Chipophone is the chiptune organ that you've always wanted
By Richard Lai 
posted July 23rd 2010 8:09PM
posted July 23rd 2010 8:09PM
posted July 23rd 2010 8:09PM
A look back on popular stories from today in a specific year.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
Uggg, will this musical gimmick ever end?
@Shalabi
You're right, the genre of music that contains basically every great major sound track for classic games is a gimmick.....
/s
@Shalabi
Musical gimmick? Why do people get tired of those who choose to spend their time doing something they enjoy that ends up producing something pretty cool.
@Leachpunk
Also, did I say that was pretty awesome.
@Shalabi
more background music for engadget videos.
@Arcticpenguins
Yeah, the music sounds good....but can he play the themes for Chip's Challenge?
I am AMAZED! Amazed that he had both the time and the know-how to complete a project like this. And, even more amazed that he's wearing a wedding ring.
@jamalekai I believe that's a purity ring or maybe some toy Zelda ring.
The video was cool but it was downhill after the Mario song. Not many tunes that I recall. Still, I'm very much appreciate the achievement in paying homage to some of the best sound designs ever made.
Modern games just don't put enough effort into this area. You look at major franchises like Little Big Planet and then jump to the new Donkey Kong. The impact the sound has is like night and day:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMhEs78Zix8
Even if modern phone games went back to these 8-bit roots, it would be a start.
@Shalabi
I wouldn't call it any more of a gimmick than any particular musical instrument (or keyboard setting based on a more traditional instrument for example).
Here you get some very interesting things done with sound like the extremely rapid arpeggio on chords which were invented by the video game industry but don't have an equivalent in other instruments or normal synthesizers.
I will buy this off him. How does $5 sound?
@MatthewCurr If you would convert it to Galactic Credits, i would gladly take it. I need money to build another Deathstar and get another lightsaber. I even had to rob an Earth bank yesterday for money, something which i am not proud of
@Lord Vader Ah yes, I heard about that. Did you have to sell your light saber due to small funds?
@MatthewCurr (bows head in shame) Yes
Vader bowing to someone else?
hahahahahahhahaha!
@Lord Vader I knew it was you... anyway, you will be up ranked!!
Here is your pic:
http://gothamist.com/2010/07/22/darth_vader_robs_bank_photos_oh_yes.php
@Lord Vader
OMG, there he is!
*Calling the police....
@Lord Vader I'M LAUGHING MY ASS OFF.. EPIC COMMENT!!!!!
I thought I read Chipotle and got excited
@sydcinema Same.
He's a witch, he stole the music from my childhood and now it's coming from his fingers. BUUURRRNEM!!!!! WITCH!!!
This dude is my hero.
Sounds very good. This guy has awesome piano/keyboard skills, and a odd 80"s music theme taste ;)
@Tash
and an odd 80's fashion taste...or at least the slightest resemblance to Anthony Michael Hall...sort of.
maybe something is lost in translation... that is not what an arpeggio is.
@Muppethero um, it is.
he's pushing two keys at the same time and the synthesizer plays the tones between them one at a time very quickly. which is essentially an arpeggio (where you take a chord but you play each note separately)...
.jawdrop. at tetris music!
i bet lots more people would attend church services if the organists could drop sick beats...
@brett LMFAO xDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
@brett If Carlsberg did church services....
SO much awesomeness! I just relived my childhood!
I feel warm and fuuuuzzzzzyyyyy.
Man and 1960s Organ Make 1980s 8bit Video Game System Music Obsolete.
@huh Don't get me wrong, there's something going on in that music.
sooo awesome- I want one!
That dude's pinky toe is smarter than my whole family.
Put this in the hands of Ethan Kath from Crystal Castles NOW.
Grabs jar of 1985 slugs....
Where's the coin-slot on that thing?!?!
Needs more mario music!
At first I kind of have to wonder "Why?" - You could far more easily do this sort of thing with a software synth and MIDI controllers. But still, this is the coolest thing I've seen all week. It brings back a healthy dose of nostalgia to hear these old tunes again - this guy is pretty amazing in so many ways!
@cwalters74 As cool as this is, I hope he's not trollin... if this is legit, it's a beautiful mod, but the sound of the organ and the sound of the mic just doesnt sound right.
Nerdery at its best.
@Caullen The mic sounds horrible, so maybe he recorded that over.
@shadmed you can hear the organ in some of the loop parts when he is talking over it. I think he was probably recording from a line out on the organ and went to that audio only when he wasn't talking. It matches up well with the MegaMan music so it seems legit for me.
wow holy crap!!! some nerds never cease to amaze me and this one of them...I can't imagine he spent all this time creating something like this... awesome absolutely awesome! And yes I agree about the wedding ring but it could be hes married to another lady nerd and the have wonderful life together!
I want this so much, even if I'll probably be too ashamed to actually use it.
Arnt we just looking at a couple of midi keyboards, a couple of custom midi controlers rigged to a softsynth?
@bigsofty Yes, I have a friend who is currently building his third "organ" like this one. He buys the old organs the Goodwill or Salvation Army stores. Then he converts them. But this guy is "cool" for some reason.
Nerds have lives and talents. Humans are so amazing.
The virtual pipe organ (vpo) community has been doing this for years. MIDI equipped home organs are a dime a dozen on Craigslist. Literally plug and play with any synth you want including Mogue, Arp, etc. This is a lot of work for a limited configuration when the same thing can be configured in a couple of hours or so via MIDI.
@CallDon It's not only about the organ/synth, but the guy is actally able to play also. The combination is awesome.
@Denus .. There would be no point in building one unless you could play it! Every person I know who has built one was a player. Serious, there are dozens of YouTube videos of them, and of guys playing game themes! With all due respect to this guy, this is not really unique at all.