Soapbox: Chiptune is great, but the impact of a full orchestra is unbeatable
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It’s wonderful to see the love of video game music at our current Nintendo Life Video Game Music Festival; will rightly celebrate all kinds of audio and soundtracks from various games and genres. When the right music is paired with outstanding gameplay, there is arguably no more satisfying experience in entertainment; the fusion of storytelling, visuals, audio, and player agency makes the games truly unique.
In this short article I will focus on a specific one ambient and style, however – orchestral game music.
I’m pretty biased on this one, with a story that prompts me to swoon right away when I hear rolling strings, depth of brass and woodwind, and the rhythm of percussion. You see, once, I was planning to be an orchestral musician and I was almost good enough in the French Horn to apply to universities and pursue that dream; Finally, I opted for literature and writing, but it was a decision that could have gone either way.
When I was little, that kind of music and the unique sounds of an entire orchestra working in perfect harmony didn’t show up much in video games. This was mainly due to technological reasons, but even when CD-ROM technology began to emerge, that was in the 90’s, for those who doubted my advancement into midlife, many game studios were still unwilling to hire. orchestral musicians and put that level of production and the associated financial investment in the soundtracks of their games. That’s fine too: synth sounds, chiptune, etc. can be played. amazing.
However, I clearly remember the time when I started playing Super Mario Galaxy on Wii and a live orchestral track started. It was one of the first times that I listened to music with those sounds in a game. I know it was far from the first game to have orchestral music, it was just one of me first (and Mario too, let’s get to that). Yes, the game itself was, and still is, magical, innovative, and brilliantly designed, but the music, like all good soundtracks, was embedded in the experience. The grandeur and sheer exuberance of the game were enhanced by that powerful section of metals that emitted a simple sequence. The fun violin sections gave Mario a little more vigor to the jumps, hops, and hops.
Skyward Sword’s music is central to its appeal … that act of flying in a Loftwing is all the more magical given the dramatic orchestral tones that accompany it.
Another incredibly good soundtrack from Nintendo, which I’ve been getting to grips with recently, is The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. It was a major anniversary release on Wii and Nintendo went all out with an orchestral soundtrack for the first time in that also, making it a key part of your marketing at the time.
This was towards the end of a golden era in which Wii and DS consoles flew off the shelves, and Nintendo was also preparing the first of its ‘Symphony of the Goddesses’ music tours of Zelda. At this point, audio standards in games were going to a whole new level, and in some respects Nintendo was simply keeping up with other major publishers who were embracing higher-budget music productions.
Skyward Sword’s music is, in my opinion, central to its appeal. As you soar above the clouds, the visuals and gameplay are nice, of course, but that act of flying in a Loftwing is more magical given the dramatic orchestral tones that accompany it. My favorite music in the game is hardly used, but when I heard it on the HD re-release, I immediately started smiling – a light ray of sunshine from a track that emphasizes the friendship that Link and Zelda share.
What soundtracks like that also demonstrate to a wider audience is that, given a full orchestra and recording time, composers who have made their careers in video games, people who have had to work with unique technical constraints and requirements over the years. decades, they are just as creative and talented as those in film, television, or even modern orchestral music.
Game music is no longer unfairly viewed as a simplistic accompaniment to the action, it is now a fundamental part of the experience and more respected in popular culture.
Many of us know this as video game fans; Most of the people reading this will probably have a special place in their hearts for specific soundtracks for games, orchestral, chiptune, midi, or whatever. However, we have gradually seen that the wider popular culture accepts this as well. Game music is no longer unfairly seen as a simplistic accompaniment to the action, it is now a fundamental part of the experience and more respected in popular culture and other more specialized groups. Classic FM, for example, has a section on its website dedicated to VGM and regularly plays game music, much to the chagrin of classic “purists” we’re sure. On the other hand, crisp purists in any field of interest generally benefit from a kick in their complacency.
And no, I am not for a moment advocating that orchestral soundtracks are best By virtue of their recording and sound method, they are just a very welcome sound we hear in modern games. However, for me, on a personal level, as someone who once dedicated a large part of my life to live music, it is always exciting to play a game with that distinctive accompaniment. I think of the dozens of musicians, following their conductor and creating a special sound, all so that my actions in the game can feel a little more shocking, dramatic, or perhaps poignant.
So whenever a game developer decides that a live orchestra is the right sound for their experience, it makes me smile.
Let us know your thoughts on orchestral VGM soundtracks below, and be sure to check out the other Nintendo Life VGM Fest articles in our season of music-centric interviews and features.
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