and edited every possible note + instrument combination in Pico-8 and organized them so they can be triggered using a MIDI interface (like a keyboard). Overall, there are a total of 800+ ....
2018-04-06 22:24:14 +0000 UTC View PostDownload. Listen. Study. Edit. Mix. Share!
The tutorial on how I mashed all this music into this cart is here
2018-03-28 14:02:28 +0000 UTC View Post
Slipways was released last week!
The soundtrack represented a few firsts in my work with Pico-8, so I thought it deserved a tutorial. 5$+ Patrons can download the music cart 2018-03-28 14:01:16 +0000 UTC View Post
My best attempt at composing “horror ambience” in Pico-8 in about 20mins. Thanks to Grzegorz Dalek for the tutorial request!
(btw, I really like the idea of patrons sending me their music ideas/sketches and me showing ways you can expanding on them. Send me your carts! Would you prefer a video tutorial on something like this? Or ho...
2018-03-21 15:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post
A productive week!
The Bach portraits with Trasevol_Dog are almost done. I’m really happy with how they’ve turned out. Rémy is doing a great job bringing out the fun, goofy, cute, and surreal side of this project. The playlist is 2018-03-18 20:38:57 +0000 UTC View Post
I’m really excited to try this new format of presenting my works-in-progress! The goal will be trying to keep these as concise as possible, but still rich in content. The videos will feature excerpts of things I worked on during the week, totalling no more than 5mins. Below I’ll write some explanations and ideas I’m playing with for each comp...
2018-03-11 22:07:33 +0000 UTC View Post
Using the Mario Overworld theme as an example, watch me reduce it from 4-channels, to 3 and 2-channels.
When I'm doing this kind of work, my goal is generally to preserve the essence of the tune as much as possible. Eventually though, it will start to take on a character of its own and sound Pico-8-ish (which is a good thing - embrac...
2018-03-09 19:00:59 +0000 UTC View PostThe Pico-8 Bach inventions are complete!
I’ll release them soon on BandCamp. Trasevol_Dog and I are also collaborating on a series of music videos dedicated...
2018-03-06 18:50:56 +0000 UTC View Post
My inspiration for this one:
So the main difference between this arrangement and the others is the lack of volume tails and expression in the two main parts (channels 1 & 3).
When I started this arrangement, I didn't have any idea what I was going to do. So I just went with the flow. The first step is finding the tempo, choosing a resolution (1 note per row, 2 note...
2018-02-27 19:00:00 +0000 UTC View Post
I'm trying something VERY different in this one. Can you tell!?
2018-02-25 14:00:00 +0000 UTC View Post
Describing how I approached transcribing and arranging the Bach inventions in Pico-8. Need clarification on something? Let me know!
Thanks to Finn Ellis for the tutorial request!
2018-02-24 15:00:01 +0000 UTC View PostSimilar to #12, I have a one-hit instrument and a looped instrument with a volume tail. Except the 'right-hand' and 'left-hand' parts have their own, so there are four instruments in total.
The RH part is mostly using instrument 4 (pulse) and the LH part on instrument 3 (square). I don't think had never used them in this combin...
2018-02-23 19:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post
Warning: MUSIC THEORY AHEAD!
One of my favourite chords is the Neapolitan bii. To my ears, it's a very dramatic chord - it's quite a departure from the harmony you might expect, especially music from the 1700s.
As it turns out, the Neapolitan...
2018-02-22 19:00:01 +0000 UTC View PostI’ve finally added some Patreon goals!
I really like the idea of setting symbolic goals, and then offering a community reward to say ‘thanks.’ It took me some time to think of rewards that I thought would be interesting for me AND the community, hence the delay. But here’s what I have so far. Feedback welcome!
<... 2018-02-21 17:28:56 +0000 UTC View Post
My favourite part about this one was arranging the section at 0:26. There's something nostalgic happening there, but I can't quite figure out what :)
2018-02-21 15:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post
For each new arrangement, I try to think of a new way to build the instruments, use effects, and structure everything differently.
For #12, I was playing with the fade-in effect (4). Use different SPD values, you can change the speed of the fade-in. Instrument 0 is a 'one-hit' instrument:
2018-02-18 19:00:01 +0000 UTC
View Post
We're still working away on creating a text-to-speech converter for Pico-8.
I explained "formants" in my previous write up. When you say a vowel, formants are the prominent frequencies that give that vowel it's characteristic sound. Each vowel has three (F1, F2, F3)
We decided that in order to transition between formants and vowels, it'd be...
2018-02-16 13:37:14 +0000 UTC View Post
I may still adjust some of the volume levels on this one, but it's mostly done.
Went for a maximalist, "more-is-more" approach for this one. The instruments are chosen randomly (which means me finding different ways to type numbers between 0-6).
Often I would mis-type a number in the effect column... I tried to turn...
2018-02-14 15:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
1. Through compose. It’s more work, takes up more space, but you’re guaranteed to get the time signature you want.
2. Subdivide 32 differently. We’re used to it being divided 8-8-8-8…. so why not 7-6-7-6-6?
3. Create a time-keeper SFX, as explained in the video. Make sure the non...
2018-02-13 15:01:00 +0000 UTC View PostThis one was fun. I used the instrument editor to created multiple arpeggio effects.... then applied arpeggios to THOSE.
2018-02-12 15:59:59 +0000 UTC View Post