blakeAlbion
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Hi,
I am testing out my catskull Teensyboy with a Gameboy Original and a GBA SP. Love the sounds.

But, it seems to me that mGB does nothing until I press B. I turn on the power, Gameboy boots, and then, it waits for me to push B.
I also see a similar issue with Nanoloop. It waits for me to press (at least 2 buttons?) before I can use it.

Is it possible to just boot into a running program?
The only thing to like about this technology is the sound.
I don't like the LCD display.
I don't like the form factor.
I don't like anything about the Gameboy at all, except that it makes cool sounds.
Isn't there any way I can avoid having to interact with this thing?

I just want it to be an appliance that responds to MIDI.

Any ideas?

Ben

catskull
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NUMBSKULL

The issue is mGB is designed to work with a cart with SRAM, and my cart doesn't (to make it cheaper). It tries to read from SRAM on boot but just loads junk so you have to press B to clear the presets out. I'm investigating a mod so it won't read from SRAM, but nothing yet.

The other option is to just get a cart with SRAM, but those will be about ~$40. EZ Flash Junior is pretty decent in my experience.

Though honestly??? mGB doesn't really highlight the unique characteristics of the Game Boy sound generator. If you hate it besides simple PSG channels and white noise, honestly I'd use a VST that will be way easier. Something like this: https://www.plogue.com/products/chipsounds.html

I'll even refund your money if you mail the teensyboy back to me!

Last edited by catskull (Jul 24, 2020 5:40 pm)

blakeAlbion
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Catskull, I am not unhappy with the teensyboy. I just see it as a means to an end, although the end is artistic so it changes.
I'm just curious as to how other people use this tech. I was born in the 1960s. I'm from the cassette tape generation, but I have no sentimental feelings toward cassette tape. I like the _sound_ of the gameboy, I don't like the gameboy because it has a "retro_sound", but I'm also a hardware person looking for ways of integrating this hardware into my stack.
I guess I will have to come to terms with some things, like "How in-tune is a gameboy, and what do I do it my gameboy is out of tune?".

A couple of questions while I have you on the line: I have a GBA SP, will it work with your GBA MIDI, and would that get me closer to what I want? Also may be interested in the YM2149 Synth. I'm looking for aesthetically interesting alternatives to the "analog VCO" but also want to avoid the rabbit hole of writing dsp code for a teensy.

Questions are similar to above: Are either of these solutions stand-alone, or do I have to load/save settings before I can do anything? If those settings are purely MIDI, that's fine.

Respectfully,
Ben

Analylogiq
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Hi,
after a few years tweaking game boys
the only thing I have learned is that:
    "they sound better when you give them love"

you took the mGb easy way with Catskull'gear

you just have to press a key to make the sound works , as a bliss to the plastic.

It took me some readings here before I could get a mGb working with all save slots working

hope you will soon come here to read about backlights and sound and stuff
You are entering a big pocket sized world

About Nanoloop witch one did you get? normally just a start on boot is enough

gba midi synth is great but you need to touch the thing to get fully pleased

catskull
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NUMBSKULL
Analylogiq wrote:

gba midi synth is great but you need to touch the thing to get fully pleased

I actually think this is not true? GBA Midi synth just boots up and as far as I'm aware all parameters are assignable with CC's.

blakeAlbion
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Interesting. I have been busy with a bunch of analog design/builds. You know what would be really groovy would be a VST that controls real gameboy hardware. If I could click on a gameboy icon in Ableton and get/set patches and CC, and then save that setup right into my session, that would be yes nifty and keen.
But emulating a gameboy with a VST? Not so much.
I'm going to try to make something like that my hardware, which has a teensy brain.
Huh, I guess that is what I would get if I shelled out the cash for Max For Live. Oooh. Need money fast.

blakeAlbion
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This is the price I pay for my education.

herr_prof
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ID say if you are doing a vst, chipsounds has way more sound design of the dmg than MGB gives you.

blakeAlbion
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thanks, I will check it out

Last edited by blakeAlbion (Jul 27, 2020 2:53 pm)

Cementimental
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just learn to love gameboy :3

blakeAlbion
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One more general question.
How "in tune" is a game boy? Especially since I see some mods involve over- or under-clocking.
Can I tune this instrument for use with other instruments? Or do you fix it in post?

Analylogiq
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catskull wrote:
Analylogiq wrote:

gba midi synth is great but you need to touch the thing to get fully pleased

I actually think this is not true? GBA Midi synth just boots up and as far as I'm aware all parameters are assignable with CC's.

you are right, there are CC everywhere . excepted the sequencer (we don't care in this case)and the midi channel settings  (set it once and it will be remembered)  and the audio sample rate(never played with it)

So yeah you just have to turn it on and play.

my point was more about touching the gba sweet plastic(blah blah)

Blake, Just get one it sounds awesome!

blakeAlbion
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It doth sound awesome.

blakeAlbion
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Yes!
I am happy with my catskull "GBA MIDI Synth". This is exactly what I need.
Very robust software, takes a firehose of MIDI without locking up.

catskull
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NUMBSKULL

This is a good reminder for me too! With some help from a friend, I have a new build of mGB that won't load junk on boot and it seems to work fine. You can download it here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PrgpmT … sp=sharing

herr_prof
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Good work!