Quick reference · print friendly

Arcade loop starter

A small, reliable recipe for turning a blank grid into a playable one-bar hook.

Time grid

1e&a 2e&a 3e&a 4e&a

One bar of 4/4 = four beats. Dividing every beat into four gives 16 slots. Beat starts are 1, 5, 9, and 13 on a 16-step sequencer. Meter reference.

Pitch palette

HOME

C

The tonic. A strong place to begin or return.

COLOR

E♭ · F · G · B♭

The other pitches in C minor pentatonic.

RANGE

C5 → C6

One compact octave keeps a first melody focused.

First-loop recipe

  1. Restrict: choose one small pitch palette.
  2. Repeat: reuse a pitch or a short rhythm.
  3. Return: try C as the final sounding note.
  4. Revise: listen twice, change one thing, compare.

Remember: the recipe is scaffolding, not a rule. Passing its checklist does not guarantee good music; listening and revision do the final work.

NES-like sound roles

PULSE

Lead / harmony

Bright, buzzy melodic voices.

TRIANGLE

Bass

A smoother low voice with limited control.

NOISE

Percussion

Short bursts suggest hats, snares, and impacts.

NESdev documents the original channel architecture.