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-----=====[NES AUDIO TOOLS]=====-----

Here you will find: [if not right now, then soon!]
-list of available audio tools;
-advantages of each;
-tips and tricks to get you started;
-audio examples found online;
-links to download NES trackers/emulators;
-NES audio quirks/tips&tricks/problems;
also many more various interesting links relating to NES and 2A03 soundchip!

› About this list:

Dear Chipster, if you enjoy my collection of knowledge below and would like to contribute to it somehow, feel free to post here or DM me with content that would fit well here, or with a suggestion that would improve it!



-----=====[NATIVE AUDIO TOOLS]=====-----

----------[HOMEBREW:]----------

› (Image comparison of major ones)


-----NTRQ----- Track made in NTRQ, Example nr.2
This is FIRST native NES tracker! runs on any emulator, and despite looking simplistic/archaic, it's very advanced!
For sure 1st thing I recommend you to do is go to options and enable ALT NOTE ENTRY so changing notes/octaves will function same like LSDJ/Pulsar!

› >NTRQ links and downloads<


-----Pulsar----- Audio example nr.1, Example nr.2
Basically LSDJ on NES! I could say it's THE most advanced audio-tool homebrew available on NES thanks to it's automation/groove tables, and high refresh rate! Thankfully manual is quite accessible and easy to read/learn from!

› Quick & dirty guide of differences between LSDJ and Pulsar

› >Pulsar links and downloads<


-----cajoNES----- Official Demonstration
Instead of traditional tracker cajoNES aims for live-performance music making! It has randomiser, high modulation rate and quick save/load making it very playable it's relatively easy to grasp!

› >cajoNES links and downloads<

› >Advanced Guide / Workflow<


-----PR8----- Demo song playaround
It's "drum-machine-style synth", sports interesting non-tracker-like design enabling the user to create multi-channel instruments and play live with ease! Compared to Elektron synthesizers like Octatrack for it's automation possibilities, it's extremely powerful tool to create complete tracks!

› WORKFLOW ADVICE:

› PR8 Speed Guide (NTSC & PAL):

› {Advanced}Editing the appearance:

› >PR8 links and downloads<


-----SMMM----- Track demonstrating SMMM
Super Magic Music Maker is an semi-interactive random music generator. You won't be able to compose music on it due to its generative nature - it will produce itself! Simple controls allow interacting with the scales and sequence, and there are also visuals!

› >SMMM links and downloads<


-----Chippy-----
Chippy is very simple piano-roll sequencer and easy to understand instrument design! And has a cat!
I see it as perfect introduction to NES audio for beginners, as it teaches basics like hexademical system (volume goes from 0 to F, and even sequencer starts from 00 rather than 1) also if played from the middle, it plays with default speed rather than the different one we set on start of our composition, teaching user to not forget commands!
(Also small tip: if you want to have swing, exchange 2 close to each other BPM commands every step!)
Instructions are included on same forum where download link is!

› >Chippy links and downloads<


-----Plogue Livenes----- Official Demonstration, Savestate track
Made as test tool to help understand 2A03 & other chips, but functions extremely well as drone machine!
There are 4 versions available: 2A03 only, 2A03+ Konami VRC6, 2A03+ Nintendo FDS and 2A03+ Sunsoft 5B!
Playing around is highly advised!

› How to use & Quickstart section

› >Livenes links and downloads<


-----droNES----- Official Demonstration, short droNES video
droNES turns NES into a drone/noise box by implementing (very) crude frequency modulation (FM) and amplitude modulation (AM) to 3 of the NES's hardware voice: the two square-wave voices and the noise. Geared more towards live experimentation and exploration, able to satisfy any harsh noise fascinate!

› >droNES links and downloads<


-----Spacetime 6502----- Official Demonstration
Spacetime 6502 is described by author of the port as "weird function sequencer" - it has 16 steps where instead of musical notes user can influence the melody/sequence played with one of 8 different operators! It's fun and interesting little tool, and extremely easy to pick up!

› >Quickstart guide:<

› >Spacetime 6502 links and downloads<



----------[COMMERCIAL:]---------- (no download links provided for those, sorry!)


