Theme - Death Stalker

Theme

Composer David Whittaker Released 1988-1?-?? Title Origin Game Location

Theme is an eerie song in the 8-bit home computer game Death Stalker.

It plays over the menus, high scores (unless freshly grown), gameplay, and ending (the latter two at 73% volume).

Composition

Both arrangements are in 3/4 and loop twice in different keys.

David Whittaker most likely typed into his driver's source code on an Einstein (a computer with the same CPU and audio chip as below platforms).

The content of this section should be improved.

Games

Death Stalker (CPC)

Death Stalker (CPC)

Arranger David Whittaker Programmer David Whittaker Released 1988-1?-?? Length 2:49.95 BPM 82 Format AY Loops Yes

Unlike the other arrangement, this one is in stereo.

The vibrato is fast, sounding trembling. Judging from a code comparison, this is a combined limit of the hardware's slow clock and Whittaker's simple driver.

To record one loop plus 10 seconds, the game was loaded in WinAPE Version 2.0 Beta 2. In the AY rip, it is track 1.

Death Stalker (ZXS)

Death Stalker (ZXS)

Arranger David Whittaker Programmer David Whittaker Released 1989-01-?? Length 2:49.61 BPM 82 Format AY Loops Yes

As usual, Whittaker's Spectrum 128K driver is tuned two semitones too low.

The vibrato is slow, sounding dreamy. Judging from a code comparison, this is intended.

To record one loop plus 10 seconds at constant tempo, the game was loaded in Fuse 1.6.0 with Spectrum 128K. In the AY rip, it is track 1.