Game Score FanfareUncharted has some of the most cinematic and memorable scenes in the history of video games. But my personal favourite Uncharted moment is a quiet, introspective drive through the Madagascan wilderness - thanks in large part to the soundtrack.
NOTE: I call the cue "For Better or Worse", which is track 17 on the Uncharted 4: A Thief's End OST. It may actually be "A Normal Life", which is track 3. The two tracks are very similar and share the same central motif. I really think they are more discernible for their parts that AREN'T the motif. Or it may not be either of them, but a different cue entirely that isn't on the soundtrack. I chose to use "For Better or Worse" because a) it's the name of the chapter in the game that the scene is in and b) it is more relevant to my argument.
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This video will be using YouTube's new Premiere feature. When it premieres at the specified time, we will all watch it at once and chat together. Afterwards it will be available just like a regular upload. I've been looking forward to this feature for a while now, I hope you'll join me!
If you're going to complain about getting the video 7 hours later than usual, you're wrong! Premieres are going to replace my Patreon's 24-hour early access, so you're actually getting it about 17 hours earlier than usual. You're welcome!
Thank you to Perc Upgrade! for his assistance. Check out his great percussion covers of VGM! I really love this one of Thunder Plains from FFX. youtube.com/watch?v=x52T0GUtJoM
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Game footage used in this video, in order of appearance:
0:00 - Uncharted 2: Among Thieves 0:09 - Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception 0:11 - Uncharted 4: Drake's Deception 7:54 - Streets of Rage 7:58 - Super Mario World 8:02 - Mega Man 2 8:08 - Donkey Kong Country 8:13 - Chrono Trigger 8:18 - Final Fantasy VII 8:23 - Final Fantasy X 8:31 - The Legend of Zelda 8:33 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past 8:37 - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 8:41 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 8:55 - Nier: Automata
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All music used in this video is from the Uncharted 4: A Thief's End OST and scored by Henry Jackman, unless otherwise stated. Tracks in order of appearance:
0:00 - In-game score (Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, composer: Greg Edmonson) 0:31 - A Normal Life / For Better or Worse (in-game score) 1:15 - Reunited 1:30 - Lure of Adventure 2:04 - in-game score (not on OST) 2:53 - in-game score 3:46 - A Normal Life / For Better Or Worse 4:23 - in-game score 5:00 - For Better or Worse (in-game) 6:11 - For Better or Worse (OST version) 7:53 - Uncharted Worlds (from Mass Effect, composed by Sam Hulick) 9:13 - For Better or Worse (in-game) 9:58 - For Better or Worse 10:19 - A Normal Life 10:41 - in-game score (not on OST to my knowledge?) 11:14 - same as the one above.
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Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.
Uncharted 4s Unexpected Best MinuteGame Score Fanfare2018-10-27 | Uncharted has some of the most cinematic and memorable scenes in the history of video games. But my personal favourite Uncharted moment is a quiet, introspective drive through the Madagascan wilderness - thanks in large part to the soundtrack.
NOTE: I call the cue "For Better or Worse", which is track 17 on the Uncharted 4: A Thief's End OST. It may actually be "A Normal Life", which is track 3. The two tracks are very similar and share the same central motif. I really think they are more discernible for their parts that AREN'T the motif. Or it may not be either of them, but a different cue entirely that isn't on the soundtrack. I chose to use "For Better or Worse" because a) it's the name of the chapter in the game that the scene is in and b) it is more relevant to my argument.
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This video will be using YouTube's new Premiere feature. When it premieres at the specified time, we will all watch it at once and chat together. Afterwards it will be available just like a regular upload. I've been looking forward to this feature for a while now, I hope you'll join me!
If you're going to complain about getting the video 7 hours later than usual, you're wrong! Premieres are going to replace my Patreon's 24-hour early access, so you're actually getting it about 17 hours earlier than usual. You're welcome!
Thank you to Perc Upgrade! for his assistance. Check out his great percussion covers of VGM! I really love this one of Thunder Plains from FFX. youtube.com/watch?v=x52T0GUtJoM
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Game footage used in this video, in order of appearance:
0:00 - Uncharted 2: Among Thieves 0:09 - Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception 0:11 - Uncharted 4: Drake's Deception 7:54 - Streets of Rage 7:58 - Super Mario World 8:02 - Mega Man 2 8:08 - Donkey Kong Country 8:13 - Chrono Trigger 8:18 - Final Fantasy VII 8:23 - Final Fantasy X 8:31 - The Legend of Zelda 8:33 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past 8:37 - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 8:41 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 8:55 - Nier: Automata
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All music used in this video is from the Uncharted 4: A Thief's End OST and scored by Henry Jackman, unless otherwise stated. Tracks in order of appearance:
0:00 - In-game score (Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, composer: Greg Edmonson) 0:31 - A Normal Life / For Better or Worse (in-game score) 1:15 - Reunited 1:30 - Lure of Adventure 2:04 - in-game score (not on OST) 2:53 - in-game score 3:46 - A Normal Life / For Better Or Worse 4:23 - in-game score 5:00 - For Better or Worse (in-game) 6:11 - For Better or Worse (OST version) 7:53 - Uncharted Worlds (from Mass Effect, composed by Sam Hulick) 9:13 - For Better or Worse (in-game) 9:58 - For Better or Worse 10:19 - A Normal Life 10:41 - in-game score (not on OST to my knowledge?) 11:14 - same as the one above.
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Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.Streets of Rages Groundbreaking MusicGame Score Fanfare2021-05-02 | The history of video game music and electronic dance music share many parallels. 30 years ago, Yuzo Koshiro brought VGM and EDM together in Streets of Rage, and transcended what was possible for the medium.
In 1991, Streets of Rage introduced authentic cutting-edge House music to video games. It was only possible thanks to a small piece of technology shared by the Sega Genesis and the famous synthesisers of the 80's.
A version of this video was originally uploaded on April 29, 2021. That version mistakenly said that the SNES soundchip uses subtractive synthesis. I decided to take it down as I wasn't comfortable with such a large mistake and how that point informed the direction of the video's narrative. This is a re-upload with that section fixed, as well as the removal of another line that many people were uncomfortable with.
CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Ahead of its Time 0:52 - Street Fights and Strobe Lights 1:59 - A Household Name 3:09 - Synths of Rage 6:30 - Beats to Beat 'em Up to 7:57 - Transcending Game Music
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All game footage from this video is from Streets of Rage, captured by myself.
Music tracks used in this video, in order of appearance:
The Street of Rage (Title Screen) - Streets of Rage (Yuzo Koshiro) Fighting in the Street - Streets of Rage Can You Feel It? - Mr Fingers Keep the Groovin' - Streets of Rage Player Select - Streets of Rage Dilapidated Town - Streets of Rage Moon Beach - Streets of Rage Stealthy Steps - Streets of Rage Move Your Body (House Music Anthem) - Marshall Jefferson Sadeness, Part I - Enigma Get A Life - Soul II Soul Violent Breathing - Streets of Rage Expander - Streets of Rage 2 (Motohiro Kawashima)
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Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.How Radiohead Inspired Supergiants Hades #shortsGame Score Fanfare2021-03-08 | How do you portray the greatest musician of all time? For Supergiant Games, the answer lies with Radiohead.
--FF8s Boss Theme References the Wrong Game #shortsGame Score Fanfare2021-03-01 | Watch my new FF8 video "Eyes On Me - Gaming's Greatest Love Song" here: youtu.be/B6vzEhaxNxs
#shortsEyes On Me — Gamings Greatest Love SongGame Score Fanfare2021-02-23 | At the heart of Final Fantasy VIII is the burgeoning romance between Squall and Rinoa. So they were given a love ballad, Eyes On Me, and made video game history in the process.
