HardSID 4 me

0m.debree • 16th Jul 2008 • Uncategorized • commodore 64, music

I got my HardSID 4u! What is it? It’s a black box with a USB cable and it doesn’t do anything… that is, it doesn’t do anything until you put some SID chips in.

The SID chip is the sound module from the legendary Commodore 64 home computer, which owes a big part of it’s legendary status to that particular chip. Of course it sounds terribly retro nowadays but there are still many people who can value that particular SID sound.

The HardSID 4u can hold a maximum of 4(!) of these chips and is typically used for things like:

• Playing Commodore 64 tunes on the original soundchip, but using your PC.
• Composing new Commodore 64 tunes (it’s being done more than you would imagine!)
• Creating retro sounds and effects in modern music production.

With it comes a VSTi that you can use in your favourite VST host. I’m using Renoise, which is still giving me some headaches because of timing issues… but it’s cool to have the old sound at your fingertips in a contemporary setup.

I’m glad I stored up some old Commodore 64′s in the attic; the minute I got my HardSID 4u I was able to fill it up with 4 genuine SID chips (3x 6581 and 1x 8085). Now all I have to do is think up some retro-style tunes…