From 8-bit punk to 8-bit avant-garde: designing an embedded platform to control vintage sound chips

Abstract

Music technology has advanced remarkably since the 1980s, yet the 8-bit sounds of computers and video game consoles from that era are still considered iconic and difficult to replicate. The sound chips originally used in these devices are no longer compatible with modern tools for music making, heavily constraining the further exploration of this popular aesthetics. With this paper, I present the ongoing development of a novel platform, built with open-source embedded technologies, and designed for the integration of vintage sound chips in widely used music programming and instrument design frameworks. The goal of the project is to innovate chiptune music practice, while preserving the role of authentic hardware and fostering the appropriation of its signature limitations.