I recently went down the rabbit hole revisiting all the 8-bit games and I discovered a newfound love for 8bit art and music. After I finished the list of 8bit art maker apps, I wondered if there were any apps to make 8bit music? If you wish to create 8bit versions of your favorite songs, compose music on phone, or create your own chiptunes then check out the list of best 8-bit music maker apps. Let’s check them out.
The power of Mac. Dedicated apps for music, TV, and podcasts. Smart new features like Sidecar, powerful technologies for developers, and your favorite iPad apps, now on Mac. Roland Zenbeats is a music creation app that keeps you in an effortless artistic flow. Get started on any device or platform. With its collection of both modern and legendary sounds, Zenbeats brings Roland’s history of innovation into a new, accessible format. See full list on hiphopmakers.com.
Music Making Apps For Pc
8-bit Music Maker Apps
1. RetroBoy Plugin
For Audacity
While you can use Audacity and other advanced software to recreate 8-bit music, it is still very intimidating for new users who don’t have much experience with music-making, that’s why I’ll focus on apps that are easy to use and require minimum prior knowledge about music software. However, if you’re familiar with Audacity, you can install this plugin and easily create 8bit music on your existing setup.
Get RetroBoy Plugin
2. Magical 8bit Plug
for FL Studio
FruityLoops or better known as FL Studio is a really popular DAW that allows you to create music sequences. Magical 8bit Plug is a plugin developed by Yokemura that lets you create 8bit music. The plugin offers seven different waveforms such as square, triangle, pure random, 25% pulse, etc. You can use this plugin to simulate the waveforms precisely and even add noise to your sequence to bring out authenticity. The plugin is entirely free and you can use it with multiple VSTs.
Get Magical 8bit Plug (free)
3. Tonepad
For iOS
If you like making your own custom ringtones then this app is for you. Based on the chiptune tracker, it features a 16×16 grid where you can activate each note to create a tone. The interface is kept minimal so that you can use it without any intimidation. Just tap on the grid to hear the melody. You can recreate old Nokia ringtones or music from Super Mario, you decide. The app is free but to save tones you’ll have to upgrade to the paid version which costs $0.99.
Related: How to Transfer Music from Android to iPhone without iTunes
Install Tonepad (iOS)
4. Nanoloop
For Android and iOS
Nanoloop is built for sequencing, sampling, and composing music in one single app. It is highly customizable which makes it a little bit intimidating for new users. You can create a melody in 8 channels and set 8 different patterns in one channel. It also has all the waveforms used in 8-bit games along with the option to add your custom samples combining both to create a fusion style tune. The app has a full song editor which makes trimming and joining easy. Nanoloop is paid and available for both Android and iOS for $3.99.
Install Nanoloop (Android | iOS)
5. Piconica
For Android
Mac Apps For Creating Music Tracks
If you were to create 8-bit music on your Android smartphone, Piconica is the first app you should try. It is a little different from other apps in the list as it doesn’t use the grid and tracker system. However, you can still create some sick melodies with the keyboard layout. It has square and triangle waves with different cycles which means you can get the same tones with a keypress. The keyboard has 96 keys which you can use with one or two rows. After recording a melody you can save the files on the local storage in WAV file format. Piconica is a great mobile solution to create 8-bit chiptunes.
Install Piconica (Android)
6. Musiclab.Chromeexperiments
For web
Let’s start with a basic app, Musiclab is for all the beginners who want to dabble in music. It has a web interface that makes it truly portable and you can use it on any web browser. The interface is extremely simple, making it suitable for kids and noobs like myself. You just have to click on any of the notes on the grid to activate that part, do this across the grid and then hit the play button and viola, music. You can change instruments without affecting the progress which includes piano, strings, bass, synth, etc. Export the project as a MIDI or a WAV file and save it on your computer with one click. Music lab is great for creating simple 8-bit style music, online.
Related: How to Offline Music on Android Watch without Phone
Check out Music Lab
7. BeepBox
For web
The next app, Beepbox is a serious chiptune tracker the works on the web browser. It offers you a fully customizable grid where you can adjust the keys, tempo, reverb, and rhythm. It has all the waveform instruments used in the original games which means you can recreate all your classic game melodies. Apart from retro presets like a square wave, triangle wave, sawtooth wave, etc, you also get support for newer instruments like keyboard, idiophone, guitars, bass, strings, and distortion presets. You can export your project as a .json, .wav, or .mid file. Beepbox is absolutely free and you’ll create authentic 8-bit music in no time with it.
