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A little guided tour of the DAW.
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The Commodore 64c, the 1986 revision, had a subtlely different SID synth to the original model. To my ears the older model sounds fuller whilst the second sounds clearer. Other differences included the older machine's capability of playing samples louder and some differences in general operation between the two. Anomolies such as these make for an interesting stereo image when running the two units hardpanned alongside each other whilst playing the same soundtrack.
One (perhaps the only) drawback of the whole C64 affair is that the sound and video tracks were placed too close together on the system's motherboard, an anomoly overlooked even during the 1986 overhaul of the entire design. This results in a slight buzz on the soundtrack, something which only really sounds when using the Commie for multiple overdubs. However, the noise is only sometimes noticeable and can be overcome either by using software which disables the video chip for music, running non-sawtooth tracks through mild reverb to smear the noise, running MIDI out to a SID VSTi or by running the composition through a faithful PC-based C64 emulator once the real 64 has been used to compose it.
The Commodore 64 as a totally programmable 8-bit semi-digital analogue sythesiser with MIDI option was one of the most enduring and unique instruments to ever have been looked upon with disdain by the Business. Whilst musician-technicians favoured the more respectable and powerful Amstrad PC1512 or Atari STs to perform their pro/home studio numbercrunching, the fact is that a Commodore 64 can still be of a much greater use today than the obsolete MIDI housekeepers which used to tower above. (Indeed, downloadable C64 software is still in abundance, as is the hardware on the secondhand market. Old PC and ST stuff is much scarcer.)
There were so many works of art made for
the C64, so many games saved only by the sounds. But the likes of Rob Hubbard or Jeoroen Tel were forever doomed to be thought of as second-raters because they composed synth symphonies for games, despite their creative innovations. These days, however, making game music is considered as complex and artistically meritorious as the making of a good album or film score.
To hear some examples of how good SID music actually was at its best, go
here and grab the music for, say, ZEPHIX, TURBO OUTRUN, AUF WEIDERSEHEN MONTY, TURKISH TUNE, THRUST, RECKLESS RUFUS, T14 TANKBUSTER or any of the classics. Then go
here to get a Sidplayer with which you can remix to crisp 16 bit 44.1khz stereo the real old masters! Just like with Brian Wilson's Pet Sounds stereo remix, a whole new panorama can be opened out like a set of new baffles!!!
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Even a toy membrane music keyboard could work magic on the 64 by using the SID's great sounds. Also, I can create sophisticated rapid finger gliding and arpeggio-type sounds with even my stiff and clumsy fingers just by tickling the thing, or by moving my forefinger round and round in circles up and down! Is there
nothing I can't do on a 64?!