Ness
Offline

Hello,

I received a chip maestro a few weeks back and wasn't able to do much with it... I tried to control it via kaoss pad 3 in ext.ctrl mode but it is not very useful and I still need a pc with fruity loop ( or ableton if I ever buy it) to make some sounds...
I'd like ton control my chip maestro like I've seen a guy control is midines via an mpc 1000. As you might guess I'm a total noob in music sequencing, composing etc ( I've been a dj in amateur for quite some time but it doesn't count) and I was wondering : could i buy an mpc 500 ( it's cheaper, just like Chip maestro is in comparison with midines) and connect it to my chip maestro in a way that it can control it (and record some juicy 8 bit sounds from it )to play  live?

I hope you understood my poor english, i'm from brussel and i'm not as good in english as i am in french...

Thanks a lot and please tell me that i didn't buy a crappy nes cartridge that i won't ever use again :'(, it would break my heart...

Ness

TylerBarnes
Offline
Dallas, Texas

It's definitely not useless. but as many will probably tell you, chipmaestro is far from being as good as midines. I've not read much of the chip maestro's release docs so i can't speak for how the cart has changed (if any) over the time since first release, but I don't think it is as robust as the midines in terms of cc control and making use of all the channels like the DPCM.

thebitman
Offline

I can still barely get mine to work at all with Ableton, FL Studio, or anything. Haven't had any luck with MIDI Keyboards yet.

I'm looking into writing a VST and/or a Max4Live patch that basically acts as a glorified MIDI interface for computer users. Progress is slow, but so far I can correctly force pulse width changes.

DSC
Offline

Overall for the two years we waited, I'm extremely disappointed in overall features and usability.
It's more of a novelty product than anything really useful as far as live chiptune use or otherwise.
Mine sits in its shiny box in which I will probably put it up on eBay and hope to get my money out of it.

Ness
Offline

Wooohooo...I'm soooo happy to have paid 50 bucks +24 euros of taxes to import it to belgium to read that ...
Could I use it with an mpc500 to control it? Could i record the nes sounds and sample them to make some tracks and mix it with my electro vinyls?
Is it even possible? Or do you think it will be much more useful to sell it , don't buy an mpc500 and forget about chip tunes...
Because buying this chip maestro was an investment ( at least 100 bucks with shipping costs and taxes), buying the nes with a new 72 pin was an investment (85 dollars) and buying an mpc500 will be 250 dollars so i'll be 435 dollars in(360 euros)...I can't buy a midines because it is defunct ( isn't it?) and i'd like to make some noise in live... I don't know shit about cc# in midi or midi in general, i'm eager to learn and to use my NES...

What should I do, follow a new dream or kill it, sell my stuff and be back to play the NES in my living room?

in short :

NES+chip maestro controlled by mpc500 WITHOUT a PC, is it possible?
Do you think I was wrong to believe in the chip maestro?
Is it possible to reprogram the chip maestro to make it look more like a good product?
Where is Jarek Lupinski when we need documentation and a fuc**ing manual?
Could someone help me out and tell me what I need to start chip tuning without a pc/with the chip maestro?
Does somene know how to use the chip maestro effectively?
I NEED GUIDANCE big_smile big_smile big_smile

Thanks a lot guys

See ya

Ness

kitsch
Offline
matt's mind
DSC wrote:

Overall for the two years we waited, I'm extremely disappointed in overall features and usability.
It's more of a novelty product than anything really useful as far as live chiptune use or otherwise.
Mine sits in its shiny box in which I will probably put it up on eBay and hope to get my money out of it.

DJCactus
Offline
D D D Detroit, not the burbs

Im bummed to read this because i was looking to get my hands on one to replace my midines but i guess not anymore.

kitsch
Offline
matt's mind

its miles from being a replacement for midines

i have yet to hear a positive review, tbh.  seems to have been disappointing all around

Ness
Offline

I still think it can work and be useful but I'm a total newbie so i can't figure it out... help me...
The only difference between chip maestro and midines seems to be the 256 rom sample that is missing from the chi maestro, other than that, it is the same...right?

Ness wrote:

in short :

NES+chip maestro controlled by mpc500 WITHOUT a PC, is it possible?
Do you think I was wrong to believe in the chip maestro?
Is it possible to reprogram the chip maestro to make it look more like a good product?
Where is Jarek Lupinski when we need documentation and a fuc**ing manual?
Could someone help me out and tell me what I need to start chip tuning without a pc/with the chip maestro?
Does somene know how to use the chip maestro effectively?
I NEED GUIDANCE big_smile big_smile big_smile

Thanks a lot guys

See ya

Ness

TylerBarnes
Offline
Dallas, Texas

Lack of sample bank is definitely not the only difference. Midines has some pretty darn full featured controls with the Midi CC channels. take a look at this CC Implementation sheet MIDINES MIDI CC You will soon realize how far chipmaestro is off the mark.

It must be a little disappointing realizing something you invested in isn't as capable as you thought. It reminds me of the disappointment I felt when I paid for a Midines from Wayfar over two years ago, and never received one.

Last edited by TylerBarnes (Oct 28, 2013 3:09 am)

DSC
Offline

MIDINES is superior, but new potential owners BEWARE and DO NOT purchase a 'new' one from the wayfar site!  You will just get ripped off.  The only real good option is to keep an eye on eBay.  I just wanted this mentioned in this thread.

DJCactus
Offline
D D D Detroit, not the burbs

The extended CC controls are useful but most of the drum samples are pretty forgettable.  The bank 2 sfx are pretty weak

Booga
Offline
Yokohama, Japan

Wow I met the creator of the Chip Maestro a couple of years ago when he came to Japan to visit the local hackerspace, he seemed like a decent guy. But after reading many comments about his device and service (not just this thread) he don't look so good now.
I believe he is a member of famous hackerspace in New York, called NYC resistor. Maybe some of you unhappy customers in the US can chase him down.

Jazzmarazz
Offline
Michigan

vote: most depressing thread of the year.

seatrash
Offline
seattle
Jazzmarazz wrote:

vote: most depressing thread of the year.

+1

thebitman
Offline

Would you guys be down with a group buy for a MIDI NES cartridge to let Jazzmarazz reverse engineer?
http://chipmusic.org/forums/post/188337/#p188337

I think it would be worth our time and patience more than our current "replacement." Could we even kickstart/indie go go this thing? I would gladly throw in $50 at the drop of a hat.

EDIT: I think it's up to Jazz on what to do about it, but I think he has the skills to pull it off, and I am sure there are people who would be able to help make repros happen.

Last edited by thebitman (Oct 28, 2013 5:20 am)