88bit – 8-bit music on 88 keys
88bit is the alter ego of Cleveland-based pianist, composer and recording artist, Rob Kovacs, where he performs virtuosic note-for-note piano arrangements of classic video game soundtracks mainly from the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Kovacs is one of the only pianists in the world to publicly perform some of these early game soundtracks, many of which have never been released outside of the games they’re in. By acoustically recreating early electronic music (music never intended to be performed b
Kovacs first started recording and performing as 88bit since 2017 and has played at major events including GDC, the Game Audio Network Guild Awards, PAX, MAGFest, the Mensa National Gathering, NeoSonic Fest, Classic Game Fest and many others. He has performed music by and for legendary video game composers including David Wise (Donkey Kong Country) and Takashi Tateishi (Mega Man 2), whose respective series have sold millions of copies worldwide.
He has been interviewed by Level with Emily Reese, gameinformer.com, clevelandclassical.com, NPR’s “Sound of Applause” (WCPN Cleveland), NPR’s “Shuffle” (WKSU Kent), NPR’s ReSpawn Podcast and others.
88bit – 8-bit music on 88 keys