Tim Follin - "Ghouls 'n' Ghosts (C64)" Full Soundtrack [Improved Oscilloscope View]

[@acrouzet]

If this oscilloscope view looks a bit different, it's because I created it using a new tool I developed to improve both the quality and the process of making SID osc. views. You can download it here: github.com/acrouzet/sidvis/releases/tag/1.0.0 (further information is in the README). I named it "sidvis", in honor of Rolf R. Bakke's original SidWiz osc. view program which celebrates its 10th anniversary today, however it doesn't make osc. views itself. Rather, it's a batch script that outputs .wav files that are designed to be used with the corrscope osc. view creator to easily create ultra clean and stable SID osc. views. I hope other people find this tool useful, and that it will help bring the joy of SID music to even more people in the future, like SidWiz did for me. And, of course, happy Halloween!

[@ruby_R53]

awesome, i'm making my own fork of sidplayfp and i plan on adding an oscilloscope view script with it too instead of STILview and happy halloween! i guess you could have changed the line colors to orange as well lol

[@Dm3qXY]

what is the format of the original data?

[@GregDaniel78]

This is so crisp. You can hear each instrument has a defined start and end before taking shape. The bass on level 2 now sounds like it's saying "thump" rather than "dump" now. A definite improvement 😂

[@acrouzet]

Yeah, I was still using jsidplay2's beta emulation back when I first made the first version.

[@Music-tg5is]

Was this chiptune created back in the 80s on the C64? It's impressive either way, but especially so it that is the case. In addition to the great music achieved on the SID chip, how did the composer even know how to create the different sound effects in this track (especially, if it was way back then?) 0:01 - Sound FX (white noise rain and rain drops). 0:47 - Scream sound. 1:23 - Howling sound. And yes, the high resolution, high frame rate Oscilloscope views look awesome. Very hypnotic to watch the visualisation of all these different sounds. Amazing!

[@carlopepi]

Yes back in 1989 listen to Black lamp and Robs skate or die incredible

[@cataclystp]

synthesiser technique isn't something we magically figured out 10 years ago lol. noise shaping is a foundational technique when it comes to adding depth to subtractive synthesis sound design

[@retrodave79]

The preservation and divulgation work carried out by this channel will only be sufficiently appreciated in the coming decades.THANKS

[@squarewave]

It's interesting to see how the oscillators slightly raise voltage/amplitude when the filter mask is turned on! I also love seeing the offset and how filtered channels get inverted. Awesome work!

[@acrouzet]

Yeah, a byproduct of this is that the filter clicking isn't shown, but I don't think the visualization of many tunes suffer as a result.

[@danielsilva0424]

It’s incredible how Tim could made such complex music with only three audio channels. That shows how powerful the C64 sound chip was.

[@SpaceFighter2004]

It also shows how powerful Tim's mind is

[@enjibkk6850]

@@SpaceFighter2004 +1, the chip is pretty basic, the genius is in the use that such talented people got out of it

[@thepickle116]

This is certainly a major improvement, both audibly and visually, from the previous upload of the same soundtrack. You did a fantastic job, like how Tim Follin did with the music of the game. Thanks for uploading this!

[@64_three]

there is nothing like the instrument design in this ost

[@catmeow11111]

Stage 4 gets my vote for best soundtrack on the C64. On a technical level, I still can't fathom how this was achieved. Tim Follin was an absolute wizard with the SID.

[@Oceloto999]

I love how much is done with so little

[@SyRose901]

Ooh, the volumes are represented way better, I think! Way smoother fadeout. Edit: Just got to the harpsichords, I see the improvements way more clearly now. That's awesome!

[@acrouzet]

The smoother waveforms are also due to corrscope's much better wave rendering with anti-aliasing.

[@Dm3qXY]

This stuff is great as entry level learning experience, and a delight for all enthusiasts

[@alonsojett]

Awesome work! My favorite C64 soundtrack.

[@supersawclub_4096]

I love these soundtracks so much! Big thanks to you, acro❤

[@totheknee]

This `sidvis` is AMAZING!

