BR1GHT PR1MATE wrote:

I haven't seen the hardware vs software thing to be much of discussion topic in the past year or so. I think most of us have moved on?

Also, this. The only occasions where I really see this being brought up are when chipmusic is being introduced to an unfamiliar audience. Within the community of people making music etc., I don't really see it being discussed much.

goto80 wrote:

SUPER MEDIA THEORY FOR CHIPLZ:

INTRO
When the chip-term appeared around 1990, chipmusic was sample-based music with small file-size. Hardware wasn't so important. That convention was dominant for atleast 10 years, and was later changed by the performance/mp3-oriented chipscene, and people who wrote about it. The hardware became the main thing, partly because it made it easier to "package" chipmusic.

PROBLEM
But if you talk to a chipmusician about their music making process, they won't talk about hardware for long. Right? There's only that much that you can say. The software interface is seemingly more important in the process. A platform like C64 can be used for so many other types of music than chipmusic. If you use it for algorithmic art installations, or for 8-bit sample collages, or piano roll jazz porn it's not really chip anymore. Right? Same with Ataris or Commodores or Nintendos or Nintendonts.

THEORY
The whole dualism of hardware and software is kind of tricky to maintain. Hardware contains software. Software won't run without hardware. You can't use one without the other. So it's usually more useful to separate between platform and interface, and remember that software doesn't have to be digital and platforms don't have to be physical hardware. Hm, u know?

CONCLUSION
The discussion about software vs hardware doesn't seem to lead anywhere - yet it still goes on. And I doubt that "hardware" is what can hold the chipscene together these days anyway. Same goes for the demoscene. Atleast in the C64-scene the original hardware seems to be more like a media player these days. Maybe we can talk more about the cultural (softwareal) aspects of chipmusic, and avoid becoming some static little nerd mob who only talks about machines and copyright. Or not?

REFERENCEZ
https://chipflip.wordpress.com/chipmusic


Personally, I think the hardware aspect of chipmusic is only relevant in the modern context (by "modern" I'll say I mean the last 10-15 years), where just about any sound imaginable can be either created from scratch, or played back with essentially perfect fidelity, on any standard modern computer. As a consequence, it's not terribly remarkable when a standard modern computer produces... any particular sound or music at all.

Sample-based chipmusic wasn't hardware-oriented because it didn't need to be, because the hardware had no direct bearing on the nature of the sounds being produced (samples). Also hardware wasn't terribly relevant in the 1990s because people doing sample-based chipmusic were probably using machines typical of the era (Amigas in the early '90s for instance).

But the state of standard home computers even by the late '90s had jumped enough that the contextual backdrop had changed, and our expectations about the abilities of computers changed with it. I think when it comes to chipmusic, the hardware detail carried more weight against that more modern context; it was suddenly quite surprising to see antiquated home computers and handheld gaming devices producing music that defied our expectations of the machine's capabilities. Obviously it was our expectations that were flawed, these devices weren't actually operating outside of their abilities. But at the same time, the extent of those machines' abilities was never tested (or more fairly put, was never demonstrated widely enough for the average person to be aware), and so it created a point of surprise / interest. As a result, the device (and by extension, the process) became a distinguishing factor, and (for some) part of the appeal.

goto80 wrote:

The whole dualism of hardware and software is kind of tricky to maintain. Hardware contains software. Software won't run without hardware. You can't use one without the other.

I also think there are some semantic ambiguities in statements like this. Obviously in a computing context, hardware & software are interdependent. I think the "hardware vs. software" idea in chipmusic is just semi-lazy shorthand terminology that really means "making chipmusic, as an aesthetic choice, on a machine that is capable of producing many other sounds, vs. making chipmusic, as an aesthetic and a process choice, on a machine that is not capable of producing other sounds."

Do I think it's a splitting-of-hairs discussion? I do. But I also still think it's a legitimate distinction, and not in a value-laden way. I think that most people who are interested in chipmusic can and do enjoy chipmusic regardless of the tools used to make it. It's just that for some people, the "hardware" detail can carry an additional element of interest.

243

(73 replies, posted in Releases)

Damn, what the hell happened?

Wizwars rules, these original tracks ruled when they first came out, these new versions with accompaniment rule now, IAYD rules, I hear no major similarities in the artists' instrumentation, I've listened to both acts for years and I've never once thought of Wizwars as in any way swiping from IAYD, and lastly "ripping off" does in fact mean "steal" so I think Wizwars is on-point in taking exception to that remark.

Plus if seeking to recreate a nice-sounding instrument constitutes "ripping off," then I doubt anyone here is innocent.

Anyway, props to Wizwars & Dark Warriors, this stuff is awesome.

244

(123 replies, posted in General Discussion)

iano wrote:

SYL (because City is one of the sickiest album ever)

I agree, City is fucking insane.

245

(60 replies, posted in Releases)

"Philips MUSIC MODULE is exciting to use and unique in its simplicity. You don't need to have any musical expertise or knowledge, yet with MUSIC MODULE you can create music ranging from classical to pop in a host of different musical and ethnic styles."

(from Philips Music Module User's Guide, 1986)

Tracklisting
---
01 Aktepe
02 Doppelgänger
03 Zero Days
04 Carrier District
05 Solon CR
06 Panatec

// DOWNLOAD 8BP126 //

246

(123 replies, posted in General Discussion)

Same here. I'd say let's get married but I'm saving myself for Justin Broadrick. Zan-zan I need to ask you for Melvins recommendations, I've always been curious but have never really properly checked them out.

247

(123 replies, posted in General Discussion)

Cooshinator wrote:

Bit Shifter
Nullsleep
Sabrepulse
Random
Bit Shifter

|m|/    >__<    \|m|

248

(123 replies, posted in General Discussion)

DKSTR wrote:
Bit Shifter wrote:

Godflesh
Agoraphobic Nosebleed
At The Gates
Isis
Discordance Axis

At The Gates is spectacular. So is Isis live, but dont really like to listen them from albums.

Yeah Isis loses me on some of their records. I still love Celestial though.

249

(123 replies, posted in General Discussion)

Godflesh
Agoraphobic Nosebleed
At The Gates
Isis
Discordance Axis

250

(9 replies, posted in Releases)

Awesome job as always. Analog for president of whichever America he wants.

251

(26 replies, posted in Releases)

Dripster runoff

252

(97 replies, posted in Trading Post)

Forgive me if this joke has already been made, I didn't read the thread.

edit: actually just forgive me in general.

253

(97 replies, posted in Trading Post)

254

(73 replies, posted in General Discussion)

egr wrote:

Everything on Bandcamp automatically has some form of CC license attached to it.

I can't imagine this is the case. Where are you seeing this?

Suu-paa gu-re-to

256

(25 replies, posted in Past Events)

Awesome!