Omnimaga

General Discussion => Music Talk and Showcase => Music Showcase => Topic started by: utz on April 11, 2014, 07:57:33 pm

Title: 3x TI Calculator Music
Post by: utz on April 11, 2014, 07:57:33 pm


Quote from: Tronimal
Hey friends!
This is TI calculator music made with three calculators. (TI-82, TI-83 and TI-84+).
Software by utz, Music by Tronimal.
Have fun!
Title: Re: 3x TI Calculator Music
Post by: TIfanx1999 on April 11, 2014, 09:38:54 pm
That's definitely neat, but the noise it picks up is unfortunate. I wonder if there's a way to reduce (filter?) that?
Title: Re: 3x TI Calculator Music
Post by: Juju on April 11, 2014, 09:59:36 pm
Yeah it's kinda hard to get a clean sound on a calculator... I feel like the Z80 must be dedicated sound CPU so it works best.

But otherwise that's very neat.
Title: Re: 3x TI Calculator Music
Post by: Streetwalrus on April 12, 2014, 02:44:31 am
Yeah same. It sounds cool but the result is not very good. :/
Title: Re: 3x TI Calculator Music
Post by: utz on April 13, 2014, 05:46:05 am
Thanks for checking it out, guys.
I agree, the audio could have been mixed better. Maybe the guy will upload a better render on soundcloud.
Anyway, this was just a really quick project. Tronimal was over in Berlin for a concert, and decided to compose and record this in the few spare hours he had.
Title: Re: 3x TI Calculator Music
Post by: TIfanx1999 on April 13, 2014, 07:17:02 am
Yea, that's what I figured. Reminds of people that do the stuff with LSDJ and multiple gameboys. Of course, the TI calcs have fewer channels, but same idea. :D
Title: Re: 3x TI Calculator Music
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on August 04, 2014, 06:48:15 pm
Bump:

What I wonder is if it's possible to make the calc audio so that there is more mid frequencies so that melodies can be heard easier, kinda like C64 sound or CalcMOD?
Title: Re: 3x TI Calculator Music
Post by: utz on August 05, 2014, 06:06:07 am
With this type of sound engine it's tricky, due to the way multi-channel pulse frequency modulation works. The main problem is that with PFM, you have a duty cycle ratio of  ~1:99, as opposed to 50:50 on pulse interleaving based routines such as CalcMOD. This makes the bass very quiet compared to the rest. Adding to this, the "TIM-1" engine used here was one of the first 1-bit routines I wrote, and has particularly thin sound.
In the end, both PFM and PI have their pros and cons. PI will always sound cleaner and bassier, but PFM allows for more channels, and offers more flexibility in terms of (fake) volume control. On ZX Spectrum, we now have a 16 channel sound routine ;)

Anyway, you might be pleased to hear that after a long absence, I've returned to coding for TI calcs, and am working on a new sound routine. I also have plans for a major HoustonTracker rewrite, but I won't get around to that till the end of the year.