Real time audio effects on NES channels

BenjaminCS · Post by **BenjaminCS** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 8:28 am

I would like to apply real time audio effects to each sound channel from NSF files. I use Cubase, the digital audio workstation, and I would like to apply any VST effect that Cubase can use (chorus, reverb etc) to each of the NES channels, just as the NSF is being played.

The best would be a VST instrument which plays NSF files, but I haven't found anything like that.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Post by **tepples** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 9:56 am

Is there a VST instrument that plays Winamp input plug-ins?

neilbaldwin · Post by **neilbaldwin** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 11:45 am

First off, I'd be curious why you'd want to do this.

But to solve your problem, why not just record each voice of the NSF into cubase and apply as many effects as you like? Might have to do some manual lining up of the tracks but if you're a Cubase user you should be able to do that in your sleep.

BenjaminCS · Post by **BenjaminCS** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 11:20 pm

I haven't found any VST which accepts winamp plugins but it would have to be special in order to redirect NES channels through different paths so that individual effects can be applied. Of course I could record each channel and apply offline effects but I want to just play with effects on any NSF from a big folder in real time.

Actually I have found that applying real time effects to the finished music, not to individual channels, is good enough. Since I have redirected all Windows sounds through Cubase, any VST can be applied to it in real time, and only applying a basic chorus to a NES soundtrack can produce great effects. It's not channel-specific but it works nicely anyway.

Thanks.

EDIT: I'll also try the NSF to MIDI converters I remember seeing on Zophar, could be fun hearing NES music played with different instruments. Although it's too bad I haven't found any real time NSF to MIDI converter, which could output to any MIDI port that Cubase could input from.

frantik · Post by **frantik** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 5:31 am

the "stereo" mod for real NES hardware would give you two channels, but you'd need a modded NES and a powerpak.

if you're adventurous you might be able to get more than 2 outputs, i havent really looked at how it works

Shiru · Post by **Shiru** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 5:56 am

There are two separate outputs on the chip - one for two pulse channels and another for triangle/noise/DMC, that's why the stereo mod is possible. It is all you can do with real NES.

Kiokuffiib11@Yahoo.com · Fri Jan 21, 2011 11:15 am

BenjaminCS wrote:I haven't found any VST which accepts winamp plugins but it would have to be special in order to redirect NES channels through different paths so that individual effects can be applied. Of course I could record each channel and apply offline effects but I want to just play with effects on any NSF from a big folder in real time.

Actually I have found that applying real time effects to the finished music, not to individual channels, is good enough. Since I have redirected all Windows sounds through Cubase, any VST can be applied to it in real time, and only applying a basic chorus to a NES soundtrack can produce great effects. It's not channel-specific but it works nicely anyway.

Thanks.

EDIT: I'll also try the NSF to MIDI converters I remember seeing on Zophar, could be fun hearing NES music played with different instruments. Although it's too bad I haven't found any real time NSF to MIDI converter, which could output to any MIDI port that Cubase could input from.

Actually there is an NSF to Midi converter. It's actually called NSF2Midi (Ironically). Though it seems to play the channels as Piano. But it might help you.

Shiru · Post by **Shiru** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 12:02 am

Topic starter needs real time, all the NSF to MIDI converters are offline.

Kiokuffiib11@Yahoo.com · Sat Jan 22, 2011 12:24 am

If you E-mail me at Kiokuffiib11@Yahoo.com and put the subject as NSF2Mid, I'll gladly send you it.

Shiru · Post by **Shiru** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 2:09 am

Real time means the utility should play NSF file in real time, converting it to MIDI stream on fly, without creating a MIDI file. Offline means the utility take a file and creates another file - all the nsf2midi and other ulilites of this kind works this way.

Kiokuffiib11@Yahoo.com · Sat Jan 22, 2011 9:26 am

Shiru wrote:Real time means the utility should play NSF file in real time, converting it to MIDI stream on fly, without creating a MIDI file. Offline means the utility take a file and creates another file - all the nsf2midi and other ulilites of this kind works this way.

Oh oops! I didn't catch the real time part!