Blueshift City: Overture

New upload on YouTube today.

I’ve uploaded a new video on YouTube designed to give a glimpse into the 8-bit opera I am currently writing. You can now see my progress in this continuing project called Blueshift City. It is a music video overture that displays the main characters in the opera. As this is an opera I’m writing, the music is of greater importance than the images, but the imagery still hold significance.

All images and audio were created by me using LSDJ, Sony Vegas and Audacity. I have found these tools to be very helpful and simple to use in my production process.

Feel free to leave feedback and comments as they are always appreciated. I will upload again next month and give an update of how I am progressing in this project. Below are a couple screenshots of the software I used to create my overture.

Using the LSDJ software for audio creation.

Audacity is a brilliant audio capturing and recording software I’ve used extensively

Sony Vegas is a great piece of software to use for video editing.

Engine Heart: Origin (Part 5)

Last post before the New Year.

I’ve completed the fifth video for Engine Heart. This completes this saga for the time being. There is scope to create more videos for this character, but I think my future interest lies in new projects for next year.

I’ve done quite a few animations this year and hope to continue with this next year. More stories with musical accompaniment using animations that remind me of my childhood.

Let me know what you think.

New GBA ROM Written – Splat!

Second post in the month. Nice.

I’ve written an interactive visual/music ROM for the Gameboy Advance. I’ve called it Splat! It consists of a piece of music you can directly affect by pressing the buttons and the image on screen is also directly controlled by the users decisions. It’s interactive art!

Below is a picture of what it looks like, but to truly understand what it does, you really ought to download and play it 🙂

Download and play!

Such pretty colours

Moving using UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT across the screen triggers new sounds and pressing certain buttons will also cause different sounds to play. I tried to make it as interactive as possible in that respect but still keep a central theme playing.

As ever, here are the controls:

Controls for VisualBoy Advance

As with my last post/ROM, WordPress won’t allow me to directly attach the game to my page so I’ve created a URL that will give you the ability to download and view Splat! Remember, you need the VisualBoy Advance application to open Splat! if you don’t already have it installed.

https://www.box.com/s/udtm7gxe398d7ucvc7vb

This took quite a lot of man-hours to create, I hope you like it. My second ROM for the GBA. Let me know what you think, feedback is always welcome.

Engine Heart: Origin (Part 4)

Part 4 done! The continuing story of a man dealing with love and life nears completion.

There is just one more part left in Engine Heart before I would be happy to leave it, at least for a little while. I’ve been thinking about starting a new series. One with music as the primary drive for the animation. Where they are synchronised and complement each other.

I’ve been writing the music on an original Gameboy, which can have a maximum of 4 simultaneous sounds. I think it’s time, for the new project to ‘upgrade’ to the NES. I think the NES can have up to 6 independent sounds so it’s a big leap and can allow for more complex rhythms and a more varied sound palette.

Below is part 4. Let me know what you think.

New Music Uploaded: Ready 4

It’s been a while. The Olympics has been very distracting lately but I’ve managed to put lyrics to the music for Through The Motions” and upload it to SoundCloud.

I tried to project my voice a bit more in this one, apologies. I’m less offended by my voice than I have been for a while so I brought it further up in the mix. Getting better, right?

In other news, I have been toying with the idea of writing an 8-bit opera. Been researching what it would entail and I think it is possible. It’s the singing in digitised 8-bit that is gonna be the most tricky. It’s easy enough to do but harmonising 8-bit sung voices? That’s gonna take time. In the mean time I hope to finish the Engine Heart web series shortly.

New Music Uploaded

Just uploaded a new track on SoundCloud. Click on the link below to listen. It’s a bit different to the first track I uploaded. It’s a bit different but that low tempo, introspective Synthpop thing is something I am interested in. Thought I’d try to write like that.

Soon there will be a video for the instrumental version of this track uploaded to YouTube and on here. The working title for my next YouTube video is Through The Motions.

The track was written and played on a Gameboy, an 80’s synth and my voice. Enjoy.

Engine Heart: Origin (Part 2)

Uploaded a new Engine Heart video. Part 2 of the ongoing web series. Watch Our Hero working his way through his ordeal. There are at least 3 more episodes to be created with the scope of creating another 3. I Tried to make the music match the video…it was quite tricky to do. Missing some moments but hitting others.

I’ve now gone back to animating using RPGMaker 2003. It takes a little longer to use but it’s just prettier overall!

Enjoy the below video.

Las Vegas Love

New video up! I’ve been using a different piece of software on Play. Led Animation Creator. (I quite like it and will have to let the authors know how good it is)

Video below. Wanna get back to the Engine Heart saga soon. Just got a few things I need to do first…

New Video: Get Home!

Hi all,

This new video took near enough a month to complete. A month! Far too long to complete. Even though I was using a brand new piece of software, Stencyl, I still think a month is FAR too long to wait to upload another video with music.

I think my next upload will just be another video but should not take 30 days to complete. I’m thinking light show! Something simple and pretty!

As ever, all the music and animation were done by me. So here it is in all its glory. Get Home! Enjoy.