The goal of this project is to show what you can do with computers that are essentials deemed to be worthless by others.
It's just so hard to imagine that something that's so difficult to create, that takes so much human energy, talent, creativity, intelligence, and hard work can be worth so much money when they brand new, and seem as so worthless when they are even a little old. To me, it's just so counter-intuitive.
I wanted a way to show how much anyone can do with stuff that's free. Really, most of this stuff I've received for free, had donated, or found abandoned. In fact, many of the computers I have received were ones I once originally built for people.
Also, I want to be able to tell people something like "Hey, these computers are still really great. By using the same software, anyone could have recorded those sounds, either today or back when the computer was new." The idea being, back in the 1980's, someone could have taken Commodore 64 and recorded in it a studio of the day.
Why?
Well, I think artists, musicians, and anyone who's creative and has to bring something new into the world naturally feels some sense of doubt. I've found that doubt is a big part of the creative process. It's about questioning what you've done, and asking yourself "Is this what I wanted? Do I like it? Should I try something else?"
However, it's also a very slippery slope to starting thinking things like "If I only had a newer, faster computer..." or "If I only had that new piece gear X, or gizmo Y, then I could finally..." It starts becoming about the gear, not the work. It's becoming a self-perpetuating cycle of constantly buying newer and "better" gear so you can finally get it right, or have it better, or finally have it as good as the "professionals" have it.
I love some of the great hardware out there, for sure, but you've take a step back from that, and ask yourself "am I wanting this because it really solves a problem, or provides a real world benefit, or am I just using this as a way to get out of, or away from, my current writer's block."
The truth is, new gear isn't going to make you sound better. Sounding better involves making a connection with people. The more deeply you connect with people, or the more widely the diversity of people can connect with you, the better your doing. Even if you're only connecting with yourself more deeply, a bunch of new gear isn't going to truly do that.
When it comes to this project, I forced myself to face these ideas head on. It involves limiting yourself in some way, and in this case to old computers and video games, so that the only option that available is focusing on the act of creation. The music. The acceptance and connection with what you have, and using that connection to create and have fun.
You're not going to read as much of this as you'd like to think, because there's more money to be made convincing you that you need to "be like the pros" and get the newest... whatever.
There it is: you've already got everything you need, inside and out, so go make music!
Enough of that, on with the show...
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Here's the rules, or goals:
I have to use old computers and video game systems to generate the sounds. I can record as many tracks as I like, and use software effects, but the spirit of the project it to stay true to the sound, and shy away from overly processing the sound. I could take any basic tone and run effect after effect on it until it sounds like something completely different. At that point, it becomes hard to say something like "that part was played on a Commodore 64" or those drums were generated on an Amiga 500. I think a reasonable compromise involves the following: EQ, dynamic compression, natural sounding reverb, noise gates, and limiters.
I can't make it sound like video game music, tracker music, or chip-tunes. This is a creative decision. I think there's amazing work out there in the chip-tune and tracker worlds, but I want to use each old computer or video game as if it where a single analog or acoustic instrument. I want the process to be organic and performance based, not programming based.
I can create my own effects, but only if created from old computers, video games, or electronics, from garbage or recycling sourcing. I have In the spirit of the above, I ended up using an old modem to create a distortion effect. This turned into Flytrap Gear, as I developed the circuit into a fully realized effects pedal. I can use all the effects I want if I create them from old equipment. For example, I have received old and broken karaoke machines, and have salvaged the reverb effects chips from them. By looking up their data-sheets, I can design new stand-alone effects units. However, I can't go out and buy some effects unit, say it was broken, and use the parts from that. Also, I can't use old professional gear, even if it's broken. The idea is to use the parts from e-waste that can be thought of as having a reasonable expectation of being from a consumer product stream of waste.
I have to stay true to the original sound hardware. I can't just use an old computer, but then take the digital audio output and run it into a $10,000 D/A converter. However, I can use better equipment to record the output of the hardware. For example, my original iMac running at 233 MHz has a USB port. If I used an expensive USD based high-end sound card, then the output of the computer is really a reflection of the USB sound card, not the computer's built in sound card. I need to run the output of the real computer's sound hardware. But I can record it with a high end recorder on the system used to record it.
I can modify or hack the hardware in order to get closer to the source of the sound. For example, the Apple IIGS has horribly noisy output, however, I have hacked such that I can tap more directly into it's sound chip's output. This isn't cheating, this is the actual output of the chip, and someone in the mid-1980's could have done the same thing.
I should avoid quantizing and auto-tuning as much as possible within reason. I should focus on recording a good performance, and maybe nudging it a little bit in that direction. I don't want it to sound like chip-tunes or traditional electronic music. I want something natural and organic... using old computers. :)
I should avoid recording one track at a time, and instead try recording multiple parts at the same time, or perhaps exploring entirely real-time performances. Again, the idea is to bring classical music perspectives and old school recording techniques to modern production tools, using old computers and video games.
I should break all my own rules. The rules are simply guidelines on limitations for encouraging the creative process, and therefore should be followed only to the point where the act of following them doesn't start consuming time obsessing over them. As far as listeners are concerned, I will detail the process in creating each track, and let the listener judge for themselves how closely the rules and goals are reflected in the track. I want to be able to say to people "this is what anyone can do with whatever they have" and know that what I'm showing them is the result of these ideas, and not just using a $25 old piece of hardware in a $1,000,000 studio.
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I guess that's it!