-----Ikinari Musician----- (JP, 1987) "Let's play" video of Ikinari MusicianBuilt in melody processed in VCV rack
Very accessible live jamming app, where you move little blob/cursor on the keyboard within selected scale!
It's extremely fun and playable! This would be first app I'd recommend for young Chiptuners, but I believe anyone will have fun with it!
Also has MULTIPLAYER! (though only one can play at once, interrupting doesn't feel frustrating!)
it has many fun "cheats" that change graphics or slow down the beat, and to make it all beautiful, you can record your jamming live!
[note: recording is still ON until the end-of-song jingle finishes!]


-----Dezaemon----- (JP, 1991) Tune made in Dezaemon
music-sheet based sequencer controllable with dpad cursor;
12 bar per song (max 6 songs);
24 different pulse channel instruments;
5 DPCM samples available (kick, snare and 3 toms);
32 different tempo speeds to choose (most of it is in range 20-300, also has 450 & 900!);

› >Notes:<


=====POCKETNES FOR PR8 & PULSAR=====
-----video of PR8 running on GBA!-----
Produced by Dwedit in 2016, this version is able to run NES 2.0 homebrew!
It's quite stable and works well on the actual hardware
(Results on emulators may vary, but you're welcome to try!)
Package contains:
-Updated PocketNES + menumaker;
-Original & updated PR8 and Pulsar packages;
-Premade .gba files for each one!!
-----[DOWNLOAD HERE]-----
(Of course, you're more than welcome to use package above to convert all your NES audio tools together into .gba file - the PR8/Pulsar compatibility is extra bonus!)


-----[NES 2.0 EMULATORS (for Pulsar/PR8 support)]-----
Retroarch (multiple)
[Working Retroarch cores: FCEUmm, Mesen, Nestopia UE]
Mesen - (Win, Linux)
Nintendulator - (Win)
Nestopia UE - (Win, Linux, MacOS)
FCEUX - (Win, Unix)

(for all other audio tools, feel free to use your fav NES emulator, though it's still advised to use accurate one, like ones above!)

-----[FLASHCARTS FOR NES 2.0]-----
PowerPak is supported - special file is included in both PR8 and Pulsar's archives!
NT Mini is supported (Source)


-----[USEFUL LINKS]-----
--Archive of all Neil Baldwin's tools + PocketNES package
--current & active nes.audio.com website + DutyCycleGenerator.net blog!
--Blog.NTRQ.net archive
--Original nes-audio.com archive
--MakeDPCM - Top WAV to DMC converter
--DPCM pitched sample generator by TylerBarnes and nesdev thread with more info
--NES hardware overclocking mods (Different speeds/pitches for trackers!) by LimitZer0
--WAV to DMC converter by Rushjet1
--Saw wave DPCM IRQ demo in NSF2 by Blargg & Brad Smith
--Triangle wave overtones investigation by Tepples
--"Pulsar, SXROM and NES 2.0 Emulators" article by Neil Baldwin
--Technical info regarding NES 2.0
--"The Compendium of Custom Refresh Rate Techniques in FamiTracker" by Dimeback
--Detailed Chipmusic.org Thread on DMC samples
-----[HARDWARE NES MUSIC]-----
--Famimimidi: NES MIDI cardridge:
video of it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qE-WJzdd6k
available to buy here: https://catskullelectronics.com/famimimidi
--MidiNES: NES MIDI cardridge (not supported anymore)


-----software to make NES music on modern platforms-----
DN-Famitracker - (Win, Wine on Linux) [Tracker style]
Famistudio - (Win, Mac, Linux) [Piano roll style]

Last edited by INFU (Jul 23, 2021 9:46 pm)

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› Changelog

› Special Thanks

-----IF YOU GOT SOMETHING WORTH INCLUDING IN THE POST I AM REACHABLE ON ALMOST ALL SOCIAL PLATFORMS AS @INFU_AV-----

Looking forward to any music you made with those tools, and if you have any questions or feedback, please ask!

