Chiptunes Galore: The C64’s Cheerful Soundtrack!

Commodore 64 microcomputer, 1982-1985 (personal computer)

The Commodore 64, or C64, was a popular home computer in the 1980s and early 1990s. It had an impressive sound chip that produced unique and recognizable chiptunes. These cheerful, bouncy tunes are still beloved by gamers and music enthusiasts alike. In this article, we’ll take a nostalgic journey back…

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Rocket Man [ Bitpop Chiptune] – Tribute to Elton John

Rocket Man [ Bitpop Chiptune ] – Tribute to Elton John – Made with C64 Driver/Samples & DAW (6 Channels)

I remade Elton’s “Club at the End of the Street” on Bitpop 6 and I’ve been wanting to do another one of his songs. Since the movie Rocketman has come out, it’s inspired me to SIDifiy this one.

Made with ♥
Gavin

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So Am I [ Bitpop Chiptune ] – Tribute to Ava Max

So Am I [ Bitpop Chiptune ] – Tribute to Ava Max – Made with C64 Driver/Samples & DAW (6 Channels)

It’s ok to be different, like a not so pure chiptune. 🙂

The lyrics of this song is something I can relate to:
Do you ever feel like an outcast?
You don’t have to fit into the format
Oh, but it’s okay to be different
It compelled me to do this song.

Made with ♥
Gavin

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Star Wars Cantina Band [ Bitpop Chiptune ] – Tribute to John Williams

Star Wars Cantina Band [ Bitpop Chiptune ] – Tribute to John Williams – Made with C64 Driver/Samples & DAW (6 Channels)

My cover of the Star Wars Cantina Band song has been influenced with a combination of the styles of Rob Hubbard, Fred Gray and Ben Daglish. They’re Some of my favourite Commodore 64 Maestro’s.

It’s all the usual people you think of when asked which C64 musicians are your favourite. Add Martin Galway and David Whittaker to the list, also.

This time I’m using multiple sound channels for layered trills and arpeggios, filters and some quirky wavetable modulations to try to make an alien sounding set of Cantina Band instruments.

Made with ♥
Gavin

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The Ecstasy of Gold [ Bitpop Chiptune ] – Tribute to Ennio Morricone

The Ecstasy of Gold [ Bitpop Chiptune ] – Tribute to Ennio Morricone – C64 Music Driver & Daw (6 Channels)

A classic theme from a totally classic movie. Not the main theme but I seem to be focusing on secondary themes that I feel, get overlooked.

Made with ♥
Gavin

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I’m On My Way [ Bitpop Chiptune ] – Tribute to The Proclaimers

Made with C64 Driver/Samples & DAW (6 Channels)

Not their #1 song, “500 Miles” as that would be two obvious. I sometimes like doing songs that I have a personal liking for in preference to songs of popular choice. This is one of those.

Made with ♥
Gavin

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Who’s Johnny? (Short Circuit) [ Bitpop Chiptune ] – Tribute to El DeBarge & Martin Galway

Made with C64 Driver/Samples & DAW (6 Channels)

Why am I doing this? Still? I think most fundamentally, that I enjoy stripping sounds back to their most fundamental elements that a home computer can generate and that is ‘single cycle waveforms’. Yes.

It might be more voices than what the C64 was capable of but its still the same fundamentals.

Again, Martin Galway was such a source of inspiration on this one. His cover of this El DeBarge song was amazing.

Made with ♥
Gavin

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Magnetic Fields IV – Yie Ar Kung Fu [ Bitpop Chiptune ] – Tribute to Jean Michel Jarre & Martin Galway

Magnetic Fields IV – Yie Ar Kung Fu [ Bitpop Chiptune ] – Tribute to Jean Michel Jarre & Martin Galway – Made with C64 Driver/Samples & DAW (6 Channels)

This piece of music was one of my favourites of Jean Michel Jarre from his Les Chants Magnétiques album. Then 4 years later, a friend and me made a tape-to-tape copy of this game using a stereo system inside our local Chandlers store in Caloundra. We would ask if we could load the game in store to have a look at it and while we had the tape, we’d pop it in one of their dual tape Hi-Fi systems and copy it onto a black tape that we had just bought in the store. Haha. Naughty boys.

Anyhow, I loved Martin Galway’s rendition of this music. Since I’m a huge fan of both Jean Michel Jarre and Martin Galway, I wanted to do my own six channel version of this song.

Made with ♥
Gavin

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Sweet Dreams [Bitpop/Chiptune] – Tribute to The Eurythmics

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) [Bitpop/Chiptune] – Tribute to The Eurythmics – Made with C64 Driver/Samples & DAW (6 Channels)

I’ve mentioned before that I’m a big fan of Annie Lennox. I couldn’t resist this song when it was suggested to me.

Made with ♥
Gavin

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Jessie’s Girl (feat. Taikan Liao)[Bitpop/Chiptune] – Tribute to Rick Springfield

Made with the sounds of the Commodore 64 – 6 Channels
A collaboration between Gavin Graham & Taikan Liao.

This is another one those classic early 80’s songs by Australian Singer/Songwriter , that gets the occasional revival. It’s been used in Boogie Nights and also in an episode of Glee.

It has been my (dis)pleasure to work again the the talented Taikan Liao on this song. Although it took a lot of time to get it right, Taikan has provided what is one of the best vocal performances I’ve heard.

Made with ♥ and the sounds of the Commodore 64
Gavin

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