Deconstructing NES Music using Famitracker

The NES used a 5-voice Ricoh 2A03 chip with support for 5 fixed channels as its sound chip. This limited hardware helped establish the classic NES sound. Using the Famitracker software, we can break down how that sound was created, and hear it track by track. In this video, we break down the components of soundtracks like Super Mario Brothers, Legend of Zelda, and Castlevania. We talk about the FDS’s extra sound chip and the Konami VRC6 used for Castlevania 3: Dracula’s Curse. We show how to compose your