View source for Chris Huelsbeck

{{Multiple issues|
{{update|date=March 2015}}
{{BLP sources | date=December 2014}}
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{{Infobox musical artist
| image        = Chris Huelsbeck NextLevel 2 2011 Köln (cropped).jpg
| caption      = Huelsbeck in 2011
| name         = Chris Huelsbeck
| birth_name   = Christopher Hülsbeck
| birth_date   = {{birth date and age|1968|3|2|df=y}}
| origin       = [[Kassel]], [[West Germany]]
| genre        = [[Electronica]], [[video game music]]
| occupation   = Composer
| years_active = 1986–present
| website      = {{Official website | http://www.huelsbeck.com | Official website}}
}}
'''Christopher Hülsbeck''' (born 2 March 1968), known internationally as '''Chris Huelsbeck''', is a German [[video game music]] composer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chris Huelsbeck {{!}} Composer, Sound Department, Music Department |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0400048/ |access-date=2023-10-24 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Chris Huelsbeck |url=https://www.soundclick.com/artist/default.cfm?bandID=110965 |access-date=2023-10-24 |language=en-US}}</ref> He gained popularity for his work on game soundtracks for ''[[The Great Giana Sisters]]'' and the ''[[Turrican]]'' series.

== Career ==
{{original research|section|date=December 2014}}
Huelsbeck's music career started at age 17, when he entered a music competition in the German ''64'er'' magazine, taking first prize with his composition "Shades".<ref>64'er 6/86, p. 173</ref><ref name="NGen3">{{cite journal|title=Chris Hülsbeck |journal=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=3|publisher=[[Imagine Media]]|date=March 1995|page=53}}</ref> He took a job in music production with the company [[Rainbow Arts]].<ref name="NGen3"/>

In 1986, Huelsbeck released the ''SoundMonitor'' program for the [[Commodore 64]] computer. The program was released as a type-in listing in the German computer magazine ''64'er''. This program, featuring the idea of notation data rolling from down to up, is assumed<ref>{{Cite web |title=Soundtracker origins, part 1: Where in the World is Karsten Obarski? – I Know You… |url=https://xavier.borderie.net/blog/2021/09/22/soundtracker-origins-part-1-where-in-the-world-is-karsten-obarski/ |access-date=2022-10-14 |language=fr-FR}}</ref> to have a significant influence on Karsten Obarski's [[Ultimate Soundtracker]] (1987), which was a starting point for the still continuing tradition of tracker music programs.<ref>{{cite web|last=Droege|first=Joerg|title=Video Interview with Chris Huelsbeck|url=http://sceneworld.org/blog/2015/02/12/video-interview-with-chris-huelsbeck/|website=Scene World Magazine|accessdate=2015-04-26}}</ref>

Huelsbeck has written soundtracks for more than 70 titles, the latest being ''[[Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams]]''. Many of his scores for the [[Commodore 64]] are regarded as classics among enthusiasts today, most notably ''The Great Giana Sisters''. He is best known for the soundtracks to the ''Turrican'' series of games.

He also created a music replay routine for the [[Amiga]] called TFMX — "The Final Musicsystem eXtended", which features more musically-oriented features than rival [[Ultimate Soundtracker|Soundtracker]], such as logarithmic pitch-bends, sound macros and individual tempos for each track.{{citation needed|date=December 2014}}

=== Orchestra performances ===
His music from ''[[Apidya]]'', [[Turrican II: The Final Fight|''Turrican II'']], ''[[Turrican 3]]'' and ''The Great Giana Sisters'' was performed live at the [[Symphonic Game Music Concerts|''Symphonic Game Music Concert'']] series in [[Leipzig]], Germany between 2003 and 2007, conducted by [[Andy Brick]]. Huelsbeck's music from ''Apidya'' was thus part of the first game concert outside [[Japan]] in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-02-16 |title=The Concert Programs :: Symphonic Game Music Concerts |url=http://www.vgmconcerts.com/main.php?section=about&subs=the%20concert%20programs&lang=english |access-date=2022-04-30 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070216153810/http://www.vgmconcerts.com/main.php?section=about&subs=the%20concert%20programs&lang=english |archive-date=16 February 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

