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Jan 23, 2009 10:45 AM
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Aug 2008
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Hardware:

There are a number of hardware options when making chiptunes, here are a few that are commonly used:

Atari ST, Commodore 64, NES and the Game Boy line.

I figure it might be a bit much to read through information and tutorials about each program for every piece of hardware, so I'll cover one per topic. My platform of choice is the Game Boy, So I'll start with that.

Disclaimer: I am not taking credit for information in articles or tutorials. The information I present here is a starting point. The best way to become familiar with any piece of software is to try it out yourself. :] I am by no means an expert. I have used Nanoloop and LSDJ for a while (Nanoloop more), so I can probably give you some good advice, but do research and look through links I've posted and you will find endless amounts of information at your disposal.

Game Boy: There are two programs for the Game Boy which are great for making chiptunes, Little Sound DJ (LSDJ) and Nanoloop.

Here's a link to the LSDJ article on the 8bc Wiki: LSDJ on 8bc Wiki

Here's the Nanoloop article on the 8bc Wiki: Nanoloop on 8bc Wiki

Both articles should explain the layout and functions of the software fairly well, and there's links to the official pages at the bottom.

Here's my opinion on the two: LSDJ is a tracker and if you've used a tracker before, you should have no problem using it. If you haven't used a tracker, I've been told that LSDJ has a pretty easy learning curve.

Nanoloop is a visual program, with a graphical user interface. There is no actual notation present (C, C#, D, E, etc... etc.). Some people find it easier to work with, others don't.

I don't think one program is better than the other, they're just different. It's a matter of personal preference, so try them both. Demo ROMs of each can be acquired.

Tutorials:

Here's a pretty good LSDJ tutorial from Nullsleep.

I haven't found much for Nanoloop, so my advice would be to read the manuals and join the Nanoloop forums.

Once you understand what functions do what in Nanoloop, I've found that making music is fairly easy. But, again this is a matter of personal preference and might not be the case for everyone. If you have questions I could post a short Nanoloop overview and tutorial on my blog.
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