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   ZX Spectrum Two Channel Tunes   

Here we have all the two channel tunes. The first game to attempt this was Fairlight from The Edge in a style I called 'Music Box' because it was used in a music package call Music Box from Melbourne House where you could compose your own tunes using this type of sound. The Music Box routine was used in quite a lot of games.
The next big innovation in 2 channel music came from the software houses of Ocean and Imagine with it's technique called 'Plip Plop' which used a synthy lead voice accompanied by a percusive backing track. Now the Spectrum could rock! Commodore users began to get afraid, especially when the version of Ping Pong for their machine had a really dull tune.
These tunes all used the Music Box routine.
BACK TO THE FUTURE![]() |
Electric Dreams added some nice bouncy rock and roll covers for this dire game based on the good film. | ![]() |
EQUINOX![]() |
Mikro-Gen came up with quite a catchy number for this arcade adventure. | ![]() |
FAIRLIGHT![]() |
The first and best 2 channel tune. This music only played once after the game loaded and stunned many users who weren't expecting it. "How the hell did they do that?" was the question on all the Speccy owners lips. | ![]() |
GYROSCOPE![]() |
Melbourne House got in on the act with this game which had four pieces of music, the fourth played when you complete the game and combined one and two channel music techniques. | ![]() |
MUSIC BOX![]() |
This music package opened up the gateway to two channel sound creation for the average Joe in the street. Now it ws no longer the exclusive plaything of the programming elite! 3 tunes here. The first greeted you on loading and is version of Strauss's blue Danube. The second a drummy little boogie woogie number. The third a nice version of the C64 music to Way Of The Exploding Fist. | ![]()   ![]()   ![]() |
PHANTOMAS![]() |
Codemasters got hold of the same code that created the completion music from Gyroscope to make this piece of music. | ![]() |
SHAOLINS ROAD![]() |
The Edge used the technique again for this lively little ditty for their conversion of the Konami arcade machine. | ![]() |
THE PLANETS![]() |
Martech added this tune to their bizarre little romp around our solar system. | ![]() |
THUNDERBIRDS![]() |
Firebird created this stomping version of the Thunderbirds theme tune for their puzzle game. It sounded a lot livelier than the Commodore version. | ![]() |
VAMPIRE![]() |
Codemasters again with the one to two channel mix. | ![]() |
WINTER GAMES![]() |
A few short but lively tunes played at different events in this sport simulation from US Gold. | ![]() |
These games from Ocean and Imagine used the Plip Plop routine.
Other Software House wrote some 2 channel rountines often which were used in only one game. Here's a sample.