How to Make 8-Bit Music: Beginner's Guide to Chiptune

Audio DesignBeginner7 min read

The "bleeps and bloops" of the NES era are more than just nostalgia. 8-bit music (or chiptune) is a legitimate genre that teaches incredible lessons about melody and limitations.

If you are a solo game developer, 8-bit music is also the easiest style to learn. You don't need to know how to mix an orchestra or record a guitar. You just need to place squares on a grid.

Here is how to get started making 8-bit music in 2025.

Step 1: Understand the Constraints

True 8-bit music (like on the NES) had strict hardware limits. You couldn't just have 100 instruments playing at once. The NES had roughly 5 channels:

  1. ▸Pulse 1 (Melody): A square wave for the main tune.
  2. ▸Pulse 2 (Harmony): A second square wave to support the melody.
  3. ▸Triangle (Bass): A smooth wave for basslines.
  4. ▸Noise (Drums): Static noise used for hi-hats and snares.
  5. ▸DPCM (Samples): Barely used, but could play low-quality vocal clips.

Understanding these 5 channels is the secret. If you limit yourself to just these, your music will sound authentic.

Step 2: Choose Your Software

You have two main paths: Trackers or DAWs.

The Easy Way: FamiStudio

For beginners, we highly recommend FamiStudio.

  • ▸Why? Unlike complex old-school "trackers" that look like Excel spreadsheets, FamiStudio looks like a modern music editor. You drag and drop notes.
  • ▸Authenticity: It emulates the NES hardware perfectly. If it works in FamiStudio, it would work on a real console.

The Sound Effects: Bfxr

For sound effects (like jumps, coins, and explosions), don't try to compose them note-by-note. Use Bfxr.

  • ▸It's a generator. You click "Jump" and it randomizes a pitch-bending square wave that sounds exactly like Mario jumping.

Step 3: Your First Song Strategy

Don't overcomplicate it. Follow this simple layering process:

  1. ▸Start with the Beat (Noise): Lay down a simple kick-snare-kick-snare pattern using the Noise channel.
  2. ▸Add the Bass (Triangle): Write a slow, walking bassline. Keep it simple. Root notes work fine.
  3. ▸The Melody (Pulse 1): Hum a tune. Draw it in. Keep it short and repetitive (like 4 bars).
  4. ▸Counter-Melody (Pulse 2): Add little harmonies or an "echo" of the main melody.

Want to learn more?

Check out our full directory of Audio Tools to find more resources for recording and editing your sounds.