The next unexpected bowtie release has got a name, and this is the artwork that has (literally) just been finished – credit to Kaylie for her initial drawing.
There’s still some loose ends to tie up, so the overall progress is sitting at about 90% – with the full thing expected to be online in the next couple of weeks for your downloadable pleasures.
Head over to the 8 bit collective for a listen to flurry of conversation – a track recorded using a Gameboy and other such equipment; it’ll eventually appear on a full-release.
as a way of an outlet for my fascination with all things lofi and 8bit related, I’ve set up a scrapbook of sorts – 8bitculture
As you may probably have picked up from the previous posts, it’s been a bit of a tough slog getting into the whole electronics modification side of chiptune music.
It reminded me a bit of learning to drive. You keep thinking – how on earth can I find this so difficult when so many other people find it so easy?
After hours and hours and hours of accumulated research though, I’ve finally taken a big jump forward and managed to front-light the Gameboy Color so I can use it to compose stuff on whenever and wherever. I did also add an extra 3.5mm line-out, but discovered that Maplin had given me the wrong jack… mono instead of stereo… which put the kaibosh on that plan.
Either way, soldering mistakes and cut hands aside, things are starting to settle in. Here’s a couple of shots of the Gameboy in all its illuminated glory; nestled snugly beside the other electronic gear.
My brain feels like it’s melting out through my eyes after not sleeping too much the past few days, but it seemed only right to type up something since I’ve spent almost every waking hour researching and trying to get my head round things related to this whole musical endeavour.
What started as a simple idea to have a couple of lights added to an old Gameboys has spiralled wildly out of control into what is unamiliar territory. Ultimately there should be a few different units that can be hooked up to different effects pads and guitar amps and all that sort of exciting stuff, as well as the ability to plug in a synth via midi…
Having never taken physics to any level past the age of 14, this is going out on a fairly big limb; a world of diodes, capacitors and resistors that I know literally nothing about. I think we’re getting somewhere though.
I was told today that when I take on a project I really go for it, with everything else in my life dropping off of the radar. I always knew that was true; I just didn’t realise it was that obvious. It’ll be exciting to have all the gear set up and ready to go – already I’ve managed to get the guitars that have sat in a dusty corner for years awaiting repair fixed, which is no small feat of motivation. Trust me.
In other news, samples and contributions have been trickling in from some of the musicians involved in the collaborative project that’s on the horizon, and they’re sounding rather delightful. More of that to come…
Without being entirely sure of where this all may head, you can check out the finished mix of ‘let’s get explicit’, composed with Commodore 64 sounds, guitar parts and other samples over at the 8 bit collective. – and only from there at the moment.
unexpectedbowtie 