Pinky Demo - NES Homebrew Mac OS

An updated Mac OS Classic/Carbon-specific port of FCE Ultra 0.98.13, the Nintendo Entertainment System/FamilyComputer emulator, and beyond. This emulator is meant for older Macs, pre-OS X. Downloads: 8 This Week Last Update: 2018-09-23 See Project. Mac OS X 10.6 or later; Linux (Ubuntu 14.04 or later recommended) If you have any of those, you’ll be totally okay. I’m mainly going to talk about my results with the Windows 7 compatibility as well as Mac OS X High Sierra. Then I’ll talk about the various emulators that I tried the NES ROM on as well as NES Classic Edition results.

1. Best Nes Homebrew Games
2. Nes Homebrew Games Reviews

I wanted to create a main post somewhere on the internet that collects all audio tools available & designed to make music using NES console.
I got idea for it after I discovered that nes-audio com site belonging to Neil Baldwin, genius who created trackers on NES dissapeared couple weeks ago, and even genius himself went absolutely offline. NES audio homebrew is criminally underappreciated compared to LSDJ, and undershadowed by trackers available on modern platforms. My goal is to to change that, starting here!

Here you will find: [if not right now, then soon!]
-List of available audio tools;
-advantages of each;
-efficient workflow for each;
-tips and tricks to get you started;
-list of their bugs to watch out for;
-links to download NES trackers/emulators;
-NES audio quirks/tips&tricks/problems;
also:
-brief info regarding Special Hardware for NES to make music;
-software tools to aid the homebrew;
-links to software on modern devices (without going into detail);
-SPECIAL WANTED LIST!

-----[NES AUDIO TOOLS]-----

-----NTRQ-----
This is FIRST native NES tracker! runs on any emulator, and despite looking simplistic/archaic, it's very advanced!
I'm planning to take care of manual and bring out the information like controls/commands to the user in much more accesible/quicker way (+ maybe some examples?) + will post Plus Neil Baldwin's tutorials from his blog!

for sure 1st thing I recommend you to do is go to options and enable ALT NOTE ENTRY so changing notes/octaves will function same like LSDJ/Pulsar

-----Pulsar*-----
Basically LSDJ on NES! I could say it's THE most advanced audio-tool homebrew available on NES thanks to it's automation/groove tables, and high refresh rate! Thankfully manual is quite accesible and easy to read/learn from!

-----cajoNES-----
It's more of an performance tool rather than tracker to compose regular piece of music. It has randomiser, high modulation rate and quick save/load making it very playable it's relatively easy to grasp!

-----PR8*-----
It's 'drum-machine-style synth', sports interesting non-tracker-like design enabling the user to create multi-channel instruments and play live with ease! Compared to Elektron synthesizers like Octatrack for it's automation possibilities, it's extremely powerful tool to create complete tracks!

-----SMMM-----
Super Magic Music Maker is an semi-interactive random music generator. You won't be able to compose music on it due to it's generative nature - it will produce itself! Simple controls allow interacting with the scales and sequence, and there are also visuals!

-----Chippy-----
Chippy is very simple piano-roll sequencer and easy to understand instrument design! And has a cat!
I see it as perfect introduction to NES audio for beginners, as it teaches basics like hexademical system (volume goes from 0 to F, and even sequencer starts from 00 rather than 1) also if played from the middle, it plays with default speed rather than the different one we set on start of our composition, teaching user to not forget commands!
(Also small tip: if you want to have swing, exchange 2 close to each other BPM commands every step!)
Instructions are included on same forum where download link is!

Best Nes Homebrew Games

-----Plogue Livenes-----
Made as test tool to help understand 2A03 chip, but may be as well used as drone machine!
There are 3 versions available: 2A03 only, 2A03+VRC6 and 2A03+FDS!
Also teaches you how audio chip functions!
Playing around is highly advised!

-----droNES-----
droNES turns NES into a drone/noise box by implementing (very) crude frequency modulation (FM) and amplitude modulation (AM) to 3 of the NES's hardware voice: the two square-wave voices and the noise. Geared more towards live experimentation and exploration, able to satisfy any harsh noise fascinate!