On 23 August 2008, his music was performed at [[Symphonic Shades – Hülsbeck in Concert|''Symphonic Shades'']], a concert devoted exclusively to his work. For the first time ever in Europe, an orchestral concert was dedicated to a game composer and broadcast live on the radio.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-12-11 |title=Latest :: Symphonic Game Music Concerts |url=http://www.vgmconcerts.com:80/main.php?section=news&lang=english |access-date=2022-04-30 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071211065552/http://www.vgmconcerts.com:80/main.php?section=news&lang=english |archive-date=11 December 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The WDR Radio Orchestra and a choir performed classics such as ''The Great Giana Sisters'', ''Turrican'', ''[[R-Type]]'' and others in [[Cologne]], Germany under the direction of [[Arnie Roth]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=HCD10 {{!}} Symphonic Shades - Hülsbeck in Concert - VGMdb |url=https://vgmdb.net/album/9384 |access-date=2022-04-30 |website=vgmdb.net |language=en}}</ref> On 19 March 2009, the concert ''Sinfonia Drammatica'' at the Konserthuset in [[Stockholm]], [[Sweden]] was announced, with Arnie Roth conducting the [[Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra]]. The event took place on 4 August 2009 and combined performances of Huelsbeck's ''Symphonic Shades'' with excerpts from ''[[Drammatica]]'' by [[Yoko Shimomura]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-08-04 |title=Sinfonia Drammatica: Stockholm, August 2009 |url=http://www.vgmonline.net/sinfoniadrammaticareport/ |access-date=2022-04-30 |website=VGMO -Video Game Music Online- |language=en-US}}</ref>

Additionally, the London Video Game Orchestra (initially founded in 2019) performed an arrangement of ''The Wall'' from the Turrican 2 score. This was during their ''Remastered'' concert performed on 11 June 2022.<ref>{{Cite web  |title=LVGO Past Concerts |url=https://www.lvgo.co.uk/concerts |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=LVGO Concerts |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Discography==
* 1991 ''Shades''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://chrishuelsbeck.bandcamp.com/album/shades|title=Shades, by Chris Huelsbeck}}</ref>
* 1992 ''To be on Top''<ref>{{cite magazine|title =Preview - Ohren Schmaus |date =October 1992 |url =https://archive.org/details/powerplaymagazine-1992-10/page/n35/mode/2up |magazine =Power Play |publisher =[[Markt&Technik]] |last =Weitz |first =Volker |page =36|language=German|issn=0937-9754}}</ref>
* 1992 ''Apidya''
* 1993 ''[[Turrican]] Soundtrack''
* 1994 ''Native Vision - Easy life'' (single)
* 1994 ''Rainbows''
* 1995 ''Super Turrican 2''
* 1995 ''Sound Factory''
* 1997 ''[[Tunnel B1]] Soundtrack''
* 1997 ''[[Extreme Assault]]'' soundtrack
* 1998 ''Peanuts feat. Doc. Schneider - Leben betrügt'' (single)
* 2000 ''Bridge from the past to the future'' (released at [[MP3.com]])
* 2000 ''Collage'' (released at [[MP3.com]])
* 2000 ''[[Merregnon]] Soundtrack, Volume 1''
* 2001 ''Chris Hülsbeck in the Mix'' (released by ZYX Music)
* 2004 ''Merregnon Soundtrack, Volume 2'' (English and Japanese edition)
* 2007 ''Number Nine''
* 2008 ''Symphonic Shades''
* 2013 ''[[Turrican]] Soundtrack Anthology (Volumes 1-4)''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.destructoid.com/turrican-soundtrack-anthology-seeks-kickstarter-funding-225943.phtml|title=Turrican Soundtrack Anthology seeks Kickstarter funding|date=16 April 2012|accessdate=28 December 2014}}</ref>
* 2015 ''The Piano Collection''
* 2017 ''25 Years - Turrican II The Orchestral Album by Chris Huelsbeck''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chris-huelsbeck/turrican-ii-live-orchestra-album-by-chris-huelsbec|title=25 Years - Turrican II The Orchestral Album|accessdate=15 November 2016}}</ref>
* 2017 ''Turrican - Orchestral Selections''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Turrican - Orchestral Selections, by Chris Huelsbeck |url=https://chrishuelsbeck.bandcamp.com/album/turrican-orchestral-selections |access-date=2022-04-30 |website=Chris Huelsbeck Productions |language=en}}</ref>

