8 Bit Family II by: Discovery Sound

8BIT FAMILY II

The 2nd edition of the well-loved series “8 Bit Family” is here, jam-packed with vintage videogame tones, loops, multi-samples and sound effects.

In 2003, Discovery released “8BIT FAMILY” – a classic sample CD-ROM stuffed to the gills with sounds of the old videogames. It has since become notorious the world over, received unanimous acclaim and even been crowned the “KEY BUY AWARD” by US KEYBOARD magazine in its July ’03 issue.

Due to overwhelming demand and as a direct response to the feedback generated by the 1st edition, “8BIT FAMILY 2” has now been delivered. “8BIT FAMILY 2” contains over 530MB of 16-bit, 44.1 kHz recordings in Acidized WAV, REX2, KONTAKT, BATTERY and RNS (REASON3.0.4) formats. Its standout feature is without a doubt its convenient and comprehensive range of “Construction Kits”…

The main bulk of the 55 included kits enable users to produce interesting, complete compositions via a combination of Drum Loops, Bass Loops, Synth Loops and Vox Loops. The process of accessing and manipulating these files is made simple via the inclusion of a table of contents with the sample CD, as well as some helpful Battery and Kontakt programs. Minimal fuss – maximum music!

To sum up: this new edition contains multi-format samples in a wide variety of styles and tempos to help expand the user’s production environment. All you need is a MIDI keyboard, and you’ll be cooking up crazy creations within minutes! “8BIT FAMILY 2” is not restricted to those who only like dance music beats – its samples and sounds work well with all genres.

Pick up this comprehensive and well-put together package of vintage videogame sounds today, and relive those classic nerdy moments in your music compositions!

Sound Files

ACID WAV 277 files / REX2 267 files / KONTAKT 27 programs
BATTERY 1 program / RNS for REASON 3.0.4 55 programs

:: ACID WAV Drum Loops [Loop x 50 files] Bass Loops [Loop x 45 files] Synth Loops [Total: 114 files] Nano [Loop x 6 files] Noise [Loop x 7 files] Sine [Loop x 27 files] Synth [Loop x 74 files] Vox Loops [Loop x 3 files] Mix Loops [Loop x 55 files] SoundEffects [Oneshot x 10 files]	:: REX2 Drum Loops [Loop x 50 files] Bass Loops [Loop x 45 files] Synth Loops [Total: 114 files] Nano [Loop x 6 files] Noise [Loop x 7 files] Sine [Loop x 27 files] Synth [Loop x 74 files] Vox Loops [Loop x 3 files] Mix Loops [Loop x 55 files]
:: KONTAKT [Total: 27 programs] :: BATTERY [Total: 1 programs] :: RNS for REASON 3.0.4 [Total: 55 programs]

Sample Sounds:

1. F-01_Seq_bpm_130_C#
2. F-04_mix_bpm_130_G#
3. F-09_mix_bpm_130_D#
4. I-02_mix_bpm_160_G
5. I-02_Syn01+02_bpm_160_G
6. J-01_Syn_bpm_170_G

Review of Discovery's "8 Bit Family" by Laymansreviews.com

Review of Discovery's "8 Bit Family" by Laymansreviews.com.

Add some retro crunch to your productions with Discovery's classic sample collection

Considering the amount of work synth and plugin developers put into producing powerful, dynamic new sound rendering engines capable of all manner of vibrant, pristine tones, it seems a little odd that we then put so much effort into making them sound... well... a bit rubbish.

If we're not crushing bits or downsampling, we're layering all manner of distortion and saturation effects in a bid to dirty things up a little. This is particularly prevalent in current electro and house music, with the latest crop of uber-hip producers just as likely to break out a SID emulator as anything else in a bid to give their tracks that extra chip-sound crunch.

Of course, sometimes emulation doesn't quite cut it. In which case you're left with the option of reaching for the old Gameboy and a soldering iron, or investing in a sample CD such as those in Discovery Sound's 8-bit Family range. Volume one was originally released in 2003, but the sounds contained in this (now very reasonably priced) collection are arguably more relevant today than they were six years ago.

The library consists of a broad collection of sound loops, effects and sequences culled from original video game sources for the last word in authenticity. The 8-bit chipsets may have been restricted to little more than basic triangular and rectangular waveforms and a noise generator, but the sound designers of the day saw this more as a challenge than a limitation, fashioning a distinctive and familiar palette of drums, bass, leads and warbling "chords", all of which are present and correct in Discovery's collection.

The CD contains the expected selection of ACID wav
and REX2 files, with EXS24 and HALion maps provided for good measure,
while the breakdown of sounds available is comprehensive:

Arpeggios: 31 files
Bass-loop: 11 files
Construction-kit: 38 types/186 files
Drum-loops: 31 files
Drum-hit: 32 files
Misc.loop: 43 files
Soundeffects: 37 files
EXS24/HALion: 27 programs/216 samples

Summary

It's hard to find any real fault with the 8Bit Family sample CD, as this is one of those products that does pretty much exactly as it promises on the tin. The samples are plentiful and well-captured, including chunky grooves, bleeping beats and some satisfyingly crunchy construction kits for building your own chip-tastic rhythm tracks. Loops are cleanly structured and neatly chopped.

The CD layout is logical and consistent with many other sample CD libraries, although we'd have appreciated slightly more descriptive naming of files to help in finding the right sound when scanning through. And of course, the very nature of sample CDs mean they're inherently limited in their variety and flexibility.

Minor quibbles aside, this is a well-considered
collection of chipset sounds, and at the current price, well worth
considering as an addition to the arsenal of anyone looking to add that
touch of retro authenticity to their productions.