Listen to WC3 Soundtrack on Original Roland Hardware (April 5, 2024)

[ChrisReid]

It's a good week for Wing Commander music! If all the recent posts have got you in the mood for more, Pekka Leppaluoto has just recorded a new extract of George Oldziey's iconic Wing Commander 3 tracks. He used AllTinker's Originator tool to pull the source .hmp files out of the game and then play them back on an authentic Roland SCC-1. This would have been one of the most incredible ways to listen to the game back in 1994. Give the soundtrack a listen below, and check back later this weekend for more info on what's coming next! You can already sign in on Kickstarter and get a notification as soon as the project goes live.

Setup used: a real Intel 486 DX2 PC with Roland SCC-1 card's line-outs connected to RME Fireface 802 channel inputs. Recorded at 96/24. A rinse of Waves' L3 UltraMaximizer in post.

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Original update published on April 5, 2024

 

[Darkmage]

Sounds great on an SC-55 too! (SCC-1 is an SC-55 on a card.) There's even a PCMCIA version for laptops! SCP-55!

 

[George Oldziey]

Yep! That's exactly how I remembered it! I was actually using an external Roland Sound Canvas for my audio reference, but same thing! Bravo for recreating this. Sure brings back memories!

 

[MadMac_5]

If you're looking to get this sort of experience when playing Wing Commander III but don't want to try and track down a used SCC-1 or Sound Canvas, the X2GS from Serdashop is pretty wonderful. It's got an authentic licensed Roland GS instrument bank loaded, and sounds VERY similar to the SC-55. The newest version can even be ordered with a community-tweaked version that has its reverb/chorus effects set to sound more like a SCC-1 or SC-55. (not sponsored, I just bought one and really enjoy it).

I've tried it with Wing Commander III myself on the Waveblaster header on a Sound Blaster 16 in a PII-300 retro PC, but one can also connect it via USB as a MIDI device then loop the output to the Line In port on a modern PC for use with DOSBox or other software.

 

[Worf]

Roland also still has the Sound Canvas VA software synth - https://www.roland.com/us/products/rc_sound_canvas_va/ - which can emulate the SC-55. There are apparently ways to hook it up to DOSbox and other MIDI devices.