When you think about music, where does your mind go? To the song you just heard on the radio? How about the song off of that new album you just bought (or, in this age, downloaded)? What about the music that you hear all the time, but never pay attention to. My post here today is discussing one of the most played genres of music you hear, but never think about:
Game music.
Yes, you read correctly, video game music. And before you scoff at me and say "video game music isn't real music", let me ask you something. What's easier to remember? The melody and lyrics to the newest Lady Gaga tune? Or the original Super Mario Bros. theme song? That new Katy Perry hit, or the Legend of Zelda overworld theme? If you answered Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, then you probably shouldn't even be here; this is not the music review blog for you.
For those of you who's interests are piqued, let me continue. Video game music is a part of games that we really don't think about. Would Mario have been as popular without his 8-bit jingle playing in the background? What about all the tunes that play during the fights in Street Fighter or Smash Bros.? Video game music helps make the game what it is. It sets the tone for a scene, it creates iconic memories; and if you're really dedicated, it has a spot on your music player. And I don't mean just normal tunes. What about remakes and remixes? There are tons of communities out there whose goals are to remix game songs in a way they enjoy and to add a fresh twist. What if Donkey Kong Country was turned into a metal thrashfest? Sonic becoming hyper techno? Anything is possible.
Finally, one other key point to think of is the actual production of the songs. Listening to game music nowadays, one can realize it takes one heck of a lot more work to actually make a song for a game than it is to make a pop song. For one, you need to know the scene and create a piece that fits it just right. Next, you need a vast variety of instruments; some games I play, I can hear drums, strings, horns, possibly guitar - enough instruments to fill an orchestra.
I encourage any readers right now, if interested, please comment. If it's actual games, YouTube is a great place to look up songs, and I can always recommend some. If you're looking for remixes of tunes, or genres, go check out ocremix.org.
Don't just throw video game music under the tires because it's in a game. It's a legitimate form of music, and some of the most beautiful pieces can be found within. All you need to do is listen.
Also, just for the heck of it, I'm throwing in a sample of one of my favourite video game tunes.
- TF3W
