David Wise

"I tried to take the technique even further for Donkey Kong Country 2, using a Roland Juno-2 Synthesiser and sampling waveforms multiple times with different filter cut-off and resonance settings. We didn't have the memory to use midi, so again I typed in HEX sub-routines to put the waveforms back in the desired order, with the desired envelopes, pitch, lfo, and delayed offset information. Also, I discovered that, when cutting off the end of single cycle waveforms, in order to save memory, desirable artefacts were introduced such as subtle distortion and harmonics."

"One of the keyboards I was using heavily at the time was a Korg Wavestation and it could synthesize single-cycle waves, move them around and resequence them in different orders so it could effectively simulate filter sweeps. I meticulously sampled many keyboards at different cut-off points to get single-cycle wave samples and by getting into the nitty-gritty of sub-routines, I was able to introduce portamento and filter-sweep into what sounds like a synth line at the very beginning. Those little sounds, that were supposedly impossible to do on a SNES, I was particularly proud of.”

"On the way to that pursuit, I was working in a music shop. Two guys came in one day - [Rare founders] Tim and Chris Stamper - and I was demonstrating a Yamaha CX5 music computer to them. This was the early days of MIDI, and the CX5 let you connect keyboards to computers. I'd written some of the stuff I was demonstrating, told them when they asked, Tim asked if I had an office. I thought 'yes, I've sold another one', so I took them upstairs, started getting the finance papers out - and they offered me a job."

"Tim, the creative force at Rare, was very much into German Rock bands at the time. His brother Chris, the technical director, had designed a Video Arcade Board, including a 12 channel, 12 bit sample playback audio engine, on which we made a version of Battletoads. I was using a Roland MT-32 sound unit, which helped me to compose the score. Some of the material on the Arcade version of Battletoads was used and converted to the NES and SNES versions."

"I'm also looking forward to checking out Omnisphere from Spectrasonics. I already use Atmosphere and RMX."

Tweet from David Wise in which he says he used Spectrasonics Heart of Asia on the Diddy Kong Racing soundtrack.

"I use a combination of instruments, such as Kontakt [komplete] for sample libraries, synths and FX. I use HALion 6 & Groove Agent for my own sample libraries. Also, Valhalla make some amazing reverbs delays and modulation FX."

"I have a CME keyboard, though last year I was in America, and purchased an Akai MPK mini with the drum pads. I used that for a couple of weeks and really liked it, so the next one I’m going to purchase will be the 88-note Akai MPK88 (its big brother). Software-wise, I use Native Instruments Komplete 7, Cubase 6, Vienna Ensemble Pro to act as a host and to network with my other computers to host the Vienna libraries, as well as other 32- and 64-bit applications. I use the Spectrasonics Instruments too– absolutely fantastic and easy to program. I’m also running Halion 4 and Halion Sonic amongst a whole host of others. I also use the Sony Oxford range of plugs when mixing, along with Izotope Ozone and Alloy."

"I use Cubase 7.5 and have Steinberg CSX interfaces."

Also from this interview:

"I have a CME keyboard, though last year I was in America, and purchased an Akai MPK mini with the drum pads. I used that for a couple of weeks and really liked it, so the next one I’m going to purchase will be the 88-note Akai MPK88 (its big brother). Software-wise, I use Native Instruments Komplete 7, Cubase 6, Vienna Ensemble Pro to act as a host and to network with my other computers to host the Vienna libraries, as well as other 32- and 64-bit applications. I use the Spectrasonics Instruments too– absolutely fantastic and easy to program. I’m also running Halion 4 and Halion Sonic amongst a whole host of others. I also use the Sony Oxford range of plugs when mixing, along with Izotope Ozone and Alloy."

He states that he uses "Spectrasonics Omnisphere, Trillian and RMX."

He states that he uses U-HE Zebra.

"For Star Fox Adventures, I used the Advanced Orchestra Library as the VSL was not available at this time. We have the advantage of being able to use many great sample libraries, so we draw our samples from many sources."

"Wise says his soundtrack for Cobra Triangle came primarily from 'messing around on my DX7 [Yamaha synthesizer],' something he did when he needed a quick turnaround for the games he worked on. It's not surprising to learn Wise had to compose some of his retro tracks by messing around; he composed dozens of soundtracks for Rare in the NES' heyday, with a particularly heavy deluge from 1989 through 1991."

Komplete 5 is mentioned in this December 10, 2008 OverClocked ReMix interview, while Komplete 12 Ultimate is featured in this September 29, 2018 post on Wise' official website.

OverClocked ReMix, December 10, 2008, "Composer Interview: David Wise"

As for virtual instruments, I like Komplete 5. I really like Kontakt 3, it's very easy to add movement to sounds and have these tempo synced. I also really like Absynth, from a technical sound design perspective. Sadly life is too short to explore these instruments fully. I find sound creation in Absynth far too absorbing, it's much too easy to lose all sense of time. I also like FM8; as with FM7, all of the time I had invested in trying to edit the original DX7 many years previously all of a sudden started to make sense. I think from having used synths like the DX7 and D-50 with menu-based editing structures many years ago, it was somewhat of a revelation to use VST instruments and the ability to easily edit and play with the sounds. They also don't suffer from the background noise associated with analogue gear. I also like Guitar Rig 3. It can make any dull keyboard sound great.

