Tiffany Haney
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit video game console released in 1983 and features five sound channels: two pulse wave, one triangle wave, one white noise, and one sample channel. While the NES does not natively support stereo sound or sound panning, creative players have found ways to modify their consoles to output stereo audio by tapping into the separate sound channels before they are mixed together. This allows for a wider soundstage and the ability to pan certain sounds to the left or right, enhancing the overall audio experience. Additionally, the SNES, the successor to the NES, introduced more advanced audio capabilities, including stereo panning, which allowed for more dynamic and immersive sound design in video games.
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What You'll Learn
NES has 5 sound channels
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) has 5 sound channels: 2 pulse wave, 1 triangle wave, 1 white noise, and 1 sample channel. These sounds are generated directly from within the NES' CPU, a modified 6502 processor. From two pins on the CPU come these sound channels, the two pulse channels on one, and the rest on the other. They then get mixed together and go to the Audio jack and RF modulator of the NES.
The pulse channels may be affected by AEG decay or release, but not both. When applying AEG decay or release, it must be applied to both. Set AEG response to exponential (negative values for AEG1 Depth and AEG2 Depth). The triangle wave generator is typically used for basses and does not allow for decay to be applied. Its triangle waveform was "stepped", adding some overtones. This can be emulated by using the bit crusher. The noise generator is easily simulated by using a single noise oscillator on OSC1 or OSC2. Use the Sample and Hold setting to change the flavour of the noise.
Emulating the two pulse channels is accomplished by putting a square wave oscillator on OSC1 and OSC2 and setting the algorithm to ring modulation. The pulse width (duty cycle) can be selected by modifying the phase start of one of the oscillators. NES duty cycles are Phase Start 4, 8, 16, and 24. Use 0 or 32 for full square waves.
In most NES games, sound effects have priority over music because a short sound effect stopping a channel from playing for less than a second usually goes unnoticed.
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Stereo sound on NES
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was the number one video game console in the world from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. While the console does not natively support stereo sound, it is possible to modify the console to enable stereo audio output.
NES games do not make use of stereo effects, as the audio output is in mono. The NES has five sound channels: two pulse wave, one triangle wave, one white noise, and one sample channel. These sound channels are generated directly from within the NES's CPU, a modified 6502 processor. The channels are then mixed and sent to the Audio jack and RF modulator of the NES.
To achieve stereo sound, the two channels can be separated before they are mixed into one. This can be done by soldering wires to specific pins on the NES motherboard. The left channel can be mapped to the leftmost pin, while the pin to the right carries the audio signal from channels 2, 3, and 4, which can be mapped to the right channel.
Some users have also recommended the use of additional components such as potentiometers, capacitors, and RCA jacks to enhance the stereo sound experience. It is important to note that modifying the NES requires soldering skills and a basic understanding of electronics.
Additionally, it is worth mentioning that most NES emulators default to stereo output, and users have reported a noticeable difference in audio quality when comparing emulators with native mono audio output on an actual NES console.
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Sound effects vs music
Sound effects and music are both integral components of audio-visual media, but they serve distinct purposes and are created and utilised in different ways.
Sound effects, or audio effects, are artificially created or enhanced sounds designed to emphasise specific elements or creative points within a film, television show, video game, or other form of media. They are often used to tell a story or convey a particular emotion without relying on dialogue or music. The term "sound effect" dates back to the early days of radio, with the BBC's 1931 Year Book featuring an article emphasising their importance in broadcasting. Sound effects can be categorised into several types, including design sound effects, which are sounds that do not occur naturally and are used to suggest futuristic technology or create emotional moods. Foley is a technique used to create incidental real-world sounds, such as footsteps, by recreating the onscreen action as closely as possible.
Music, on the other hand, is a sequence of notes and melodies that evoke emotions and enhance the overall atmosphere of a scene or game level. In video games, music is typically encoded and interpreted by audio drivers, which also handle sound effects. These audio drivers can vary in features and the way composers write music for them. Some support streaming, allowing new sample data or music sequences to be provided during gameplay.
