5.9 NEScaline

NEScaline

NEScaline is a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) sound synthesizer. It provides 4 audio channels each with distinct noise and settings.

5.9.1 Usage

Without going into the specifics of each output channel, there are some common knobs and parameters.

• Master VOL controls the instrument's volume, ranging from 0 to 2, with 1 being the default value

• Master VIBR controls the instrument's vibrato effect, ranging from 0 to 15

• VOL (Volume) ranges from 0 to 15

• CRS (Coarse detune) allows a coarse detuning range from -24 to 24

• ENV (Envelope) provides an envelope that will cut the audio short

  • The infinity button, if toggled on, infinitely loops the envelope, providing repeated envelope output while a note is being input

  • LEN (Envelope length) dictates how long the envelope should last, determining the length of the sound before cutting off. It ranges from 0 to 15

  • WIDTH (Duty cycle)

• SWEEP provides a sweeping effect by increasing the detune of the sound to the given sweep amount

  • AMT (Sweep amount) is the target detune, ranging from -7 to 7

  • RATE (Sweep rate) is the amount of time it takes to reach the target detune. Higher values means longer time

Now for individual channels, each channel outputs a set sound waveform that can be controlled with the settings listed above.

• CH1 (Channel 1) and CH2 (Channel 2) provides a semi-square sound waveform, they both are easily mixable to produce a unique two-tone sound

• CH3 (Channel 3) provides a triangle wave

• CH4 (Channel 4) exclusively outputs square-shaped noise. It has specialized controls which can be used to modulate and make the channel follow the input note as the base frequency of the noise