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Learn how to restore and recreate video game soundtracks from hardware-limited systems through this 18-minute conference talk from ADC 2024. Discover the emerging field of video game music "restoration" that aims to preserve incredible soundtracks that were constrained by technical limitations of their original platforms. Explore the detailed process of restoring the complete soundtrack from the first two Golden Sun games (2001-2002) for Game Boy Advance, which originally used heavily compressed sequenced music and samples to fit within an 8MB cartridge. Follow the comprehensive restoration workflow including tracking down original hardware used for sample recording, extracting MIDI sequences, analyzing instrument subtleties, applying modern mixing techniques, and implementing reverse engineering methods. Understand how the restoration process was enhanced through custom Python scripts and a specialized VST plugin developed in C++. Gain insights into overcoming the audio limitations of the Game Boy Advance system, including low sample rates, limited processing power, and poor output speaker quality, while preserving the artistic intent of the original compositions.
