SCC-I hidden potential unlocked?

Paladin (683)

30-08-2020, 20:35

Hi,
a couple of months ago I started on my own SCC-I + PSG + SN + PSG tracker (SN + PSG for colecovision SGM support - in fact the whole tracker is build on the same initial principles set out for a small SN tracker I specially made for the colecovision remake of "The Cure", but has quite evolved since then).

Last week I finally implemented block copy functionality in the editor, so I could tryout and make some longer songs (1 pattern length loops get boring after a while ).
I picked two songs of different styles which allowed me to use different techniques/features and explore the capabilities and potential of this tracker a bit (fixed a few bugs in the process...). I am so happily surprised with the results that I just had to share it!

So, herewith, without further ado, two (cover) songs recorded directly from openMSX (and afterwards converted to mp3):

Stand up against myself
Corridors of Time

PS: and Yes I know, it does not really sound like SCC at all now does it ;)

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Van karloch

Prophet (2159)

30-08-2020, 21:09

Awesome sounding. It is true that it doesn't sound like SCC, but I love it

Van sdsnatcher73

Prophet (3963)

30-08-2020, 21:31

Well this does sound amazing. I love both tracks. On the second track I can (more) clearly hear the SCC characteristical 'soul' (for lack of a different word that comes to mind). I imagine in the first track the PSGs are responsible for a lot of the songs 'body'.

What makes me wonder is why you would say "SCC-I hidden potential unlocked". What do you mean, did you do something different then how SCC is normally used? An undocumented way to communicate with It? Don't get me wrong I am truly curious here .

Oh and I would love to hear it play on real HW, I reckon a SCC-I cartridge, MMM and MFR or GR8NET for second PSG would work?

Van Manuel

Ascended (19469)

30-08-2020, 22:01

Can you show this playing in the composer tool? (Does it run on MSX or on PC?)

Van Grauw

Ascended (10772)

30-08-2020, 22:04

Two very cool tracks!

Is the first an arrangement as well?

Van wolf_

Ambassador_ (10109)

30-08-2020, 22:06

Well it doesn't sound like what people did with tools like SCC-Musixx and SCC-Blaffer, that's true. But then again, many chips haven't fully been put to the test yet due to the tools we had.

Van Sandy Brand

Champion (301)

30-08-2020, 22:32

That sounds really good!

Originals:

I think I like your rendition of Corridors of Time better; it sounds a bit cleaner somehow :)

Van GhostwriterP

Paladin (683)

30-08-2020, 23:07

Quote:

I imagine in the first track the PSGs are responsible for a lot of the songs 'body'.

Both song are composed using 1x SCC and 1x PSG, but dual PSG is in principle possible, but build PSG has different volume so tend not to use it.

Quote:

What do you mean, did you do something different then how SCC is normally used?

You cannot recreate these sounds in any other tracker I am aware off. In principle it all comes down to a lot of wave morphing (AM)/ modulations (somewhat FM like) possible on all 5 channels independently.
Building in the SCC part took quite some time due to a little bit of feature creep. It started with simple wave morphing like in TriloTracker, but then I started adding things...

Quote:

Can you show this playing in the composer tool? (Does it run on MSX or on PC?)

At the moment the tracker runs on openMSX TurboR machine + V9990 + SCC-I cartridge (virtually soldered in SN chip), I could post a few screen shots later on (or YouTube video...). It should work on real MSX however not tested it myself yet. I doubt a Z80 would be able to handle the tracker as it is now, for various reasons, but the aim is to make re-player work on Z80, without to much CPU cost... we have to cross that bridge when we get there ( I got some ideas)

Quote:

Is the first an arrangement as well?

Track from Thunder force IV (Mega Drive / Genesis), I found a MIDI file so I had a little guidance. A nice thing is that the MD/Genesis use the SN as well so I already new what part to be played by the PSG

Quote:

Well it doesn't sound like what people did with tools like SCC-Musixx and SCC-Blaffer, that's true. But then again, many chips haven't fully been put to the test yet due to the tools we had.

True, but I also wonder if Konami even new how far they could take this sound chip.
Still good sounding drums take some creativity, lacking real sample playback.

Quote:

I think I like your rendition of Corridors of Time better; it sounds a bit cleaner somehow

To be honest I modeled it after the Genesis version... which sounds amazing.
Corridors of time (Genesis)

Van niek

Expert (112)

31-08-2020, 01:10

Simply amazing! This sounds very smooth, not like the normal SCC music at all! Love both tracks.

Van ARTRAG

Enlighted (6935)

31-08-2020, 09:52

The first song sounds awesome! Greetings!
Eager to see what you have done on SCC waves to get such a result
Are you using SCC-I to avoid the noise that normal SCC produces while writing wave data or just because of the 5th independent channel?

Van DarkSchneider

Paladin (1021)

31-08-2020, 12:20

GhostwriterP wrote:

So, herewith, without further ado, two (cover) songs recorded directly from openMSX (and afterwards converted to mp3):

Stand up against myself
Corridors of Time

PS: and Yes I know, it does not really sound like SCC at all now does it ;)

Holy sh*t, that "Stand up against myself", from the f*cking best OST ever made, and the best staff roll music composed, is awesome. My veins burn with adrenaline remembering the best shmup of all time (TF IV).