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Chip Maestro turns your NES into a MIDI synthesizer

by Griffin McElroy on May 11th 2011 12:00AM

Are you hoping to one day start your own Starscream, Anamanaguchi or other totally radical chiptunes band? Your musical outfit could have a worse origin than this: As part of a Kickstarter fundraising campaign, you can donate $50 to grab a "Chip Maestro" -- an NES cartridge that turns your old-school gaming console into a decidedly new-school MIDI synthesizer.

If you've got a MIDI-compatible keyboard (or even a MIDI converter for your PC), you can start recreating the 8-bit melodies of your youth -- or the poppy, energetic melodies of tomorrow. Check out the device's Kickstarter page for a video demonstration of its capabilities!

[Thanks, Tom!]

Source: Kickstarter

Tags: 8-bit, chip-maestro, chiptunes, midi, music, nes

Reader Comments (24)

My mix would probably end up something like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUfiqojKk84

@Cap Morgan Oh Family Guy. Ruining pop culture for the rest of us.

@Epoque

If someone else's fun ruins something for you then you care waaaay too much about what other people are doing.
Now if you'll excuse me.

Heh-heh, heh heh heh heh.
Heh-heh, heh heh heh heh.
heh heh heh-heh and another heh heh he-heh

I hope it would work with the NES model II! This is pretty cool!

This is awesome! I'm totally gonna get one. Time to dust off the ol' NES.

"Time to dust off the ol' NES."

Another Mega Drive fanboy troll ... god, Joystiq is getting pretty bad lately.

/screw these lame tags, if you can't tell this is sarcasm, your soul is forfeit.

@Epoque
You're just jealous because Genesis does what Nintendon't.

Korg DS10, eat your heart out.

This is awesome. I'd much rather have this than have to slog my way through the arcane art of the tracker.

Developer here, just wanted to thank Joystiq readers for all their support, and remind everyone that every backer, no matter how small the amount, gets first access to the tech docs, and gets to submit feature requests, so I can make Chip Maestro work just the way you want it to.

@Jarek319
No sir, thank YOU for a wonderful product.

This is sicker than an aged cask of amaradillo semen.

@claychastain
ew

I don't need this, but I want it.

First song on the list... Puff the Magic Dragon.

Hmm, I'd rather stick with using a plug-in for Logic. I once used that to compose a couple of chiptune songs for a TV show and nobody had any idea they were made on a modern Mac.

@Banksyliveraa
You can also use Mod Plug Tracker and SFXR for free.

@Banksyliveraa You'd think so, but no. It's a suitable replacement, but nothing beat the real thing ... not even a suitable replacement.

Copypasta for everything ever.

I've been using one of this for songs for about 5 years. Not this particular one but basically an identical thing (Midi direct into an NES). I made some interesting things by messing with what the NES could do.

@Shinchi http://soundcloud.com/witnesstochange/witness-to-change-wonder-off-again
That's a track made with an NES.

And I would want a MIDI synthesizer for what now...?

The poppy, energetic melodies of tomorrow? lol... okay guys. Get to work. You have no excuses now.

my ensoniq sq80 makes these sounds...still cool tho

crystal castles ftw!

So far I'm not impressed. MidiNES still seems better, at least for my needs.

Breaking News

Chip Maestro turns your NES into a MIDI synthesizer

Reader Comments (24)

Posted: May 11th 2011 12:04AM Cap Morgan said

Posted: May 11th 2011 12:20AM Epoque said

Posted: May 11th 2011 8:45AM Cap Morgan said

Posted: May 11th 2011 12:15AM BPMOmega XBL PSN Steam said

Posted: May 11th 2011 12:27AM patboy2008 said

Posted: May 11th 2011 12:34AM Epoque said

Posted: May 11th 2011 10:39AM supersonic124 said

Posted: May 11th 2011 12:48AM Snide Jackal said

Posted: May 11th 2011 12:52AM Fo0dNippl3 said

Posted: May 11th 2011 12:59AM Jarek319 said

Posted: May 11th 2011 12:30PM EX Rock said

Posted: May 11th 2011 1:08AM claychastain said

Posted: May 11th 2011 3:28AM BrokenTriforce said

Posted: May 11th 2011 4:11AM Shockwave said

Posted: May 11th 2011 7:06AM Banksyliveraa said

Posted: May 11th 2011 7:07AM Banksyliveraa said

Posted: May 11th 2011 8:02AM Epoque said

Posted: May 11th 2011 7:49AM Shinchi said

Posted: May 11th 2011 7:52AM Shinchi said

Posted: May 11th 2011 9:42AM Misfit Toy said

Posted: May 11th 2011 12:58PM (Unverified) said

Posted: May 11th 2011 12:58PM (Unverified) said

Posted: May 11th 2011 12:58PM money shot in the face said

Posted: May 11th 2011 8:39PM VCMG said

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