Audio direct digital synthesizer (DDS)
Circuit Girl Jeri Ellsworth demonstrates how to make a simple audio direct digital synthesizer (DDS) with a 74hc4060, EPROM and a few passive components.
Jeri Ellsworth (born 1974) is an American entrepreneur and self-taught computer chip designer. She is best known for, in 2004, creating a Commodore 64 emulator within a joystick, called Commodore 30-in-1 Direct to TV. The “computer in a joystick” could run 30 video games from the early 1980s, and was very popular during the 2004 Christmas season, at peak selling over 70,000 units in a single day via the QVC shopping channel.
C64 goes guitar – do we really want this :-)
Jordan Bartee has reinvented the keytar – combining a Commodore 64, the MIDIBox SID platform and a MIDI keyboard to create the ultimate Commodore 64 Keytar – the Giana 64.
This beast has it all:
- 8-bit goodness
- Vintage Commodore 64 components
- Ghostbusters influenced cyberpunk styling
- DIY mojo
- Blinky lights by the dozens
C64 – Odo synth – free download
Odo Synths has released version 4.0 of 38911 Bytes, a free virtual synthesizer plug-in for Windows.
38911 Bytes is a one oscillator synth. It`s a synthesizer based on Commodore 64 software but it can do a lot more
38911 Bytes v4.0 features
- 1 oscillator with 4 waveforms (saw, triangle, pulse, pitched noise) ringmodulation waveforms (saw, triangle, pulse). PulseWidth Octaves from -3 to 4.
- 1 ringmodulation oscillator with 3 waveforms (saw, triangle, pulse) PulseWidth, octaves range -3 to 4 and notes C to B
- 2 LFOs with 19 waveforms, 16 different BPM rates and manual rate
- ADSR with curves for the depth of the LFO.
- Low/hi depth button
- LFOs can start when hitting a key (GATE), when you hit play in your sequencer (FIRST) and start at any point (FREE).
- LFO destinations: pitch, pw , cutoff and resonance.
- 4×16 step sequencers: 11 BPM rates, manual rate and c64 rate (The BPM rates only work when you set the sequence to BPM mode, in Manual and c64 rates all the sequencers have the same rate).
- 1 waveform sequencer with 7 waveforms (saw, triangle, pulse, pitched noise, rm triangle, rm saw, rm pulse).
- 1 octave sequencer range from -3 to 4.
- 1 Octave and notes sequencer, notes from C to B and octave range -3 to 4.
- 1 Filter with a sequencer and envelope.
- Envelopes for Pitch, PulseWidth, Cutoff and Volume.
- Lofi effects, bitcrusher.
- Mono/Poly mode, Retrigger on/off.
38911 Bytes is available as a freeware VST instrument plug-in for Windows PC.
Don't miss out on the SOASC project = C64 heaven
The SOASC= project is a non-profit and a private project.
The SOASC= project is an automated recording technique invented by me (Stone Oakvalley) in order to mass record music from the legendary Commodore 64 and its SID sound chips (6581 and 8580) including one variation chip.
The purpose is to preserve Commodore 64 music in todays most common music format, namely the MP3.
The original SID music files are today played by millions of people around the world on software players that emulate the real hardware SID chips. The emulated audio material can vary a great deal compared to the authentic sound of a real Commodore 64, and from my point of view, why have something emulated when you can have the real deal instead? We give you the authentic Commodore 64 music as it sounds on the real machine. Commodore 64 is a legend in computer history and in many ways influenced in todays culture (known as 8-bit music or chip music). It deserves much more than just emulating that raw & unique gritty sound! It made many people happy “back then”, and we are here to offer that feeling again!
To put in it words we all can understand: WE LOVE C64!
The entire HVSC SID collection will be recorded as played from REAL Commodore 64′s (both old and new) as per the latest collection available. With PSID64 as the REAL C64 player and 64HDD as fileserver, it all connects to multiple PC’s with own tailored software, crude PAR: port control system/C64 keyboard interface and database structure tools written in PureBasic. Yes, its actually working.
Also, a strong point to consider in this project is that ALL SIDs are recorded on both Commodore SID chip models
regardless of what HVSC or the author of the SID had recommended. Remember: There are people out there
that probably NEVER heard the elite sound of the 6581 and its sample/filter defects, but only the sound of 8580
and visa versa. For those people, they ONLY rembember the tune as played by their model. And this is a strong point
of the SOASC= project: PRESERVATION for ALL!
If it crackles and pops….well..it’s the true and authentic sound of a real Commodore 64!
This is what we had in the past, and now the past will be the present for all Commodore 64 fans out there.
It is called AUTHENTIC because the process will NOT attempt to enhance any of the recordings, it is recorded
straight plain out from the mono Commodore 64 Audio/Video connector. No stereo, no funny mixes, no compression,
no filtering, no remix, no software noise reduction, no crazy SID hacks or other unatural Commodore 64 elements.
If there is a poppy click in the recording its supposed to be there. The SID chip is unique as should be treated as so as well.
