dsv101
Offline
Medina, Ohio

1. About a year and a half.

2. When my best friend (Cooshinator) introduced me into chip music it sounded cool. Immediately, my love for music pulled me into the scene. I consider the chiptune scene a culture similar to that of which in the 1980's hardcore movement, another type of music I love to play.

3.One modded 1/8" Prosound/Back-lit DMG  with a blue and orange paint job with NES buttons. I use the LSDJ Software, which is amazing BTW smile Occasionally i throw in some guitar as well. (Ibanez GIO GAX-70)

4. 1980's Hardcore punk. It is just raw fast music, similar to chiptunes smile

5. I've never taken musical theory lessons formally, but i have researched it a bit to know the basics of scales and progressions and what not. Also, me knowing how to play formal instruments sometimes messes me up making chiptunes because its hard to get around the restrictions on the chips, but thats what makes it more fun smile

6. Listen, Listen, LISTEN! After that, find a style of chiptune you would like to emulate. After that, find out what software and such that artist uses and fire up an emulator with the necessary software, before you get hardware and realize that's not the sound you wish to achieve. I love LSDJ a lot, and highly recommend it as it is an easy tracker to handle and the hardware is cheap smile Also, sound is great smile

7. Only played one
a.) It was a new years party in my basement, i am playing a live stream over the internet with some bigshots in may smile
b.) Just to have fun, and spread the joy of chipmusic smile
c.) My previous described DMG, a Behringer Xenyx 1202FX  and an old crate head and a 4 by 10 Celestial Speaker custom cab.

Good luck on your paper dude wink

Zef
Offline

1. How long have you been making chiptunes?
- 2 years this June

2. What inspired you to begin creating your own music?
- I've been composing for years, I just enjoy it as a hobby.

3. What do you personally use to produce chiptunes (Hardware and Software)?
- DMG + LSDJ

4. What genre of music (besides chip) inspires you the most?
- Avoiding the whole "chip as a genre" debate, I wouldn't say I get inspired by genres, but I enjoy chamber pop, indie, and that sort of thing

5. What do you know about music theory? Have you ever taken a formal music class?
- I have my Grade 8 piano RCM with an accompanying Grade 2 rudiments in theory, so I know a fair amount of formal theory.

6. What do you reccomend for someone who would like to begin making chiptunes (tutorials, software, hardware, online resources)?
- Grab the ROM for $2 or more and just start learning, there's no method really, you figure it out as you go.

7. Do you perform at any live shows?
- Very few as of yet, but I'd like to do more.
7.a. If so, Where?
- Winnipeg Art Gallery
7.b. What's your motivation to perform live?
- It's a blast and it's a great way to expand your audience... and it's a blast
7.c. What kind of gear do you use at your shows?
DMG + LSDJ, wanna get a Korg Pad though XD

Screamforme99
Offline
San Angelo, TX

1. Around 6monthes, but I worked on a lot of house/trash stuff before chiptunes.
2. The aesthetic was cool and I really liked the way \"mega raze\" by Swashbuckling Swantoon sounded!
3. 2x LSDJ linked
Akai mpc 500 with a custom Gameboy drum sample pack I created for it, layering song samples (such as the screams in \"Phantom Anthem\".
Behringer XENYX 502
Mini KP (Awesome FX unit)
3DO (I constantly take samples from all kinds of games and stuff on my 3DO, once again like the screams from \"Phantom Anthem\"
Akai Synthstation 25 with my iPhone running nanostudio
4. Witchhouse/chillwave/Vinyltek/trash
5. No prior musical experience, but that makes me feel good to say when I create a good track!
6. 8bc wink
7. MotivatiOn to play? Exposure, duhhh.

