Slashdot Mirror
PS2 Music Software With USB Sampler Planned
Thanks to Gamespot for pointing out that there's a USB sampler/microphone forthcoming for your Playstation 2. This add-on to the Music 3000 music creation software will be retail-released in Europe in July, according to developer Jester Interactive's forums, following the European release of Music 3000 itself a few days ago. There's no word yet on a US date for either game or sampler add-on, but as Music 2000 was released in the States as MTV Music Generator 2, a release seems likely. (Incidentally, there was a rare USB sampler add-on for MTV Music Generator 2, but it was only available in very limited numbers via publisher Codemasters.)
you can go to Guitar Center and buy a cheap omni and royalty-free sample discs, an Audigy or Santa Cruz, and pick up a copy of Impulse Tracker, Buzz, or whatever.
Plus you can burn CDs of your heinous creations.
Why exactly is this news for nerds? Whom among you: is reading Slashdot right now, and doesn't have the means to pick up a cheap mic, some sounds effects, and download free tracking software?
So it exists for the PS2: big whoop. It's like when Mario Paint came out for the SNES and there was a mouse.
HOLY SHIT LIKE THAT HADN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE!!!11!!
THIS THING CAN TURN ON A DIME, MACROSSZERO STYLE ALSO FUCK BETA, ~NYORON
Fort the Japanese audience.... KARAOKE versions of your favourite games... imagine a guy on a stage, half drunk, singing W00t w00t! Boy, life can be fun for crazy people...
I used to own MTV Music Generator for the PSX. I made some phat tunes on it I played at a party and everybody loved it. The only problem was that I had to lug around my PSX and had to have a TV to load the music but I connected the audio cables to the reciever for great sound quality. I was able to get the tunes onto an audio tape but the quality was worse than my mono TV speaker. After I traded in the game I found out there was a PC version. So I bought that and recreated the riffs on my PC. The PC version also had the capability of converting the file into wave format so that I can burn it onto a CD. I was able to convert one of my songs from .wav into .mp3.
I have yet to get part 2 but since part 3 will include that device I will get that instead.
Anything that takes technology and places it in the hands of more people is good. On the PS2, I don't have to worry about OS issues, DLL incompatibilies, drivers, etc, etc. All I worry about is knowing the interface to the program, which should be easy to figure out on the standard game controller.
:)
Often times the programs you mention cost a lot of money, too, because they're "music" programs (kinda like how slapping "photography" on a chemical bucket makes it 50$ more expensive). If it's released for the console, chances are it'll be a bit less expensive
--
Internet Explorer (n): Another bug -- that is, a feature that can't be turned off -- in Windows.
Right now, there's Jester Interactive's MTV Music Generator for PSOne that plays on PS2, MTV Music Generator 2 for PS2 (as mentioned in article), and Music Maker by Magix. All are currently available, but I believe Music Maker (MSRP $10!) is the only one still being published.
THE MTVMGs are extremely versatile and easy to use. The second one suffers from less varied riffs and a counter-intuitive down-scrolling interface that is not like sheet music. The reason for this interface (and these are guesses) is either some sort of patent or they wanted to show you as many tracks as possible on screen. The MTVMGs allow you to resample everything, which makes it versatile, but I'll have to admit the riff editor is hard to use.
Magix software also has a hard-to-use riff editor, but it only lets you resample it's basic instruments. Otherwise, it's a more powerful riff editor with interesting features like random music. For this very reason, Music Maker is inferior on PS2 to MTVMG. However, ten bucks is all I need to know.
Both series have video editing. Magix software is easier, but eats up your memory quickly. Jester's is very hard to use, but the samples on the disk are quite good. Still, repeating those samples from scratch is another matter. Both series have the worst documentation on video editing. It'll take a lot of time to figure out, but it's not worth it.
The thing I miss most in MTVMG2 is the CD player. Please bring it back, Jester. What it would do is generate random video that would interact with different triggers from the music on the CD. It doesn't work on the PC version at all, BTW--instead is just an on-screen kaliedoscope of a few effects.
All that aside, you can also buy Harmonix titles Frequency and Amplitude. Why? Though mostly a game, you can remix the tracks with some fair results.
When you're done with your tracks, hook the audio up to a PC or MP3 recorder and rip your tracks. An adapter from L/R stereo to stereo headphone and stereo patch cord (both for under $20 total) should do it. I use my Archos Jukebox.
I'm looking forware to MTVMG3. However, I'm probably not getting the sampler because I have no desire to subject people to my own vocals. However, I will be getting Konami's Karaoke Revolution when it comes out, so the world isn't safe.
MTV Music Gen 2 is what got me into creating my own music. Yes, there are better programs based on the PC out there with a wider range of samples -- but Music2k got me started with everything I needed in one 50 dollar package, without having to purchase additional loop libraries or hardware. Only extra I got was the optional sampler, so I could import some loops (not my horrible singing) into my music.
It might make a good tool for teaching kids the basics of music -- while it can't do classical compositions, it's great for learning the basics of verse / chorus / verse and music structure, as well as how various elements such as rhythm, bass and melody work together. Might inspire a kid to go and get a real instrument, or produce more extensive compositions using a more professional tool like Acid Music.
Cafe Press first CD available for purchase is by MeepMeep. I can tell from experience that the tracks were made with MTV Music Generator. So it may not be for a serious musician, but it's out there and people are publishing with it.