RYMCast: Why Chiptune Composers Need This VGM Player

There are loads of chiptune plugins and software applications out there. Most of them are virtual instruments.

But RYMCast is different. 

Yes, it’s a VGM player. But it’s also a powerful companion app to instruments like RYM2612 FM Synthesizer and DefleMask.

What is RYMCast?

RYMCast is a free VGM music player that plays .vgm or .vgz tracks from Sega Genesis and Mega Drive games. It uses an audio engine that accurately emulates the YM2612 sound chip found in Sega’s 16-bit console. On top of that, it lets you extract instrument patches to use in RYM2612 and DefleMask.

RYMCast Features

As basic as RYMCast is, it’s got a healthy set of key features:

• Accurate YM2612 Sound Chip Emulation — RYMCast uses the same audio engine as Inphonik’s virtual synth, RYM2612, one of the best Sega Genesis VST plugins ever made.
• Mute and Solo Channels — If you only want to hear specific channels, you can do so.
• Adjust Playback Speed — You can speed up or slow down the playback speed of the VGM file.
• Audio Export to Multiple Formats — You can export audio as WAV, AIFF, or FLAC files. You can also export them as a single stereo track or multiple tracks.
• Instrument Patch Extractor — This lets you extract sounds and use them with RYM2612 or DefleMask (more on that below).
• Visualizers for Each Channel — These individual scopes make it visually entertaining to listen to tracks. It’s also helpful for identifying sounds to extract them.

Why Do Chiptune Composers Need This?

RYMCast’s features make it a handy tool for writing Sega Genesis-style tracks. But only if you own the RYM2612 plugin or DefleMask Tracker.

If you don’t have either of those, I’d highly recommend them. They’re both incredible tools for writing 16-bit music.

Extracting Sounds from Your Favorite Genesis Games

Have a favorite Sega Genesis soundtrack? The instrument patch extractor lets you use those sounds in your projects.

At any time, you can pause the player and find a sound you like. Then simply drag and drop the patch into your file browser to use later.

And if you have RYM2612, you can drag and drop directly into the synth and instantly have the sound ready to play.

Track Soloing and Speed Adjustment for Easy Transcription

Transcribing music by ear is a fantastic exercise for composers to do every once in a while. In a way, it’s like studying directly from the masters.

But sometimes, elements get lost in the mix or go by too fast to hear properly.

RYMCast makes it easy to hear what’s going on in Sega Genesis tracks. Mute and solo tracks to pick apart grooves, or slow them down to hear every single note played.

That way, you don’t have to transcribe music from badly-compressed versions on YouTube.

Export VGM Tracks from DefleMask, Then Export the Audio From RYMCast

The YM2612 emulation in RYMCast is arguably more accurate than in DefleMask.

So if you want to share the best version of your DefleMask Sega track, here’s what you’d do:

1. Save your DefleMask track as a VGM file.
2. Import your VGM file into RYMCast.
3. In RYMCast, save the track as a WAV, AIFF, or FLAC file.

After that, publish your track to YouTube, Bandcamp, Spotify, or wherever your heart pleases.

Where to Get Sega Genesis VGM Files?

Of course, RYMCast is absolutely useless without access to VGM files from Sega Genesis games. 

Fortunately, you can find hundreds of them in Project 2612. Thanks to their community, they’ve preserved soundtracks from over 700 Genesis, Mega Drive, Sega CD, and 32x games.

Should You Get RYMCast?

RYMCast might be for you if you’re one of the following people:

• You own Inphonik’s RYM2612 synth and want to take full advantage of the plugin.
• You regularly use DefleMask to write Sega Genesis music.
• You’re just a fan of Genesis music and want a good, accurate VGM player.

It’s a fantastic little app that I’ve found great use for in my personal chiptune projects.

But if you don’t fall into one of those three groups, you can probably skip RYMCast.

Like RYMCast? Check Out This Free Inphonik Plugin

RYMCast is just one tool inspired by the Sega Genesis. Inphonik also released a free bitcrusher plugin based on the same engine.

Meet the PCM2612 Retro Decimator Unit, a stupid-simple plugin that replicates the YM2612’s PCM sample playback output.

You can learn more about PCM2612 here.