Video Game Music

Analysis and Composition

[vgmcarter-blog]

Tales of Phantasia

  Tales of Phantasia is a fantasy/role-playing/adventure game published by Namco. It was released in Japan in 1995 selling over two hundred thousand copies and was later released on PlayStation and Game Boy Advance. It is also the first of the ‘Tale’ series which has blossomed massively since its release. The plot for the game is literally astounding. For a game made in 1995 you would think a storyline would be short and to the point, however it has one of the most remarkable and lengthy stories. Unlike many of the games back then, it took a very long time to complete thus the music had to be something which would not get boring or annoying. To me, composers Motoi Sakuraba and Shingi Tamura who composed for this game nailed it. The fantasy element is perfect; the music is beautiful and fits all the graphical content and storyline extremely well. Better yet, you could listen to the songs on repeat and not tire, which is of course what happens in a game of such length.

  An outstanding track to me is ‘Mystic Forest’. Combining midi flutes, strings, bells and harps the sound is amazing for its time. Maintaining mystery, fantasy and heroicness the progressions flow together seamlessly. This is played in many of the forests and also near the beginning of the game, which sets the mood perfectly. Another track which is great is ‘The Stream of Time’. Throughout the game you travel through time a few times. The first time you do so this song plays, which gives a great atmospheric feeling to the player. If you can imagine being back in 1995 hearing this music whilst playing the latest of gaming technology and graphics, the feeling must have been phenomenal.

  I first played this game when I was around the age of nine or ten. Alongside Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, this game has had the biggest influence on me in terms of gaming and music.

[vgmcarter-blog]

Extra song for the past two weeks, following the same inspiration of Tales of Phantasia with a hint of progressive metal...

<a href="http://vgmcarter.bandcamp.com/track/onward-2" data-mce-href="http://vgmcarter.bandcamp.com/track/onward-2">Onward by Ben Carter</a>

[vgmcarter-blog]

Dedicating another week to Tales of Phantasia and its composers Motoi Sakuraba and Shingi Tamura. Such a great game!

<a href="http://vgmcarter.bandcamp.com/track/embark-2" data-mce-href="http://vgmcarter.bandcamp.com/track/embark-2">Embark by Ben Carter</a>

[vgmcarter-blog]

Inspired by the game Tales of Phantasia and it's music composed by Motoi Sakuraba and Shingi Tamura.

<a href="http://vgmcarter.bandcamp.com/track/myth-2" data-mce-href="http://vgmcarter.bandcamp.com/track/myth-2">Myth by Ben Carter</a>

[vgmcarter-blog]

Perfect Dark

Perfect Dark was developed by Rare and was only available on Nintendo 64 until later being released on Xbox 306. The game is of the first-person shooter genre with a sci-fi element. Following the success of GoldenEye 007, Perfect Dark uses much of the same gameplay along with its many other features such as training and duel mode. This game was fantastic for its time and had me glued to the Nintendo for hours on end. However looking back at the graphics I wonder how I could stand it for that amount of time. Then it was clear. The music to this game fits so well with the story, genre and gameplay. Much of the time you won’t know what is around to corner; aliens, monsters, an ally, it could be anything. The music brought suspense like no other and combined it with a great eerie and science fiction based sound. The composers responsible for this great atmospheric feeling are Grant Kirkhope and David Clynick. Grant Kirkhope also did music for other fantastic games such as GoldenEye 007 and one of the best adventure cartoon games for its time, Banjo-Kazooie!

  As Perfect Dark generally has the same feel and atmosphere throughout the entire game, the music does the same. The sound is made up of strings, synths, drums, keys, bass and occasionally guitar. They use a lot of diminished key changes which really amplifies the suspense (Carrington Institute) while sometimes adding in pleasant chord changes to, in my opinion, give inspiration for the player (Chicago Stealth). There are also some very upbeat progressions in various songs, which is great for the player as it gives a very energetic feeling (Pelagic II Exploration). Although the music is generally of the same style throughout the game, unlike other games such as Super Mario Bros or Zelda, it fits perfectly and never dulls during the whole game. Many of these compositions are my favourite with in the genre.