I've made a number of videos about the music of Final Fantasy, including the genius of The Prelude, how they remade Final Fantasy VII's soundtrack, You're Not Alone from FFIX, and the personal impact of the track Fisherman's Horizon in my life. Here's a playlist with all the Final Fantasy videos I've made: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuzd8ffe79PTRzPh82XdalIw-zG6Fc60o
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All game footage in this video is from Final Fantasy VIII Remastered (Nintendo Switch port), captured by myself.
All music in this video is from Final Fantasy VIII Original Soundtrack, composed by Nobuo Uematsu. Tracks used, in order of appearance:
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Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.How Final Fantasy VII Remade its SoundtrackGame Score Fanfare2020-07-05 | A lot has changed in the 20 years since Final Fantasy VII. Remake's soundtrack requires more than just pretty orchestral arrangements of the original's tunes - it needs to reconsider the very role music has in video games and adapt the original soundtrack into a modern score.
@8bitMusicTheory's video on FF7 Remake's dynamic music: "How they Remade the Mako Reactor Theme from Final Fantasy 7", by 8-bit Music Theory youtube.com/watch?v=lw--KhX0xLA
I had a conversation with @LeonardoDaSidci about Final Fantasy VII Remake and nostalgia. Go check out the video! "Sharing Nostalgia with Final Fantasy VII Remake | Sidcourse" by Leonardo Da Sidci youtube.com/watch?v=oif8TxEsOiM
I also have a series called Warriors of Leitmotif, which is a game-by-game breakdown of the Final Fantasy's use of theme and motif. There's a new episode on Final Fantasy V coming sometime soon. "Warriors of Leitmotif" playlist youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuzd8ffe79PRp60XuY0AofE3TgqGjUDyA
There's also an interesting video by the official @FinalFantasy YouTube channel going deep into the behind the scenes of Final Fantasy VII Remake's music, with interviews from developers and composers including Masashi Hamauzu! Definitely worth a watch. "Inside FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE – Episode 4: Music and Sound Effects" by FINAL FANTASY youtube.com/watch?v=DliMpiemUy8
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Games shown in this video, in order of appearance:
0:01 - Final Fantasy VII Remake 0:11 - Resident Evil 3 (2020) 0:15 - Shadow of the Colossus (2018) 0:23 - Final Fantasy VII 7:44 - Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age 7:57 - Final Fantasy XIII 8:15 - Final Fantasy XV
All music used in this video is from Final Fantasy VII Remake. Tracks used in order of appearance. Credits are listed as (Composer // Arranger)
0:00 - Aerith's Theme. I don't know if this version is on the OST? It plays during Cloud and Aerith's conversation on the slide (Chapter 9) 0:58 - It's an in-game cue from when Cloud sees a clone in Sector 5 (Chapter 8) 1:11 - In-game cue that uses the Opening theme, which is now titled "Midgar, City of Mako". Occurs at the start of Chapter 9 when Cloud gets a flashback. 1:34 - Same piece as 0:00. 2:13 - All Quiet at the Gates (Takafumi Imamura // Takafumi Imamura) 3:12 - Main Theme of FFVII - Nightfall in the Undercity (Nobuo Uematsu // Shotaro Shima) 3:30 - Under the Rotting Pizza (Nobuo Uematsu // Shotaro Shima) 4:00 - The Oppressed - Beck's Badasses (Nobuo Uematsu // Naoyuki Honzawa) 4:24 - Hip Hop de Chocobo (Nobuo Uematsu // Takafumi Imamura) 4:35 - Tifa's Theme (from Final Fantasy VII - Nobuo Uematsu) 5:04 - Tifa's Theme - Seventh Heaven (Nobuo Uematsu // Shotaro Shima) 5:34 - The Star of Seventh Heaven (Nobuo Uematsu // Yoshinori Nakamura) 6:08 - Smash 'Em, Rip 'Em (Nobuo Uematsu // Naoyuki Honzawa) 6:45 - Shinra's Theme (Nobuo Uematsu // Shotaro Shima) 7:09 - Let The Battles Begin! - A Merc's Job (Nobuo Uematsu // Shotaro Shima) 7:32 - Opening ~ Bombing Mission (from Final Fantasy VII - Nobuo Uematsu) 7:47 - The Dalmascan Estersand (from Final Fantasy XII - Hitoshi Sakimoto) 8:04 - Blinded By Light (from Final Fantasy XIII - Masashi Hamauzu) 8:22 - Stand Your Ground (from Final Fantasy XV - Yoko Shimomura) 8:33 - Mako Reactor 1 (Nobuo Uematsu // Shotaro Shima) 9:33 - Let The Battles Begin! - Break Through (Nobuo Uematsu // Shotaro Shima) 10:18 - Let The Battles Begin! - The Hideout (Nobuo Uematsu // Shotaro Shima) 10:36 - The Turks' Theme (Nobuo Uematsu // Yoshitaka Suzuki) 10:56 - In-game cue from when Cloud has a vision of Sephiroth (Chapter 2) 11:08 - Hell House (Nobuo Uematsu // Kengo Tokusashi, Mitsuto Suzuki) 12:30 - Midnight Rendezvous (Mitsuto Suzuki // Mitsuto Suzuki) 13:55 - On Our Way (Nobuo Uematsu // Shotaro Shima)
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Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.Unraveling bdgs Perfect PokéRapGame Score Fanfare2020-04-01 | Is Brian David Gilbert's "Perfect" PokéRap actually perfect? Does it really matter that it included only half the Pokédex? Are we even still talking about the PokéRap anymore? This is how bdg predicted 2019's biggest video game controversy, and gave us an antidote to the discourse before we even knew we would need it.
Welcome to the Unraveled of The Perfect PokéRap Unraveled.
Pokemon Black footage from the channel Mariofan98 "Pokémon Black (NDS) - Main Story Longplay Part 1/2" youtube.com/watch?v=gJwU9CSl8JU
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Thanks to Jacob Geller for reading over script with me and helping out with its structure. Check out his most recent video on so-called "Bad Graphics" youtube.com/watch?v=-yVs2E4aldg
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Games shown in this video, in order of appearance:
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Music used in this video, in order of appearance:
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Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.
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#AprilFools #gamescorefanfare #unraveledThe Women who Pioneered Video Game MusicGame Score Fanfare2020-03-13 | Since the very first video games to feature background music, women have been at the forefront of industry and taking VGM to new places. We just don't talk about them as much.
