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Chris Huelsbeck (Turrican composer) Appreciation Thread

carlosrox

carlosrox

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
10,270
Vancouver BC
This track was for an unreleased Turrican sequel planned for the Gamecube and it breaks my heart to this day that it never got to see the light of day.

TURRICAN reboot with Chris Huelsbeck please!!!



Can't make this thread without posting this classic.


His music is so awesome I always just assumed the composer was Japanese, cuz it always had that sound to me. I was blown away when I found out years later that Turrican as a whole wasn't Japanese.

Show some love!!
 
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Boy Wander

Boy Wander

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Oct 29, 2017
2,126
UK
Excellent composer. I always preferred Jeroen Tel (C64) and Jochen Hippel (the real unappreciated German composer). Hippels stuff, especially on Atari ST was amazing. His demo work as Mad Max was awesome on ST.
 

Deleted member 4247

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He did all the Rogue Squadron music too right? That was tight. Based on the movie music of course, but yeah.
 
JustinH

JustinH

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Oct 27, 2017
10,392
I'll search out that first song in OP and listen to it every now and then, like seriously. I think it's awesome.

I've always thought it was great, I remember when I saw the article about it on IGN back in the day when I used to go there at least once a day (usually around 1030 or 1100 ish at night, because that when the site would update for the day).
 

Deleted member 16039

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793
Mr Huelsbeck is a very kind person and I love his entire Turrican works. Also, Apidya and Jim Power rocks !

Did You Know (Gaming ?) :
Mr Huelsbeck was a BIG fan of Ys and Yuzo Koshiro. He loved Ys III soundtrack so much that you might recognize one specific part when playing Jim Power.
The Symphonic Shades concert include a track arranged by Yuzo Koshiro. Guess what track he did ? Jim Power theme.

I love them :p.

Jim Power :


Ys III :
 
2+2=5

2+2=5

Member
Oct 29, 2017
971
You won't believe me but i played turrican 2 just before reading this thread.
My contributions:
turrican 2 anthology(other turricans have anthology version too)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVcJJF_bAOw&list=PLId1U6Ju3AeO5NiQi7sKE9bBcGG-vK4jf

jim power
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mp_lW3r4VX8&index=1&list=PLErsx10Ke4uyEpm-WcsfcYNbtRdOhyMBa

giana sisters twisted dreams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KeWID0vmY0&list=PLtjvOGvcaz2kYR3TsAUBBSehzIX-Xr4kj

this cover of the great bath(i love its sort of melancholic feel)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI9_q4wILnk
 
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carlosrox

carlosrox

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
10,270
Vancouver BC
Luther Mc Guire said:
Mr Huelsbeck is a very kind person and I love his entire Turrican works. Also, Apidya and Jim Power rocks !

Did You Know (Gaming ?) :
Mr Huelsbeck was a BIG fan of Ys and Yuzo Koshiro. He loved Ys III soundtrack so much that you might recognize one specific part when playing Jim Power.
The Symphonic Shades concert include a track arranged by Yuzo Koshiro. Guess what track he did ? Jim Power theme.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

My bro loves Ys and Turrican and I'm positive he doesn't know this so I look forward to telling him!
And we both love Actraiser as well and that's our favorite Yuzo Koshiro work! No wonder Huelsbeck is so awesome, with inspirations like that!

I look forward to my first real Ys game when the Switch version comes out! I only rented III on the SNES as a kid!

--------

I made this thread and forgot to ever come back lol.

1UP!! POWER UP!!

This track is so beautiful.
 
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carlosrox

carlosrox

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
10,270
Vancouver BC
JustinH said:
I'll search out that first song in OP and listen to it every now and then, like seriously. I think it's awesome.

I've always thought it was great, I remember when I saw the article about it on IGN back in the day when I used to go there at least once a day (usually around 1030 or 1100 ish at night, because that when the site would update for the day).
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I had a serious love affair with this song as well. Good ol IGN64. So nostalgic.

I used to leave it playing overnight while I downloaded Half-Life multiplayer maps from the game. I'd just idle in a server that played map after map and I'd remember waking up the next morning, still hearing this track playing, running around some of the new maps I got overnight.

Nostalgic as fuck.

(I was/am obsessed with Half-Life)

Ingueferroque said:
Glancing at the thread I thought he had passed. My heart skipped a beat and I almost passed myself.
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Aw hellllll no. What's he been up to these days?

2+2=5 said:
giana sisters twisted dreams
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I always wanted this game and never got around to it. He composed for it? Oh fuck that's tempting
..
 
MikeProtagonist

MikeProtagonist

Member
Oct 26, 2017
7,300
He's been doing a ton of Kickstarters recently. I was on board with the Soundtrack Anthology (arranged synth versions of all of the Turrican games) and The Orchestral Album (focused on T2) but he lost me with a piano version.

Turrican has fantastic music, but it's a shame that Chris hasn't really stayed in the business besides retro stuff.
 
Crayon

Crayon

Member
Oct 26, 2017
15,580
I never knew about him but I always thought that turrican track was catchy as shit.

