Tools

HVSC

High Voltage SID Collection

The High Voltage SID Collection preserves over 50,000 Commodore 64 music files, becoming the definitive archive of SID chip music history.

commodore-64preservationaudioarchive

Overview

The High Voltage SID Collection is the largest archive of Commodore 64 music in existence. Beginning in 1996, dedicated volunteers have catalogued, credited, and preserved over 50,000 SID tunes. From Rob Hubbard’s classics to obscure game music, HVSC ensures this musical heritage survives.

Fast facts

  • Founded: 1996.
  • Current size: 50,000+ SID files.
  • Format: .sid files (SID chip captures).
  • Updates: Regular releases with new additions.

Collection scope

Category Content
Game music Title screens, in-game, endings
Demo music Scene productions
Original compositions Musician showcases
Covers Arrangements of other music

File format

The .sid format includes:

  • Music data
  • Player routine
  • Composer credits
  • Song information
  • Metadata (year, platform)

Organisation

Hierarchy Structure
By composer /MUSICIANS/[Letter]/[Name]/
By game /GAMES/[Letter]/[Title]/
Demos /DEMOS/[Group]/
Unknown /VARIOUS/

Quality standards

HVSC enforces:

  • Accurate credits
  • Verified dates
  • Clean rips (no cracktro interference)
  • Proper song lengths
  • Consistent metadata

Major composers represented

Composer Approximate tunes
Rob Hubbard 100+
Martin Galway 75+
Ben Daglish 80+
Jeroen Tel 200+
Tim Follin 30+

Playback

Play SID files with:

  • VICE emulator
  • Dedicated SID players
  • Hardware playback devices
  • Web-based players

Community contribution

HVSC depends on:

  • Rippers extracting music from games
  • Researchers identifying composers
  • Collectors finding rare software
  • Volunteers maintaining database

Cultural significance

HVSC enables:

  • Chiptune research
  • Composer retrospectives
  • Game music appreciation
  • Historical documentation
Project Focus
SOASC C64 scene music
Project Sidologie Professional recordings
Remix64 SID remixes

See also