Thank you to Nick Dwyer of Diggin' in The Carts for answering some questions when I emailed him about this over a year ago. DITC is a fantastic documentary series by Red Bull Music Academy exploring the rise and influence of video game music in Japan, you definitely need to watch it if you haven't already: youtube.com/watch?v=m8z8-SKg3WU&list=PLtbJmr1Wtatc_k8o8tIgt3A5bvbFoutBG
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Games shown in this video, in order of appearance:
0:50 - Super Mario Bros. 0:56 - Donkey Kong 1:03 - Space Invaders 1:09 - Pac-Man 1:26 - Dig Dug 2:02 - Xevious 2:11 - Dig Dug 2 2:19 - The Tower of Druaga 2:56 - The Legend of Zelda 2:58 - Dragon Quest I 2:59 - Final Fantasy I 3:13 - Bionic Commando 3:16 - Ghouls ‘n Ghosts 3:25 - Mega Man 4:15 - Mega Man 5 4:19 - Mega Man X2 4:24 - Mega Man X3 4:30 - Street Fighter II: The World Warrior 5:26 - Final Fight 5:31 - Kingdom Hearts III 5:45 - The King of Dragons 5:49 - Parasite Eve 5:52 - Xenoblade Chronicles 5:54 - Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga 5:57 - Front Mission 6:02 - Final Fantasy XV 6:09 - Donkey Kong Country 6:15 - Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest 6:48 - Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble 6:58 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 7:13 - Super Metroid 7:41 - Metroid Fusion 7:48 - The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening 8:07 - Castlevania 8:48 - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night 9:43 - Wild Arms 9:50 - Fire Emblem: Three Houses 10:09 - Suikoden 10:18 - Super Bomberman R 10:24 - Bomberman ‘93 10:40 - Bomberman Hero 10:58 - Pilotwings 11:04 - Super Mario Kart 11:11 - Celeste 11:14 - Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice 11:17 - The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons & Ages 11:30 - Dear Esther 11:40 - Everybody’s Gone To The Rapture 12:00 - Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation 12:04 - Little Big Planet 3
Music used in this video, in order of appearance:
0:00 - In Stasis - Celeste: Farewell (Lena Raine) 0:51-3:05 - Various Arcade BGM 3:12 - The Haunted Graveyard - Ghouls ‘n Ghosts (Tamayo Kawamoto) 3:30 - Stage Select - Mega Man (Manami Matsumae) 3:47 - Cut Man Stage - Mega Man (Manami Matsumae) 4:30 - Title - Street Fighter II (Yoko Shimomura) 4:57 - Chun Li’s Theme - Street Fighter II (Yoko Shimomura) 5:09 - Guile’s Theme - Street Fighter II (Yoko Shimomura) 5:32 - Traverse Town - Kingdom Hearts (Yoko Shimomura) 6:08 - Stickerbush Symphony - Donkey Kong Country 2 (David Wise) 6:21 - Simian Segue - Donkey Kong Country (Eveline Fischer) 6:36 - Ice Cave Chant - Donkey Kong Country (Eveline Fischer) 6:40 - Voices of the Temple - Donkey Kong Country (Eveline Fischer) 6:48 - Submap Shuffle - Donkey Kong Country 3 (Eveline Fischer) 7:10 - Mini Boss Confrontation - Super Metroid (Minako Hamano) 7:29 - Big Boss Confrontation - Super Metroid (Minako Hamano) 7:48 - Sword Search - The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Minako Hamano) 8:07 - Introduction (Castle Gate) - Castlevania (Kinuyo Yamashita) 8:14 - Vampire Killer - Castlevania (Satoe Terashima) 8:45 - Dracula Castle - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (Michiru Yamane) 9:14 - Crystal Teardrops - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (Michiru Yamane) 9:43 - Poem of Breeze - Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade (Yuka Tsujiyoko) 10:18 - BGM 1 - Bomberman ‘90 (Jun Chikuma) 10:24 - Planet Quarry - Bomberman ‘93 (Jun Chikuma) 10:40 - Redial - Bomberman Hero (Jun Chikuma) 10:58 - Rainbow Road - Super Mario Kart (Soyo Oka) 11:30 - The Growing of the World - So Let Us Melt (Jessica Curry) 12:00 - Pod Music (Adventure) - LittleBigPlanet 3 (Winifred Phillips) 12:57 - Out of Phase - Parasite Eve (Yoko Shimomura)
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Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.Sayonara Wild Hearts - Turning Pop Music into a Video GameGame Score Fanfare2019-10-30 | Sayonara Wild Hearts is a self-professed "pop album video game." That doesn't mean it's just a poppy rhythm game or a playable music video - it's not. Rather, it's a game that has pop music built into its DNA.
Thank you to Jacob Geller for specifically recording some Rez Infinite footage just to send it to me. You'd enjoy his video on Ape Out and its wildly expressive and reactive soundtrack. youtube.com/watch?v=8H89AbaFA3w
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Sayonara Wild Hearts was developed by Simogo and published by Annapurna Interactive. All this footage was capture on the Nintendo Switch.
Game footage used in this video, in order of appearance:
0:25 - Sayonara Wild Hearts 9:31 - Sonic Adventure 2 9:34 - Star Fox Zero 9:36 - Rez Infinite 9:39 - Panzer Dragoon
I also use a bunch of music videos, which are:
0:06 - Beyonce - Love on Top 0:11 - Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe 0:15 - Imagine Dragons - Thunder 0:18 - Panic! At The Disco - High Hopes 3:36 - Sayonara Wild Hearts - Wild Hearts Never Die 6:58 - Goyte - Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra) 7:01 - The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony 7:04 - The National - Squalor Victoria 9:48 - Mark Ronson - Uptown Funk (feat. Bruno Mars) 9:50 - Luis Fonsi - Despacito (feat. Daddy Yankee) 9:55 - Lorde - Royals 9:59 - Lil Nas X - Old Town Road 10:03 - My Chemical Romance - Welcome To The Black Parade 10:08 - Rosalia - Malamente 10:11 - Childish Gambino - This Is America 10:15 - Ariana Grande - thank u, next
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All music used in this video is from Sayonara Wild Hearts, which was composed by Daniel Olsén, with Jonathon Eng helping with the the pop songs, and features vocals by Linnea Olsson. Many of the tracks can be heard on the official soundtrack, which you can buy as a 2LP vinyl set at iam8bit. 😍
I'm not sponsored for that, I just think it's really cool.
Some of the tracks are not on the official soundtrack, but are from the level select screen and various in-game menus. Here's a list of all the tracks I used:
0:00 - Sayonara Wild Heart (Album Arcade screen) 0:23 - Wild Hearts Never Die 0:51 - Wild Hearts Never Die (level select) 1:15 - Pause menu music 2:02 - Clair De Lune 2:35 - Hearts & Swords 3:03 - Hearts & Swords (level select) 3:43 - Night Drift 5:06 - Heartbreak III 5:18 - Begin Again 6:20 - Parallel Universes 6:48 - Parallel Universes (level select) 7:22 - Hate Skulls (level select) 7:51 - Heartbreak IV 8:20 - Reverie 8:58 - Heartbreak III 9:44 - Settings menu music 10:30 - Sayonara Wild Heart 11:24 - Begin Again (level select)
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Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.Final Fantasy IV | Warriors of LeitmotifGame Score Fanfare2019-10-01 | Final Fantasy IV was a massive jump in scope and ambition for the series, especially in regards to its soundtrack and its use of leitmotif.
Shout-out to MuseScore user Luiishu, who transcribed the entirety of Final Fantasy IV’s soundtrack. All of the written music shown in this video were adapted from his transcriptions, it was a phenomenally helpful resource.
Games shown in this video, in order of appearance: 0:17 - Final Fantasy IV 0:42 - Final Fantasy II 0:46 - Final Fantasy III 12:33 - Final Fantasy V
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All music in this video is from from the Final Fantasy IV Original Soundtrack, unless stated otherwise. All music was composed by Nobuo Uematsu
0:00 - Prelude (Remix) - Final Fantasy VII Demo (Nobuo Uematsu) 1:15 - Rydia 1:49 - Palom & Porom 1:57 - Melody of Lute (Edward's Harp) 2:08 - Hey, Cid! 2:55 - Theme of Love 3:40 - The Red Wings 5:14 - Mystic Mysidia 6:41 - Golbez, Clad in Shadow 7:22 - Tower of Zot 7:54 - Somewhere in the World 8:44 - Main Theme of Final Fantasy IV 9:07 - Land of the Dwarves 9:55 - Mt. Ordeals 10:24 - Suspicion 11:06 - Sorrow & Loss 11:42 - Main Theme of Final Fantasy IV 12:21 - Prelude (Remix) - Final Fantasy VII Demo (Nobuo Uematsu)
Warriors of Leitmotif is a game-by-game study of the use of theme and leitmotif throughout the Final Fantasy soundtracks.
Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of their score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.The Music of Cecils Redemption - Final Fantasy IV | Warriors of LeitmotifGame Score Fanfare2019-08-23 | Final Fantasy IV's most famous scene is when Cecil becomes a Paladin. Let's take a look at how the music of the sequence helps to tell the story.
Part 2 of the Final Fantasy IV episode of Warriors of Leitmotif is coming soon.