Check out BeepBox
8. Bosca Ceoil
For Windows and Mac
This next application is a flash-based solution to creating chiptunes. Bosca Ceoil has a grid and tracker interface which makes it easy to create chiptunes. Just like Beepbox, it has different instruments, option to change octaves, tempo, etc. Along with MIDI, you get 12 additional instrument types which are going to be more than enough. To get started with your first tune, just select an instrument, and tap a note on the grid, and play it on a loop. You can then export the tunes in MIDI, WAV, XM, and MML formats. Choose Bosca Ceoil if you want an easy to use the 8-bit tracker for your computer.
Must Read: Best Music Apps for Windows 10
Check Out Bosca Ceoil
9. FamiTracker
for Windows
Unlike the previous one, FamiTracker gives you more functionality. Although it looks complicated, it is easy to get used to if you’ve worked on trackers before. To start composing a tune, you just have to select a pulse and press the key on your keyboard to put it on the note. It also supports MIDI devices so that you can easily import the sound samples and custom instruments from those devices. The application is free and lets you create music for NES and Famicom systems.
Also Read: 6 Places to find background music for YouTube
Check out FamiTracker
Closing Words
These were some of the best apps which you can use to create high-quality chiptunes. I tried to include the apps which are both easy to use and functional, for example, Music Lab is the simplest app to create tunes. Beepbox and Bosca Ceoil are a little more advanced in terms of features but offer a similar interface. If you were to ask for an advanced tool then FamiTracker would do the job. Which apps do you use to create 8-Bit Music, let me know in the comments below and share some tunes on Twitter?
As you develop your musical skills, you may become interested in writing your own music. While learning to play an instrument and being able to play others’ music is a wonderful skill, nothing compares to creating sheet music full of your own compositions!
As a budding songwriter, you’ll need to add some additional skills to your repertoire. Writing music can be as simple as putting a pen to paper, or you can take advantage of the many songwriting tools technology offers. Whether you’re sketching out notes for yourself, writing the next pop hit, or creating sheet music of arrangements for a big band, the most important step is to just get started.
First: Where to Find Free Blank Sheet Music
The easiest method is the oldest! Nothing beats a crisp blank piece of staff paper as you pick up your pen and begin your musical journey. There are many free resources online for printing blank staff paper. Here are two of the best:
This website allows you to print any kind of blank sheet music for free. No matter what instrument you’re writing for, you can find pre-designed sheet music for it here. They offer blank pages set up for piano and keyboard (grand staff), blank guitar tab, bass clef, blank mandolin sheet music, and even sheet music set-up for choir.
Music-paper.com is a site that not only offers more than 100 different downloadable and printable PDFs of blank staff paper, it also offers information on how to write music! Whether you’re looking for paper to jot down your next pop song or orchestral opus, you’ll find it here for free.
Next: Apps & Programs for Writing Music
Technology has changed the way we do almost everything, and writing music is no exception. Today, there are hundreds of applications and programs that can get you started composing on your laptop, desktop, tablet, or smartphone. They range in price from free to several hundred dollars. Here are some of the best:
MuseScore is a free program that allows you to create, play, and print sheet music. It’s a great alternative to professional notation programs like Sibelius and Finale (see below). Muse Score is available for Mac and Windows along with various open source systems like Linux and Fedora. When you visit the MuseScore website, make sure to take advantage of their online video tutorials to help you get started.
- Music Composer (Android)
Available for free on the Google Apps store, Music Composer works on your Android smartphone or tablet. It’s an intuitive, easy-to-use application that helps you notate your musical ideas on the go, whenever and wherever inspiration strikes!
It features a notation editor (that supports chords), and easy options to change tempo, clef, key signature, time signature, keys, and instruments. Also, Music Composer comes with 128 instrument sounds built in so you can hear your music played as you write it! When you’re finished composing, you can then export your sheet music as a printable image file or a playable audio file.
Sibelius is the world’s best-selling music notation software used by professional composers, publishers, and advanced music students. It allows you to quickly express and promote your music, allowing you to share both audio and video of your work. It is the fastest, smartest, and easiest way to write music for performance, film, television, or the classroom. It’s a professional tool worth considering if you are serious about composing.
Finale is another professional-level music notation program. Many music programs are drag-and-drop interfaces where you select items from a menu and drop them on the staff, but Finale offers complete freedom and flexibility. It offers extremely realistic playback of your compositions and allows you to print charts and scores.
Finale also offers several lower-priced, upgradable products, including Printmusic (a “lite”version of Finale, at $119.95), which can print up to 24 staves. Another option, Songbook, is a free digital sheet music app for your tablet — great for bringing all of your music to rehearsal on your tablet!
Composing is natural next step as your music skills advances. Whether you take the simplest approach of putting pen to paper, opt for free notation apps, or invest in a professional-level notation program, the key is to just get started! A great way to learn about composition is to work with a qualified teacher. If you already study with one, ask your teacher to help you. He or she can offer insight into the best way to get started and can help you with the learning curve if you choose to use software. Good luck!
Photo by basheertome