[@zulisnthere]

woah this looks very clean than before

[@acrouzet]

That's the goal! Thanks!

[@moonowo]

This soundtrack is beautiful

[@Music-tg5is]

The precise vibrato and pitch slides in tracker music is a very impressive level of control over the audio. I wish it was as simple to quickly dial in such values in a modern traditional DAW as in the classic tracker software. I realise this C64 SID track likely predates some of those more freely available Public Domain music trackers, which became very common place a few years later on the Commodore Amiga, etc.

[@jammerc64]

Timeless ❤

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

Great isolation! Tim's work was so unprecedented at that particular time, it's incredible to think that to this day, so very few covers or reimaginations of his amazing work exist. I recently uploaded an homage video to "Solstice" if anyone ever wants to share it with anyone who found that composition to be exemplary (which it obviously is).

[@Peepimus]

A spooky oscilloscope upgrade…!

[@SD78]

Welcome to the Renaissance Faire! I always thought some of the tunes were a bit jaunty for the style of game.

[@al-5001]

nice

[@matthewmoloney2336]

My favourite c64 soundtrack, so clever to use the sid for the different sounds

[@yumsIurp168]

i like how ghouls n ghosts theme reminds me pelo dance

[@FukiMakai]

Someone should make covers of these tunes by Tim Follin (C64 and Amiga versions) with the arcade YM2151 Ghouls and Ghosts engine and FM patches, I think it would sound great

[@Eye-am-Metalchip]

The triangle channel sounds so different, it seems to distort at high volumes, this seems to the intended sound of the wave as many tunes seem to take advantage of its unique properties; visually the triangle wave has slight rough spots on the middle of each line, which may cause its uniquely distorted sound.

[@Music-tg5is]

I wonder why the composer decided to swap the first channel with the third channel from around the 7:21 mark onwards, for that rhythmic staccato riff part? Was there any benefit in doing so? The transition from one audio channel to the other is pretty seamless and they sound the same (to me).

[@soosboi]

Idk,tim follin shenanigans i guess.

[@Cupstudiosofficial]

let bro cook

[@RAND0_MDUD3]

The NES Was A Great Console, *_But Did It Have Great Music?_*

[@NEStalgia]

Of course. Many C64 composers also made music on the NES. Not to mention Japanese composers too

[@LightIsAWaveNotAParticle]

someone please explain how he made that bass. what sound type did he use? like how the hell?

[@amimirmimir512]

how did tim follin gets these instuments

[@devnull73]

I always thought the scream would have been done with ring modulation. It doesnt look like it is?

[@acrouzet]

It is.

[@blast_brothers592]

Definitely a different feel on some tracks with the heavier filter compared to Rolf's version. The sidvis tool looks really cool. Does it automatically handle things like the filter crosstalk/distortion thing?

[@acrouzet]

It doesn't isolate filter distortion, no. However, visualizations of filter crosstalk are inaccurate in their own way too.

[@metarotta]

i remember doing an oscilloscope for a finnish c64 game that had a very peculiar sound that did not like lining up with corrscope at all, very curious if this tool will help it :p

[@acrouzet]

It probably would. Corrscope doesn't detect waves if they don't cross the 0 point. sidvis removes the SID's DC in a consistent manner which plays nicer with this requirement.

[@jamiewilliamson9829]

Didn't you do this upload before?

[@pschiptunes64]

I say that I’m not making views any longer, and then suddenly I find this LOL

[@Gemm-pg6bo]

Pink Floyd if it was good:

[@NEStalgia]

Damn acro, what a scare you gave me. The last thing you posted about Follin was a tribute to Geoff... Now about the tool, for me the osci. views have always been more interesting to watch in high quality because the movement is smoother, and your tool does that even in 360p! Amazing! Even in low quality, the movement looks smooth, cleaner and more interesting!😮 I will definitely use this when I'm building my own SID music osci. views. Thanks for sharing. Question: what is that little background noise in the songs?

[@acrouzet]

The background noise is simply a byproduct of the 6581's poor signal to noise ratio.