Shout-out to MuseScore user Luiishu, who transcribed the entirety of Final Fantasy IV’s soundtrack. All of the written music shown in this video were adapted from his transcriptions, it was a phenomenally helpful resource.
Games shown in this video, in order of appearance: 0:07 - Final Fantasy IV 0:14 - Final Fantasy II 0:17 - Final Fantasy III
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All music used in this video is from the Final Fantasy IV Original Soundtrack and was composed by Nobuo Uematsu, unless stated otherwise:
0:00 - Prelude (Remix) - Final Fantasy VII Demo (Nobuo Uematsu) 0:36 - A Long Way To Go 1:05 - The Red Wings 2:27 - Mt. Ordeals 3:04 - Main Theme of Final Fantasy IV 3:33 - Golbez, Clad in Darkness 4:23 - Tower of Zot 4:53 - Battle with the Four Fiends 5:08 - The Final Battle 5:43 - The Lunarians 7:17 - In-game cue, not on the official soundtrack.
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Warriors of Leitmotif is a game-by-game study of the use of theme and leitmotif throughout the Final Fantasy soundtracks.
Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of their score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.What Happened to Memorable Game Music?Game Score Fanfare2019-07-06 | For years we've been bemoaning the death of classic video game melodies. So what happened? The answer, as it turns out, is not that simple.
Thanks to Matt of MML's Commentaries for sending me through some extra footage of Super Mario Odyssey! Here's his excellent video on why that game is at odds with itself.
Games shown in this video, timestamps are of their first appearance.
0:00 - Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island 0:01 - Sonic the Hedgehog 0:03 - Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest 0:04 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past 0:23 - Earthbound 0:26 - Streets of Rage 2 0:31 - Kirby Super Star (Kirby’s Fun Pak) 0:40 - Chrono Trigger 0:43 - Lost Sphear 0:45 - Destiny 2 0:51 - Gris 0:52 - Octopath Traveler 0:55 - Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope 0:56 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 0:58 - Cuphead 1:03 - It’s Joker from Persona 5, but the footage is from his SSBU reveal trailer. 1:17 - Batman: Arkham Knight 1:26 - The Adventures of Batman & Robin 1:35 - Red Dead Redemption II 2:15 - Marvel’s Avengers (upcoming) 2:25 - Death Stranding (upcoming) 2:30 - Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End 2:38 - God of War (2018) 2:47 - The Legend of Zelda 2:53 - Super Mario Bros. 3 3:52 - Skate or Die 2 4:08 - DuckTales 4:29 - Kid Icarus 4:38 - Mega Man 4:56 - Final Fantasy IV 5:01 - Donkey Kong Country 5:37 - Final Fantasy VI 5:43 - Final Fantasy V 6:04 - Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble! 6:24 - Super Metroid 7:29 - Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze 7:38 - The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 7:41 - Persona 5 7:45 - Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII 7:52 - Nier: Automata 8:01 - Moonlighter 8:12 - Bastion 9:21 - Ape Out 9:30 - Ori and the Blind Forest 9:34 - Final Fantasy XV 9:44 - Far Cry 5 10:25 - Transistor 10:32 - The Last of Us 10:42 - Super Mario Odyssey 12:12 - FTL: Faster Than Light 12:16 - Assassin’s Creed: Origins 12:21 - Banjo-Kazooie 12:31 - Journey 12:34 - Hyper Light Drifter 12:38 - Metroid Prime 12:54 - Final Fantasy X 13:10 - Celeste 13:19 - Super Mario 64 13:30 - Super Mario World 14:02 - Hollow Knight 14:09 - Undertale 14:25 - The Sexy Brutale 14:32 - Super Mario Bros. 14:38 - Tetris 14:42 - Secret of Mana 14:47 - No Man’s Sky 16:24 - Final Fantasy VII: Remake 16:30 - The Witness 16:35 - Bioshock Infinite 16:40 - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 16:43 - Minecraft 16:47 - Shadow of the Colossus 17:39 - Splatoon 2 18:00 - Oxenfree
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Music used in this video, in order of appearance: 0:00 - Story Music Box - Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island (Koji Kondo) 0:33 - Great Fairy Fountain - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Koji Kondo) 2:46 - Dungeon - The Legend of Zelda (Koji Kondo) 3:45 - Overworld - Super Mario Bros. 3 (Koji Kondo) 4:08 - African Mines - DuckTales (Hiroshige Tonomura) 4:28 - Level 1 - Kid Icarus (Hirokazu “Hip” Tanaka) 4:53 - Battle With a Weird Enemy - Earthbound (Keiichi Suzuki) 5:53 - Forest Interlude - Donkey Kong Country 2 (David Wise) 6:09 - Mining Melancholy - Donkey Kong Country 2 (David Wise) 6:24 - Brinstar ~ Underground Depths - Super Metroid (Kenji Yamamoto) 6:44 - Big Boss Confrontation (Ridley & Draygon) - Super Metroid (Minako Hamano) 7:07 - Maridia ~ Rocky Underground Water Area - Super Metroid (Minako Hamano) 7:38 - Final Hours - The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (Koji Kondo) 8:12 - Build That Wall (Zia’s Theme) - Bastion (Darren Korb, Ashley Barrett) 8:38 - Brusher Patrol - Bastion (Darren Korb) 9:20 - Reflection - Celeste (Lena Raine) 10:48 - Steam Gardens (Wooded Kingdom) - Super Mario Odyseey (Koji Kondo) 12:12 - BGM 3 - Mario Paint (Hirokazu “Hip” Tanaka) 14:53 - Brinstar ~ Overgrown Jungle - Super Metroid (Kenji Yamamoto) 15:26 - Reflection - Hollow Knight (Christopher Larkin) 16:10 - Crossroads - Hollow Knight (Christopher Larkin) 16:30 - Subwoofer Lullaby - Minecraft: Volume Alpha (C418) 16:57 - The Midnight Wood - Hyper Light Drifter (Disasterpeace) 17:15 - Towhee Grove - Oxenfree (scntfc)
Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.Final Fantasy I, II, & III | Warriors of LeitmotifGame Score Fanfare2019-05-10 | The Final Fantasy series is famed for its extensive use of leitmotif in their soundtracks. Lets take a look at the origins of this process in the original trilogy of titles on the NES, and how video games can use leitmotif in new and inventive ways.
This is the first episode of Warriors of Leitmotif, a new video series on Game Score Fanfare. We're going game-by-game through the Final Fantasy main series, studying its use of musical themes and leitmotif.
Huge thanks to Sideways for his help with the script for the video! He is the Leitmotif King on YouTube, and his videos have very much helped shaped my idea of it. His channel: http://www.youtube.com/sideways440
Watch our 40 minute conversation about leitmotif and its use in video games here: youtu.be/zbGPdvne0vE
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Game footage used in this video, in order of appearance:
Coming Soon
-- All music used in this video is from Final Fantasy games, and was composed by the legend himself, Nobuo Uematsu. Tracks in order of appearance:
Coming Soon
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SOURCES:
Most in-game footage was captured by myself, however there are a few additional sources.
Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.How Octopath Traveler Hypes its Boss BattlesGame Score Fanfare2018-12-13 | Octopath Traveler is a game full of good ideas. One you may not have noticed though is how it uses music to build excitement going into the boss battles. Let's explore Octopath's clever trick that made its boss battles so hype.
Join the Game Score Fanfare Discord server! discord.gg/xwynvas And thanks to a bunch of the people from in here who helped me with some of the music theory for this video, including Jake Butinaeu, Palycat, and TheDeerLord. Couldn't have done it without you!
