About Chip Music

MOS 6581 and 8580 Commodore 64 SID chips

A chiptune, or chip music, is music written in sound formats where all the sounds are synthesized in real time by a computer or video game console sound chip, instead of using sample-based synthesis. Basically, Chiptune is a style of electronic music where all sounds are created using old computers or video game consoles. It’s like bringing back the souls from obsolete electronics. More recently, the term has also been used to describe music that sounds like genuine chip music but that is created using more advanced technology, such as software like Propellerhead Reason. The popularization of this form of music has lead to the re-emergence of tracker software for music making, and the adaption of old game consoles with software like LSDJ.

Chips provide a small number of channels to work with, each creating a different sound wave. Chiptune composers developed techniques to overcome limitations of the chips, such as using fast arpeggios to mimic chords. Other Chiptune artists use other software and hardware, such as multi-track mixers to use more than one gameboy, or using effects processors like a Kaoss Pad to create a more elaborate sound.

What is the 8bitcollective?

8bitcollective is the first completely open chiptune-related media repository and file sharing community.

8bitcollective love chiptunes. 8bc wants more people to make chiptunes and wants more people to listen to chiptunes. That’s why anyone can upload or download their chiptune-related media at 8bc.org.

The Chip Music movement has also created independent labels like NY based 8bitpeoples.
8bitpeoples first came together in 1999 as a collective of artists sharing a common love for classic videogames and an approach to music which reflected this obsession. Our primary interests were to provide quality music for free and most importantly to have fun.