[vgmcarter-blog]

From the great works of Grant Kirkhope and the game Perfect Dark comes an inspired piece...

[vgmcarter-blog]

Koji Kondo the master of video game music is the influence once again this week. Inspired by the Super Mario Bros. series comes a ‘peculiar’ song…

[vgmcarter-blog]

Super Mario Bros.

  Arguably one of the greatest games ever developed for its time, Super Mario Bros has sold over 40 million copies worldwide. Created by Nintendo in 1985 this game has possibly the most sequels and spin-offs of any game ever created. As this game was created over 25 years ago it has a very simple storyline. The player is Mario who needs to save Princess Toadstool from Bowser who has abducted the Princess. You go through many different landscapes in the world of the Mushroom Kingdom defeating various monsters, such as a Goomba, and chasing Bowser until you reach his castle. If the player desires to play with a friend they can do so in the two player version in which the second player takes on the persona of Luigi (Mario’s brother). Due to the limit graphics in the time of this game, the music played a huge role in creating an atmosphere and setting the mood of the game.

  All the music in the game was created with 8-bit sounds/instruments and composed by Koji Kondo also known for his work on the ever popular Legend of Zelda series and many other Nintendo classics. This main theme, named ‘Overworld Theme’, is recognised by not just gamers but almost anyone and to me is one of the most influential pieces composed for video games. This piece is incredibly catchy and gives a great quirky and original feeling to the game. It’s well known for its calypso rhythm and jazz-like melody/bass in the musical world. Mr Kondo stated ‘It’s was the most difficult track to compose’. However in the end, I think he nailed it! Another important aspect in the process of creation for this track was the development of the game. The track changed numerous times with the graphical and mechanical updates of the game. Ultimately music for a game must fit within the final product, not just the development of the product thus the composition will most likely change multiple times with the development of the game.

  Another great piece is the ‘Underworld Theme’. Very basic, with the use of octaves and diminished thirds, the compositions gives a great eerie feeling however maintains the quirkiness through its rhythmic motifs (of which I believe the overall game puts across to the player). Just like the Overworld Theme this piece is known by not just gamers but most people. A great thing to note with these themes is the ability to alter their tempo and still keep the atmospheric feeling intended. When the player is running out of time the tempo rises making it a bit more intense and to give warning to the player.

  This soundtrack is only short, however it still maintains its place as one of the most influential musical compositions created for video games and I don’t believe it will be beaten anytime soon.

[vgmcarter-blog]

Process of Music Creation

The process in which i create music is somewhat constant and invariable. The beginning is generally sparked through inspiration for hearing other music or seeing some great art work. Once i have this inspiration i then map out in my mind an idea of the genre of music i wish to create and also the characteristics i wish the music to present to the listener.

With these in mind, the first aspect i look into is the instruments/sounds. For example, for a relaxing/chilled environment i would be thinking of using very warm synths/pianos and light strings. However if i also wanted the environment to feel of unease i would also include odd sounding instruments such as a strange lead synth. I generally test the sounds with a simplified version of a progression and melody which i plan to use in the piece. Through countless listen i will eventually come to a decision of which sounds will be used. This part to me is one of the most important aspects as it is the basis of what your piece will sound like. After this process comes the actual composition.

This section in creation may seem like the song is never fully complete... You can spend hours changing that C to a D on that final note in the melody, however in the end you have to take a step back and say enough is enough. I can never create a piece of music in a few days, it takes weeks for a song to feel finally finished. I believe it is good to create something, then leave it alone for some time, eventually coming back to see how you feel towards the piece. How the piece makes you feel is ultimately, to me, the reason for creating the piece in the first place. Everyone will feel differently towards a song or any art form, so i believe to create solely for how it makes you feel to gain the best result.

