EQUIPMENT
	The original music was made using an Atari 520st with the midi software Pro-
The original music was made using an Atari 520st with the midi software Pro- 24 by Steinberg. The computer had 2 built in midi ports which I connected my
24 by Steinberg. The computer had 2 built in midi ports which I connected my synth and drum machine to. I bought the Yamaha DS55 FM-synth which was released in 1988 and had 4 op with only 8 voices of polyphony which was pretty limiting. So if
synth and drum machine to. I bought the Yamaha DS55 FM- synth which was released in 1988 and had 4 op with only 8 voices of polyphony which was pretty limiting. So if you for
example played a chord on one channel you had only 5 voices left for the others. That made the music
you for example played a chord on one channel you had only 5 voices left for the others. That made the music a bit minimalistic becuse of that. Not like nowdays where we do everything on the computer, with access to more channels and instruments than many times needed. You can almost do anything. The high end synthezisers back then could offer more channels and possibilties, but they were too expensive for a beginner like me. So to begin with, it was good enough. For drums		a bit minimalistic becuse of that. Not like nowdays where we do everything on the computer, with access to more channels and instruments than many times needed. You can almost do anything. The high end synthezisers back then could offer more channels and possibilties, but they were too expensive for a beginner like me. So to begin with, it was good enough.
	I bought a Yamaha RX11 drum machine which was fully digital with PCM based samples. It was released in 1984.		For drums I bought a Yamaha RX11 drum machine which was fully digital with PCM based samples. It was released in 1984. I found out much later that this model was actually used by Erasure for the album wonderland. So
I found out much later that this model was actually used by Erasure for the album wonderland. So that's pretty cool. It had 16 pads and 39 sounds that you could tweak the sounds on. It had a swing function too, but at the time I didn't use it. I guess it was just a lack of knowledge. So now I needed a mixer to route the output audio signal to from the two instruments. So I got hold of a brand I don't remember the name of, and I've really tried to find out, by doing an extensive search on internet with no luck. So there is no picture of the mixer. But it was a simple 5 channel dj-mixer with two VU meters and a few knobs. But it filled it's		that's pretty cool. It had 16 pads and 39 sounds that you could tweak the sounds on. It had a swing function too, but at the time I didn't use it. I guess it was just a lack of knowledge. So now I needed a mixer to route the output audio signal to from the two instruments. So I got hold of a brand I don't remember the name of, and I've really tried to find out, by doing an extensive search on internet with no luck. So there is no picture of the mixer. But it was a simple 5 channel dj-mixer with two VU meters and a few knobs. But it filled it's function.
	function. The synth had a built in delay effect, but it wasn't	The synth had a built in delay effect, but it wasn't good enough, so I bought the Boss RDD-20 which sounded great, but
good enough, so I bought the Boss RDD-20 which sounded great, but I had to sync it manually to the song by adjusting the range and the fine knob. Today we take auto sync for granted. The reverb I used		I had to sync it manually to the song by adjusting the range and the fine knob. Today we take auto sync for granted. The
was an Alesis microverb II which was very good and affordable. It had large to small hall/		reverb I used was an Alesis microverb II which was very good and affordable. It had large to small hall/room reverb and also gated reverb which was a common effect to use in the 80's music.
room reverb and also gated reverb which was a common effect to use in the 80's music. Especially on the snare drum. I then recorded my music on to a Vector		Especially on the snare drum. I then recorded my music on to
	research cassette deck with dolby B or C for noise reduction. It also had a VU meter and	a Vector research cassette deck with dolby B or C for noise reduction. It also had a VU meter and a control for the incoming recording volume. And that setting varied based on the type of
a control for the incoming recording volume. And that setting varied based on the type of tape you used. Myself, I used chrome tapes which was the second best after metal tapes at the time.		tape you used. Myself, I used chrome tapes which was the second best after metal tapes at the time.

