Matthieu writes to let me know about chiptune musician Alex Mauer's new album Vegavox, which is available now as a €22 NES cartridge, which seems like a very neat way to get around the bootleggers. I'm no chiptune connoisseur, but the video preview looks good. Previously, Alex built this incredible looking Lego Janko-format keyboard (more on Janko here)
7/03/2007
Dude releases his new album on a NES cartridge
Matthieu writes to let me know about chiptune musician Alex Mauer's new album Vegavox, which is available now as a €22 NES cartridge, which seems like a very neat way to get around the bootleggers. I'm no chiptune connoisseur, but the video preview looks good. Previously, Alex built this incredible looking Lego Janko-format keyboard (more on Janko here)
I have one. Its pretty freaking awesome.
ReplyDeleteI want!
ReplyDeleteGood way to get around bootleggers...except that the cartridge could be ripped to a file that could be loaded on an emulator. Plus, the file would be very small (probably less than 100k) and thus even easier than mp3s to pass around.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a really cool idea, though, especially for those of us (myself included) who still prefer to have our music in some kind of physical format.
In order for this to work, he would have had to write the tracks as sequences to run on the Nintendo, the hardware can't handle the memory capacity or quality of recorded PCM audio. So, the good news is that even if the cartridge is ripped the copies won't be completely identical since the audio engines in most emulators aren't generally 100% accurate to the original NES sound. If for no other reason than the output hardware these days is just too good to simulate the cheap 1980s dime a dozen output amplifiers, dacs, and such. The stuff that in my opinon makes chiptune stuff different from music that has been composed on simple synthesizers that are otherwise of normal instrument quality.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. :)
ReplyDeleteMatthieu
niiiice!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.howtogetfreewiipoints.com
There is a clear and easy way around this, but I won't post it. I will only hint that it's a.. "hardware thing."
ReplyDelete.NSF File format and player utilities screw up that idea about bootleggers.
ReplyDeleteJust dump the sound files, get a plugin or emulator, and it's like playing in on the original.
That is sooo awesome!
ReplyDeleteI wonder what affect a Game Genie would have on it... :)
ReplyDeletesee http://hotshadow.com/Dude_releases_his_new_album_on_a_NES cartridge.aspx
ReplyDeleteWe all know the rabid demand for chiptune music has topped the charts and made early releases rare collectible commodities, so the idea of somebody bootlegging it is as ridiculous as the begining of this sentance!
ReplyDeleteThat said, ME WANT!!!
Here I am thinking I'm brilliant because I want to release recordings on wire and 8track!!
Too cool!!
I am so turned on by this. Must. Have.
ReplyDeleteI have one too 001.16 hes planiong on doing more i have the 16th copy in the line
ReplyDeleteSo I suppose I'd have to go out and hunt down a NES again? The idea seems neat, the practicality of it seems...mmm...like the artist is playing with his fathers money. It was nice, but now lets give dad the card back.
ReplyDeleteI would say the easiest way would be take a RCA output from the NES and then put it in the input of your sounds card, and use audacity to record it... you people think too complexly. think simple.
ReplyDeleteThat is so great, I love it! I was among the first nanoloopers, so I feel right at home with this idea.
ReplyDeleteI have a new category on my blog www.das.blogsport.de titled 16BIT hype, where I present the greatest AMIGA game music.
Here's an idea. Why not release your next album in musical greeting card format?
ReplyDeleteThat is the worst idea EVER! I don't think bootlegging will be an issue because this sucks. Fun - yes. Good - no.
ReplyDeleteYou can rip the rom, and load it on a NES flash cart for the authentic sound.
ReplyDeleteBootleggers - 1
Artists - O
Game, set, match.
Really, how many people do you know who want to listen to an album of bleepy 8 bit music? It's cool to see and hear about, but like bagpipes, banjo, and tuba... a little goes a long way
ReplyDeleteFree Alex Mauer tunes on II's first release, EQUIP:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.iipause.com
or you could just hook your tv up to your stereo, route your stereo to your computer and blam, record it as it plays. there's no way to make bootlegging audio impossible, unless the audio doesn't make any noise..........
ReplyDeleteTattoo video articles
ReplyDeleteNew NES Cartridge album, entitled Color Caves, by Alex Mauer and Phlogiston:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB3TVEu8LAw
http://www.headlessbarbie.com
If someone really wanted to rip the songs so it sounded just like it did on an NES, all they would need is an NES, the cart, a cable, and a tape recorder.
ReplyDelete