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Mastering Chiptunes

Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 9:52 pm
by jdpedida
Any tips for mastering chiptunes, or in this case, Pixitracker 1Bit songs? :unknown:

Re: Mastering Chiptunes/8 Bit Music

Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2014 1:59 pm
by samrai katt kovboy
Think that in the case of Chiptune music you want to leave the sound pretty much alone... maybe just render it into a sound file and then normalize the file.
Or if it just do not get loud enough use a limiter to and bring up the volume a little bit.
Sometimes there is transient spikes that is keeping the volume low and you can use a so called clipper that will keep those in check, the problem is that if you overuse it there will be distortion which in the case of chiptune is not as important but if there is a fast transient that peeks through it will not distort the sound.
I have lately started to use a VST Called GClip that is for free and have the advantage that you can see the waveform so you can easily let it clip exactly where needed.
So if you use it listen for distortion and after you dialed it in render the song and then normalize.
Link to GClip:
http://www.gvst.co.uk/gclip_screenshot.htm

Re: Mastering Chiptunes

Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2014 6:53 pm
by jdpedida
samrai katt kovboy wrote:Think that in the case of Chiptune music you want to leave the sound pretty much alone... maybe just render it into a sound file and then normalize the file.
Or if it just do not get loud enough use a limiter to and bring up the volume a little bit.
Sometimes there is transient spikes that is keeping the volume low and you can use a so called clipper that will keep those in check, the problem is that if you overuse it there will be distortion which in the case of chiptune is not as important but if there is a fast transient that peeks through it will not distort the sound.
I have lately started to use a VST Called GClip that is for free and have the advantage that you can see the waveform so you can easily let it clip exactly where needed.
So if you use it listen for distortion and after you dialed it in render the song and then normalize.
Link to GClip:
http://www.gvst.co.uk/gclip_screenshot.htm
Thanks, samrai. Took your advice and here's what I've come up with:

http://soundcloud.com/jdpedida/genesis

Re: Mastering Chiptunes/8 Bit Music

Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2014 7:03 pm
by samrai katt kovboy
It is an interesting track.
I am in the process of doing some Chiptune myself in a more PoP Style with vocals
Hopefully there will be something finished soon as I want to work with Virtual ANS to for a while...

Re: Mastering Chiptunes

Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2014 7:06 pm
by jdpedida
Good to know that. Do tell me whenever it's done. Would love to hear it. :)