"Octopath Traveler & Reimagining Game Music" by Game Score Fanfare youtu.be/EbSgRRiPtHY
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Game footage used in this video, in order of appearance:
0:00 - Dark Souls 3 0:05 - Hollow Knight 0:09 - Final Fantasy VI 0:14 - Pokemon HeartGold / SoulSilver 0:18 - Shadow of the Colossus (2018 Remake) 0:22 - Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island 0:25 - Metroid Prime 1:07 - Octopath Traveler 3:08 - Super Mario 64 3:11 - Bravely Default
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All music used in this video is from the Octopath Traveler OST and was composed by Yasunori Nishiki, unless otherwise stated. Tracks in order of appearance:
0:00 - Koopa (Bowser) - Yoshi's Island (composed by Koji Kondo) 1:06 - Battle 3 1:25 - Cyrus' Theme 2:10 - Olberic's Theme 2:50 - For Redemption 3:08 - For Master 3:32 - For Redemption 4:30 - For Revenge 5:05 - Decisive Battle II 7:02 - For Truth 7:18 - For Freedom 7:36 - For Treasure 8:02 - Decisive Battle I 8:21 - The Battle At Journey's End 8:36 - They Who Govern Reason 9:17 - Decisive Battle I
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Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.The Power of Music in Shadow of the ColossusGame Score Fanfare2018-10-09 | Shadow of the Colossus is ranked among the greatest games ever made, if not for its innovative design then for its story. A story that is primarily told through the music. Lets look at how Kow Otani's soundtrack takes the wheel to deliver one of the most emotional video game experiences ever.
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A version of this video was originally uploaded on February 25th, 2018. The video always bothered me because of the conclusions that I reached, which I don't feel are actually reflective of the game or the soundtrack. So I decided to revisit it and added 200 words toward the end, as well as made some minor changes in other places for clarity's sake.
I sincerely apologise to those who commented on the previous video, and especially to those that submitted translated captions to it. I am devastated to lose those translations, they're very important to me but it was an unintended consequence that I did not consider when deciding to remake the video. Unfortunately I cannot copy the captions over as the script is different now. If you want to resubmit captions, please get in contact with me me as I may be able to make it easier for you.
These are the amazing translators for the original video:
All footage from this video is from Shadow of the Colossus (the PS4 remake) and was captured by myself.
All music used in this video is from the Shadow of the Colossus Original Soundtrack (Roar of the Earth) and was composed by Kow Otani. Tracks in order of appearance:
Prayer Prologue ~To the Ancient Land~ The Farthest Land Ressurection Lakeside Silence ~Battle With the Colossus~ Creeping Shadow ~Battle With the Colossus~ Revived Power ~Battle With the Colossus~ The Opened Way ~Battle With the Colossus~ The End of the Battle Hope A Messenger from Behind ~Battle With the Colossus~ The End of the Battle
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Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.Making Infinite Music for No Mans SkyGame Score Fanfare2018-09-16 | Making the infinite music for No Man's Sky's absurdly massive universe is a pretty daunting task. Thankfully, Hello Games found the best people for the job - 65daysofstatic. Here's the story of how the British experimental post-rock band came to make the procedurally generated soundscapes for No Man's Sky's infinite universe.
Thanks to Polyphonic for helping me out with the thumbnail (and for inspiring a lot of this video's aesthetic.) He's the reason it's so pretty. http://www.youtube.com/polyphonic
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All game footage in this video is from No Man's Sky.
All of the music was "written" by 65daysofstatic. Some of them are procedurally generated soundscapes from the planets in-game, but here's a tracklist anyway:
0:00 - Debutante (from We Were Exploding Anyway, 2010) 0:28 - Planet soundscape (from Aiminag Layokmi in the Pikatos system) 1:00 - Debutante 2:06 - Blueprint for a Slow Machine (from No Man's Sky: Music for an Infinite Universe, 2016) 3:22 - Red Parallax (Live from Playstation studio session) 3:54 - Sleepwalk City (from Wild Light, 2013) 4:28 - Debutante 5:27 - Heliosphere (No Man's Sky: Music for an Infinite Universe) 5:52 - Blueprint for a Slow Machine 6:14 - Asimov (No Man's Sky: Music for an Infinite Universe) 6:42 - Hypersleep (No Man's Sky: Music for an Infinite Universe) 7:33 - Planet soundscape (from Igiyptio-Uai Bong in the Ukryommel system) 8:46 - Planet soundscape (from Aiminag Layokmi in the Pikatos system) 9:18 - Planet soundscape (from Leato Sigma in the Rifurfreen system) 9:36 - Planet soundscape (from Borweierc Niepad in the Ukryommel system) 9:56 - Planet soundscape (from Kettemu-Dap Hetesho in the Reteckn XV system)
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Interview sources , further reading/watching, etc.
"No Man's Sky Interview: Making Music for an Infinite Universe with 65daysofstatic's Joe Shrewsbury" (via DualShockers) youtube.com/watch?v=pbJFHj8VNxc
Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.Octopath Traveler: Reimagining Game MusicGame Score Fanfare2018-08-09 | The orchestral soundtrack of Octopath Traveler is deeply rooted in the classic 8- and 16-bit melodies of golden age JRPGs. Let's explore how Yasunori Nishiki created the most memorable game OST of 2018.
Music used in this video. All tracks are from the Octopath Traveler OST and were composed by Yasunori Nishiki, unless otherwise stated:
0:00 - A Settlement in the Red Bluffs 0:45 - The Flatlands 1:27 - Beneath the Surface 1:42 - The Frostlands 2:39 - Wind Scene (from Chrono Trigger, composed by Yasunori Mitsuda) 3:03 - Light and Darkness (from Terranigma, composed by Miyoko Takaoka and Masanori Hikichi) 5:17 - Cobbleston, Nestled in the Hills 6:16 - Decisive Battle I 6:54 - Dark Caverns 7:26 - Ophelia, the Cleric 7:40 - Alfyn, the Apothecary 8:08 - River of Life 8:44 - Octopath Traveler Main Theme 9:39 - Victory Fanfare 11:03 - Tranquil Days
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Games featured in this video:
0:06 - Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon (2018) 0:07 - Shadow of the Colossus (2018) 0:08 - Super Mario Odyssey (2017) 0:15 - AM2R: Another Metroid 2 Remake (2016) 0:18 - I Am Setsuna 0:21 - Secret of Mana (2018) 0:25 - Chrono Trigger (1995) 0:29 - Sonic Mania (2017) 0:34 - Shovel Knight (2014) 0:39 - Bravely Default (2012) 0:42 - Octopath Traveler (2018) 2:30 - Final Fantasy VI (1994) 2:59 - Secret of Mana (1993) 3:03 - Terranigma (1995) 3:33 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991) 4:13 - Final Fantasy IV (1991) 4:20 - Breath of Fire II (1994) 5:37 - Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius (2015)
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Other footage used in this video:
"Introducing the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition" from Nintendo, via YouTube youtube.com/watch?v=qAGVilt3Rls
"Project Octopath Traveler (Working Title) - Behind the Music - Nintendo Switch" from Nintendo, via YouTube youtube.com/watch?v=m2gICtRg2UQ
"Diggin' in the Carts - The Rise of VGM- Ep 1 - Red Bull Music Academy Presents" from Red Bull Music & Culture, via YouTube youtube.com/watch?v=m8z8-SKg3WU
"The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses - Dungeons of Hyrule - Live" from Nintendo UK, via YouTube youtube.com/watch?v=69pRGlR2HnQ
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Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.Final Fantasys Prelude is Simply GeniusGame Score Fanfare2018-06-15 | How Nobuo Uematsu embraced simplicity, and in 30 minutes created one of the most iconic pieces of video game music - Final Fantasy’s Prelude.
Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.