----------
*This homebrew needs special emulator supporting NES 2.0 (it's special expanded cardridge type) to function properly.
Rest should work on all standard NES emulators!

-----[COMMERCIAL]-----
---Ikinari Musician(JP, 1987):
Very accessible live jamming app, where you move little blob/cursor on the keyboard within selected scale!
It's extremely fun and playable! This would be first app I'd recommend for young Chiptuners, but I believe anyone will have fun with it!
Also has MULTIPLAYER! (though only one can play at once, interrupting doesn't feel frustrating!)
it has many fun 'cheats' that change graphics or slow down the beat, and to make it all beautiful, you can record your jamming live!
[note: recording is still ON until the end-of-song jingle finishes!]
[Looking for proper manual for it to make proper description!]
---Dezaemon(JP, 1991):
music-sheet based sequencer controllable with dpad cursor;
12 bar per song (max 6 songs);
24 different pulse channel instruments;
5 DPCM samples available (kick, snare and 3 toms);
32 different tempo speeds to choose (most of it is in range 20-300, also has 450 & 900!);

-----[DOWNLOADS]-----
https://woolyss.com/chipmusic-chiptrack … s=Nintendo (for NTRQ, PR8, cajoNES, Pulsar)

https://github.com/plgDavid/livenes (for Proque Livenes 2A03, VRC6, FDS)

https://forums.nesdev.com/viewtopic.php … mp;t=17445 (for Chippy)

I just started asking sites to host Neil Baldwin's tools, will provide more links to each as they appear!

Here's the package including all Neil Baldwin's tools + PocketNES package
>DOWNLOAD HERE<

Otherwise files from nes audio com should be still reachable by Internet Wayback Machine!

POCKETNES FOR PR8 & PULSAR
Produced by Dwedit in 2016, this version is able to run NES 2.0 homebrew!
It's quite stable and works well on the actual hardware
(Results on emulators may vary, but you're welcome to try!)
Package contains:
-Updated PocketNES + menumaker
-Original PR8 and Pulsar packages
-Premade .gba files for each one!!

-----*[NES 2.0 EMULATORS]----- (for ones with * by the name)
-Nintendulator (Win) https://www.qmtpro.com/~nes/nintendulator/
-Mesen (Win, Linux) https://www.mesen.ca/
-Nestopia (Win, Linux, MacOS) http://nestopia.sourceforge.net/
-FCEUX (Win, Unix) https://github.com/TASVideos/fceux/
--Info regarding NES 2.0: https://wiki.nesdev.com/w/index.php/NES_2.0
I will be contacting various emulator developers asking them to support this format!
And please, do so too! More emails = more motivation for developer!

-----[FLASHCARTS FOR NES 2.0]-----
PowerPak is supported - special file is included in both PR8 and Pulsar's archives!
NT Mini is supported (Source)

-----[USEFUL LINKS]-----
--DPCM pitched sample generator by TylerBarnes and nesdev thread with more info
--NES overclocking mods (Different speeds/pitches for trackers!) by LimitZer0
--WAV to DMC converter by Rushjet1
--Saw wave DPCM IRQ demo in NSF2 by Blargg & Brad Smith
--Triangle wave overtones by Tepples
--'The Compendium of Custom Refresh Rate Techniques in FamiTracker' by Aquellex

Nes Homebrew Games Reviews

-----[HARDWARE NES MUSIC]-----
--FamiMidi: NES MIDI cardridge:
video of it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qE-WJzdd6k
available to buy here: https://catskullelectronics.com/famimimidi
--MidiNES: NES MIDI cardridge (not supported anymore)

-----software to make NES music on modern platforms-----
(WIN,WINE) j0CC Famitracker https://github.com/nyanpasu64/j0CC-FamiTracker
(WIN/MAC OS) Famistudio https://famistudio.org/

Last edited by INFU (Oct 10, 2020 7:49 pm)

Pinky Demo - NES Homebrew Mac OS