Ask anyone over the age of 10 what the Super Mario theme song sounds like and they will always be able to sing it back to you – complete with all the little bleeps and bloops. If they are truly talented they might even be able to recite the sounds of other classic video games like Metriod, Castlevania, or Contra.
These catchy tunes, called “chiptunes” thanks to the synthesized sounds made by our childhood video game systems sound chip’s, are the basis for a thriving community dedicated creating & remixing them – even in this day and age, where the almighty ML3 reigns supreme.
One such community is STFUAJPGM – a great chiptune mixtape zine that has sprung up to showcase the best-of-the-best from around the web. They even do 8-bit inspired shorts to go with their showcased music pieces!
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Another cool example is the group The Hunt For Yoshi. These cats make midi/chiptunes that span the whole musical spectrum, from pop acts like Oasis to metal bands like The Chariot. You can check them out on Myspace, and if you like their stuff I would definitely recommend picking up a copy of their LP, “Diamonds Are Forever” on iTunes. Or, if you feel adventurous you can try to track down their back uncatalogued which they used to make freely available on your favorite P2P network.
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Also, if you are a Daft Punk fan (and who isn’t) you owe it to yourself to check out Da Chip – a chiptune covers compilation featuring an assortment of artists covering Daft Punk’s hits 8-bit style. You can snag the fantastic mix, as well as cover art, bonus tracks, and videos, over at the Da Chip site, but you should act soon. Like any unauthorized cover, the lawyers could shut this little treasure down before too long, so grab it while you can.
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If all this 8-bit goodness inspired you, then head on over to Wired and learn about how you can make your own chiptunes using some great freeware. I will pay good money for a chiptune cover of Freebird!
Found any other awesome chiptune resources? Make sure to let us know!