Footage from FF IX, X, XIII and XIII-2 is from the YouTube channel Shirakko. You gotta check out their gameplay stuff, the quality is exceptional (often 4K!), no watermarks or silly commentary. Just the pure experience. The channel was a life-saver for this video (getting HD PS3 footage is actually really hard!!) http://www.youtube.com/Shirrako
Thanks to 8-Bit Music Theory for reading over the script and making sure I somewhat sound like I know what I'm talking about. http://www.youtube.com/8bitmusictheory
Interview with Nobuo Uematsu: "Diggin' in the Carts - The Role of Role Play - Ep 5 - Red Bull Music Academy Presents" from Red Bull Music & Culture youtube.com/watch?v=kUrcYA-TkzQ
Music featured in this video. All tracks composed by Nobuo Uematsu, unless otherwise specified:
0:00 - Prelude - Final Fantasy I 0:04 - The Prelude - Final Fantasy V 0:07 - The Prelude - Final Fantasy IX 0:10 - Loop Demo - Final Fantasy XII (Hitoshi Sakimoto & Nobuo Uematsu) 1:29 - The Prelude - Final Fantasy VII 2:30 - The Prelude - Final Fantasy II 2:41 - The Prelude - Final Fantasy IV 3:24 - Prelude ~ Discoveries - Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (Masayoshi Soken & Nobuo Uematsu) 3:32 - Loop Demo - Final Fantasy XII (Hitoshi Sakimoto & Nobuo Uematsu) 3:44 - Prelude - Final Fantasy X 4:23 - Disquiet - Final Fantasy XV (Yoko Shimomura) 4:32 - The Sunleth Waterscape - Final Fantasy XIII (Masashi Hamauzu) 4:42 - Crystalline Chill - Final Fantasy XV (Yoko Shimomura) 5:15 - Stand By Me - Final Fantasy XV (performed by Florence & The Machine, original song by Ben E. King) 5:37 - Eclipse - Final Fantasy XIII-2 (Mitsuto Suzuki) 5:59 - Anxious Heart - Final Fantasy VII 6:53 - Prelude - Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius (Noriyasu Agematsu & Nobuo Uematsu) 7:11 - Great Voyage - Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius (Noriyasu Agematsu) 7:35 - Secrets in her Eyes - Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius (Noriyasu Agematsu) 7:57 - The Ghostship (Phantom Forest) - Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius (Noriyasu Agematsu) 8:09 - DUEL!! - Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius (Noriyasu Agematsu) 8:20 - Moment of Recall - Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius (Noriyasu Agematsu) 8:56 - Prelude (Remix) - Final Fantasy VII Demo
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Games featured in this video:
0:00 - Final Fantasy: Dawn of Souls (GBA) 0:04 - Final Fantasy IV: The After Years 0:08 - Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (Gamecube) 0:10 - Final Fantasy XII (PS2) 1:29 - Final Fantasy I (NES) 1:36 - Final Fantasy IV (SNES) 1:38 - Final Fantasy VI (SNES) 1:40 - Final Fantasy VII (PS1) 1:43 - Final Fantasy IX (PS1) 1:46 - Final Fantasy X (PS4 remaster) 2:24 - Final Fantasy II (NES) 3:24 - Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (PC) 3:33 - Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age (PS4) 3:42 - Final Fantasy X (PS4 remaster) 3:52 - The Legend of Zelda (NES) 3:58 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo Switch) 4:23 - Final Fantasy XV (PS4) 4:31 - Final Fantasy XIII (PS3) 5:37 - Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3) 5:59 - Final Fantasy VII (PS1) 7:04 - Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius (iOS + Android)Finding Peace in Fishermans HorizonGame Score Fanfare2018-05-15 | As a kid, the town of Fisherman's Horizon taught me about peace for the first time. Now its musical theme helps me to find my own inner peace.
Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.The Anxiety of Celeste and its MusicGame Score Fanfare2018-04-14 | This video contains spoilers.
Celeste is a poignant exploration of facing anxiety, helped in large part by its deeply personal soundtrack by Lena Raine. Let's look at how the music approaches the theme of anxiety, whether by inducing it, or turning stress into something more productive.
All music used in this video is from the Celeste Original Soundtrack and was composed by Lena Raine. You can (and should) purchase Celeste's soundtrack from Lena's bandcamp:
Tracks used in this video, in order of appearance:
0:00 First Steps 1:13 Reflection 2:40 Ressurections 4:18 Checking In 6:04 Scattered and Lost 6:30 Madeline and Theo 7:26 Anxiety 8:29 Postcard from Celeste Mountain 9:21 Spirit of Hospitality 10:10 Scattered and Lost 11:20 Quiet and Falling 12:03 In The Mirror 13:11 Heart of the Mountain 13:49 Fisherman's Horizon (Distant Worlds version) (from Final Fantasy VIII, composed by Nobuo Uematsu)
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Games shown in this video, in order of appearance:
Celeste (2018) Stardew Valley (2016) Cuphead (2017) Bloodborne (2015) Quake III Arena (1999) Furi (2016) Hotline Miami (2012) Doom (2016) Firewatch (2016) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017) Bioshock Infinite (2013) Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (2014) The Witness (2016) Monster Hunter: World (2018) Shadow of the Colossus (PS4) (2018)
Thanks to Hepyrian for letting me use his Cuphead footage. Check out his video on Celeste and faith. youtube.com/watch?v=zQ3MJiYUdIQ
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Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.Yoshis Halcyon MusicGame Score Fanfare2018-01-31 | Tracing the thread of childhood nostalgia in the soundtracks of Yoshi games throughout the years.
Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.
Athletic - Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island Title - Super Mario World Overworld - Super Mario World Map - Yoshi's Island Yoshi's Island (Title) - Yoshi's Island DK Island Swing - Donkey Kong Country (David Wise) Kamek's Theme - Yoshi's Island Music Box (Story Organ) - Yoshi's Island Goal & Score - Yoshi's Island Mid-boss - Yoshi's Island Underground - Yoshi's Island Bowser (Koopa) - Yoshi's Island Yoshi's Song - Yoshi's Story Curry in a Hurry - Yoshi's Story Come Back To Me - Yoshi's Story Yo-yo-Yoshi - Yoshi's Story Growing a Little Happier Again - Yoshi's Story Yoshi's Mood - Yoshi's Story Title Screen - Yoshi's New Island Prologue (Music Box) - Yoshi's New Island Overworld - Yoshi's New Island The Yoshi Clan - Yoshi's New Island Yarn Yoshi Takes Shape! - Yoshi's Woolly World Across the Fluttering Dunes - Yoshi's Woolly World Trailer - Yoshi (Tentative Title) Start Demo - Yoshi's Island Castle & Fortress - Yoshi's Island
Super Mario World and Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island were composed by Koji Kondo. Yoshi's Story was composed by Kazumi Totaka. Yoshi's New Island was composed by Masoyoshi Ishi. Yoshi's Woolly World was composed by Tomoya Tomita, Misaki Asada and Kazumi Totaka.
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Games shown in this video, in order of appearance: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (1995) Super Mario World (1990) Donkey Kong Country (1994) Yoshi's Story (1997) Yoshi's New Island (2014) Yoshi's Woolly World (2015) Yoshi (Tentative Title) (expected 2018)
---In Defence of Zelda: Breath of the Wilds SoundtrackGame Score Fanfare2017-12-12 | I've often seen people say that Breath of the Wild "doesn't sound like a Zelda game." Let's take a look at what Zelda actually sounds like and why BotW's music is so quiet and sparse.
Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.