Krubbz
Offline
Fargo

1. How long have you been making chiptunes?
I got into it in 2007 and kind of quit for a while, then recently got heavily back into it and have been working on more significant music.
2. What inspired you to begin creating your own music?
Chip music, or music in general?  I've always been into music.  Chip specifically...seeing Unicorn Dream Attack at a new year's house party.
3. What do you personally use to produce chiptunes (Hardware and Software)?
LSDJ, a nebulophone, some nanoloop.
4. What genre of music (besides chip) inspires you the most?
Funk and indie rock
5. What do you know about music theory? Have you ever taken a formal music class?
Yes, I have taken piano, drum, and trumpet.  Trumpet was for school band, which I was involved for 7 years.  I regret not taking more piano as I'd like to have learned more about chords.
6. What do you reccomend for someone who would like to begin making chiptunes (tutorials, software, hardware, online resources)?
Get a gameboy and LSDJ (easiest way to start, in my opinion).  Hit up this site for previous posts (most beginner questions have been asked at some point) and use the LSDJ manual to learn about what it does.  It wouldn't hurt to look up how a synthesizer works.  It makes the learning curve that much less daunting. 
7. Do you perform at any live shows?
no

Alley Beach
Offline
clovis CA

i've been writing chip music poorly for about 3 years, and almost decent for about a year

inspiration to me has always been other music. im always like, damn, i could do better than that. then i realize i cant, and leave it at that.

i use quite a few trackers, mainly lsdj though, getting better with nanoloop on my iphone before i take a plunge and buy it... also use ntrq, boyscout, and reason. i master everything on audacity, using a pair of shitty fucked up speakers found in a swap meet garbage pile, being driven by a cmoy amp. i also use reason time to time on making beats to go with shitty tracks

i listen to an unhealthy amount of grindcore, hardcore, metalcore, house, and durbstep

i am knowledgeable of music theory. i took a year of it in highschool and was in band for 4 years prior to that.

i recommend getting the demo of lsdj and screwing arround with it for a solid 8 hours before debating if composing on a tracker is decent for you. however, if you feel that DAW's are easier, use those if thats all you can handle.

i have played about 3 live sets at a gig for a tax prep service for the past 2 years. each set lasted 2 hours of ableton live, a set of batteries, and maybe an hour of lsdj live sets mix with reason beats

i like to preform live because A) people stare the fuck out of you, and say "oh shit, i had one of those when i was a kid!" and B) i like scaring people =]

i use a microkorg time to time, some gameboys, my iphone for nanoloop, a midines once, and some cmoy amps in series (trying to drive some heavy duty monitors, but then found a cab head in the back tongue) im also lugging a pc tower, not a sweet mac. the tower is a 2.2 GHz P4 with an onboard sound card, and 4 30gb hard drives. and some skull candies

Jellica
Offline
England

How long have you been making chiptunes?
Since 1994 on the Amiga – a few breaks in between though
What inspired you to begin creating your own music?
I’ve been surrounded by people making music since I was a baby
What do you personally use to produce chiptunes (Hardware and Software)?
Hardware. Anything to avoid using a modern PC to make music
What genre of music (besides chip) inspires you the most?
Acid italo rave postpunk krautrock techno electro
What do you know about music theory? Have you ever taken a formal music class?
Two years jazz guitar and theory at college, didn’t do any exams though What do you recommend for someone who would like to begin making chiptunes (tutorials, software, hardware, online resources)?
Search around and don’t ask dumb questions, read the tutorials and use your imagination
Do you perform at any live shows?
Yes
If so, Where?
All over the place
What's your motivation to perform live?
I’ve always played in bands – it was just a natural progression.
What kind of gear do you use at your shows?
Things that make nice sounds.

Last edited by Jellica (Apr 25, 2012 8:20 am)

9-Heart
Offline

1. Started in November 2010, but after like a half year dropped it, because of my sucky skills. But no one is safe of my trashy music so i started Chiptune again like 3 months ago and know i'm beeing damm serious about it.

2. Chiptune David. I've heard Crystal Castles "Love and Caring" without him before him and thought it was trash. But as soon as i heard "Where am I" from David i was hooked, did research listen to some other good chipstuff and started to name myself 9-Heart.

