113 Topic by rumpelfilter

(2 replies, posted in Other Hardware)

I recently got a Groovesizer TB2, and since it has a certain chiptune-ish feeling to it, I decided to write about it here.
The TB2 is basically a shield for the Arduino Due, which turns it into a small polyphonic synthesizer. The cool features of it are: 4 note polyphony, mini-keyboard directly on the board, supports single-cycle waveforms. The last one is the actual killer features.
The TB2 also has a nice built-in sequencer, which supports multiple patterns and on-the-fly quantised triggering.

As mentioned before, I think it has a certain chiptune-ish style. First of all because of the sound, which has a nice lo-fi digital quality and the support for single-cycle waveforms (which remind me of old-school trackers). But it's not just that, the fact that it almost let's you create complete songs directly on the device with the built in sequencer and the inherent limitations of the interface and software are also characteristics often found in chiptune hardware.

Here's a demo of the thing in action:

The firmware is still under development, but the current version is already pretty usable. Since it's just a shield for the open Arduino platform it's a great thing to hack and mod.

Go to forum: Other Hardware

114 Reply by rumpelfilter

(119 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

I've just had a huge fun with Chord! With my band kvsu we've been working for some time on a duet for bass clarinet and gameboy. For the first version I used Nanoloop, for the second version I used mgb controlledby an external MIDI sequencer. Both solutions proved to be cumbersome and unpractical, since the gameboy in this piece plays rythmic accompaignment chords.
So now that Chord has a poly mode, I just piped it into my modular synth (going thorugh a VCA a VCF and a granular FX processor, which can be heard at the end of the recording). The sequencer now is just triggering an envelope, which opens and closes the VCA (I did this to make up for the absence of envelopes in poly mode).

Here's a quick recording: https://soundcloud.com/kvsu/duetto-b-te … ameboy-app

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

115 Reply by rumpelfilter

(119 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

oh that explains it. Well I've seen that other people here have problems with the quoting stuff smile

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

116 Reply by rumpelfilter

(119 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

humbleTUNE wrote:

Thanks @cTrix. smile Also a new build is up, adding 3 channel polyphonic mode. It is the same link as before, http://www.humbletune.com/chord/.

YES!!!! downloading now!

JodyBigfoot wrote:

no mate theres much respect for you all the way, it's your baby! all your decision means is i need another gameboy and cart ha ha

was that supposed to be a reply to my comment? If it is, I don't get it sorry...

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

117 Reply by rumpelfilter

(119 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

Cool think Eric! Keep us posted! It might end up replacing my current sequencer > arduinoboy > DMG setup for some of our tracks.

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

118 Reply by rumpelfilter

(119 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

@domu: actually this has been discussed in this thread already. While I agree with you that the naming can be deceiving (it confused me as well at the beginning) it's also true that in chipmusic chords have traditionally been rendered as quick arpeggios and that often are reffered to as "chord arps".
So the name could still stay, maybe it's just a matter to describe its functionality better, specifying that it's an app intended to produce arpeggios.

This said I think that it should be feasible to make it play simultaneous notes on at least 3 channels and have the arp mode as something you can turn on and off.

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

119 Reply by rumpelfilter

(20 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

Sesska wrote:

yep, this. do not want any cocking windows at home anymore... (well on very last option i'll install ems drivers on work's pc... and eventually get fired one day, because of 8bit music...you'll explain this to my wife...)

I totally understand that. well... before you get yourself fired, and I get hunted by your ninja wife, maybe it's better to compile the thing from source smile

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

120 Reply by rumpelfilter

(119 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

Actually you might add that using to play arpeggios is where it's most fun at!

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

121 Reply by rumpelfilter

(20 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

On the other hand, if you want to learn stuff about Linux and programming, doing thing the hard way is certainly a good way to learn (I'm saying this without any irony, I really mean it).

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

122 Reply by rumpelfilter

(20 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

It's good to keep windows on a separate partition for things like this. One thing I've learned in the 10 years of being a Linux user, compiling things from source will usually take a lot of time and leave you with a program that doesn't work, because something went wrong. I've stopped using software that is not available in repositories or at least as a .deb package.
So if you want my 2c, keep windows on a separate partition, dual boot with GRUB (the Ubuntu installer will do that automatically) and use the good old EMS flasher app for windows.

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

123 Reply by rumpelfilter

(119 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

Solved the problem! there was a setting somewhere preventing chrord to produce a sound.
Anyway... I can confirm that MIDI sync works using a standard arduinoboy set to LSDJ slave mode. You have to find the correct overflow timer increment to match your beat. I found that multiples of 12 produce arpeggios in sync with the beat pulses, but of course fun stuff can be done by using uneven ratios.
The only issue I have so far is that,while chord goes along well with the incoming sync, it will aways be a bit shifted. Even if you try hard pressing the buttons when you hear a beat, it will always be a bit off. I think chord should reset to the sync signal from time to time to keep everything "in grid".
Also I noticed that sometimes it works nicely with the sync and sometimes it goes in "Steve Reich Mode" i.e. it will slowly shift out  of phase, even with the correct settings, can't say why but will test further.
I think with sync this can be a really powerful and interesting instrument for live performances!

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

124 Reply by rumpelfilter

(119 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

I did try the last version, but there seem to be some bugs (or something I've missed). I can't get any sound out of it and the settings look all a bit messed up. Any idea what could be wrong?

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

125 Reply by rumpelfilter

(119 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

Cool Erik! So did you just change the sync stuff or what else is new?

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

126 Reply by rumpelfilter

(2 replies, posted in Trading Post)

Hi Payday, sorry somehow I noticed your reply only now.
Well for now everything is a bit on hold, but thanks anyway. btw. I'll close this thread for the time being...

Go to forum: Trading Post

127 Reply by rumpelfilter

(119 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

Hi. Good point I think. Maybe I have to rename the app. The gameboy is quite limited hardware and chord can only play monophonic sounds. So it plays chords in a sense you can pick chords on a guitar.

Well chords in chiptune music are traditionally rendered as very fast arpeggios, so the name is not really wrong, all the contrary. I don't think you have to change the name. I was more wondering if aside from playing arpeggios one could also play actual chords like you'd do on a piano.
Actually applications like Nanoloop or LSDJ let you do that by using for example the L and R channel and just having two (or three if you use the custom wave channel too) notes play at the same time. But it's not a deal breaker, it can be a choice to focus on just the arpeggios.

This is the d-pad left button. This comes in two modes. You can either use it to shift octave up or reset the chord progression to the start.

ok I see, but isn't that button also used to enter edit mode?

btw. I've got many of your iOS apps, I like Nils very much! Great work on those!

... and I should mention that I did not have any issues with your website smile
I guess I visit too many design websites...

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

128 Reply by rumpelfilter

(119 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

Cool thing! Actually I like this a lot, and it also seems like something I could use a lot!
I have one question: this is intended to play only arps isn't it? It can't do actual chords, like in more notes layered on top of another. Or did I miss something?
The other thing I don't get is: what's that "left button" mode thing? Which left button is meant?

I would also suggest to streamline the editing process by allowing full control with the d-pad, being able to move up and down from line to line would make it a lot more pleasant to edit. Also a button or button combo to exit the edit more would also be a welcome edition

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds