Music For Your NES!
Monday, June 9th, 2008 at 1:06pm by Will
Those familiar with the wonderful days of listening to fine chip tunes from your favorite NES games, would be happy to hear that a composer is releasing music for the NES. Although it isn’t of games you have played, but of original tracks that this he has created.
Alex Mauer is a somewhat well known “chiptune” creator, who has worked on many video game sounding songs, using the actual system hardware and utilities. He currently has released two albums on the Nintendo Entertainment System as well as released a new CD featuring works from various sysetms.
I currently own both of his NES albums and I have to say that he has composed some amazing music for the NES. Although, I still have to give props to Capcom who was the master of making music on the NES.
[Alex Mauer's Website]
[Youtube Sample of Vegavox]
[Youtube Sample of Color Caves]
June 9th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
It’s sad that no one has commented on this article.
Doesn’t anyone listen to chiptunes….you know, SPCs, PSFs, or in this case NSFs? Alex Mauer is a fantastic composer, and as anyone who has listened to his NES can tell you, he has learned from the masters. There are distinct Konami, Nintendo and Capcom (mostly Capcom) influences in his music, and many of his tunes are as good as, if not better than music from games like Mega Man 3, 4, and 5, Castlevania 2, Rygar, Kirby’s Adventure, Gyruss. I think it’s great that he’s releasing his music on actual NES cartridges nowadays!
June 9th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
@ Poochy
When I post something I constantly check my emails for reactions and comments on what I post and I was sad to see that no one commented on this until you did. I would have to agree with what you said, he is amazing with what he does.
How did you learn about him?
June 10th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
what exactly is the NES music called? you know how NES music sounds all high-key, what exactly is the name of that?
June 11th, 2008 at 11:55 am
@ Will
I first learned about him from downloading his music at The NES Music Archive (http://2a03.org/). That’s where I go to get my NES chiptune fix—very cool site with a lot of original 8-bit music, and some very decent covers/remixes, too.
@ Bob
Officially, I don’t think there was ever a name for it, but the community refers to them as NSFs (NES Sound File), and you can download everything you need to listen to them at the site I linked to above.
June 11th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
@ bob
I believe people who recreate music on old systems are called Chiptuners, and that they refer to the music as “Chip Tunes”
-Whistles- ~♫♫~♪~♫♪~♪
Some of this guys tunes are really catchy, thumbs up.