Retro Video Game Music

[Polygon]

I'm starting a retro game YouTube channel and I would like to have retro game music playing in the background. Countless channels on YouTube do this as well and I was wondering where they might be getting it. I know of some sources but they require a special plugin for Winamp to play it. Do you know of any good sources that have it in a more mainstream format?

[Sysop]

By any chance are you referring to something like this playlist? (vip.aersia.net/vip.swf)

[Polygon]

I suppose, well sort of. I only want original stuff though. None of this remix stuff. Also, there's a lot of modern stuff in there. Perhaps I'm going to have to just capture them from the games myself.

[Aussie2B]

Well, if you want music as mp3s or wavs, then you can look into rips of official soundtracks, but they're not necessarily going to sound exactly like the in-game music, not every game got a soundtrack, and you're on your own for finding sites that host them because sharing the links would be the equivalent of linking to ROM sites. If you want the music exactly as it is in a cartridge game, you really are best off using the nsf, spc, gym, gbs, etc. formats. They may not be mainstream as far as what the average computer user knows, but they're very mainstream, widely known and used formats among those who like game music.

[SOL BADGUY]

I have programs that rip videos fro myoutube to my computer and some allow mp3 files too, theres also sites where you put in a youtube url and you can get an mp3 file. People upload videos with a title screen and just the music playing so its easy to get music that way.

[Polygon]

Well, if you want music as mp3s or wavs, then you can look into rips of official soundtracks, but they're not necessarily going to sound exactly like the in-game music, not every game got a soundtrack, and you're on your own for finding sites that host them because sharing the links would be the equivalent of linking to ROM sites. If you want the music exactly as it is in a cartridge game, you really are best off using the nsf, spc, gym, gbs, etc. formats. They may not be mainstream as far as what the average computer user knows, but they're very mainstream, widely known and used formats among those who like game music.

Yeah, I want it to sound like it original composition. I actually have a lot of the music downloaded in said formats. I suppose I could always try but I'm just assuming that any video editing software I use won't recognize those formats. I guess I could also Google it, but I don't know of a way to convert into a usable format it either.


I have programs that rip videos fro myoutube to my computer and some allow mp3 files too, theres also sites where you put in a youtube url and you can get an mp3 file. People upload videos with a title screen and just the music playing so its easy to get music that way.

Hmm... I suppose that's always an option.

[Daltone]

Would you not just boot up the ROM of choice. Go to the music test / main screen / Level of choice. Load up Audacity, set it so that it records from your soundcard. Hit record, snip the bits you don't want or fade them in, save as whatever?

Edit: Sorry, I think you'll need the LAME MP3 encoder to save as an mp3, but I can't remember off the top of my head. Anyway, Google it.

[Polygon]

Would you not just boot up the ROM of choice. Go to the music test / main screen / Level of choice. Load up Audacity, set it so that it records from your soundcard. Hit record, snip the bits you don't want or fade them in, save as whatever?

Edit: Sorry, I think you'll need the LAME MP3 encoder to save as an mp3, but I can't remember off the top of my head. Anyway, Google it.

I guess that's an option as well. That never really came to mind because I don't really like emulation. I actually use LAME already for all my audio encoding. I'll have to try this out.

[Daltone]

I guess that's an option as well. That never really came to mind because I don't really like emulation. I actually use LAME already for all my audio encoding. I'll have to try this out.

Ok, take a line from the headphone jack in your TV to the Mic In on your computer. Bob's your uncle, Fanny's your aunt.

(Edit: obviously, point the recorder at the line in!)

[Polygon]

Perhaps I'm going to have to just capture them from the games myself.


Ok, take a line from the headphone jack in your TV to the Mic In on your computer. Bob's your uncle, fanny's your aunt.

Not a bad idea either, but I beat you to it. I was trying to avoid that since it is kind of a PITA by comparison. It would be nice to find a soft solution. If I can't by next weekend this will be what I have to do. I'm going to tinker around with some of these solutions and see which one works best.

[Daltone]

Not a bad idea either, but I beat you to it. I was trying to avoid that since it is kind of a PITA by comparison. It would be nice to find a soft solution. If I can't by next weekend this will be what I have to do. I'm going to tinker around with some of these solutions and see which one works best.

Serves me right for not reading things properly. I shall hang my head in shame.