The Amenizer can send LSDJ-style master sync. I wrote some Arduino code a while ago to receive LSDJ sync and send Nanoloop sync, so it should be possible to convert it to MIDI sync too.

humbleTUNE wrote:

What device, operating system and browser are you using?

I use Dillo and Firefox on Linux.

In Dillo it is usable:

In Firefox it looks like this (the page is not scrollable):

Jazzmarazz wrote:

When I tried interrupts on the clock trace, I couldn't get the to work AT ALL. Not once. I tried everything. I tried with an arduino nano, uno and mega but nothing worked with interrupts.

Great to hear some progress has been made. I think the problem may be that interrupts on the Arduino (or even interrupts on microcontrollers of this speed in general) are just too slow. Have you tried capturing the clock as data on the same port as the actual data bits to verify that you're reading the data bits at least once per the Game Boy's clock cycle?

It's great to see a new program come out for the Game Boy and add to our arsenal of tools / toys. I always enjoy playing with arpeggiators, so this was quite fun. It runs fine on an EMS 64 USB, although I haven't tested saves yet.

Personally, I'd like to see the interface tweaked a bit, although I admit that interfaces are a lot about personal taste. In short, I would sacrifice the ability to play notes while on the configuration screen to allow for more convenient movement between parameters (e.g., using the D-pad to move in both directions and then A/B to change values) and quick switching between modes. I'd also like to be able to quickly switch between instrument parameter sets (waveform, etc.), perhaps by making these parameters local to the note set instead of global, so I could scroll through them while in play mode. Overall, the program seems pretty solid though, although I have noticed some minor issues with button debounce.

The website, however, is in serious need of some compatibility and usability testing. I wholeheartedly agree with nitro2k01; the design just isn't functional at the moment. To save others the trouble of searching the source code or trying different browsers, the ROM is here:

http://www.humbletune.com/chord/chord_1.0.2.gb

Calavera wrote:

... the noise channel for all those crazy thrash dudes.

Try setting the arpeggio overflow timer right down and the mode to random.

5

(24 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

Sesska wrote:

how do you proceed, you creat them all into the sequenceur and pick them up when you need ?

Usually something like this, except that I don't play the flute:

Sesska wrote:

then I stop and cry because it's all useless shit with no feeling nor creative impulse and go back to the flute sad

More seriously, I usually begin by laying down a drumbeat with a pulse kick and noise hat and snare, followed by a bassline--usually pulse but sometimes wave.  I usually begin with the phrases which will form the main theme of the song (not necessarily the first phrases of the song), lay the chain with them in down a few times over, and then add variation where I feel it's needed by cloning the chain and adding / changing phrases.  As a result of this approach, I usually end up with fairly short chains.

6

(24 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

I start out numbering PU1 chains and phrases 00->0F, PU2 chains and phrases 10->1F, and so on.  I learnt this organization from a tutorial, but I can't bring to mind which one right now.  I'll post the name here if I recall it.

Other tips:

  • Name your instruments.

  • Clear your song data if necessary before cloning so you get a sensible number.

  • Use transpose instead of cloning if possible to keep the number of phrases down (unless this would use too much CPU).

  • If you use the same types of instrument (bass, kick, snare) across different songs, give them consistent numbers.

All this being said, I'm no expert, so some people may have better, contrary advice.

Edit: Or are you looking for compositional techniques rather than organizational techniques?

I feel that the best music is music that forgoes 'conventional' appeal for a greater purpose.  For me, music should fist and foremost be a form of expression, and so if your music is expressing something--such as telling a story--then it is succeeding at this.  If your music is 'conventionally appealing', but doesn't really express anything, it is perhaps only mediocre.

If you feel that you need to forgo conventional appeal, then it perhaps means that your music has a more powerful or important message to express.  I suspect that this is often how new genres arise--artists feel that they can't express themselves within the existing musical frameworks.

Watching the video, this looks like just 2x C64 with Cynthcart and a backing track in Ableton.  I suspect the DMGs aren't doing anything.  Notice that they have no link cables, and no-one presses start.

Mosster_3 wrote:

But which one do you think I should get LSDJ or nanoloop, I have a fair bit of experience with nanoloop and squat with LSDJ.

I have both; they really suit different styles of play / composition.  I find the LSDJ interface very nice to use, but with nanoloop I have to keep checking the manual (and I was coming to LSDJ without having used other trackers).  If you have a flashcart already, there's really no harm in getting LSDJ, as the software is very cheap.  If not, a flash cart is probably a good investment.  I should also point out that while LSDJ is a pleasure to use on the real hardware, I've never enjoyed it as much on an emulator on a PC thanks to the controls.

I like how this has structure and progression to it, and that it clearly tells a story.  I feel it would benefit from building more slowly than it does, especially towards the start, and the whole piece almost feels a bit rushed. Your sound design has a 'hollow' feel to me; in a way this is fitting; in another way, I'd like to have a sense of a bit more background or context behind the characters/voices.  The instrumentation doesn't have an especially 'chip' feel to me, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing, and might simply be because I'm most familiar with the sound of LSDJ, and this doesn't sound like LSDJ to me.  I'd also like to know a bit more about your production, and I feel that this is something that the chip music community in general often appreciates.

I realize this has ended up being quite an abstract criticism; I hope it's helpful.

11

(1 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

This looks like a ribbon cable issue, probably the cable between the boards, but possibly the vertical LCD ribbon.  Do some continuity tests on the cable between the boards.

12

(1,206 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

Calavera wrote:

Thanks! I'm super-happy with this. I also really love how the backlight changes between bright pink and a nice purple depending on the angle.

I meant to add: I like your attention to detail with the green battery LED too.


Calavera wrote:

Will be interesting to see what you come up with too!

Figure 1. Customized Game Boy. The front shell is the original green PIL model. The backlight is the 4 LED white model from Hand Held Legend. The screen is a light grey replacement from Kitsch-Bent.


Figure 2. Bottom right view of the customized Game Boy. The back shell is from a 1989 model.


Figure 3. Top left view of the customized Game Boy, pictured with a Bung Doctor 16M cartridge (inserted) and a Bung GB XChanger. Note the orange power switch.


Figure 4. Close-up of the customized Game Boy's buttons. The clear orange button is from Kitsch-Bent; the other button is from a 1989 ('grey brick') model.


Figure 5. Wiring for the customized Game Boy's backlight.

If you haven't seen it already, there is some new interesting discussion about NeX's video out mod here: How is the VHS capture card made?.

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(1,206 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

Calavera wrote:

[photo]

That is nice.  It reminds me of what I'd originally planned to do to mine (green PIL with Kitsch's translucent orange buttons), but I think yours is much nicer.  I since changed my plan, so we'll see what I've come up with when the light's good for some photos.

Visby wrote:

I think, this could be a bent pin problem, and maybe it's the bent pin in the SD slot of the EZ that's causing the black screen.

How hard would it be to unbend the pin?  You might have to desolder the card shield (the big metal bit), but I don't know how challenging this is on this particular cart.

boaconstructor wrote:

UPDATE: they sync perfectly when using 2xGBA!

now if only I could find a way to get the one running LSDJ to have the same quality of audio playback as a DMG ;^)

Assuming the voltage difference is what caused the problem, you could build a link cable with an inline line level converter.