8-bit music...it's not just for games anymore
It was probably inevitable, but as video games have evolved, so has its music. Although you might not hear any of its more famous pieces on the radio, the internet always manages to find a way to deliver the goods...legally, of course. What did you think I was going to say?
But going beyond the set pieces created for each title, a site called the 8bitcollective specializes in chiptunes. Before more complex sounds could be fit into a game during the eighties and into the cartridge-based consoles of the early nineties, electronic synthesis was where it was at if you wanted tunes in your title. Surprisingly, many of the most memorable pieces are still hummed today, such as the theme to Super Mario Brothers, and 8bitcollective continues that tradition.
Artists inspired by the synthesis of the past continue to create their own hits with its unique sound and post those results on 8bitcollective allowing peers and visitors to download (for free), listen to, and even vote on what their favorites are. One of the most talked about artists on the site, CC Ivory was recently featured on Friday Night Gaming Live where he broke down what he had to do in order to create his music with only his Gameboy. The original Gameboy, the one with the monochrome screen.
So if you're ever feeling nostalgic for the old-school music of your favorite console developer from the past, check out what they've got and see if any of it reminds you of what Sega does that Nintendon't, or whether that next pipe you see might take you to the next world.
8bitcollective - Main site
Chiptune artist CC Ivory - CC Ivory's work
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