chiptune | en

Chiptune is a style of electronic music where all sounds are created using computer or video game console sound chips. More recently, the term has also been used to describe music that sounds like genuine chip music but that is created using more advanced technology, such as software emulators.

Chips provide a small number of channels to work with, each creating a different sound wave. For example, the chip in the Nintendo Entertainment System has 5 channels: two pulse waves, one triangle wave, one white noise channel, and one DPCM channel which was also capable of pulse-code modulation (PCM) sound. Composers developed techniques to overcome limitations of the chips, such as using fast arpeggios to mimic chords.

Now that chiptunes can be emulated on more advanced technology, their creation has become more widespread into an underground culture of amateur composers. .