==Games==
* ''[[Throw In (video game)|Active Soccer]]'' ([[iOS]], PC, MacOS)
* ''Adrift in a Cobalt Eternity'' (PC)
* ''[[The Adventures of Quik & Silva]]'' (Amiga, Atari ST)
* ''[[Apidya]]'' (Amiga)
* ''Apprentice'' (Amiga)
* ''Bad Cat'' (C64)
* ''[[Battle Isle (video game)|Battle Isle]]'' (Amiga, PC) (main title music)
* ''The Baby of Can Guru'' (C64)
* ''[[Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back]]'' (PC, PS4)
* ''Bundesliga Manager: Hattrick'' (Amiga, PC)
* ''Caribbean Disaster'' (Amiga, PC)
* ''The Carl Lewis Challenge'' (Amiga, Atari ST, PC)
* ''Circus Attractions'' (Amiga)
* ''Cristoph Kolumbus'' (PC)
* ''Danger Freak'' (Amiga, C64)
* ''Denny'' (Amiga) (unreleased)
* ''Down at the trolls'' (C64)
* ''[[Doctor Who: Legacy]]'' (Android, Browser, iOS)
* ''Dulcedo Cogitationis'' (C64)
* ''Eddy & Co: Das Eismann-Spiel'' (PC)
* ''[[Extreme Assault]]'' (PC)
* ''[[Farming Simulator]] 16 Bit Edition'' ''(PC, Genesis/Mega Drive)''
* ''[[Gem'X]]'' (Amiga, Atari ST, C64)
* ''Super Gem'X'' (Amiga, PC) (unreleased)
* ''GeoDrop'' (iOS)
* ''Grand Monster Slam'' (Amiga)
* ''[[The Great Giana Sisters]]'' (C64)
* ''[[Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams]]'' (PC, PS3, PS4, X360, XBOne, WiiU, Switch)
* ''Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams - Rise of the Owlverlord'' (iOS, PC, PS3, PS4, X360, XBOne, WiiU, Switch)
* ''Hard 'n' Heavy'' (C64)
* ''[[Hexuma]]'' (Amiga)
* ''Hollywood Poker Pro'' (Amiga, C64)
* ''[[Jim Power in Mutant Planet]]'' (Amiga, Atari ST, PCE CD)
* ''[[Jim Power: The Lost Dimension in 3-D]]'' (PC, MD/Gen, SNES)
* ''Jinks'' (C64)
* ''[[Katakis|Katakis/Denaris]]'' (Amiga, C64)
* ''Kubrik'' (iOS, Wii)
* ''Leona's Tricky Adventures'' (AmigaOS, DC, PC)
* ''L&M Adventure: Sunny shine on the funny side of life'' (Amiga)
* ''Madness'' (C64)
* ''Mad News'' (Amiga, PC)
* ''Master Blazer'' (Amiga)
* ''MenaTeus'' (PC)
* ''M.U.D.S. – Mean Ugly Dirty Sport'' (Amiga, PC)
* ''NUREN: The New Reinassance'' (Oculus, PC)
* ''Oxxonian'' (Amiga, C64)
* ''Planet of War'' (C64)
* ''P.T.C.'' (Amiga)
* ''Quik and Silva'' (Amiga)
* ''[[R-Type]]'' (Amiga, C64, iOS) (intro music)
* ''Rock 'n Roll'' (Amiga)
* ''Runsters on the run!'' (Android, Browser, iOS)
* ''Seawasp'' (Android)
* ''Sky Fighter'' (Amiga, Atari ST)
* ''StarBall'' (Amiga, C64) (intro music)
* ''[[Star Wars Episode I: Battle for Naboo]]'' (N64, PC)
* ''[[Star Wars: Rogue Squadron]]'' (N64, PC)
* ''[[Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader]]'' (GC)
* ''[[Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike]]'' (GC)
* ''Shades'' (C64 demo)
* ''Space Rat Xplode!'' (MacOS, PC)
* ''Star Trek: Infinite Space'' (Browser) (unreleased)
* ''Story Hour: Adventures'' (Wii)
* ''Story Hour: Fairy Tales'' (Wii)
* ''SubSolar'' (iOS)
* ''[[Tiny Thor]]'' (PC, Nintendo Switch)
* ''To be on top'' (C64)
* ''[[Tunnel B1]]'' (PC, PS1, Saturn)
* ''[[Turrican]]'' (Amiga)
* ''[[Turrican II: The Final Fight]]'' (Amiga)
* ''[[Mega Turrican|Mega Turrican/Turrican 3: Payment Day]]'' (Amiga, MD/Gen)
* ''[[Super Turrican (1993 video game)|Super Turrican]]'' (SNES)
* ''[[Super Turrican 2]]'' (SNES)
* ''Typherra: Colonial Patrol'' (PC) (unreleased)
* ''The War of the Worlds'' (PC, PS3, X360)
* ''X: Beyond the Frontier'' (PC)
* ''[[X-Out (video game)|X-Out]]'' (Amiga)
* ''[[Z-Out]]'' (Amiga)
* ''ZombieSmash!'' (iOS)

