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Pianocade: Arcade parts meets musical instrument

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ChadTower:

I would totally play an arcade cab with a speak n spell on it.

Gray_Area:
Howard.....dude....for real.

It's a controller and tone generator. I think the sounds are cool, in an abstracted context. Not that the NES game sounds weren't bad. They actually were top notch for a console system. Computers and consoles before the 90s were not comparable items. Not to mention arcade and console systems. Cost and marketability, remember.   Where's that 'smacky..." graemlin..........

Vigo:
But who cares if the NES sounded "good for a console", it was bad for an arcade machine. This is an arcade control panel. You insist that arcade machines and consoles are not comparable, then why would you want to stick a crappy 4 bit flat audio chip on Arcade controls?

Also, the NES only sounded as good as it did because most better brand carts had onboard chips that expanded the audio capability. Meaning that this synth chip can't even handle a large number of NES tunes accurately.

If you think this is a good purchase, go ahead and buy one. I look forward to your review.  :cheers:

DaveMMR:
IANAM but as a casual observer, I agree with Howard and Vigo. Don't understand why you'd even begin consider using this instead of just tapping on a computer using cheaper software for music creation. For performing, that looks completely unintuitive. Was there a problem with the standard keyboard (the one that looks like a piano, not the one that looks like a typewriter) that needed to be improved upon?

shponglefan:

--- Quote from: Vigo on March 26, 2013, 10:48:29 am ---You want a full thought out answer? OK, I'll be honest: This thing blows as an instrument. I agree with Howard. The dude in the end of the "feature demo" video couldn't even slide up the note scale without getting his fingers stuck on the buttons. And keep in mind that he could have as many takes of that shot as he wanted to get it right.
--- End quote ---

I already pointed out, this is hardly the first instrument w/ non-standard keys: Monotron, Monotribe, Analog 4, TB-303 and various clones, WASP, etc.  So that's not a particularly valid criticism, especially since it features MIDI input (so one could use an external sequencer or keyboard to play it).


--- Quote ---And for reasons other than what HC mentioned, my biggest beef is this is only a 4 bit, square tone synth, based on NES hardware. Besides the obvious fact that an original Nintendo IS NOT AN ARCADE MACHINE, the sound chip was the most underdeveloped part of the NES system. I loved that console dearly, but it's sound chip was just awful comparing the sound to any other platform. Just compare it to the SID chip from a c64, (released 3 years prior). The SID chip could handle various waveforms and filters to create dynamic audio tones. Arcade machines were usually even better. Even a couple years before the NES was released, arcade machines were commonly running 16 bit synth chips that could handle a much larger battery of sound. Arcade games sounded amazing back in the day, and the pianocade wouldn't be able to capture that in the least.
--- End quote ---

This is actually the one point I would agree with; as a synth, it doesn't sound particularly impressive, even for a retro chiptune synth.  There are better options out there.  For the pricepoint, something like a Monotribe or Shruthi are much more capable synths.

However, since this was a labour of love and DIY experimental project (and also trying to keep costs reasonable, I am sure), we got what we got.  But where you see "overpriced garbage", I see an idea worth expanding on or experimenting with.  Not every idea is going to start out a surefire winner.


--- Quote ---So in essence this is a $500 control panel
--- End quote ---

$250-325 for the initial preoders.  Complaining about the price isn't particularly valid either, given the cost of parts involved and fact that it's a hand-assembled limited run deal.  It's not like this is being made in a factory in China and shipped to every Wal-mart.  Comparably, even something like a Shruthi is going to run over $350.  And hey, we spend hundreds (or thousands) on building retro-arcade machines and controllers ad naseum... So pot, kettle, etc.

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