Bitbuf Delivers Some Of The Best Chiptune Effects Around

Wow. And furthermore, WOW! Just looking at that clean prototype you know that a lot of work has gone into the project, but when you hear this chiptune MIDI device you’ll really be impressed. We know what you’re thinking, but really, you’ve got to hear this to appreciate the quality [Linus Akesson] achieved in this synthesizer. You can catch it after the break.

He does a great job of showing off the different waveforms that can be produced by the ATmega88 on this board. But there’s much more. It also serves as a 16 frame, 16 channel sequencer for creating and layering your own loops.

He mentions that eight oscillators are used for the waveform generation. We don’t see hardware for this on the board. Either we’re missing it, or these oscillators are being created with software? If you have an idea of how this works please clue us in by leaving a comment.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV6IFOVY-go&w=470]

[Thanks 7e]

32 thoughts on “Bitbuf Delivers Some Of The Best Chiptune Effects Around

  1. Linus is quite experienced with using microcontrollers to generate audio, and often video. As far as I know, his demo “Craft” predated the TVOut library for Arduino as well as the various video shields.

    Some of his other builds include:

    The Chipophone, a full-fledged chiptune organ with a similar design to the Bitbuf, but with an actual amp and keys: http://www.linusakesson.net/chipophone/pages.php

    Craft, a demo for an ATMega88 with video and audio: http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/craft/index.php

    Phasor, which generates composite PAL instead of VGA: http://www.linusakesson.net/scene/phasor/index.php

  2. After watching the chipophone organ…Seeing people play like this makes me not want to play anymore because they are way better then me. I could practice more and get better. But i don’t. It’s even worse when i see a child play better than me.

    I’m the other way with hacking though. always want to out due someone else :)

    Is there software midi for 8 bit audio? so i could play mario style music on my pc with midi keyboard? that would be almost as fun.

    1. It’s a perfboard with vertical copper tracks(there are many types of perfboard http://www.kobakant.at/DIY/?p=669 ), with a sheet of paper glued on it. It’s like ghetto-serigraphy but give the whole prototype a neat look.

      Every time there is a ‘X’ on the sheet, it means the vertical copper track must be cut using a drill bit. Horizontal tracks are made using copper wire.

  3. Drugs to my ears… Give me more, please! :-D

    I really hope this turns into open hardware kits, not because I could use it, but because I could hear new chiptune(-like) creations more often…

  4. Holy living crud! I didn’t think his instruments could get more advanced than the chip-o-phone, but he’s done it. His C-O-P writeup indicated he had a bit of trouble fitting all the original functionality into the chip; how the hell did you squeeze all this into a single atmega then?!?

    Bravo, sir! Bravo!

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