An Interview with Texx Sound
What C64 composers do you like?
Chris Huelsbeck, mITCH & dANE
What are your favourites sids?
Nearly everything from mITCH & dANE (these guys ROCK!), The Antics
and R-Type
by Chris Huelsbeck
What equipment/software do you use?
My hardware-equipment is: a Yamaha PSR-270, a Roland TB-303, TR-909 and TR 808 and my Computer.
Software: Cakewalk ProAudio 8, Cool 96, MadTracker, (rarely Rebirth) and Music Maker
Which remix are you most pleased with?
From my work I like most Ikkiuchi
but Makke's Great Giana Rastas
is the work of a genius!
What do you look at in a sid when remixing it?
The special touch of something nearly finished, but not done in it's best way. And, of course, the it
which nobody can describe😉
You mix sid within your remixes, why do you choose to do this?
Because of many reasons… first to honour the original artist who had done the sid on the C64 in many hours, days or even weeks without having the benefits of today's composing abilities of a computer.
Second to show how a sid takes place instead of a expensive synthesiser.
And third: to create a bit of the good ol' C64 feeling!😉
What other arrangers do you like?
Makke, as I said; Djlizard and many others I forgot. Sorry!
Who do you think gives the scene the biggest boost?
I can't tell you a name because every single arranger keeps the game-music of yesterday
-scene alive with his work.
So far you have remixed tunes that are not well known, why is this
Because of nobody done it before😉 and to show the audience what else was done nearly twenty years ago, which sounds like today's music (with some additions)
Where do you get your musical influences?
Nearly everywhere. I can sit in front of my keyboard, watch TV, play C64 games or try to sleep.
What are your fondest memories of the c64?
I remember when I was four or five years old. My neighbour invited me to play on his Commodore a new game. He put in the disk, typed the meaningful letters R U N and after some seconds The Great Giana Sisters
appeared and scrolled over the big screen. I was deeply impressed and listened for about ten minutes to the title sid. At home I tried to play the music on my recorder.. well, I started very young =)
What piece of equipment that you do not own would you like to own?
The SID-Station! For more info visit http://www.sidstation.com
What are your likes/dislikes regarding remixing c64 sids?
I prefer clear and well formed sample-shapes because it is much easier to guess every note. I hate bugged and confusing sids!
If there was a tune you wish you could claim as your own, what would it be, and why?
It would be the Giana Sisters theme! That's the very first sid I experienced and I still love the mystic and great ambience.
Why do you remix c64 music?
I use the sidAMP plug-in for Winamp and I can listen about one hour to all the sids I got, but after that I can't stand the electric sound of a sid. And there's the problem: The SID-Chip can't fight the quality of today's music. It was unbelievable for the 80's but nothing lasts forever. And to keep my loved sid music I convert
them to a quality everyone likes listening to.
What are your thoughts of music in modern day games?
Today you make music for a computer game like you make music for a CD or a film. The poor game musicians of 2001 don't care about the player's computer-configuration and sound-ability. Because they don't have to. They don't have to deal with hardware problems like only 3 synthesiser tracks or programming special tools for composing. When you are able deal with these huge problems and limitations then you are good. When you are able to make really good and groovy music you are a genius. Like Rob (Hubbard), Chris (Huelsbeck) and David (Whittaker) and some others.
Why do you think that c64 music still is popular to this very day?
Because of the quality, the popularity and the nostalgic flair.
Lastly, What would you like to say to the scene?
Keep remixing! Keep the sids alive!
Limitations make good musicians. It seems that todays musicians don't produce great music because they have few boundries. Chris Abbott also mentioned this in his interview, so check out that one too for more on this.
- Neil
