The Magic Music Box

How artists took the technical limitations of classic gaming consoles and turned them into a music scene that’s becoming increasingly popular in clubs.

From large concerts like Eindbaas in EKKO Utrecht to some smaller concerts like Gamerdisco with venues in Brighton and London, performances celebrating the music genre of Chiptune are becoming increasingly more popular.

Chiptune is a form of electronic music that uses sounds from gaming consoles such as the Nintendo Gameboy, the Commodore 64, the Sega Mega drive and a multitude of other classic gaming hardware. It uses the actual console to play the music. The console is plugged into a fader and stereo system and then played for audiences, turning a Gameboy from a device you could play Mario on during a long car journey into a DJ kit that’s used to create songs for raves with hundreds of people.

Luka Harvie, an online Chiptune creator, going by the creator name Circuit Bird, spoke about the appeal that comes from Chiptune.

• Luka Harvey creating a chiptune song with editing software

“I think for a lot of people it’s down to nostalgia. It triggers a memory from their childhood, from when they played a video game, and hearing that music in a nightclub or venue can be quite appealing to those that appreciate videogames”

Music is vital for creating a memorable gaming experience. Koji Kondo, the composer for Super Mario Brothers and many Mario games after that, said that: “music is very powerful when it comes to creating an atmosphere for games and fuelling the rise and fall of emotions. It is a vital element for creating an enjoyable game”. This challenge of creating atmosphere with the limitations of a console created many tunes that inspired the newest generation of chiptune artists. Luka notes her inspiration is Yuko Koshiro, developer of the sound tracks of ‘Streets of Rage’ and ‘Revenge of Shinobi’, and noticeable for incorporating house and electronic music into his pieces.

• Picture Above: The Sega Mega Drive, one of the instruments of choice for the chiptune artist

Luka traced down the origin of Chiptune as its own genre of music to the Commodore 64 and the rising demo scene. The Commodore 64 was a cheap 8 bit computer, and is notable for popularising computers to the middle class. From this was born the Demo scene, people who created their own software to show off their programming skills. This set off an art scene, with people showing how computer programs can be used visually and auditorily. “In the demo scene, what people would do is compose music, create their own visuals, and they would send of floppy discs to magazine publishers to get their music distributed.”

But now thanks to the internet, artists like Luka have been able to push their music on a global scale, allowing anyone to listen in on their music. “The internet has expanded people's general knowledge and has made them come across things they may have never encountered before.”

Luka explained what the editing process was like for creating chiptune: “It depends on what editing program your using. I personally use DefleMask, and I can track music for Sega Mega Drive, Commodore 64, the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Turbo Graphix”. The music can be created on the console with programs like with Little Sound DJ which turns the Game Boy into a portable music work station, Little Sound DJ is currently the most popular way to create music. Or you can create the music on a computer with programs like DefleMask and then port over the music to a floppy disc or gaming cartridge which plays back the sound on console.

• Deflemask being used to create music

However, designing Chiptune for clubs is very different than designing music for a Gameboy, as 90’s beeps and boops have gone through an evolution for modern day ravers. Luka notes “If your making music for concerts and gigs you’re going to make the music more melodic and longer. By melodic I mean you’ve got a melody. You’ve got a lead, you’ve got a solo and you’ve got to build bridges. Depending on what game your making, the music for games doesn’t have to be as long.”

When talking about what the energy and atmosphere is like behind the events, Luka said: “it depends. If it’s a small event you’re going to get a small crowd, if it’s a big event you’re going to get a big crowd.” The biggest event that Luka has ever played at is Gamerdisco.

Gamerdisco tours the country and sets up venues similar to a club, but with an emphasis on gaming and geek culture. In the venue can be found video games, board games and Chiptune music. She said: “The energy is really high. I had people chanting my name and listening to my music and it just felt really good. When you get people dancing to your music it makes you feel good, and it makes them feel good”.

It’s not just the clubs and alternative media where Chiptune is making a breakthrough though. Mainstream media is also steadily making use of this genre. When asked if chiptune was becoming more popular, Luka responded “Yes, I think they are. It’s not just an underground format anymore, you’re hearing it in cartoons like Steven Universe and Adventure Time”. Steven Universe is a cartoon with a soundtrack heavily inspired by chiptune, even having a character, Sour Cream, play at raves with a Gameboy.

Mainstream music is also incorporating chiptune music, as Luka notes: “you can hear subtle chiptune in mainstream music”. Samples of Yuko Koshiro’s expander from Streets of Rage 2 where sampled in south African rapper group Die Antwoorde in the song ‘Happy Go Sucky Fucky’. Timbaland was noted by Luka as one of the company’s using chiptune. “A lot of Timbaland music tends to use Commodore 64”. The most famous example being the song Acid Jazzed Evening by Janne Suni being sampled in the song Do It by Nelly Furtado. Janne took Timbaland to court for not paying royalties for the use of the song.

When asked what advice Luka would give Chiptune artists, Luka said: “I would say, find the program that works for you, don’t be afraid to use multiple programs, just find one that’s good for you. And most importantly, enjoy yourself doing it. Don’t do it because you want to get famous, do it because you enjoy it”.

Feel free to check out this interview with Luka on how creatives are coping with quarantine and how you can get into Chiptune music.