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..

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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?

My interest in computers started when I was 12 years old or something
and my father decided to buy one.
We went to a computer store and there where 2 types of computers. One
was an Apple with 16 colors on screen, and
the other one was a green/black one from Commodore called the PET.
Although I wanted the colory one, luckily my dad choose the Commodore!

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

On the PET I didn't do much except play games. I did program a bit in
basic but nothing earth-shocking.
Afterwards I got my own C-64. On this machine I played loads of games
and I started programming a bit. All programming was done
in assembly (Seka/Asm-1) since it was the coolest and fastest. With
music I didn't do too much. I played around a bit with SoundMON which
I liked, but I didn't understand enough about the theory of music yet to
make anything worthwhile.
When the Amiga 500 came out I bought it. I can still remember the first
time I saw an Amiga and it was playing the Sonix version of Axel-f. When
the drums hit in I knew I had to have that machine. When I saw a
demonstration of Dpaint I was even more sure.
On the Amiga I continued coding in assembly and I started making games
together with 2 friends (Ramon and Metin). Metin speciality is graphics
and Ramons speciality is music. With the three of us we could handle all
the disciplines of making games. Among our finished games where 'HOI'
and 'Clockwiser'. In the meantime I also made 2 music programs. The
first was called 'SIDMON' (the number 2 version I didn't make...it was
made by a german coder called DOC), and the second was called 'Mugician'
(or the digital mugician). The most tunes I've made where while
developing and testing those programs. Anyway, in time I started to get
more and more the hang of it. When a friend of mine (Pieter) who also
was into the game making proces wanted me to make some tunes, I made
some in Mugician.
For about 2 years now I own a PC and I have made a game for it together
with Ramon and Metin (called Moon Child). Recently I picked up on the
idea of converting Mugician to the PC and this turned into Jaytrax. For
Jaytrax I've composed some tunes. In the past I have always used Ramons
music in our productions since he is a professional and that shows. I'm
a big fan of his and he is a really talented guy.

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

I always liked coding better than making music. I do make music but I
only do it when I have some kind of inspiration.
With coding I don't need inspiration since it comes more naturally. When
making music I really have to sit and think and try, while programming
is more like a second nature. I speak Assembly and C better than my
native tongue... ;^D
I do envie people who make music like talking.

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

A little bit SoundMON on the C64
Fasttracker (on the Amiga) and some other trackers.
Sidmon (Amiga)
Mugician (Amiga)
And Jaytrax (PC)

I have some synths at home and I have made some 'professional' tunes
with Cubase too.

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

I have never actually felt that. What I do like is that after half a
year I sometimes start up the Amiga and I listen to some of my old tunes
and I think 'Wow, did I make that?'. And that makes me feel good.

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

A lot... hahaha... Most of 'm probably. Some of them are really nothing
more than a soundcheck to see if the musicroutine worked properly.
Diehard module swappers actually have them now as part of 'my work'...
=^D

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

For a game, the hard fact is that it doesn't matter too much from a
commercial perspective. It's the graphics which sells the game.
I do like great coding and music in a game though, but graphics have
always been the most important.
When a game is bought however I think the coding is the most important,
secondly the graphics and last the music. You can have great games
without music, but a great game with poor coding is difficult.
Music for demos is essential, it just makes the demo or it kills it...
some of the better demos for the Amiga,and nowadays too also the PC are
just kicking and steaming on the music... even if the visuals lack a
bit, the sound can make up for it.

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

Just a bit... Haven't touched my synths in a while... But I'm composing
a bit for my new music program... and like doing it. It is like showing
a vulnerable side of yourself

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

I hate MIDI. This is one of the reasons why I made Jaytrax. How can
anyone listen to the general midi files?
If they are custom made for one soundcard okay, but most of the time you
hear them on a cheap soundblaster and it just sounds crappy.
MP3 is a cool new thing... although the sound quality is not really
perfect yet. I'm not a big collector though. I sometimes collect some
tunes and just put them on a CD. It is so much easier to listen to.

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

Most of my all time favourites are the tunes on the C64. This was the
summum of great tunes. Even the Amiga has never captured the
great tunes of the C64. I like playing them with Resid and I even have 2
DAT's full with the original C64 tunes.
Most hubbard tunes where great, especially Monty of course. Galway is
the master of full sounding harmonical tunes too.
Anthony Crowther's tunes I liked a lot too. I think he was a bit like
me, primarily a coder but doing some composing as well.

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

Nonono... I'm really not that good. I have made a CD once with some
tunes from me made on my synths but that was just a one of..

12-What bands are you currently listenning to?

Pfff.. I have always been a sucker for electronical music, so the techno
music nowadays I like. Not the mainstream commercial crap of course.
Some names: Radiohead, Underworld, Prodigy, Eat Static etc etc.. But I
also do like a lot of 80's music. That was the time when you had to know
something about music to make it in the business! ;^D

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

My youth, and a great time to look back upon. During that time I played
so many games, did so many cool things and made a lot of friends. It has
built self-esteem and I periodically get melancholic juts by thinking
about those golden years.

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

Depending on what you call 'the scene'. I'm not in a demo group anymore,
but recently I have finished a game. Now with the coming of my new Music
program one could say I remain for always stuck in 'the scene'. Luckily!
I think the child in me will always want to do fun stuff with computers.

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

I think this pretty much wraps it up!

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please note: this interview is ©opyrighted in 2001 by crown of cryptoburners
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