Finally being happy with the composition, i then spend along time mixing the piece doing various things such as, making sure certain instruments fade out in correct spots not overlapping certain notes which create sounds which effect the actual feel you wish to present or making sure the soft sections of the song truly are soft and the build-ups truly build up. This is another aspect which can feel like it will never end, or you will never be happy with. However, just like the composition you must eventually take a step back and say enough is enough. If the piece makes you feel the way you intended it to, then i believe it is complete, even if you can change minor things throughout it. Lastly is the continuous listening and analysis of the piece. I do this over weeks. Sometimes i will listen to the song a lot in one day, then other times i will make myself wait a certain time then listen to it again. This, to me, allows you to understand fully how the piece ultimately feels. It also gives you a chance to realise any ideas you doubted in the creative process to settle in or eventually be taken away.

[vgmcarter-blog]

Week two brings us the third song! This song is inspired by the works of C418 and his amazing music from the album Minecraft - Volume Alpha for the video game Minecraft developed by Mojang.

<a href="http://vgmcarter.bandcamp.com/track/chance-2" data-mce-href="http://vgmcarter.bandcamp.com/track/chance-2">Chance by Ben Carter</a>

[vgmcarter-blog]

Minecraft

 Minecraft is an independent video game created by Markus Persson and his company known as Mojang. It is a simple sandbox game where players must use creativity to create new items to build and survive in the world. The graphics of the game make it look like it was created in the early to mid-nineties; however it is all a part of its charm. There are two modes in which a player can play, being creative and survival. Creative, as the name states, is purely for creative purposes, while survival takes the creative aspect and combines it with a form of adventure in which the player must gather all materials by themselves and fight off monsters which appear at night. This game sparked a craze particularly on YouTube with players wanting to show their creations off and also various mods which add more to the game. A particular channel the ‘Yogscast’ also took a shine to the game in its early years, creating video game commentary which also helped its popularity and community. Many people will send in pre-made maps and mods to the Yogscast to commentate over for recognition. As the game is very basic the feel from the game, I believe, comes from the old style visuals and the brilliant music.

  The music was composed by C418 (Daniel Rosenfeld) who is an independent musician mostly known for the soundtrack Minecraft – Volume Alpha. The music throughout the game is very ambient, moody and rather beautiful at times. The main instruments used are keyboards, pianos, strings and synthesizers which seem to be mostly midi. The reason I believe the music works fantastically in this game is the situation in which the player generally finds him/herself in. At the beginning of the game you start of in a random location with no items. You must harvest trees for wood to then build other various tools which can be used for even more harvesting of numerous substances such as stone, dirt, sand, coal and the list goes on. However, before you can harvest the amount of material you need to build a hide-out or house, the sun goes down and monsters appear. The player is now all alone, in a dark world filled with monsters, waiting for that first sign of daylight.

  Music randomly initiates throughout the game and in these times where the player feels trapped and helpless, it almost gives an inspiring and motivating feeling to the player. For example, the song ‘Sweden (calm3)’ is very relaxing and calming, with some nice piano chords and melodies accompanied by a mellow string section in the background. Another great example comes from the song ‘Mice on Venus (Piano3)’. A very inspiring and calm piece, the beginning starts of somewhat sad with some strings playing minor progressions however shortly the piano takes over with some lovely major progressions creating a much more cheerful mood. Half way through the song changes again in to a rather different feeling. A synthesizer plays an odd melody while various other keys play a rather marching-like rhythm and progression in the background. This gives a good sentiment for adventure, which compliments the game well.

  As there is no storyline to the game I believe the music helps create a great atmospheric feeling, making up for the lack of information given to the player. It really sets the scene in terms of individuality for the game. As the game is heavily imaginative and creative, the atmospheric feeling the music gives is great inspiration for the player when things are looking bad. These compositions to me fit perfectly within Minecraft and give even more reason to play the game.

[vgmcarter-blog]

A second installment for week one titled 'Wanderer'. This is also influenced by the music from the video game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Composed by Koji Kondo).

<a href="http://vgmcarter.bandcamp.com/track/wanderer-2" data-mce-href="http://vgmcarter.bandcamp.com/track/wanderer-2">Wanderer by Ben Carter</a>

[vgmcarter-blog]

First up is a song titled 'Venturous'. This song is influenced by the music from the video game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Composed by Koji Kondo).

