Yet more Nintendo music-making — this time with the strange and fascinating ElectroPlankton music game for the Nintendo DS. Thomas at MileZero has started a tutorial on starting a “one-man band” using ElectroPlankton:
Part one: introduction and why he did it
Part two: Working with Luminaria (don’t ask; think you have to try it!)
If anyone is going to make music with game systems, this is really the way to do it. Like the music software homebrewers have created for the original Game Boy, ElectroPlankton is really tailored to the game hardware on which it runs. And it offers something different: not just a drum machine ported to a game system (like the games available for the PSP) or another look-alike synth we see every day on computers — it’s a truly unique experience.
Of course, I think soon you’ll see an increasing number of musicians building their own tools on computers, too. And if you want some inspiration for out-of-the-box design, pick up a game system. It’s a terrific tax deduction.