Sunday Jam #75 : Dungeon Level : SID music and the puzzle game that inspired it

video upload by MIDI IN

"This kind of puzzle game is my bag and this one has a dungeon theme, which inspired the music I've made this week.

I packed the music into a .sid file which will play on a real single-SID commodore 64 or emulator, dedicated .sid players or even modern music players that support the format such as VLC.

Here's the file. There are two main SID types with different characteristics - 6581 and 8580. If you have the choice, switch to 6581
https://peacockmedia.software/sid/dun... [direct download link]

The game I am playing is
https://rgcddev.itch.io/gravitrix

That game is a remake of an older game, Brain Death (not officially published)
https://www.gamesthatwerent.com/gtw64...

0:00 the talkie bit
0:30 history of the game Gravitrix
2:11 my music and some gameplay"

Sunday Jam #74 (plus game footage) : Music for a racin' type game

video upload by MIDI IN

"Road Rash is an all-time favourite and I've been playing this game since I bought it in the early '90s. The footage is my own, I'm playing from my current game position and bike. The music is inspired by this type of game. I'd like to track this tune for Amiga so that it sounds more authentic for the game, and will probably do so on a future week."

MIDIPan with audio output. Announcement and demo #MIDIPanMarch

video upload by MIDI IN

"This announcement is a bit overdue for reasons given in the video. I feel very happy about this new addition to the family and hope you like it too.

https://peacockmedia.software/drum

0:00 introduction
1:18 So what sounds does it make?
3:14 I just want to hear some sounds
6:52 Accessing the kit drum sounds
7:15 Kit drum demo using looper
7:29 Looping using tongue drum sound"

Sunday Jam : Rough Diamond #MIDIPanMarch

video upload by MIDI IN

"I learned a few things from last week's Jam and decided to roll with it and do something similar, but my own composition this time.

If you're interested in MIDIPan:
https://peacockmedia.software/drum/

0:00 Intro
0:34 MIDI over USB and Cloudrum by Ample Percussion
0:45 the track"

Sunday Jam : 'Urban' handpan cover #MIDIPanMarch

video upload by MIDI IN

"I had a look for sheet music that I could play on my MIDIPan and found this. I used MIDIPan's looper to help me out."

If you're interested in MIDIPan: https://peacockmedia.software/drum/

Midweek MIDIPan Meditation, no commentary : "Iceberg Atmosphere" #MIDIPanMarch

video upload by MIDI IN

"The full title of the field recording used here is 'Iceberg Atmosphere - Water slapping against icebergs. Kittiwakes calling in distance'. Which sounds cold, so I'm grateful to the Natural History Unit's Mike Potts for going there so that I didn't have to.
Using the audio version of the MIDIPan with a metallic handpan sound. Other instruments you can hear are guitar, choir and various orchestral percussion.

The second #MIDIPanMarch video. I hope this inspires you to make some music.
If you're interested in the pan, its homepage is here:
https://peacockmedia.software/drum/"

Sunday Jam : #MIDIPanMarch

video upload by MIDI IN

"Happy #MIDIPanMarch! I'll be using MIDIPan a lot this month to make music and I hope it'll inspire you to do the same. If you're interested in MIDIPan you can find out more here: https://peacockmedia.software/drum/"

0:00 intro
0:26 instruments used
1:15 the track

Sunday Jam #68 : What music they make!

video upload by MIDI IN

"Inspired by '3rd party' music for classic horror films by artists such as Philip Glass and Minima, I've made some atmospheric background music and a jam inspired by the 1931 Universal version of Dracula.

Self-made instruments:
MIDIPan: https://peacockmedia.software/drum/
e-ther: https://peacockmedia.software/e-ther/

Minima: https://www.minimamusic.co.uk

0:00 intro
0:30 Philip Glass and Minima
1:44 Atmospheric music to accompany the scene
3:13 What Music They Make jam"

Midweek MIDIPan Minijam : Plus first look at MIDISID for RC2014

video upload by MIDI IN

"This is a looper jam on the MIDIPan and also a show & tell about a project I'm working on right now. For 8-bit music fans!"

Sunday Jam #65 : improvisation over 5/4 latin feel

video upload by MIDI IN

"Short and sweet this week. Just having fun with a 70s-style synth sound over a latin-style groove."

MIDIPan Midweek Minijam #3

video upload by MIDI IN

"If you are a MIDIPan owner then the looper feature is now in beta, please contact me if you are aware of what that means and would like to help test. If you would like to be a MIDIPan owner, then see here:
https://shieladixon.etsy.com/listing/...
I would be happy to install the beta software onto yours before shipping if you like."

Sunday Jam #59 : 8th wonder

video upload by MIDI IN

"Since it's BF/CM, how about a twofer? You get two tracks for free instead of one for free!

0:00 introduction
0:33 Showing the ES2 instruments I used
2:24 How I used MIDISID
5:16 ES2 version
9:18 SID version

Library video used:
courtesy cottonbro:
https://www.pexels.com/video/side-vie...
https://www.pexels.com/video/low-angl...
courtesy Magda Ehlers:
https://www.pexels.com/video/string-o..."

Midweek MIDPan Minijam #2 : built-in looper

video upload by MIDI IN

"Since last week I've been working on building a looper into MIDIPan. Here's a demo."

Midweek MIDPan Minijams

Midweek MIDIPan Minijam

video upload by MIDI IN

"This midweek mini-jam is partly because I need some footage with this new MIDIPan design being used, partly to experiment with a possible new feature and partly because I just enjoy playing it."

Sunday Jam #55 : Halloween special : 4am again with visualisations

video upload by MIDI IN

After last week's effort I'm kicking back a bit this week and have spent the time on a visualisation. The music is something I first posted in 2020 [video below], at that time with a compilation of some spooky C64 and Vic20 games.