Here's to You, Chris Huelsbeck.
 
Tamazoid

Tamazoid

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Oct 28, 2017
302
Brilliant composer. I backed his last Kickstarter (and I've never even played Turrican). Simply sublime music.
 

Deleted member 16039

User requested account closure
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carlosrox said:
My bro loves Ys and Turrican and I'm positive he doesn't know this so I look forward to telling him!
And we both love Actraiser as well and that's our favorite Yuzo Koshiro work! No wonder Huelsbeck is so awesome, with inspirations like that!

I look forward to my first real Ys game when the Switch version comes out! I only rented III on the SNES as a kid!

--------

I made this thread and forgot to ever come back lol.

1UP!! POWER UP!!

This track is so beautiful.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...


^^.

I was in my Ys discovery (just finished Ys II after I, Origins and Seven) when I was playing Ys III and in the volcano level, suddendly I literraly stopped moving and said "Wait a minute... what ? It's Jim Power theme ?!"

I also love Yuzo Koshiro. Even if ActRaiser II isn't quite great, it's soundtrack is still amazing (Altheria/ Tortoise Island, so beautiful).
 
Noisepurge

Noisepurge

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Oct 25, 2017
8,471
got my vinyl signed when he was in town for a Huelsbeck Piano Concert!

huelsbeck.jpg


Also eagerly waiting on the next Kickstarter boxset to arrive...
 

Consensual

Member
Oct 25, 2017
863
Chris Huelsbeck basically provided the soundtrack to my youth with stuff like this:





And the R-Type theme too. Richard Joseph was another one, grew up hearing his game music.
 
Treasure Silvergun

Treasure Silvergun

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Dec 4, 2017
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He's a legend to European gamers of the 80s.

His recent work for Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back is impressive. Unfortunately very few will know it, due to the game's reception.

Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams is also a brilliant OST. The guy knows how to build up an atmosphere.
 
Turrican3

Turrican3

Member
Oct 27, 2017
781
Italy
Quite easily my favourite composer of the Amiga era, but I guess it's a given with my nickname. I was even lucky enough to meet him in person multiple times.

The Amiga Turrican 2 soundtrack (especially the 7-voice intro/hiscore/credits tunes) is outstanding and I still listen to it on a regular basis...

And yes, that Apydia credits is really something.

Can't wait for the "Virtual" Turrican4 kickstarter album to be completed!
 
Turrican3

Turrican3

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Oct 27, 2017
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Italy
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Shaneus

Shaneus

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Oct 27, 2017
8,896
I don't have much of a claim to fame, but someone I became friends with through the PAX Australia retro gaming area is a pretty big fan of Chris Huelsbeck, as you can see here:
CVG-museum-items.png

(That's the MIDI sequencer used to make the music for Turrican)
 
PC98_Audi

PC98_Audi

Producer @ Limited Run Games
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Oct 26, 2017
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Raleigh
I talk to Chris daily and work with him. I'll have him sign up and let you guys ask some questions.
 
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carlosrox

carlosrox

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Oct 25, 2017
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Fishsnot

Fishsnot

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Oct 27, 2017
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Japan
My two favorite covers of Chris Huelsbecks Turrican 2 score.

Opening Theme:




Desert Rocks:



I feel he deserves more views for this awesome work. Enjoy!

Audi said:
I talk to Chris daily and work with him. I'll have him sign up and let you guys ask some questions.
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That would be awesome. Chris's music still stays with me even after all these years. Pure genius.
 
Chris Huelsbeck

Chris Huelsbeck

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Apr 20, 2018
7
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Oh Hello and Thanks (also to Audi for bringing this to my attention) for the nice words everyone! I'll check on this tread at least once a day for the next week or so, so if you have any direct questions keep posting! :)
 
Turrican3

Turrican3

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Oct 27, 2017
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Hey Chris, it's nice to see you here! :-)

I have two questions:

- how did you get in touch with Jochen Hippel, and what's the story behind the famous TFMX 7 voice routine?

- what happened to the then-advertised Turrican3 CD32 ?
I always wondered if some of the tracks in the original (1993) Turrican soundtrack CD were intended for use, or even straight taken from that game.
 
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martincrimson87

Banned
Dec 15, 2017
1,590
Great thread! I played Super Turrican 2 this week and I was amazed by the soundtrack. The water level in particular has that 70's Krautrock/ Early Electronic sound ( Cluster, Harmonia, Tangerine Dream) This franchise must return on all platforms.
 
Mcjmetroid

Mcjmetroid

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Oct 28, 2017
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I can never get enough of the the level 1 1 from turrican III. I'm torn between which version I like the best. I have to go with the Megadrive version because of the longer loop.
 
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carlosrox

carlosrox

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Oct 25, 2017
10,270
Vancouver BC
Chris Huelsbeck said:
Oh Hello and Thanks (also to Audi for bringing this to my attention) for the nice words everyone! I'll check on this tread at least once a day for the next week or so, so if you have any direct questions keep posting! :)
Click to expand...
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Omggg haha this is so cool, sorry, not sorry to gush :p

A few things I'm curious about. Forgive me if anything is too personal...or stupid.

