Chiptune Genres and Subgenres (Page 2 of 6)

well the secret is that there's nothing to talk about =F

There are idiomatic stylistic elements that tend to pervade all genres of chiptune (arps, fast lines, voice sharing etc), but that's true of all genres of music that share an instrument. Block chord voicings, fast scales and big octaves are all "pianistic" things that appear in classical, jazz and piano based rock, but those things are not the same genre.

Ultimately, the instruments we use have distinct quirks, but it's essentially just a computer being programmed to play music - ultimately not that unique. Also in this category are software based sequencers, hardware MIDI sequencers, very complicated modular synths, production workstations. They share the ability to do all of the things we know of as defining stylistic elements of chiptune, they only difference being that they don't generally have the limitations that require the use of those techniques.

I agree with you Danimal; Chiptunes also at a certain feel for each genre just because of the feel of the instrument.

I also feel as though the music for older game soundtracks have developed their own genre of music for their field and for lack of a better term sometimes that genre (which actually is a genre) is often referred to as chiptune. A couple of those old soundtracks are in a league of their own and deserve their own genre classification.

Also, there are a few genres chip has founded based on the sweeping arpeggios and complex patterns that are really only possible on an instrument like a gameboy/tracker.

OH GET OUT OF HERE WITH YOUR CRAZY TALK

Let me just say that what you guys are talking about goes by a few names... "soundtrack" or "theme" music are good examples. What people usually refer to as "chiptunes as a genre" is not exclusive to chiptune or videogame hardware.

And I know that those arps and patterns can be very complex and you think they are only possible on a tracker, but I'm pretty sure a full orchestra with a clever conductor could play that just as well.

Guitar shredders are able to play much more complex arpeggios than those that usually used in chiptunes, at speeds about 25 notes per second, the speed of common 'slow' arpeggio.

Yeah those 16th note triplet arpeggios (that span 3 octaves) at 220bpm while modulating duty cycle and hard left right panning are totally do-able.