In terms of production, sound effects are often created using Foley techniques, where real-world sounds are recreated to match the onscreen action. This can include footsteps, doorknobs turning, or tires squealing. In video games, sound effects are created using code and formulas, with each enemy or object given its own code to generate unique sounds.
When it comes to prioritisation, sound effects and music interact in interesting ways. In most NES games, sound effects typically take priority over music, with the two sometimes competing for audio channels. Sound effects may cancel out the music, and in some cases, the music doesn't resume until a new note is played. This can be less noticeable than immediately restarting the music after a sound effect ends.
In conclusion, while both sound effects and music are essential to creating immersive and engaging audio-visual experiences, they serve distinct purposes and are crafted using different techniques. Sound effects focus on enhancing specific moments or conveying emotions, while music provides a continuous atmospheric backdrop. The interplay between these two elements can greatly influence the overall impact of a scene or gameplay experience.
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Audio drivers
An audio driver is a program that handles playing music and sound effects for a game running on a game console. In a SNES game, music is encoded into a sequence of notes that an audio driver interprets, keeping track of timers to start and stop notes at the right times. The SNES has a dedicated processor for running audio drivers (the S-SMP). The main program running on the 65c816 communicates with the audio driver on the S-SMP to play sound effects, switch songs, and perform other tasks.
The Terrific Audio Driver, for example, plays songs written with MML and provides its own MML editor, allowing composers to preview music while working on it. It can play music on all eight music channels, with two channels interrupted as needed for sound effects. Each sound effect can be limited to playing on one channel at a time so that frequently played sound effects do not take up both channels. Additionally, each sound effect can be marked as uninterruptible, ensuring that sounds like voice samples are guaranteed to play to completion. It also includes a priority system, allowing background effects like footsteps and water droplets to be interrupted.
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SNES sound chip
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), also known as the Super Nintendo, Super NES, or Super Famicom, was a 16-bit home video game console released by Nintendo in the early 1990s. It offered improved graphics and sound capabilities compared to its predecessor, the 8-bit NES, and other 16-bit competitors in the market.
The SNES's advanced sound capabilities were made possible by its dedicated sound chip, known as the SPC 700 or S-SMP audio subsystem. This sound chip was designed by Ken Kutaragi, an engineer at Sony, and it played a significant role in shaping the future of both Sony and Nintendo in the video game industry.
The SPC 700 chip was a result of a unique collaboration between Sony and Nintendo. Kutaragi, disappointed with the sound quality of his daughter's Famicom, secretly developed the SPC 700 chip without Sony's knowledge. He then pitched the chip to Sony, who eventually agreed to present it to Nintendo. Nintendo was impressed by the chip's advanced capabilities and decided to use it in the SNES.
The S-SMP audio subsystem consisted of a 16-bit digital signal processor (DSP) for mixing sample sequences, an 8-bit SPC700 CPU to drive the DSP, and 64 KB of dedicated memory (PSRAM). It was clocked at a nominal 24.576 MHz in both NTSC and PAL systems and was capable of stereo sound. The SNES supported stereo sound, and some games even offered surround sound options, providing an immersive audio experience for players.
The SNES's sound chip and audio capabilities were a significant upgrade from the NES era, where sound effects and music competed for limited channels, often resulting in sound effects cancelling out the music. With the SPC 700 chip, SNES games could offer a richer and more dynamic audio experience, enhancing the overall gameplay.
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Frequently asked questions
The NES does not support stereo effects, but you can get stereo sound by taking the two channels before they get mixed into one.
You can separate the two channels by connecting wires to the two pins on the CPU from which the sound channels come. You can then plug these into the stereo amplifier.
You can connect an Electrolytic Capacitor to the two new sound lines to protect the NES hardware from power surges or shorts. You can also buy gold-plated RCA jacks to connect RCA cables to the outside of the NES.
