Tone Profile

This iconic synth lead sound is bright, square-wave-ish, and playfully chirpy, characterized by its simple yet catchy melody. It has a classic 8-bit video game vibe with a touch of sawtooth.

Production Credits

Signal Chain

Recording Notes

• The original sound was likely created using a Roland Juno-106. Given the limitations of the NES sound chip, the waveforms were simple, tending towards square or sawtooth.
• Kondo composed the music using a custom music notation system programmed into the development hardware.

Recreation Tips

• Start with a square wave on a Roland Juno-106.
• Adjust the filter cutoff and resonance to get a bright, slightly resonant tone.
• Use a sawtooth wave to add some brightness, then adjust the amp envelope for a quick attack and moderate sustain to create the characteristic 'blip' sound.
• If using a modern synthesizer, experiment with different waveforms to get close to the original sound.
• Add a touch of chorus to widen the sound, if needed.

Recommended Gear

• Roland Juno-106(synth)