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  • Joined: 21 Dec 2012
  • Posts: 5
  • Location: Muscatine, IA
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YM2612 music keyboard
Post Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 10:04 pm
Hi everyone, it's been a while.

I know this isn't exactly SMS related, but I'm there will be many here who will enjoy this.

I have been busy lately! While working to get my new company going, I started working on a project that was always something I dreamed of: A music keyboard with the Mega Drive chip.

After talking to the electronics guru Tiido (also known as TµEE or TmEE) he started pointing me in the directions of how digital electronics worked. I had ZERO experience with building anything. My most intense experiences with electronics until then were replacing capacitors and resistors here and there, but no knowledge whatsoever. But Tiido is a wonderful mentor, and he taught me the ways of the digital electrons, and the project building is a success!

I had the idea of recording videos of the progress and posting them as I went, but on my excitement to work on the product I turned out not spending the time to upload the videos which resulted on a massive 51GB of video accumulated.

A few days ago, I decided to upload them and I wanted to share with all of you. Game music has been something that always meant a lot to me, and really what fascinated me the most since I entered the 3rd generation with the Master System and then the Mega Drive.

But well I think I already told that story many times so I won't bother you.

Here's the link to the video and the playlist where they'll be popping up. If you find yourself wanting to follow it, do subscribe to my channel. :)

(I had to disable the URL links because the board doesn't let me post them. Please go to YouTube and search for my name (TulioAdriano) enter my channel and the playlist will be there. If any moderator or admin can help me out I appreciate.) ^^

Main features of the project are:

- Full fledged FM Synthesizer, complete graphic patch editing with real time response to the edits.
- 2 x YM2612 for a 12 channel polyphony, and not running out of channels for your 10 fingers.
- MIDI in and MIDI out support.
- External controllers through MIDI, should you need real piano keys or more octaves, including Key velocity, Pitch Bend and sustain pedal.
- Supports MIDI playback, including multi-timbral MIDIs, individual patch change, pitch bend, channel volume, key velocity, etc...
- Support VGM Playback through USB streaming when connected to a computer and a VGM player that is prepared to communicate with the synthesizer.
- That same protocol can be implemented in any music tracker for a real hardware sound testing. It could also be implemented in emulators for real sound output. (ValleyBell, Maxim, Hint! Hint!)

Future plans include:
- Built in VGM Player
- Importing instruments and building a sound bank from a VGM file.
- Ability to mute FM channels during VGM playback and play along with your favorite song.
- Built in Music Tracker (this one is for a very far distant future).

Hardware revision plans include
- Addition of more sound chips (PSG, other FM Chips, special chips).
- Make this addition modular, through expansion boards.
- A full plastic shell and piano keys.
- Open to (realistic) suggestions of the community.

I hope you enjoy building this dream with me.

See you later! :)
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  • Joined: 21 Aug 2012
  • Posts: 363
  • Location: Berlin, Germany
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Post Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 10:52 pm
Hi Tulio!

Sounds like a very exciting project and I wish you all the best of success with it. It´s too much complicated stuff for my little brain *lol* but like I know you, the final result will be awesome.

Cheers,
Marco
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  • Joined: 19 Oct 1999
  • Posts: 14687
  • Location: London
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Post Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2016 6:49 am
Video Game Music Keyboard:
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  • Joined: 21 Dec 2012
  • Posts: 5
  • Location: Muscatine, IA
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Post Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2016 3:21 pm
Thanks for the link Maxim. You should know that I have a constant tab in my browser open on your YM2612 page, since the times when I was building Pier Solar. :D

And thanks Marco for the words of encouragement.

New videos are being posted daily so please come, watch, comment. :D

All the best!
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  • Joined: 21 Dec 2012
  • Posts: 5
  • Location: Muscatine, IA
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Post Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2016 8:57 pm
It's been a while I don't update this thread, so here is the last video.

The last update shows how it's possible to create a sound bank from a VGM file. This allow anyone to play music with the sounds from their favorite classic songs, as well as modifying them to make new cooler sounds. Endless possibilities!



You can also check here for the full playlist showing the construction of the YMK from scratch:


And here is a playlist with songs playing on the YMK, including Bridge Zone from Sonic 1 for SMS, and songs from SNES:


Comments, questions, feedback is always welcome!

All the best!
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