Last edited by INFU (Jul 21, 2021 9:02 pm)

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Thanks for this! been looking for more NES music stuff to emulate on DS. Especially thanks for the reminder about Dezaemon, wanted to try that for years, just googled and found an english-translated rom smile

Aw doesn't look like NESDS supports NES 2.0 tho which is a shame, will have to just try the ones that need that on the computer

Here's an interesting one for the list: http://ploguechipsounds.blogspot.com/20 … venes.html

Last edited by Cementimental (May 25, 2020 1:32 pm)

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Cementimental wrote:

Thanks for this! been looking for more NES music stuff to emulate on DS. Especially thanks for the reminder about Dezaemon, wanted to try that for years, just googled and found an english-translated rom smile

Aw doesn't look like NESDS supports NES 2.0 tho which is a shame, will have to just try the ones that need that on the computer

Here's an interesting one for the list: http://ploguechipsounds.blogspot.com/20 … venes.html

Glad you like it! I think there's no need for translation if you want to make music, menus to reach music editor are in english smile

This is exactly why we need to email developers about NES 2.0 support! Please email NESDS author about that, I will do so too, and the more Chiptuners will ask for NES 2.0 support the more likely devs will agree!
If we will be able to get them working at least on one portable machine, then it's gonna be big success!

I checked Plogue livenes, and it's actually very playable!
There's even source code and more versions! For sure it's going on my list!

Thanks Cementimental!

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Italy

Hey, great post!

You could add Famislayer: http://www.heavyw8bit.com/famislayer.php

Not really a tool to make music but rather to play *.NSF in sync with other platforms, very useful!

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Merutochan wrote:

Hey, great post!

You could add Famislayer: http://www.heavyw8bit.com/famislayer.php

Not really a tool to make music but rather to play *.NSF in sync with other platforms, very useful!

Thanks!
Everywhere is mentioned that it has only compability with Famitracker, so I'm gonna give it a try before including it in the list, will update this post with results!

EDIT: Finally I got to try it out, but couldn't get it to work, even with Famitracker! Really strange.. If someone gets it to work with NTRQ and will provide replicable instructions I will for sure put it on the list!

Last edited by INFU (May 30, 2020 5:19 pm)

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INFU wrote:

-----I AM ALSO LOOKING FOR SOFTWARE CALLED DRONES-----

Here it is being mentioned: https://chipmusic.org/forums/topic/1208 … shopmerch/

I have a copy, here it is. Temporary link so please re-upload if you want to share it, as i might clear stuff from my dropbox in future  https://www.dropbox.com/s/s9scz25h0uhx0 … 0.zip?dl=0

Last edited by Cementimental (May 26, 2020 1:29 pm)

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Cementimental wrote:
INFU wrote:

-----I AM ALSO LOOKING FOR SOFTWARE CALLED DRONES-----

Here it is being mentioned: https://chipmusic.org/forums/topic/1208 … shopmerch/

I have a copy, here it is. Temporary link so please re-upload if you want to share it, as i might clear stuff from my dropbox in future  https://www.dropbox.com/s/s9scz25h0uhx0 … 0.zip?dl=0

Yes, thank you!! That was only missing link from Neil's releases!

I just downloaded it and will put it on my list soon!

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no probs smile

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NES GB land

just a heads up the downloads on wetransfer are no longer available. next time use something like google drive or mediafire.

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djmaximum wrote:

just a heads up the downloads on wetransfer are no longer available. next time use something like google drive or mediafire.

Thanks for the heads up Djmaximum! Just reuploaded it, again on wetransfer, as I'm sorting out my own website to permanently store it, without using my personal google account, or websites full of ads >.<

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New really cool thing!!! An NES remake of Spacetime (originally a Norns script) by xxiivv, which I found on the Lines forum:

This is a classic Nintendo 1 port of spacetime 4(Norns Study 3), it should run on any normal NES emulator. Developed on 9front’s Nintendo emulator, also tested on fceux and nestopia.

Spacetime is a weird function sequencer. It plays a note on each step, each step is a symbol for the action. It has 8 operators, I’ve added a snare hit to the random note operator for fun, and all operations wrap-around, since it only runs on 4 octaves.

Full info and source code here on the Lines thread: https://llllllll.co/t/spacetime-6502-port/35807/6
and I uploaded the Rom they sent me, here for convenience (FIXED LINK): http://www.timdrage.com/hostedstuff/Spa … xxiivv.nes

Last edited by Cementimental (Aug 30, 2020 4:56 pm)

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That nes link is 404, could you repost?

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OOps, should be http://www.timdrage.com/hostedstuff/Spa … xxiivv.nes

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Thanks!

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This is amazing Cementimental! I will put in into the main post and downloads later this week!
Thank you for sharing that!