<ref name="huelsbeck.com">{{cite web | url=https://www.huelsbeck.com/credits | title=Credits & Awards }}</ref>
<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://chrishuelsbeck.bandcamp.com/track/theme-from-battle-isle|title = Theme from Battle Isle, by Chris Huelsbeck}}</ref>
<ref>https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000S55Y1M/  {{Dead link|date=July 2022}}</ref><ref>
{{cite web|url=http://www.huelsbeck.com/blog/category/chris-huelsbeck-productions-scores-doctor-who-game|title=Chris Huelsbeck Productions|accessdate=28 December 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141210155523/http://www.huelsbeck.com/blog/category/chris-huelsbeck-productions-scores-doctor-who-game|archive-date=10 December 2014}}</ref>

==Additional work==
* ''[[Ballblazer Champions]]'' (PS1) (SFX)
* ''[[Bonk's Adventure|B.C. Kid]]'' (Amiga) (Sound Support)
* ''DeathTrap'' (Amiga) (SFX)
* ''Emergency: Fighters for Life'' (PC) (SFX)
* ''HB Race Game'' (Amiga) (Music conversion)
* ''[[Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures]]'' (MD/Gen) (unreleased) (Additional conversions)
* ''[[Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine]]'' (N64) (Music conversion)
* ''[[International Superstar Soccer Deluxe]]'' (MD/Gen) (Music / SFX conversion)
* ''[[Jaguar XJ220 (video game)|Jaguar XJ220]]'' (SNES) (unreleased) (Music conversion)
* ''Journey to the center of the Earth'' (C64) (SFX)
* ''[[Lair (video game)|Lair]]'' (PS3) (Music editing / Voice line editing / Implementation)
* ''Perry Rhodan: Operation Eastside'' (PC) (SFX)
* ''[[Rendering Ranger: R2]]'' (SFC/SNES) (Additional Sounds)
* ''[[Resident Evil 2]]'' (N64) (Music conversion)
* ''[[The Secret of Monkey Island]]'' (Music conversion)

<ref name="huelsbeck.com"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Biography|Amiga}}
{{Commons category|Chris Hülsbeck}}

* {{Official website | http://www.huelsbeck.com | Official website}}
* [http://www.ocremix.org/artist/234/chris-hulsbeck Artist profile] at [[OverClocked ReMix]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050308225006/http://www.electronicscene.com/artist/index.cfm?a=2635 ElectronicScene.com profile]
* {{musicbrainz artist|id=6a4ee4c8-eaed-48ef-84c2-34ee655e2312|name=Chris Huelsbeck}}

{{Amiga people}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Huelsbeck, Chris}}
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:Amiga people]]
[[Category:Commodore 64 music]]
[[Category:German composers]]
[[Category:German male composers]]
[[Category:German video game composers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Musicians from Kassel]]
[[Category:Chiptune and tracker musicians]]