3. A GameBoy and the Tracker LSDJ. Other gear is just cables and a recording box, but i'm planning to get more stuff.

4. Nothing. The only other stuff i hear is German Rap (but only 1-2 Artists) and some German Rockbands if i go partying. Inspiring most of the times comes with Chiptune, Electrotrash, Chiptrash, Nerdcore and so on, most of the time it's somehow chiprelated.

5. There are notes out there.
To be honest i know fairly little, can't barley play an instrument. Music Class i took in school, but at that time i was not interested in making music so i skipped it and took Art Class till the end.
Today i'm waiting that somebody creates a time machine to travel back and tell my past-me to take the fcking music class!

6. Don't start with LSDJ. It's complicated. I've heard that Famitracker is a little easier on beginners so start there. If you know about making music (like you played in a band before) than you can try what ever pleases you.

7. Currently no, but i'll start something in August and also got one dude who would like to get me some Gigs.
7.a. If it would happen, it would be OpenAir (like on a Field or in a BIERGARTEN!) or like i said this one dude owns a little music club with a small stage where i could play.

I skip the other two, 'cause i'm planning to do it.

Shiru
Offline
Russia, Moscow

1. 15+ years.
2. Playing and making video games.
3. Usual PC with countless trackers.
4. Punk rock.
5. Read the theory a lot, remembered just a bit. No musical education.
6. Nothing 'in general'.
7. No.

Sapr
Offline
Geneseo, IL

A little over 2 years.

I saw my friend playing a show, weilding a gameboy and I had to try it.

Prosounded, Backlit, Clear Original Gameboy. Along with LSDJ.

I (Hate to admit that I) find Dubstep extremely inspiring in its wide range of sounds.

Have you ever taken a formal music class? I don't. Nuh.

Get to know the community. Never have I been more proud of (or frightened by) a group of people that I belong to, than Chiptune artists.

What constitutes as a live show? I do Open mics, and I hope to be able to do an official show soon.

The Coffee Break in Geneseo, Illinois and the River Music Experience in Davenport, Iowa.

I hope to be able to make people dance (WILLINGLY) to something I make, I want my music to take people places they couldn't imagine without it.

Primarily my hands and a 1/8" to 1/4" converter cable. And my Gameboy, of course!

craphazzard
Offline
Babylon, NY

1. How long have you been making chiptunes?

Roughly two years, mostly experimentation with not much to show for it.

2. What inspired you to begin creating your own music?

I've been "writing" music since 2003 starting with fruity loops compositions. I always wanted to make my own music but couldn't because I have not been able to properly learn how to play an instrument.  I was always able to sing rather well but that doesn't translate to full compositions.  When I learned that I could write and compose music on a computer without the need to be skilled at a real instrument it was pretty much on like donkey kong.

3. What do you personally use to produce chiptunes (Hardware and Software)?

I use a modded DMG and LSDJ.  I've also experimented with other software and hardware

4. What genre of music (besides chip) inspires you the most?

I listen to a rather large pool of musical genres.  However, the one's that have inspired me the most are Post-rock instrumental and IDM.

5. What do you know about music theory? Have you ever taken a formal music class?

I am very lacking in my musical training. I know the very basics and if I am writing with theory in mind I am almost always looking things up in a theory book or website.  For the most part I end up composing by ear, which is both a blessing and curse.  Some people will argue that composing by ear with limited theory knowledge frees what I write from the confines of pure theory and allows for very interesting things to occur.  While this is true it often makes composition a long and arduous process as I cannot prototype a song's structure, resolve chord progressions and even classify the song's key signature.  In high school I was part of an advanced choral study class, but that is the extent of my musical training.

6. What do you reccomend for someone who would like to begin making chiptunes (tutorials, software, hardware, online resources)?