Music used in this video is from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Original Soundtrack, composed by Manaka Kataoka, Yasuaki Iwata & Hajime Wakai, unless otherwise stated below. In order of appearance:
Great Fairy Fountain (w/ Koji Kondo) House (w/ Koji Kondo) Korok Forest (Day) Dark World - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (Koji Kondo) Midna's Theme - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Toru Minegishi) Title - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Kenta Negata) Zelda's Theme ~Romance~ - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Takeshi Hama) Staff Roll - Metroid: Other M (Kuniaki Haishima) Riding (Night) (w/ Koji Kondo) Divine Beast Vah Medoh The Temple of Time (w/ Koji Kondo) Field (Day) Sheikah Tower 4'33" - John Cage Kass' Theme Zora's Domain (Night) Kakariko Village (Night) Flight Training Spot Life in Ruins Parasail Course
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Games shown in this video, in order of appearance: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (Nintendo, 1991) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo, 1998) The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Nintendo, 2002) The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Nintendo, 2006) The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Nintendo, 2011) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo, 2017) Super Metroid (Nintendo, 1994) Metroid: Other M (Team Ninja & Nintendo, 2010)
"Breath of the Wild Soundtrack Analysis PART 1 of 4: Hyrule Field Theme" from 8-Bit Music Theory youtube.com/watch?v=tl-6K3zrcr0 (The other three videos in the series are on the Main Theme, Kakariko Village and Hyrule Castle)
"Zelda: Breath of the Wild Music Analysis" from Daily Music Vlog youtube.com/watch?v=dsHDhh1Em0kHow Pyre Sings Your StoryGame Score Fanfare2017-11-01 | A look at how Pyre's soundtrack uses medieval bardic tradition to create a legacy that will be remembered long into the future.
Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games. Music is so often overlooked in games because that's all part of its job: to move you without you even noticing. I want to explore and share the unique ways games can use music and how it intersects with game design and story. I'll be shining a light on the games and people who have taken the medium of video game music seriously and pushed its limits to create one of the most diverse genres of music that we have.
Thank you to PointZ3RO for letting me borrow some footage from his Metroid Prime 3: Corruption video. Buckle up for this one, you're in for a ride. youtube.com/watch?v=7HKohHr0TPE
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All music in this video is from Pyre and was composed by Darren Korb. Tracks used in order of appearance:
In The Flame (feat. Ashley Barrett) Downside Ballad Surviving Exile Knights of the Sea Thrash Pack Dread Design Life Sentence The Old Ways Glorious Tradition Vagrant Song Never to Return (feat. Ashley Barrett) Bound Together Dirty Deal
If you don't recognise a track, it could be an acoustic version from the bonus White Lute album, which comes with the download of the Original Soundtrack, or can be found on Supergiant's YouTube channel here: youtube.com/watch?v=b1RvNPJo5bg
I also use multiple variations of the song Never To Return, which can all be found on the Black Mandolin bonus album, also included with the Original Soundtrack and can be found on Supergiant's YouTube channel here: youtube.com/watch?v=PMvyNOL-qgk
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Games shown in this video, in order of appearance:
Bastion (2011) Transistor (2014) Pyre (2017) Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (2007) Final Fantasy IV (1991)
--How the song Undertale Hits HomeGame Score Fanfare2017-09-06 | A single instrument makes for the most memorable moment in Undertale. I take a look at the title track from Undertale and how it uses an acoustic guitar to achieve the game's goal.
UPDATE: I failed to recognise in this video that the acoustic guitar is not the ONLY live recorded in the entire soundtrack. There is a piano played in the track Last Goodbye. I don't think this detracts from my point too much, as it comes much later in the game (the end of a second play-through), isn't the focus of the track and there are already some rather realistic piano samples on the soundtrack so isn't used to the same effect.
"Undertale & the Power of the Predominant | Ongaku Concept: Video Game Music Theory" youtube.com/watch?v=tXdet1tqa5o Thank you to Joshua Taipale for chatting with me about some of the theoretical things in the music.
Thank you to 8-Bit Music Theory for providing me with the transcriptions seen in this video. youtube.com/8bitmusictheory
Thank you to Into The Score, for providing the footage from Final Fantasy VI. He will soon have a video up about the track "Terra" from FFVI! youtube.com/intothescore
All music in this video is from the game Undertale, composed by Toby Fox, unless otherwise stated below. In order of appearance:
Long Elevator Undertale Enemy Approaching Shop Chill Memory Hotel Home Once Upon a Time Mother Earth - Mother - Hirokazu "Hip" Tanaka Fallen Down Oh! One True Love Aria Di Mezzo Carattere - Final Fantasy VI - Nobuo Uematsu Snowy Bergentrückung Undertale (unused version) - Toby Fox It's Raining Somewhere Else
Games shown in this video, in order of appearance:
Undertale (2015) Mother (1989) Final Fantasy VI (1994)
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Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games. Music is so often overlooked in games because that's all part of its job: to move you without you even noticing. I want to explore and share the unique ways games can use music and how it intersects with game design and story. I'll be shining a light on the games and people who have taken the medium of video game music seriously and pushed its limits to create one of the most diverse genres of music that we have.Scoring Oris Ginso Tree EscapeGame Score Fanfare2017-07-26 | How the Ginso Tree escape from Ori and the Blind Forest mixes level design with music to create one of the most heart-pounding levels ever.
This video is an analysis of the soundtrack to Ori and the Blind Forest, composed by Gareth Coker, and how Moon Studios chose not to use fancy dynamic music systems to create a reactive score, but instead used clever level design to enable the music to score the player's action and the forest of Nibel. In particular the track "Restoring the Light, Facing
Footage of Star Fox Zero was kindly provided by HeavyEyed. I highly recommend checking out his channel, in particular his video on embracing limitations in game design is fantastic. youtube.com/watch?v=0llqvLYC1sI
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All music used in this episode is from the Ori and the Blind Forest Original Soundtrack, and was composed by Gareth Coker. In order of appearance:
Down the Moon Grotto The Waters Cleansed Up the Spirit Cavern Walls Naru, Embracing the Light Calling Out First Steps into Sunken Glades Restoring the Light, Facing the Dark Climbing the Ginso Tree The Waters Cleansed
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Games shown in this episode, in order of appearance:
Ori and the Blind Forest (2015) - Moon Studios Transistor (2014) - Supergiant Games Star Fox Zero (2016) - Nintendo & Platinum Games Kid Icarus: Uprising (2012)
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Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games. I want to explore and share the unique ways that games use music to instil emotion into pixels and code, tell stories through sound, and create unforgettable moments. I'll be shining a light on the games and people who have taken the medium of video game music seriously and pushed its limits to create one of the most diverse genres of music that we have.The Story Hidden in Journeys SoundtrackGame Score Fanfare2017-07-06 | Austin Wintory's Grammy-nominated soundtrack for the game Journey is far more than just a pretty noise. Watch how Journey's music is crucial in telling the story of the game through some hidden secrets. --
All music used in this episode is from the game Journey by thatgamecompany, and was composed by Austin Wintory. In order of appearance:
The Road of Trials The Call Nascence First Confluence Threshold Temptations Apotheosis I Was Born For This Atonement (The final song is Apotheosis again, by the way)
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Games shown in the episode, in order of apperance:
Thirty Flights of Loving (2012) - Blendo Games Virginia (2016) - Variable State Hyper Light Drifter (2016) - Heart Machine Journey (2012) - thatgamecompany
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Austin Wintory uploaded a video of the Journey OST with his commentaries in the annotations. Well worth checking out.
Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games. I want to explore and share the unique ways that games use music to instil emotion into pixels and code, tell stories through sound, and create unforgettable moments. I'll be shining a light on the games and people who have taken the medium of video game music seriously and pushed its limits to create one of the most diverse genres of music that we have.How Going Underwater Changed Game MusicGame Score Fanfare2017-05-23 | Underwater music in games has made a massive splash over the years. I take a look at the ways underwater music has influenced game music as a whole, and what makes a great piece of underwater music.