	HISTORY
	Needless to say, my inspiration came from the synth pop and synth music at the time period. The	Needless to say, my inspiration came from the synth pop and synth music at the time period. The 80's music is something that even todays young generation appreciate. So, I was listening
80's music is something that even todays young generation appreciate. So I was listening very carefully to other artists songs to get an idea of how they were structured. Today you have the advantage of having almost unlimited access to information and tutorials on how to create music thanks to internet. But I had to do it by trial and error because I didn't want to pay for an education. It was only a hobby of mine and stubborn as I am, I wanted to figure it out for myself. To this date I have no musical education and I can't read music notes so I go by ear to hear if it sounds right. I have always loved listening to music and keeping up with the latest. But making music myself, first caught my interest when I was a teenager and my father bought me the Commodore 64 around 1984. I was mainly learning to code or play games on it in the beginning. But then I came a cross a software for making music and I was hooked. But it took me until 1988 before I could afford to buy the equipment I needed to get enough quality and channels to build a song. And 3		very carefully to other artists songs to get an idea of how they were structured. Today you have the advantage of having almost unlimited access to information and tutorials on how to create music thanks to internet. But I had to do it by trial and error because I didn't want to pay for an education. It was only a hobby of mine and stubborn as I am, I wanted to figure it out for myself. To this date I have no musical education and I can't read music notes so I go by ear to hear if it sounds right. I have always loved listening to music and keeping up with the latest. But making music myself, first caught my interest when I was a teenager and my father bought me the Commodore 64 around 1984. I was mainly learning to code or play games on it in the beginning. But then I came a cross a software for making music and I was hooked. But it took me until 1988 before I could afford to buy the equipment I needed to get enough quality and channels to build a song. And 3 months
months later I fini- shed my first song. It took some time because I was still learning the basics. I remember building		later I finished my first song. It took some time because I was still learning the basics. I remember building a loop and then delete it and do this over and over again. And that's what I basically did for all that time before I managed to finish
a loop and then delete it and do this over and over again. And that's what I basically did for all that time before I managed to finish a whole song. I could come up with a loop with all the instruments but I struggled to move forward with the arrangement. So it was definitely a learning curve but it was fun. I was influenced by many artists and genres at the time. To mention a few, I would say, Erasure, Yazoo, Depeche mode, Koto and much more. But also classical and film music too. Some of my friends have suggested that I put up the original songs, but the sound quality is just too bad. That's because of the degradation of the tapes over time until i finally made a digital recording from them around 1998. You can sometimes also hear the music vary from one ear to the other. I just keep them on my computer for sentimental value. So to make justice to the original when I did the remake, I tried to use the same, or as close to the same instruments that I could. I didn't want to use layering of instruments to make it sound bigger, instead I wanted to have the same limitations on the number of instruments that I had back then. But I've used modern effect plugins to enhance the sound. The main goal is a noise-free and clear quality that you can get from a modern recording		a whole song. I could come up with a loop with all the instruments but I struggled to move forward with the arrangement. So it was definitely a learning curve but it was fun. I was influenced by many artists and genres at the time. To mention a few, I would say, Erasure, Yazoo, Depeche mode, Koto and much more. But also classical and film music too. Some of my friends have suggested that I put up the original songs, but the sound quality is just too bad. That's because of the degradation of the tapes over time until i finally made a digital recording from them around 1998. You can sometimes also hear the music vary from one ear to the other. I just keep them on my computer for sentimental value. So to make justice to the original when I did the remake, I tried to use the same, or as close to the same instruments that I could. I didn't want to use layering of instruments to make it sound bigger, instead I wanted to have the same limitations on the number of instruments that I had back then. But I've used modern effect plugins to enhance the sound. The main goal is a noise- free and clear quality that you can get from a modern
	and that's it. The synth I use is called Dexed and it's a free vst plugin. It's a very good emulation of the Yamaha DX7. There is also the old FM7 or	recording and that's it. The synth I use is called Dexed and it's a free vst plugin. It's a very good emulation of the Yamaha DX7. There is also the old FM7 or FM8 from Native instruments that can actually read soundbanks from my old hardware synth and that's what I tried to use initi-
FM8 from Native instruments that can actually read soundbanks from my old hardware synth and that's what I tried to use initially but there was a big issue with stability and compatibility because it's an old software. The drums I use are original samples from the Yamaha RX11 and the DAW is Cubase. You will have songs that are both vocal and instrumental and the genre will vary a bit. Because the music here is from the early years when I started out, I like to put it out there just for fun and for free! The songs on this site will start from 1988 and will eventually stretch to 1996 when all the remakes are finished. I do a remake little now and then, when I don't have any new project going on. Enjoy!		ally but there was a big issue with stability and compatibility because it's an old software.The drums I use are original samples from the Yamaha RX11 and the DAW is Cubase. You will have songs that are both vocal and instrumental and the genre will vary a bit. Because the music here is from the early years when I started out, I like to put it out there just for fun and for free! The songs on this site will start from 1988 and will eventually stretch to 1996 when all the remakes are finished. I do a remake little now and then, when I don't have any new project going on. Enjoy!