0:00 intro
0:16 talking about Dr.VIP 2040 board
0:42 talking about the visualisation
2:05 the track

"4am" - Original music, with Spooky Vic20 and C64 games (listed in description)

video upload by MIDI IN

"Original spooky music, all sounds are produced by a real C64 (6581 SID). Accompanied by me playing some of my current favourite games on Vic20 and C64.

This time I used the C64 as a midi instrument (via Datel MIDI cart and my own software) and recorded around 30 sounds separately, and mixed them using minimal post-processing (a little reverb and eq).

All of these games have their own music, by better musicians than me. This isn't an attempt to deprecate their music. I've enjoyed the games and the visuals make a great accompaniment to this piece of music.

I am a fan of using real hardware and usually play these games on original computers. However, I don't have a capture device and pointing a camera at the screen looks crap, so I resorted to emulators for the purposes of making the gameplay footage.

Games shown:
Zombie Calavera Prologue, Vic20, from Digital Monastery https://majikeyric.itch.io/zombie-cal...

Pumpkid, Vic20 from Hewco https://hewco64.itch.io/pumpkid

The Isle of the Cursed Prophet, C64 from Icon 64 https://psytronik.itch.io/cursed-prop...

Luna, C64 from Shallan https://shallan64.itch.io/luna"

Sunday Jam #54 : Music for an imaginary puzzle game - plus!

video upload by MIDI IN

"After deciding that my original idea was a complete disaster, I returned to something I've developed several times in the past. This time I've given it the rock treatment.

I first showed this tune played on a dual-SID C64 [1st video below]

And then using MIDISID [2nd video below]

0:00 Intro
0:24 previous versions
0:49 what I've done today
1:00 how I generated the video
2:01 the track"

Puzzled : music for dual-SID C64

video upload by MIDI IN

"Another piece of original Dual-SID music. I'm starting to doubt the wisdom of writing long ponderous intros, so I won't think any less of you if you skip forward 30s to where the bass and percussion action starts.

My 16-channel MIDI to 6-channel SID voice music player is improving . The sound for this video is captured straight from my sixtyclone which you can see in the video. The music is actually being generated by Logic Pro on a Mac and sent to the C64 via MIDI (Datel MIDI cart)."

Puzzled MIDISID demo 2

video upload by MIDI IN

"I've been unlisting some early MIDISID videos which show MIDISID as a prototype - it's come a long way and is now a commercial product: https://peacockmedia.software/midisid/

I like this tune and decided to re-shoot the video and re-record the audio using some better MIDISID sounds. If you like this or any of my tunes, and would like to use the music for free - you are welcome, as long as you credit me and give a link to my channel. Better still, contact me and I'll provide a good quality audio file."

Phantasmal Force beta firmware + MIDISID + KORG NTS-3

video upload by Arman Bohn

"Phantasmal Force available here:
https://www.distropolisgoods.com

MIDISID info can be found here:
https://peacockmedia.software/midisid/

Phantasmal Force v2.0 firmware coming soon!

Testing out the beta firmware for the Phantasmal Force micro MIDI controller with a new friend. The MIDISID (purple dual SID synth on the left) is being sent Program Change messages from the Phantasmal Force to change the instrument sounds on each of its six channels. The Phantasmal Force is also sending six different sequences (one to each voice of the MIDISID). The sequences are different lengths, and follow different subdivisions of the master tempo. Sequences can have their notes, velocity and probability randomized. Notes can be locked to 43 different scales.

The NTS-3 is just here to add some fun ear candy.

There are a ton of new features in coming up in v2.0 of the the PF firmware."

Wednesday update: Calibration tool and better velocity sensitivity with MIDIPan and MIDIKalimba

video upload by MIDI IN

"Other people using MIDIPan / MIDIKalimba:
mccy plays kit on MIDIPan: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGe3b1TnP/
Maria uses it as a synth controller: • Behringer Pro VS Mini Synth played on...
Kale improvises using an iPad plugin: • MIDI-Pan jam (handpan / steel tongue ...

MIDIKalimba home page:
https://peacockmedia.software/kalimba/
MIDIPan home page:
https://peacockmedia.software/drum/
Other instruments and projects:
https://peacockmedia.software/hardwar...

0:00 intro
0:15 feedback
0:28 the challenges
2:37 user suggestion
3:18 demo of calibration tool
4:48 playing the devices and demonstrating wide variation in velocity
5:41 thank you"

Walkabout at the Synthesized event, Cambridge

video upload by MIDI IN

"I wasn't able to do the usual musical Sunday video this week, I was at the Synthesized event at the Centre for Computing History in Cambridge.
Tony the organiser had caught everyone for interviews which will be on the museum's own channel here: (link when available)
So I just picked a quiet moment for a walkabout to show the variety of musical technology on display."

Also see Synthesized Festival 2023 - Cambridge Centre For Computing History & Making Drums For Modular Synth

Experiment : The 'MIDISID Beast', a 3-headed beast with 18 SID voices

video upload by MIDI IN

"It has long been a dream of mine to build a version of MIDISID with 6 SIDs making 18 voices. The MIDISID Beast if you will. Here I hook up 3 regular MIDISIDs to test the idea.

https://peacockmedia.software/midisid/

0:00 The current 2-SID 6-voice MIDISID
0:25 The Dream
0:53 Testing the idea wit 3 regular MIDISIDs
2:09 Comfortably Numb
8:32 canyon.mid
10:35 passport.mid
12:43 Day of the Tentacle part of opening sequence
14:03 closing thoughts and invitation to Cambridge to experience The Beast"