Jon Siegel / ジョン 米岡

This post is basically a result of my overexposure to 8-bit Cafe and too many visits to Akihabara, not to mention my recent obsession/addiction with chiptune. LSDJ is the de facto chiptune software next to nanoloop and likely a slew of other homebrew options. In order to use LSDJ, you either need emulation software or you need to run it off an older Gameboy using a special cartridge sold online(by this kind gentleman in fact). You can also run it off a Gameboy DS, using an R4 and no other additional hardware(although it’s probably better to run it on an old Gameboy for authentic sound). An R4 can be picked up in Akihabara for around ¥6,000 or online for much less. Here’s how:

1. Go here, make a donation and wait a day or so for your LSDJ download link.

2. Download Lameboy from this link.

3. Copy Lameboy files and the lsdj.gb file to your R4(if you have an R4, you already know how to do this).

4. Boot up your DS, run Lameboy, find lsdj.gb in the file menu, then go back to the LSDJ homepage and start reading the tutorials(what I’m doing right now).

If you want to know what LSDJ sounds like, listen to some of these.

HOW TO SAVE: Saving songs in LSDJ will not save your songs. You need to use Lameboy’s save feature in order to retain your save states. After saving your LSDJ song in the save menu, press X to have Lameboy save the current state. When you open LSDJ again, you will be back at the save state, and all of your saved songs will be there.