The simplest answer to this question (assuming the person who is interested in making chip has no prior experience in writing computer music) is Famitracker.  Famitracker provides the lowest barrier to entry as a new user does not need any special hardware and does not have to learn how to use/process/make samples.  Instead a new user can immediately jump into learning instrument design, and tracker composition (Things that are the basis for most chip composition environments) and these skills can translate very well to other chip mediums.

7. Do you perform at any live shows?

I have performed several local shows at bars and house parties.

7.a. If so, Where?

So far Brooklyn, Lindenhurst, and Babylon all in New York.

7.b. What's your motivation to perform live?

Because live music is fun!

7.c. What kind of gear do you use at your shows?

2 game boys and a mixer. I have used a microKORG as well before but only when performing a cover of 6955's One off his Fez EP.

Last edited by craphazzard (Apr 25, 2012 7:52 pm)

theghostservant
Offline
Chicago

1. 7 months
2. the Datathrash Mixtape 1. I wasn't exposed to aggressive chipmusic until then.
3. I use the Nanoloop Mobile App on Droid
4. Hardcore (metal, not hardcore edm... yuck.). The passion and energy of hardcore is something I try to capture with my music.
5. I know basic music theory. I took a Guitar 1 class in high school. All the music theory I know is through playing guitar.
6. Before you write anything, listen to as much chip as you can find. I'm talking listen for at least six months. Once you have a good idea of what 'chip music' is, either go the Famitracker route, or go with Nanoloop Mobile. It's intuitive and been great for me to learn chip music composition.
7. Yes I do.
7a. I've played local hardcore shows, house shows, internet shows, and I've tried busking my chip music in downtown Denver (didn't go so well.).
7b. To get my music out there. No one will know who you are if you stay behind your computer. Music is meant to be performed.
7c. I play straight from my phone. If a mixer is needed, I have a Beheringer Xenyx 802. When busking or when I need a PA/monitor, I have a Roland Cube Street. I plan on in the future incorporating live guitar. I have a Mitchel LC-200CE Electric Classical, a Yamaha CJ-818SB Acoustic, and a Ibanez RG120 Electric. I will most likely be using the Ibanez. Cause I like breakdowns.

Last edited by theghostservant (Apr 26, 2012 2:52 am)

defiantsystems
Offline
.FILTHadelphia

1. A little over 2 years.
2. I've been writing music for almost 15 years, I just loved the sound of chipmusic though.
3. A Gameboy and LSDJ. I've used the DefleMask tracker to create stuff and am currently branching out using Renoise.
4. Anything I hear. I feel most inspired by punk, hardcore, and metal oddly enough considering I make electronica now.
5. I know the basics. I studied music theory in high school for a year but I wouldn't consider it "formal."
6. Depends on what they want to do. Most people like the aesthetic of using real hardware so I'd recommend using LSDJ. I run the LSDJguides YouTube channel so I'd point them.
7. I have performed for open mics.
7.a. 8static
7.b. The thrill of playing live. I'm kind of a shy guy but something happens on stage that I can't describe. It's like a drug you just want more.
7.c. Single Gameboy and an LSDJ cartridge so far I am starting to use 2 Gameboys currently.

Xuriik
Offline
Puerto Rico

1. About two years.
2. Adopting this extreme attitude of "have fun through creation, and not consumption of media." Being frustrated with my writing (Not so bad in retrospect) Owning handhelds.
3. NDSi(korgm01/glitchDS) and a DMG(lsdj). A rock band keyboard, a korg electribe ea-1. I kind of like sunvox but the actual tracking aspect of it puts me off for some reason (So used to lsdj's control scheme)
4. Jazz, Punk, Industrial. I like to listen to math rock a lot, but as a newbie musician I'm too intimidated to try incorporating that into chip.
5. I know some chords and can read sheet music at a snail's pace. I took no classes and read no books.
6. Start with an easy to use sequencer and then move on to trackers. Anything on a handheld will probably get you working faster than anything on a computer. Watch this entire series--> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atvtBE6t48M twice, if need be. RTFM.
7. I did once.
7.a. At a small coffee shop in my college campus during the slow hours.
7.b. Didn't want to seem like some kid in my bedroom playing with toys. Wanted to learn how to work with mixers and PA systems a bit.
7.c. I didn't plan it out, ended up using everything, even my laptop. Ended up sampling tunes directly from my pokemon blue cart. Ended up using the gb camera a lot more than I thought I would.