Crashed Ship Frigate Orpheon (Underwater Frigate Reactor Core) - Metroid Prime - Kenji Yamamoto Under the Sea - Kingdom Hearts 2 - Alan Menken & Yoko Shimomura Underwater BGM (Swimming) - Super Mario Bros. - Koji Kondo Overworld - Super Mario Bros. - Koji Kondo Waltz for the Moon - Final Fantasy VIII - Nobuo Uematsu Swimming - Super Mario World - Koji Kondo Hydrocity Zone, Act 1 - Sonic the Hedgehog 3 - Brad Buxer and Michael Jackson??? Aquatic Ambience - Donkey Kong Country - David Wise Dive - Pokemon Ruby / Sapphire / Emerald - Go Ichinose Water Temple - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Koji Kondo Dire, Dire Docks - Super Mario 64 - Koji Kondo Clanker's Cavern - Banjo-Kazooie - Grant Kirkhope A Thousand Leagues Below (Iron Whale) - Shovel Knight - Manami Matsumae
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Games shown in this video (in order of appearance):
Metroid Prime (2002) Ori and the Blind Forest (2015) Pokemon Ruby / Sapphire / Emerald (2002-2005) Rayman Legends (2011) Shovel Knight (2014) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998) Donkey Kong Country (1994) Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) Super Mario 64 (1996) Mega Man 2 (1988) Banjo-Kazooie (1998) Final Fantasy VII (1997) Super Mario Galaxy (2007) INSIDE (2016) Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (2011) Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994) The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (2002) Assassin's Creed (2007) ABZU (2016) Final Fantasy IX (2000) Shadow of the Colossus (2005) Final Fantasy X (2001) Kingdom Hearts 2 (2005) Donkey Kong Country Returns: Tropical Freeze (2014) Super Metroid (1994) Super Mario Bros. (1985) Final Fantasy VIII (1999) Super Mario World (1990) Fallout 4 (2015) Sonic Colors (2010) Transistor (2014) Alex Kidd in Miracle World (1986) Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped (1998)
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Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games. I want to explore and share the unique ways that games use music to instil emotion into pixels and code, tell stories through sound, and create unforgettable moments. I'll be shining a light on the games and people who have taken the medium of video game music seriously and pushed its limits to create one of the most diverse genres of music that we have.Bravely Defaults Empowering MusicGame Score Fanfare2017-04-27 | Bravely Default's soundtrack has a special trick up its sleeve. I take a look at how the music in Bravely Default uses the character themes to empower the player in the final boss battle of the game.
All music in this video is from Bravely Default and was composed by Revo, unless stated otherwise. Tracks in order of appearance:
The Civil War Country Overture to Hope Horizon of Light and Shadow That Person's Name Is Eternity's Moment You Are My Hope (Tiz's Theme) Wind's Course (Agnes' Theme) Baby Bird (Edea's Theme) Love's Vagrant (Ringabel's Theme) Starman - Super Mario Bros (Koji Kondo) The Serpent That Devours The Horizon Joy of Victory Recollection is a Nostalgic Melody / Investigation of a Nostalgic Recollection (not sure of title)
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Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games. I want to explore and share the unique ways that games use music to instil emotion into pixels and code, tell stories through sound, and create unforgettable moments. I'll be shining a light on the games and people who have taken the medium of video game music seriously and pushed its limits to create one of the most diverse genres of music that we have.Grant Kirkhope & the Nintendo 64Game Score Fanfare2017-04-04 | A look at how Grant Kirkhope overcame the limitations of the Nintendo 64, his philosophy and process of writing music, and the cultural impact of his music.
Grant Kirkhope is one of the most popular video game composers. Instantly rising to the top of the pile in the 90s with his iconic soundtracks on the Nintendo 64, including Goldeneye 007, Banjo Kazooie, Donkey Kong 64, Perfect Dark, and Banjo Tooie, Grant Kirkhope continued Rare’s legacy of fantastic game music, while proving to be well acclaimed in his own regard. As if 5 video game soundtracks in 3 years wasn’t enough, it was all for the Nintendo 64, a game console infamous for its limitations in the audio department, which makes Grant’s work in this era remarkable. But he wasn’t a one-hit wonder either: Grant Kirkhope has continued to prove himself as one of gaming’s most acclaimed composers with his soundtracks for the games Viva Pinata, Kingdoms of Amular: Reckoning, Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth, and the upcoming spiritual successor to Banjo Kazooie, Yooka-Laylee. In this video, I explore how Grant Kirkhope overcame the limitations on the Nintendo 64, his philosophy and process when writing music, and the impact his music has had on video games and the people who grew up with his music, such as myself.
Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games. I want to explore and share the unique ways that games use music to instil emotion into pixels and code, tell stories through sound, and create unforgettable moments. I'll be shining a light on the games and people who have taken the medium of video game music seriously and pushed its limits to create one of the most diverse genres of music that we have.
Yooka-Laylee - E3 2016 Trailer youtube.com/watch?v=jrME3TzbfjoYoure Not Alone! Final Fantasy IXs exceptional momentGame Score Fanfare2017-03-21 | An analysis of You're Not Alone, one of Nobuo Uematsu's most famous tracks, and a fantastic scene from Final Fantasy IX. I look at how You're Not Alone is so different to the rest of the soundtrack, why it subverts expectation to create surprise, and its relation to Final Fantasy IX in the greater context of the Final Fantasy series. I also compare it to and share my thoughts on Florence and the Machine's cover of Stand By Me, which was used as the theme music to Final Fantasy XV.
Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games. I want to explore and share the unique ways that games use music to instil emotion into pixels and code, tell stories through sound, and create unforgettable moments. I'll be shining a light on the games and people who have taken the medium of video game music seriously and pushed its limits to create one of the most diverse genres of music that we have.
Thank you to my friend Rose, Final Fantasy IX superfan, for taking the time to help me better understand the scene. :)Building a Supergiant SoundtrackGame Score Fanfare2017-03-07 | A look at how Darren Korb created the critically acclaimed soundtracks for the games Bastion and Transistor, by Supergiant Games.
This is the first episode of Game Score Fanfare, a new show that celebrates music in video games. I want to explore and share the unique ways that games use music to instil emotion into pixels and code, tell stories through sound, and create unforgettable moments. I'll be shining a light on the games and people who have taken the medium of video game music seriously and pushed its limits to create one of the most diverse genres of music that we have.
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Supergiant Games is my favourite indie game dev company out there at the moment. Their first game Bastion was compelling and evocative, and its spiritual successor Transistor tied all its best bits together to create something much greater than the sum of its parts. The music in particular is incredible. The composer Darren Korb created music that completely defines the tone of the games, and strays from the traditional sounds of what is considered "game music." He does this by creating entire new genres to write in, such as "Acoustic Frontier Trip-Hop" and "Old World Electronic Post Rock."
In this video I look at the the process and philosophy behind Darren Korb's music, the ways that Bastion and Transistor were built around his music, and how he uses channel layering and stems creates music that can suit any mood the game requires.
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Music used in this video (in order of appearance.) All tracks are composed by Darren Korb, unless otherwise stated. Gold Leaf (Hummed) (feat. Ashley Barrett) – Transistor From Wharf to Wilds – Bastion You Can Be The Star – Control Group Slinger’s Song – Bastion Teardrop – Massive Attack (Massive Attack) Water Wall – Transistor Sandbox – Transistor Pale Watchers – Bastion In Case of Trouble – Bastion Build That Wall (feat. Ashley Barrett) – Bastion Mother, I’m Here – Bastion Setting Sail, Coming Home (feat. Ashley Barrett) – Bastion In Circles (feat. Ashley Barrett) – Transistor Heightmap – Transistor Heightmap (Hummed) (feat. Ashley Barrett) – Transistor Forbidden Knowledge – Pyre
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You can buy Darren Korb's soundtracks for Bastion and Transistor (and hopefully Pyre soon!) on the Supergiant Games bandcamp page. And you totally should:
A lot of information and visuals (including the interview bit) came from Darren Korb's GDC talk "Build That Wall: Creating the Audio for Bastion" youtube.com/watch?v=jdnMqjLZz84
I want to express gratitude to Mark Brown of Game Maker's Toolkit, not only for his inspiration but also for his encouragement and support with this video. Thanks, Mark.