How to make 8-bit metal/rock

After seeing a lot of so-called 8-bit remixes of metal and rock songs I thought I'd make a quick and dirty guide on how most of them are made.

Guitar tabs:
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com

TuxGuitar:
http://www.tuxguitar.com.ar

GXSCC:
http://www.geocities.co.jp/SiliconValley-SanJose/8700/P/GsorigE.htm

Also I'd like to comment that some of you who put up these "remixes" really should give some credit to those who spent hours making the Guitar Pro tabs as well as the software you use.
If you haven't even made the midi yourself, it's really not your effort. (Those of you who do make them yourself, keep up the good work!)
I am however still thankful that you put them up here as it saves everybody else a lot of time. :)

Credits:
Song: The Faceless - Akeldama
Guitar Pro tab by L0G05 @ Ultimate-Guitar.com

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If you're interested in making your own 8-bit tracks just go get a midi editor. Make your song and run it through GXSCC like the exported Guitar Pro file.
There are many great editors out there for free. For Linux users I recommend Rosegarden which also works great with midi keyboards.
For Windows I've heard Anvil Studio is worth a try.

Rosegarden:
http://www.rosegardenmusic.com/

Anvil Studio:
http://www.anvilstudio.com/

=======================

If you're interested in making real 8-bit tunes rather than emulating an 8-bit sound chip, you should look into chip tracking.

LSDJ is a tracker for the Gameboy which is pretty easy to use and will easily achieve an authentic sound. It's costs 2$ but it's worth it.
http://www.littlesounddj.com/lsd/

MilkyTracker is a cross-platform tracker which is free and open source. It's my favorite tracker for the PC, although I don't have much experience with it. Give it a try:
http://www.milkytracker.org/

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• 8-bit
• 8bit
• remix
• metal
• rock
• the
• faceless
• cynic
• xTwilightxxPrincessx
• maximushyrule
• music
• gxscc
• msx
• nes
• guitar
• pro
• tabs
• power
• tab
• akeldama
• tutorial

[HammerNHook]

is tuxguitar only for linux?

[SimonLarsen]

@HammerNHook It's for Windows, Linux and OS X.

[KaslarProductions]

You're not MAKING anything.... You are converting midi data into audio... and VSTs are shit... buy LSDJ or MSSIAH or MIDINES.

[SimonLarsen]

@KaslarProductions I'm perfectly aware of that, but "How to export a Guitar Pro file to midi and give it an 8-bit sound using GXSCC" is a pretty crappy title.

Next time please read the description before making an ass of yourself. I actually use LSDJ and I can really recommend it.

[SimonLarsen]

@SimonLarsen Luckily I have two DMG's and an LSDJ cartridge. ;)

[8BitCoreBlogOfficial]

Big lol at all the elitist, true 8 bit people still bashing the remixes. We get the fact that it is a midi sequence and not "true." Just calm down.

@SimonLarsen, btw, thanks for this excellent video. You really inspired me in the world of midi converting. One day, I'll have to try my hand at a cartridge or two.

[westfourtwenty]

People cry so much about it not being "true 8-bit" music. Why don't they post a reply video with a "true 8-bit" song then? Good job on the video!

[DarkNinja1223]

Right when I clicked on this video and heard this. I freaked out. I LOVE The Faceless and have been listening to them for a while. You made my day, good sir.

[MegaJotie]

"After seeing a lot of so-called 8-bit remixes of metal and rock songs I thought I'd make a quick and dirty guide on how most of them are made."

Yeah, you kind of are confusing me with this. Do you despise the way it's done like this? Or are you advocating it?

[xkuei]

The background song was made that way, and it really sounds like 8-bit to me, despite what 8-bit FLAC purists might say.

[herttaaa]

@MetalShado No, it does not sound 8-bit. Hence why I said it is a disgrace towards true 8-bit music for someone to boldly claim that this is anything of the sort. This is just General MIDI instruments playing the MIDI track of the song. Nothing more. Just because the GM instruments are usually computer generated and souding cheap doesn't mean they sound anything like 8-bit sound. The reason for my disappointment has been the recent research towards *true* "native" 8-bit music, not cheap converts

[MetalShado]

@TheDoomedDude What makes it not 8-bit?

[MetalShado]

@herttaaa I think the point is that it sounds exactly like 8-bit. Every genre of music making involves recording on midi tracks. How else can you record 8-bit (or any music for that matter) without midi? After recorded on midi, it's simply exported to another file type. Midi is kind of important.

So is there a "proper" process that one must follow to make it "true" 8-bit?? As far as I'm concerned, it has to have the sound of 8 bit, to be 8-bit. That's all. And this sounds like 8-bit to me.

[Rasmus95dk]

MIDI 'n stuff.

[herttaaa]

This has abolutely nothing to do with actual 8-bit music. The only thing which makes this even remotely 8-bit is the fact that the General MIDI sound is converted to 8-bit audio data. This is MIDI, in 8-bits. As such this is NOT the 8-bit music people think it is. This is *MIDI converted to 8-bit*. It is a disgrace to true 8-bit music for someone to boldly claim that this is anything of the sort, let alone claim that this is actual *8-bit metal* of any kind! It saddens me to see shit like this:(