Amiga Music Preservation -

Interview

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TLb. ,dMP' all rite, now you get the chance to read

TML.dMMP some facts about some of the major amiga

,nmm`XXMPX musicians. read about their history in

,#MP'~~XNXYNXTb. the scene and their plans in future.yes,

,d~' dNNP `YNTb. that's meant to be read while listening to

,~ ,NN' `YNb their modules. read 'em over and over and over..

dNP `Yb.

,NN' `b. · i n t e r v i e w · ___________

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Handle:

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Group:

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Date of birth:

1-How did your interest for computers start? Which year was that?

The magic began around 1986 when my grandmother bought an Amstrad
CPC464. I had already been introduced to that sweet piece of hardware by
a classmate, so I knew the basics about it. But you might say that it
was because of my grandmother I got started this early.

2-What machines did you previously have? What did you do with them?

I got myself an Amstrad CPC464 from my parents, after lots of begging.
At this time I'd learned the basics of BASIC, and I coded various stuff
for fun. I created small tunes with SOUND commands, but the real fun
began when I found the use of DATA lines. Later I began composing music
in Equinoxe, a tracker for the Amstrad.

After that I bought myself a used Amiga 600 from a mate, and began
tracking music in Protracker. (My kidbrother was tired of me borrowing
his Amiga 500 for composing). After that I had a number of Amiga 1200
machines before I unwillingly switched to PC, which was needed for my
studies.

Hereafter I've also gotten my hands on a couple of C64s, an A500 and ZX
Spectrum and a few more Amstrads, but I've recently cleaned up my
collection, so Im down to my PC, A1200 and Amstrad now.

3-For what specific reason did you end up making music rather than gfx, coding?

My interest in music began 3 years before I got hooked on the Amstrad.
So I was already interested in composing. Being able to create music on
the Amstrad was a natural and very interesting challenge for me. Coding
was interesting too, and you my first music were actually coded, not
tracked. But I guess the main reason I ended up doing the music rather
than coding, was simply because the music was more interesting to me. Or
else I just wasnt intelligent enough to code Assembler.

4-Which composing programs have you been using? Which one in particular?

On the CPC464 I used Equinoxe, which was a French tracker.

On the Amiga I used Protracker, Octamed Sound Studio and DigiBoosterPro.

On the PC I used Fasttracker II shortly.

I mostly used Protracker and DigiBoosterPro in those days. Today I use
Skale Tracker.

5-With which module did you feel you had reached your goal?

Well, each module had its own goal. If I felt I succeeded in expressing
whatever I wanted to express, then I was satisfied. I don't think I'll
ever reach the overall goal though, because every time I've finished a
track I get a new idea. But I suppose the common goal for any artist is
to receive positive feedback, so of course there are certain modules I'm
most proud of. :-)

6-Is there a tune you would like not to remember? For what reason?

Not really. Each of my modules represent a certain time in my life. They
help me remember the past, good as bad. I like taking these small trips
into the past every now and then, and relive the events in my mind, even
though it wasn't always a pleasant experience. Nostalgia works that way,
making all of the past seem like 'the glory days', even though it really
wasn't. ;-)

7-In your opinion, what's the value of a music in a demo, game?

Music in a demo is like the skeleton in an organism. It kinda carries
the whole thing, doesn't it? The melody sets the mood, and when the
rhythm matches the action (Like e.g. in the 'World of Commodore 92' and
the 'Nexus 7' demoes) we're really partying. ;-)

8-At present, are you still composing? For professional or leisure purposes?

I had a 5 year break from year 2000 to 2005 because of education and
work, but have recently begun composing again. I compose for my own
enjoyment, but naturally I make it downloadable from my site. Money
would be nice, but it's not my drive, if you know what I mean. I think
that, as soon as ones art becomes ones job, it most often looses its
beauty and soul.

9-What do you think of today's pieces of music such as mpeg,wave,midi,etc...?

I'm fine with whatever formats are out there. They all serve a purpose,
right? I've tried a little midi myself using a midi tracker, when I was
trying out some Java coding for mobile phones. I remember the mod format
also being nice because it was so small in size, while the mpeg format
took much more space. Today its the other way around. With all the
high-quality many-bit stereo samples being used, the module itself
usually takes up much more space than the mpeg format.
The Mp3 format is easy for people to play, and I've only made mp3
versions of my older tracks to make it easier for normal people (that
excludes you) to listen to my music.

10-Could you tell us some of your all times favourite tunes?

Phew, there are many. I still listen to mods today. I can mention a few,
both from the Amiga platform and PC platform.

Amiga stuff
3D Demo Theme by Mad Freak, Sea of love by Moby, Elysium,
Stardust Memories by Jester / Sanity, Fountain of sighs by Unreal /
Pulse, Gelios II by Dm. Pugachev, Signia, Attributed Horror,
Gcomp, The last sun by Jogeir Liljedahl, Varanen, Weird
personalities by Lizardking / Alcatraz, Hardcore by 4-mat / Anarchy,
Slow encirclement by Brainbug / Alcatraz, Ancient times by Virgill,
By the coast by Maestro, Hard red by Beehunter / Jazz, Anette by
Heatbeat, Laidback3 by Dr.Awesome, My Kingdom by Muffler & Jazz

PC stuff
Point of Departure by Necros, Stream by CyberZip / Nebula,
Ambrozia by Jogeir Liljedahl & Scorpik / Pulse / Noiseless, The
Ledgend by Dan Nyman, Homecoming, Experience, Deadlock, Neutral
Zone by Elwood, Cosmic Outflow by Falcon / Pulse, Fife by Scorpik
/ Pulse, Martian Lovesong by Necros, Approach by Nightbeat, Last
Sunset by Nighthawk, Suspiria, Untouched by Jogeir Liljedahl, The
River of Time by Axis / Fallon, Marie by Xerxes, Sirene Song by
ArchAngel, Scotchman in a skirt by Cube / Trauma

And many many more.

11-Are you planning to make an audio cd with some of your music remastered?

Nope, but I might some day when I get tired enough of listening to the
noise in my old pieces. ;-)
I do care about preserving the old stuff, but for now I'll rather
compose new stuff. I have created '2005 edit' versions of two

10-year-old tracks already, with noise reduction and stereo

enhancements, but not a remastering as such, seeing as I don't replace
the 8-bit samples with new ones. But if enough people ask me to do the
same with other tracks, I will.

12-What bands are you currently listening to?

No particular bands. I listen to almost everything, with a few
exceptions like heavy metal, opera and gospel. Lately I've been
listening a lot to remixes of old SID music and I do quite often listen
to mods still. Otherwise I like to listen to the Groove Salad radio
channel at www.somafm.com. Most instrumental electronic music will do. ;-)

13-What does/did the amiga/c64 scene give you?

The scene gave me inspiration and made me want to keep up productivity.
I doubt I had many fans out there, but the few I had was enough to make
me keep going. Otherwise I wasn't really much into the scene. I saw the
demos, heard the mods, saw the graphics and knew what I liked and what I
didn't, but I didn't take much notice of who made what.
Today it's nice to know that I've been a part of, as one of my friends
so eloquently put it, a fantastic era.

14-Are you still active in the scene these days?

I've recently begun composing again after a long break. But I'm not a
part of any group as such. Dewfall Productions is mainly a one-man show
where other people contribute once or twice e.g. by doing some singing
or speaking.

15-Anyone to greet? Anything left to say? Feel free...

Check out my site at www.dewfall.dk
There youll find my new tracks, along with much more info and other stuff.

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please note: this interview is ©opyrighted in 2005 by crown of cryptoburners
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