It was around 1988 when Stefan began writing computer music. First there were, Commodore VC20, then C16/C116 which all had one thing  in common: It was nearly impossible to write something like music! But then the Commodore C64 appeared as a promising new homecomputer with something like 3 independent voices. Congratulations Commodore! The best homecomputer system of all times was born.

After first experiences Stefan made a lot of intro and demo sounds for different C64 groups, like Lazer, Annex, Warriors of Darkness, FPS (Future Power System) or Seven Eleven. In parallel he developed different game musics and effects for software companies like Digital Marketing, Byteriders, Digital Excess or Starbyte. Years later, when the Amiga began to infiltrate the 64-scene, Stefan started to collect professional studio equipment (synthies, samplers, sampleplayers, mixers, effects, etc.) for his own creative Music Studio.

Personal Greetings to:
Sebastian Broghammer, Matze Golub, Michael Kukat aka THE NEWCOMER, Gabriel Gruber aka THE EDGE, Thomas Koncina, Markus Wiederstein, Oliver Basler, Peter Sanden, Markus Schneider, Thomas Detert, Marcel Donné, Markus Klein aka LMAN, Philip Meehan, Adam Lorentzon, Markus Siebold, Thomas Mogensen aka DRAX, Jan Morgenstern aka WAVEMAGE, Markus Holler and all I forgot.

SID (Sound Interface Device):
The Sound Chip of the Commodore 64 consists of 3 separate channels and was originally developed by Bob Yannes. Each channel has its envelope generator (ADSR - Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release) and offers "mostly" an 8 octave range. Also effect adding is possible, e.g. one filter (low-/high- and band-pass) or ring-modulation. A "virtual" fourth channel (4-bit resolution) is also possible. Chords can be simulated with Arpeggios (means very fast cycling between different tones). The first fabricated "unclean and distorted" SID version (6581 model) forms the real backbone of the legendary C64 sound.

Excerpt Bob Yannes (interviewed in August 1996 by Andreas Varga): "I thought the sound chips on the market (including those in the Atari computers) were primitive and obviously had been designed by people who knew nothing about music."

Hear the SID Examples as MP3 (all SID themes by Stefan Hartwig, except last theme "Blade Runner/End Titles" by Vangelis).