David Wise Music and Sound Design, September 29, 2018, "Komplete 12 Ultimate"

I’m presently downloading a few of the instruments from Native Instruments Komplete 12 Ultimate.

I’ll post a few examples soon – but today I can start incorporating some of these new sounds into my latest compositions.

"As for virtual instruments, I like Komplete 5. I really like Kontakt 3, it's very easy to add movement to sounds and have these tempo synced. I also really like Absynth, from a technical sound design perspective. Sadly life is too short to explore these instruments fully. I find sound creation in Absynth far too absorbing, it's much too easy to lose all sense of time. I also like FM8; as with FM7, all of the time I had invested in trying to edit the original DX7 many years previously all of a sudden started to make sense. I think from having used synths like the DX7 and D-50 with menu-based editing structures many years ago, it was somewhat of a revelation to use VST instruments and the ability to easily edit and play with the sounds. They also don't suffer from the background noise associated with analogue gear. I also like Guitar Rig 3. It can make any dull keyboard sound great."

"As for virtual instruments, I like Komplete 5. I really like Kontakt 3, it's very easy to add movement to sounds and have these tempo synced. I also really like Absynth, from a technical sound design perspective. Sadly life is too short to explore these instruments fully. I find sound creation in Absynth far too absorbing, it's much too easy to lose all sense of time. I also like FM8; as with FM7, all of the time I had invested in trying to edit the original DX7 many years previously all of a sudden started to make sense. I think from having used synths like the DX7 and D-50 with menu-based editing structures many years ago, it was somewhat of a revelation to use VST instruments and the ability to easily edit and play with the sounds. They also don't suffer from the background noise associated with analogue gear. I also like Guitar Rig 3. It can make any dull keyboard sound great."

"I'm also looking forward to checking out Omnisphere from Spectrasonics. I already use Atmosphere and RMX."

"I have a CME keyboard, though last year I was in America, and purchased an Akai MPK mini with the drum pads. I used that for a couple of weeks and really liked it, so the next one I’m going to purchase will be the 88-note Akai MPK88 (its big brother). Software-wise, I use Native Instruments Komplete 7, Cubase 6, Vienna Ensemble Pro to act as a host and to network with my other computers to host the Vienna libraries, as well as other 32- and 64-bit applications. I use the Spectrasonics Instruments too– absolutely fantastic and easy to program. I’m also running Halion 4 and Halion Sonic amongst a whole host of others. I also use the Sony Oxford range of plugs when mixing, along with Izotope Ozone and Alloy."

"I have a CME keyboard, though last year I was in America, and purchased an Akai MPK mini with the drum pads. I used that for a couple of weeks and really liked it, so the next one I’m going to purchase will be the 88-note Akai MPK88 (its big brother). Software-wise, I use Native Instruments Komplete 7, Cubase 6, Vienna Ensemble Pro to act as a host and to network with my other computers to host the Vienna libraries, as well as other 32- and 64-bit applications. I use the Spectrasonics Instruments too– absolutely fantastic and easy to program. I’m also running Halion 4 and Halion Sonic amongst a whole host of others. I also use the Sony Oxford range of plugs when mixing, along with Izotope Ozone and Alloy."

"I use Cubase 7.5 and have Steinberg CSX interfaces."

He states that he uses "Spectrasonics Omnisphere, Trillian and RMX."

He states that he uses "Steinberg Padshop, Retrologue and HALion-5."

He states that he uses "Steinberg Padshop, Retrologue and HALion-5."

He states that he uses "Steinberg Padshop, Retrologue and HALion-5."

"I have a CME keyboard, though last year I was in America, and purchased an Akai MPK mini with the drum pads. I used that for a couple of weeks and really liked it, so the next one I’m going to purchase will be the 88-note Akai MPK88 (its big brother). Software-wise, I use Native Instruments Komplete 7, Cubase 6, Vienna Ensemble Pro to act as a host and to network with my other computers to host the Vienna libraries, as well as other 32- and 64-bit applications. I use the Spectrasonics Instruments too– absolutely fantastic and easy to program. I’m also running Halion 4 and Halion Sonic amongst a whole host of others. I also use the Sony Oxford range of plugs when mixing, along with Izotope Ozone and Alloy."

David Wise says in this interview that he uses iZotope Ozone; he doesn't specify which version, but 4 was the latest version at the time of this interview (August 2011).

"I use a combination of instruments, such as Kontakt [komplete] for sample libraries, synths and FX. I use HALion 6 & Groove Agent for my own sample libraries. Also, Valhalla make some amazing reverbs delays and modulation FX."

"Video game music producer David Wise reveals his process for creating "Aquatic Ambience" for Donkey Kong Country using the wavestate."

A photo of David Wise playing a Roland Alpha Juno shows a Roland TR-707 Rhythm Composer next to him, confirming its use.

David Wise, the composer, stated on Twitter, "I certainly worked on the Megadrive - I remember getting my DX21 - and copying and adapting the data to work on the YM2612 soundchip," indicating his use of the Yamaha DX21 to emulate the Genesis soundchip.