Korg Forums

[Poonslap]

Is there an easy way or even a formula to recreate the old 8bit NES sounds on an MS2000b? I'm still pretty new to programming and while I've been able to create some great sounds, I'm still far from being able to hear a sound in my head and translate it to the synth. I'm looking for something similar to the sounds in the original Super Mario Bros, or Zelda. Even if you could point me in the right direction, it would be much appreciated!

[Daz]

I don't ... but I know some guys who are big into that stuff (and have posted some patches too) on the MS2000 Yahoo group :

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/korgms2000/

Daz.

[ricky recordo]

whoa Poonslap - freaky post...

...because oddly enough, tonight I took one of my kids and her friends to see Horse The Band at The Opera House in Toronto. They've been looking forward to this show for months because they love the band's self-proclaimed "Nintendo-core" sound. The keyboard player used nothing more than an MS2000 with "four broken keys - I don't have all the keys I need for this song so if it sounds f***ed up, just imagine that it's all okay"... BTW they have a myspace thing here:

http://www.myspace.com/horsetheband

Anyway, any Torontosaurus Rexes here (Dan, it's just off the Danforth strip by a mile or so ) will know that The Opera House is a wicked venue - great stage and acoustics in a nice intimate setting.

Sorry for the rambling, but it really was a great show. Back to the topic. Horse The Band's keyboard player is right up front in all of their recordings, and tonight he was up front dead center stage with his MS2000, doing his human arpeggiator thing, beating the living daylights out of the poor thing. And it sounded amazing. The 2000 had no problem making itself heard above the huge sound this band puts out live.

The keyboard player - Erik - really has nailed down the Nintendo 8-bit vibe. He used a lot of square and sawtooth wave beeps and boops with fast attack and release times. He ran the output of his 2000 through a couple of big shiny pedals which I think were Electroharmonix judging by the shape and size, but I could be wrong.

The girls were able to spend a few minutes with the bassist and the guitar player and said they were really nice, so why not email Erik and see if he can give you some pointers

[ricky recordo]

Oh yeah... also, one of the opening bands - So Many Dynamos - had a MicroKorg up front and center, atop a Moog that I didn't recognize from where I stood (I can't mosh it up so well at 50 anymore, but I weighed out the pros and cons of getting into the faces of a couple of guys who were moshing in on my girls' spot up-front. Lucky for me I'm sure, I resisted the "dad reflex" and let it go. I must be mellowing out in my old age.

It seems that a lot of these emo and screamo bands are putting the keyboard guy up front and center stage- it's about time!!!

[Daz]

LOL ... I love the song Birdo ... that's insane I really like what they are doing with the MS2K in those songs, it fits perfectly.

Aaaaargh Eggs !

Daz.

[ricky recordo]

They were funny between songs too

[Poonslap]

lmao... yeah I've been listening to them for a few years now..they're one of my favorite bands and I've met Erik at one of their shows in NYC. Without sounding like too much of a tool, he single-handedly inspired me to start playing keyboard and his sound is basically what I'm looking for (without blatantly ripping him off). They are all really nice but they heavily frown upon people trying to cover their songs and such so I would never ask him to throw me some of his 'gems'. Plus his own personal myspace page says that he will not respond to messages and he will not release his email address lol.


Anyways, thanks for that link, Daz! I've found some nice patches that are really close to what I need

EDIT: haha yeah, they're hilarious in between songs...did they start a fight with the crowd when you saw them? They opened for Between the Buried and Me and The Dillinger Escape Plan when I saw them..No one knew who they were and weren't ready for the type of music they play so they got boo'ed pretty bad by most of the metal kids.

"boo?We must suck then... Your band is better, right? That's why your some douche bag on the floor and I'm up here with your money in my pocket while my band plays with BTBAM and Dillinger..."

[pafufta816]

i would kill for a small, portable computer, with a hardsid and serial-midi output *drool*. i'd plug a crappy little midi controller into that mofo and pump out some delicious chip-tunes : )

anyway, i've made a small patch, but my new mac doesn't have serial-midi support so i can't upload it. it's pretty simple though, disable most of the LFO's, use jsut the OSC1 (set it to a simple triangle or square wave) and tweak a few parameters til you get it.

lots of people start threads such as "how do i get this sound". did you all forget that experimentation is the best and funnest part of owning an analogue modelling (or a real analogue) synth? start with what i suggested, but the most important thing is that you're happy with the sound. don't stop til you get it. i often sit down with a sound in mind (maybe a sample i have on my computer, or one that i've made with softsynths) and tweak endlessly until i get what i'm looking for. good luck.

[ricky recordo]

True, pafufta.

I'd add that since the original 8-bit sounds of the NES and first-gen gameboys sound as though no filtering was used, keep the filters wide open. Most sound are beep boop etc suggesting a sharp fast attack, long sustain with no decay and fast release. For the underwater stringy soundsyou might soften the attack and add a little pitch modulation and a very short crappy delay. Again as pafufta says, listen, analyze and hammer away until you're close - AND SAVE OFTEN. Don't let the big one get away!

[wanmonei]

So Many Dynamos were nice, I saw them In ft lauderdale. They played with horse the band. Bahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh