The Chiptune genre can be simply defined as any music created with the use of a sound chip found within electronical devices. Stereotypically, the devices used to create chiptune music are old video game systems and computers, but more recently, synthesizers on computers are used to mimic these sounds. Chiptune, commonly known as retro, video game or 8 bit music, sits within the electronic music bracket but in its niche sub genre.
Chiptune as a music genre only came into the mainstream due to the releases of early arcade games and vintage systems during what was said to be the golden era for video games- the early 1980s. Due to the limitations of technology at the time, early video game systems were only equipped with basic audio converters. This meant sounds were short in nature and played one at a time. They lacked complexity and could not be harmonised producing the 'beeps and boops' we have come to associate the genre with. Building upon the already internationally established arcade games such as Pac-Man and Space Invaders, the release of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1983 brought the arcade, and subsequently the Chiptune soundtracks, to the domestic scene. Games such as Mega-man, Duck Hunt and of course Super Mario Bros were iconic for their catchy Chiptune soundtracks and sound effects.
Chiptune music was originally generated and outputted as analog sound waves by converting binary code when changes in the electrical current are made by an internal sound processing unit. These days, much of the chiptune music around is generated with electronic synthesisers which can mimic these sounds. This allows composers to experiment and explore the large scopes of digital sound at the same time as being able to easily record, edit, market and distribute the music. Nevertheless, modern technology hasn't stopped die hard Chiptune fans from programming and modifying their old consoles through the method of circuit bending to create original and authentic sounding compositions. This genre will always be heavily associated with old video games, arcades and pixel art due to its origin.
I will be analysing specifically the target audience for this genre in a separate post.