I’ve adjusted DC BIAS to 0 and executed Volume Maximizer with no clipping using NORMALIZE.EXE and SOX.EXE.
Noise Reduction was done by improving the physical grounding inside Commodore 64. Thats it!
The final MP3 (224kbps, mono, 44100Hz) will contain all information from the SID itself, sorted in respect of the
directory structure as defined by HVSC. Filenaming, title, author, copyright etc.
Forget PlaySID/SIDPlay2w….and all the others
Forget HardSID
Forget ParSID
Forget ReSID
Forget MMC64 (It has an intergrated SID player, for those who wonder)
Forget them ALL!
Just listen to the real deal instead with the help of the SOASC= project!
If you missed out on the latest version of the MAC SID player
You might have missed out on the new user interface which I have come to enjoy
SIDPLAY is a Commodore 64 music player. It emulates the sound chip and other internals of the Commodore 64 home computer to play back music that was originally written on it. The sound chip of the C64 is called the “Sound Interface Device” or SID, and therefore this music is known as SID music. The SID chip is basically a three voice synthesizer on a chip. The unusual combination of digital and analogue circuitry is the reason for its distinctive sound.
SIDPLAY strives to offer the best possible SID music experience on any platform. It has been designed with the High Voltage SID Collection (HVSC) in mind. This collection is the biggest and most complete collection of SID music on the Internet. It can be obtained for free from http://hvsc.c64.org/.
Commodore 64 Cynthcart
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKADOmFqRMs]
Overview
A software / hardware combo that allows for control of the analog filter inside a Commodore 64 that is running Cynthcart from a host computer (eg, Macbok, PC).
Software
• 16-step filter sequencer
• Set the speed of the filter sequence (with intervals between values reaching 2ms)
• Set the length of the sequence from 1 to 16 beats
• Offset value allows for shifting the filter values up or down on a larger scale
• MIDI mode allows sending data directly to control the filter (this mode disables the sequencer)
Download the Max/MSP patch here:
http://milkcrate.com.au/_other/downloads/max_patches/C64_FILTER.zip
It requires Max/MSP runtime which can be downloaded from http://www.cycling74.com/.
Screenshot
Interface
The hardware is very simple, and is based around an Arduino board that is using a bit-banging SPI technique to write data to a 100KΩ digital pot (model MCP42100). Approximately 7 of the 8 bits of data actually change the value of the filter (this could be due to the resistance value of the pot).
Any microcontroller that can either do SPI natively or through bit-banging should be able to handle this simple operation.
Software, schematics + code >>
Make sure to check out the new Chiptune site…
…it is awesome, taking you back to the 80′s ni no time
Speak french, than make sure to see the Chip tune documentary below, well it’s cool even if you don’t understand it, LOL
[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=EQjzNMTGFSs]
Pixel mania
Many of you know that I am agreat fan of manga, anime, tokidoki and similar art stuff and pixel art is no exception. Pixel art gives the same type of pleasure as C64/bitpop music and therefore I just wanted to share one of my favorite pixel sites – which in principal is just one big f-cking image – printed it would certainly cover a very large painting – a smal snap shot from it is pasted below, but be sure to click the image to see the actual one and make sure to surf around in the pixel world.
In mood for total whacko C64 music…
…well make sure to check out Toxic Lipstick >>
My favorite is Slip, slop, slap 
Or perhaps you are feeling more techy today, than feel at home with the pic below:
New cool C64 synth from Odo
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Odo has released 38911 Bytes, a synth based on a commodore 64.
Here’s list of features in the company’s own words…
- It has 1 oscillator with 4 different waveforms: Saw,Triangle, Pulse and Pitched noise.
- 3 BPM sequencer with 7 rates and 2 to 8 steps .You can end a sequence or loop it.
- The first sequencer has notes from C to B and octaves from -3 to 4
- In the 2nd (waveform sequencer) you can select saw, triangle, noise, ring saw, ring triangle, ring pulse.
- 3rth sequencer for octaves from -3 to 4
- A filter with envelope from 1 to 8 stages and 13 curves you can select where you want your sustain point.
- Filter types :lowpass,hipass and bandpass.You can activate more than one filter type like on a real c64.
- Cutoff and resonance and a on/off button to save some CPU
- a pitch envelope from 1 to 8 stages and you can select where you want your sustain point.And has a on/off button to save some cpu
- a PW envelope from 1 to 8 stages and you can select where you want your sustain point.And has a on/off button to save some cpu
- Two big LFOs with 19 different waveforms and free speed or 14 bpm speeds
- Ringmodulation with a bitcrusher notes from c to b and octaves from -4 to 4
- a Bitcrusher volume envelope
- 128 presets to start and some simple helpfiles
Contact us
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hotmail(dot)com
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Recommended free SW stuff
Camel Audio – Alchemy Player
U-He – TyrellN6
U-He – Zebralette
Applied Acoustics Systems – Swatches
IK Media – AmpliTube 3 Free
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