There are multiple ways of writing chiptunes. Most of the programs that are used by chiptune artists such as trackers and some VSTi plugins are inaccessible by normal means, however.
The easiest and most accessible way of writing chiptunes is through a program called PPMCK. PPMCK is an extension of the MCK program, which uses MML (Music Macro Language) to create 2A03/2A07 NES Sound Format (NSF) files, which can be played back on NSF players, NES emulators, or real NES hardware, if the right equipment is used. In other words PPMCK is an NES/Famicom music composition utility. If you want to compose for other platforms, XPMCK is your best bet. It supports the following systems:
- Commodore 64 (MOS 6581/8580)
- Game Boy (DMG-CPU)
- PC Engine / TurboGrafx (HuC6280A)
- Sega Master System (SN76489)
- Sega Genesis/MegaDrive (YM2612/SN76489)