<a href="http://vgmcarter.bandcamp.com/track/venturous-2" data-mce-href="http://vgmcarter.bandcamp.com/track/venturous-2">Venturous by Ben Carter</a>

[vgmcarter-blog]

Hello internet! My name is Ben and i will be sharing with you some compositions and analysis of video game music. If you would like to contact me about the music, video games or even just random philosophical thoughts on life that come to mind... send me a message. Hope you can all enjoy the music!

All music composed will be added to an album titled VGM - Carter and can be found at Bandcamp. This album will contain video game music influenced by vairous video games such as Zelda, Final Fantasy, Doom, Minecraft etc.

[vgmcarter-blog]

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

  The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a video game originally created for Nintendo 64 and was produced by Shigeru Miyamoto. The game is set in the fictional land of Hyrule. An evil king of thieves named Ganondorf is seeking the Triforce, an ancient and holy relic which provides the holder with the power of the gods. The Great Deku Tree summons a young boy named Link (the player) to tell him of Ganondorf’s plan to take over Hyrule and explains that he must be stopped. After speaking to the Princess Zelda at Hyrule Castle, Link learns he must obtain three spiritual stones to gain access to the Temple of Time which holds the Master Sword in which is needed in order to defeat Ganondorf. Ultimately obtaining the stones Link acquires the Master Sword. However, as this occurs Ganondorf follows Link to the Temple of Time and claims the Triforce for himself. Seven years later, Link is awoken to find himself in the Chamber of Sages. The sages had sealed Link’s spirit for seven years, enough time for him to grow of age and be able to wield the master sword. Rauru, the Sage of Light, then explains to Link that they can imprison Ganondorf however the other sages cannot remember who they truly are after the evil king had spread darkness across the land of Hyrule. Link then ventures to the five temples of Hyrule to free the sages from darkness. After doing so, Ganondorf then captures Zelda, who is the last sage needed to imprison the king. Link then attempts to save the princess. Successfully defeating Ganondorf, the king then transforms into Ganon, a beast form of himself. With the help of Zelda, Link ultimately overthrows Ganon and the sages trap him in the Dark Realm. Link is finally returned to his childhood state and Hyrule is saved, for now…

 This game is considered one of the greatest video games ever made by reviewers and players alike. Along with its great story and game mechanics is the fantastic music (which to me completes the game and makes it what it is today). The soundtrack for Ocarina of Time was composed by Koji Kondo, who is also known for his work on many other Nintendo titles such as Super Mario Bros. When you first start up the game the effect of the music instantly strikes you. The title screen music, named ‘Title Theme’, uses jazzy chords along with classical instrumentation and progressions. The main instruments that can be heard are piano, an array of strings and a flute which plays the melody. This beautiful arranged piece creates a characteristic fantasy which immediately pulls the player in to a different world. While very simplistic and short this song, like most of the songs throughout the game, is very atmospheric which ultimately complements the visuals and story whilst not being too distractive for the player. Throughout the game various areas/environments have their own musical themes which help the player to understand where they are in the world of Hyrule. An example of this is 'Gerudo Valley' which contains very Spanish-like music with the use of acoustic guitars for the melody and rhythm also accompanied by hand clapping and horns which occasionally harmonise the melody or take its place. These instruments make up the distinctive background for the player and help them recognise which area they are currently in.

   Characters throughout the game also have their own themes. This helps identify who they are in association with Link. As Zelda is a friend of Link, her theme is very calm and comforting using instruments such as the harp and very light strings. On the other hand, Ganondorf is the ultimate enemy of Link, thus his theme is extremely dark and terrifying which is created by using diminished chord progressions, church organs, harsh strings and other hard hitting symphonic instruments to generate fear in the player. The player also is given an ocarina in which is a vital item throughout the game. By playing various songs which you learn along your adventure you are able to teleport to certain locations, change the time of day, make it rain, move various structures/substances, open certain doors. These actions are all important in the overall gameplay and progress. The songs you play are very simple melodies containing generally just six or so notes. However, these simplistic melodies fit perfectly with their environment and setting just like the environmental/area themes. Without these, the game would certainly be lacking something.

To me, the music in this game is a massive part of which made it a huge success. It is definitely the music of my childhood and creates some fantastic memories purely from playing this single game.