Last edited by Xuriik (Apr 26, 2012 3:11 am)

Chainsaw Police
Offline
Sydney, NSW

1. How long have you been making chiptunes?
Since mid 2010

2. What inspired you to begin creating your own music?
Technology and audio has always fascinated me, musical or not. Hearing what people did with simple squares and a basic wave synth was interesting to me. I wanted to experience it firsthand, I guess.

3. What do you personally use to produce chiptunes (Hardware and Software)?
- Gameboy Color with LSDJ and nanoloop
- Amiga 500 with ProTracker
- Milkytracker on PC, occasionally.

4. What genre of music (besides chip) inspires you the most?
Anything electronic, but mainly other chip artists's works.

5. What do you know about music theory? Have you ever taken a formal music class?
I was in the school band from grade 3 to 6 and learnt basic music theory there. From there on, I've enrolled in music class at my school just because I like music.

6. What do you reccomend for someone who would like to begin making chiptunes (tutorials, software, hardware, online resources)?
Covers. Cover as many songs as you can in whatever software you use to get the feel of how a chiptune should sound and to learn the software's many available techniques and effects. Once you're good with using your tool of choice, transfer those techniques used in your covers over to original tracks. Baby steps!

7. Do you perform at any live shows?
Not yet, but I'll be playing my debut gig at the d E f A m E demoparty in June (plugging, woo)

7.b. What's your motivation to perform live?
Just get my name out and have fun!

7.c. What kind of gear do you use at your shows?
Not sure what I'll be using for this gig, but it'll be a Gameboy set definitely. I've been hoping to get a mixer and an MPC/Maschine for onstage stuff, but not yet.

Last edited by Chainsaw Police (Apr 26, 2012 4:10 am)

mysterystain
Offline
Melbourne, AU

1. Since like october last year...ish.
2. I've been making music since I was ten. If I stopped I would explode. Like the bus in that one movie.
3. LSDJ on DMG CGB and PSP
4. Inspiration comes from the unlikeliest of places.
5. I took music classes all through high school. So I know a fair bit of theory.
6. Actually take an interest in the medium and do your own research without making thread topics expecting to be spoonfed knowledge.
7. Not ready for that shit yet.

Subterrestrial
Offline
The Hollow Earth

Sounds like fun!

1. How long have you been making chiptunes?
2010

2. What inspired you to begin creating your own music?
The soundtracks to classic video games and Overclocked Remixes. Plus I already had an active project going without any real genre restrictions (I just produce whatever I feel like)

3. What do you personally use to produce chiptunes (Hardware and Software)?
MacOSX, Garageband, Magical8bitplug, Chipsounds, QuadraSID, TAL NoiseMaker, Kontakt, Reaktor, wav samples, soundfonts

4. What genre of music (besides chip) inspires you the most?
Ambient, drone, downtempo/chill, lounge/exotica, idm, electronica

5. What do you know about music theory? Have you ever taken a formal music class?
The basic rudiments of melody, harmony and rhythm. Mostly self-taught, plus some internet research. I also consider having been a music lover from a very young age as having instilled a basic understanding of music theory in me.

6. What do you recommend for someone who would like to begin making chiptunes (tutorials, software, hardware, online resources)?
I would recommend starting with what you know. If you're already working in a DAW then start off this way. Use a plug-in like Magical8bitplug to create your own synth patches and drum sounds. This will give you a basic understanding of why 8-bit music sounds the way it does. From there you can switch to chip-style softsynths or try your hand at some authentic chip hardware if you're inclined to do so.

7. Do you perform at any live shows?
Not since 2000, never with my current project.