David Whittaker
Encyclopedia
David Whittaker is known for numerous computer game tunes which he wrote in most of the 1980s and early 1990s, for many different formats.
He is known for the large quantity of his works—more than any other composer (in fact, more than most of the other top composers' works combined). He was offered so many projects in the late 1980s that he had to pass some of them over to other computer game music writers (such as his good friends, Rob Hubbard
and Ben Daglish
). Initially, he had been a programmer, rather than a music maker. The first games that featured his music were also designed and programmed by him, such as Lazy Jones
.
While making music, he often programmed music directly, instead of using any music composition tools, using just a "machine code monitor"—and then an 'assembler' system/program—including SuperSoft's and then Commodore's tools. Commodore 64
was the format that he composed for most frequently. He was more impressed with the Amiga
's more developed technical sound capabilities, but used a few of the same instrument sounds, in several of his works, for Amiga. Thus, his Amiga music is often easy to recognise. For Shadow of the Beast
, he was asked to compose especially good music, as much more memory
was available for that game—so he used different and very high quality (at the time) instrument samples. These days he works mostly in the field of computer game sound effects and voices rather than music.
Although he does not compose much at present, he is still involved in the implementation of Music, Ambiences, Sound FX—and his admitted "forte"—Dialogue (hence, his current moniker: DialogueGuru).
His most successful compositions appeared probably in Amiga
games such as Shadow of the Beast
, Obliterator
, Xenon, Beyond the Ice Palace
and Speedball. On the Commodore 64
his most popular compositions include for example Glider Rider
, Storm, Street Surfer and Armageddon Man
. His subtune 21 of Lazy Jones
was the basis for the dance hit "Kernkraft 400" by Zombie Nation
. Many of his other tunes can be heard on Internet retro computer music radios such as SLAY Radio
. Other formats he composed for include Amstrad CPC
, Atari ST
, Atari XL, MSX
and ZX Spectrum
. Many of his old songs are these days remixed by computer game music enthusiasts.
He is known for the large quantity of his works—more than any other composer (in fact, more than most of the other top composers' works combined). He was offered so many projects in the late 1980s that he had to pass some of them over to other computer game music writers (such as his good friends, Rob Hubbard
Rob Hubbard
Rob Hubbard is a music composer best known for his composition of computer game theme music, especially for microcomputers of the 1980s such as the Commodore 64...
and Ben Daglish
Ben Daglish
Ben Daglish is a composer and musician. His parents moved to Sheffield when Daglish was aged one year old. He is known for creating many soundtracks during the 1980s for home computer games, including Commodore 64 hits as The Last Ninja, Trap, and Deflektor...
). Initially, he had been a programmer, rather than a music maker. The first games that featured his music were also designed and programmed by him, such as Lazy Jones
Lazy Jones
Lazy Jones is a computer game for the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, MSX and Tatung Einstein. It was written by David Whittaker and released by Terminal Software in 1984. The Spectrum version was ported by Simon Cobb....
.
While making music, he often programmed music directly, instead of using any music composition tools, using just a "machine code monitor"—and then an 'assembler' system/program—including SuperSoft's and then Commodore's tools. Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
was the format that he composed for most frequently. He was more impressed with the Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
's more developed technical sound capabilities, but used a few of the same instrument sounds, in several of his works, for Amiga. Thus, his Amiga music is often easy to recognise. For Shadow of the Beast
Shadow of the Beast
Shadow of the Beast is a side-scrolling platform computer game produced by Reflections Interactive and published by Psygnosis in 1989. The original version was released for the Commodore Amiga, but the game has been ported to many other systems...
, he was asked to compose especially good music, as much more memory
Random-access memory
Random access memory is a form of computer data storage. Today, it takes the form of integrated circuits that allow stored data to be accessed in any order with a worst case performance of constant time. Strictly speaking, modern types of DRAM are therefore not random access, as data is read in...
was available for that game—so he used different and very high quality (at the time) instrument samples. These days he works mostly in the field of computer game sound effects and voices rather than music.
Although he does not compose much at present, he is still involved in the implementation of Music, Ambiences, Sound FX—and his admitted "forte"—Dialogue (hence, his current moniker: DialogueGuru).
His most successful compositions appeared probably in Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
games such as Shadow of the Beast
Shadow of the Beast
Shadow of the Beast is a side-scrolling platform computer game produced by Reflections Interactive and published by Psygnosis in 1989. The original version was released for the Commodore Amiga, but the game has been ported to many other systems...
, Obliterator
Obliterator
Obliterator is a side-scrolling arcade adventure computer game published by Psygnosis in 1988.-Summary:The game was programmed by David H. Lawson and its graphics were made by Garvan Corbett and Jim Ray Bowers...
, Xenon, Beyond the Ice Palace
Beyond the Ice Palace
Beyond the Ice Palace is an arcade adventure game released by Elite Systems in for several home computer systems.- Plot :Game blurb:"Beyond the Ice Palace lies a mystical land caught up in a battle between good and evil. Dark spirits are setting alight the forests, destroying the homes and...
and Speedball. On the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
his most popular compositions include for example Glider Rider
Glider Rider (video game)
Glider Rider is an isometric 3D arcade adventure game released by Quicksilva in for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC. The game music was composed by David Whittaker.- Plot :...
, Storm, Street Surfer and Armageddon Man
Global Commander
Global Commander is a computer game developed by Martech in 1987 for the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS and ZX Spectrum.-Gameplay:...
. His subtune 21 of Lazy Jones
Lazy Jones
Lazy Jones is a computer game for the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, MSX and Tatung Einstein. It was written by David Whittaker and released by Terminal Software in 1984. The Spectrum version was ported by Simon Cobb....
was the basis for the dance hit "Kernkraft 400" by Zombie Nation
Zombie Nation (band)
Zombie Nation is a German techno and electro project of the Munich based DJ and producer Florian Senfter.-History:The first Zombie Nation five track EP was released in the spring of 1999 on DJ Hell's label, International DeeJay Gigolo Records...
. Many of his other tunes can be heard on Internet retro computer music radios such as SLAY Radio
SLAY Radio
SLAY Radio is a 24/7 internet-only radio station dedicated to playing remixes and tunes based on music from the Commodore 64 computer, as well as the Amiga, popular in the 1980s and 1990s...
. Other formats he composed for include Amstrad CPC
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
, Atari ST
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
, Atari XL, MSX
MSX
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
and ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
. Many of his old songs are these days remixed by computer game music enthusiasts.
External links
- Photograph of Whittaker at Lemon64.com
- Whittaker's Amiga music at UnExoticA
- David Whittaker at MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...
- Artist profile at OverClocked ReMixOverClocked ReMixOverClocked ReMix, also known as OC ReMix and OCR, is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and paying tribute to video game music through arranging and re-interpreting the songs with new technology and software, as well as by various traditional means...
- C64 games which used Whittaker's music
- Remix64 Interview with David Whittaker Carr, Neil (Oct. 2, 2001)