For those who remember the late 1980-90s, the words Soundblaster and Adlib are synonymous with top of the range games; sporting vividly realistic music and expansive sound effects. Running the Yamaha YM3812 Chip, these soundcards generated the soundtracks to many a childhood, and 30 years on, there’s still a lot of love for the FM sound.
The YM3812 was used in soundcards and early keyboards thanks to its diverse and high fidelity (at the time) sound replication. Its two-operator FM chip was capable of producing nine channels of sound as well as percussion! Each operator has its own ADSR (Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release) envelope, and gets its signature sound from the generation of four distinct waveforms.
The OPL2 Audio Board gives you the opportunity to play back and listen to this classic sound generated as it was back then. Simply plug it into the back of your Arduino or Raspberry Pi! It comes in kit form, with a clear inlay card featuring detailed instructions on putting it together. Follow the read me guide for getting it going on your preferred hardware, and within minutes you’ll have it made and ready to relive the biggest tracks of the 80s!
There’s a wealth of information available on the YM3812, I’d highly recommend this video from the excellent .8-Bit Guy for more information.