-How do you handle praise/critisicm?
-Do you know many other game composers?
-Fave game composers/soundtracks?
-What music do you enjoy outside of games?
-Are there any movies/movie soundtracks in particular that inspired you?
-How did you go about composing something like Bionic Action for example?
-Proudest work? Least proudest :p ?
-How does it feel to have such well loved and respected music out there?

Thanks so much for posting and thanks for your beautiful work!

Ps. Get to working on Thornado again :D <3
 
Chris Huelsbeck

Chris Huelsbeck

Member
Apr 20, 2018
7
USA, Arizona
Turrican3 said:
Hey Chris, it's nice to see you here! :-)

I have two questions:

- how did you get in touch with Jochen Hippel, and what's the story behind the famous TFMX 7 voice routine?

- what happened to the then-advertised Turrican3 CD32 ?
I always wondered if some of the tracks in the original (1993) Turrican soundtrack CD were intended for use, or even straight taken from that game.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

I met Jochen when they set up shop with Thalion near the old Rainbow Arts offices. We didn't consider them competitors, because they concentrated mostly on the Atari ST platform and Rainbow Arts was moving more towards the Amiga, so we hung out a few times. Jochen was a fan of my TFMX sound system and ported my player over to the Atari, which was able to play 4 voice Amiga tracks using CPU mixing. This mixer was a very impressive piece of code and I thought it could be used to enhance the capabilities of the Amiga sound by porting it the other way... so I asked Jochen if I could use and modify his code and he agreed. That's how the TFMX 7 Voice system was born... 3 original (un-touched) Amiga voices and 4 additional software voices mixed into the remaining channel. One thing I improved in the code was that the mixing rate could be changed on the fly and we used that during the attract mode in the title screen of Turrican 2: normally the music runs at 16khz, but when Turrican comes in and shoots, the mix rate is reduced to around 12 khz to give enough CPU cycles to the animation.

About CD32 Turrican 3; I actually don't know anything about it (or I don't remember ;) )

The few new tracks I did for the 1993 soundtrack CD were just for the CD / fun and not intended to be used in a future game.
 
angel

angel

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Oct 27, 2017
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Oh my word, I didn't expect this. I do have some nerdy questions, if that's ok please Chris.

Question 1: did you read, or have much contact with, the British press regarding praising your work? For example, Team 17's Projext X was reviewing at the same time as Apidya, with a supposed techno soundtrack. The game turned out average and the soundtrack very unremarkable (and not techno at all). My absolute ultimate fave magazine of all time Amiga Power came out and called Apidya's music the best Amiga music in years. (review here by the way: http://amr.abime.net/review_520 ). Did you ever get interview requests, or at least read their high praise?

Incidentally, The Turrican 2 soundtrack made a 15 year old me force my parents to take me to an electronics shop, to buy the leads to hook my Amiga to my new stereo after it blew my tiny mind.

Question 2: How close were the Apidya Amiga tracks to incorporating some of the extra elements added in the high quality versions on the soundtrack album? Ie: the extra voice samples (wait a minute..) and so on? Were they all totally added by yourself at a later date, or were they composed / thought of then cut back due to restrictions?

Question 3: Who else's music did you enjoy around the 16 bit era, my personal other c64 / Amiga hero was Tim Follin.

I'll stop there, but cheers for your work. Impossible to explain how much I've listened to it over the last 25 years.
 
Turrican3

Turrican3

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Oct 27, 2017
781
Italy
Chris Huelsbeck

Oooh, thanks for the interesting tidbits.
The frequency shift in Turrican 2 title was somewhat subtle, but definitely noticeable for someone who has been listening to it for 25+ years now.

Btw, you might remember me as the guy from Italy who got an issue with the physical CDs of TSA, and you were extremely kind with something related to that specific song ;-)
 

Deleted member 9305

Oct 26, 2017
4,064
Top class bloke and so freaking prolific.

Julian Eggebrecht mentioned on a podcast recently, that Chris is sort of twisting his arm to get a new Turrican project going by already pushing forward with a new soundtrack for it.
 

Celine

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Oct 26, 2017
5,030
martincrimson87 said:
Great thread! I played Super Turrican 2 this week and I was amazed by the soundtrack. The water level in particular has that 70's Krautrock/ Early Electronic sound ( Cluster, Harmonia, Tangerine Dream) This franchise must return on all platforms.
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It's the best track in the game with Wormland.



ChryZ said:
Julian Eggebrecht mentioned on a podcast recently, that Chris is sort of twisting his arm to get a new Turrican project going by already pushing forward with a new soundtrack for it.
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Oh my god.
 
Shin Kojima

Shin Kojima

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Oct 27, 2017
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Man, I used to boot up Turrican II just to listen to that sweet title track so many times. I can't believe I'm actually getting the chance to tell Mr. Huelsbeck how much his music has meant to me. You're awesome Mr. Huelsbeck!!
 
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