Yes, I’m a diehard Legend of Zelda fan. Yes, I pre-ordered the latest installment, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Yes, I know it came out in November. Yes, it’s been sitting on my shelf for five months. No, I haven’t beaten it. The point is, I’m finally making it a priority to finish the game!
So what of the game’s music? Skyward Sword‘s soundtrack, though it may not stand up to masterpieces like Ocarina of Time, The Wind Waker or Spirit Tracks, is still deserving of honorable mention, featuring live orchestration (a Zelda first) and some memorable themes. Have a listen to this first track, “Loftwing Theme:”
You may have noticed it’s a waltz. You may have noticed its light and airy tone. You may have even noticed it’s a duet.
I noticed the TROMBONE. Such an odd combination, flute and trombone, but it works beautifully. As a trombone player, it’s a relief to finally hear the instrument employed in some way other than the blattly pedal tones or in-you-face brass fanfares that are commonplace in modern game and film scoring. Lyrical melodies, let alone spotlight solos, are rarely assigned to trombones. And why not? This track clearly demonstrates the instrument’s lesser known capabilities. I commend the composers of Skyward Sword for breaking away from stereotypical orchestration.
To all established and aspiring composers out there, learn as much as you can about your musical palette. You will find that most instruments possess textures, ranges and qualities that are underutilized and can add depth and creativity to your compositions.
Ending on a sillier note, trombones are the established clowns of the orchestra. Try listening to “Groose’s Theme” without chuckling at how humorous it sounds:
If I were to put the words “journey” and “music” in the same sentence, most minds would wander to the popular American 70s and 80s rock band. However, I will be taking on an entirely different “Journey” with this article. Instead of the pop culture icon, I am referring to the universally acclaimed video game developed by thatgamecompany and released on March 13, 2012 to the PlayStation Network.
Prior to its release, the only insight I had into Journey’s development came from a few Game Informer magazine blurbs I casually skimmed through. The game’s captivating and unique art style was enough to garner some interest within my heart. But ultimately, I wrote it off as, “another one of those games I intend to play, but realistically will never play…” until a friend linked me here on Facebook.
Although the official Journey soundtrack has yet to be released, composer Austin Wintory went ahead and uploaded excerpts from the game’s original score to the Internet. The music is absolutely beautiful: Composed, orchestrated, and mixed to perfection. Lush strings, rich underlying textures and captivating solo performances sent chills down my spine as I listened. Even with a limited perception of the game, I could envision Journey’s desolate and mysterious world before my eyes.
Giving in to my curiosity, I watched the first hour or so of gameplay to better understand the audio/visual interplay. Everything about Journey radiates unconventional creativity and genius. The interactive score captures each wonder-filled moment spot-on. Transitions are seamless. Initial moments of the game leave the player drifting alone through a vast desert. No objective is clearly defined; no other signs of life can be found. To evoke feelings of loneliness, uncertainty and longing, Wintory uses a well-composed cello solo, no sense of rhythm and lots of reverb (an effect which emulates a concert hall echo and gives the impression of large, open spaces). However, upon encountering other players or entities later on, the somber solo escalates into a playful duet, accompanied by flute. Of course, not all of the music is ethereal and reflective. Sessions of “sand surfing,” feature more rhythmic, upbeat tracks. Percussive elements, strummed/plucked instruments and bouncy strings help to propel the forward motion.
Even without picking up a controller, my experience with Journey has been unexpectedly pleasant. A breath of fresh air amongst the gaming community, this gem is the perfect marriage of audio, visual, and innovative design. The official soundtrack will be available for download through the PS Store and iTunes on April 10. A limited CD release will also hit shelves in the near future. I highly recommend anyone with an appreciation for game or orchestral music to add this album to his or her collection. It is a journey worth taking.
I’m presently working on expanding my piano repertoire and polishing up my technical skills. The piece I am currently working on was requested to me by a friend. Though I had never heard it before, I was instantly captivated by its beauty. It’s called Wind Crest: The Three Trials from the Final Fantasy X-2 Piano Collection. I hope to have it learned within a few days.
Love it or hate it, it’s Valentine’s Day again… and it just might be the last one, if you buy into that prophetical doomsday b.s. It is a day for celebrating love, flowers, chocolates, and teddy bears. Like love, music connects with the heart in ways that very few things can.
What better way to kick off Valentine’s Day on evgmusic than with a love song from a video game! This track comes from one of my favorite handheld games, Mother 3, the most emotional game I have ever played. Despite the audio limitations of the system, this piece really strikes a chord in the heart! I hope you love it.
Lately I have been feeling the urge to take on another piano collection of video game music. Such projects are good practice in the realm of transcribing/arranging, and quite frankly, it gives me a good excuse to keep busy. In my Spirit Tracks collection, I concentrated on generating raw transcriptions of the music. This time around, I want to take a more liberal and creative approach in my arrangements. The first piece, which happens to be a medley, is nearing completion and will be uploaded as a “pilot” for the collection. Stay tuned!
Traveling around the country is not cheap nowadays, especially with gas prices on the rise (my hometown currently boasts $3.77 per gallon). Despite long hours spent in the car and an ever-growing dent in my checkbook, the last two months of journeying were well worth the cost.
January 13-16
My first stop was Alexandria, Virginia (near Washington, D.C.) to take on the biggest gaming party I have ever attended, MAGfest 9. Short for Music and Gaming festival, MAGfest is an annual four-day event put together by gamers for gamers. And with so much going on, it is impossible to run out of things to do or see. To name a few attractions, you could find free-play areas, a marketplace with fan-crafted merchandise and memorabilia, countless panels with special guests from the professional and non-professional gaming universe, and daily live concerts.
The majority of my time was spent in the console free-play area. Imagine walking into an oversized banquet room filled with hundreds of television sets, and to each set its own console ranging from NES to Xbox 360. If you could think of any popular title from the last 25 years, you could probably find it at MAGfest. It was excellent opportunity to test out games I had always been meaning to play, or to sit and enjoy some multiplayer action with fellow gamers. Also worth mentioning, the hallway outside of the console free-play area had been transformed into an arcade the likes of which I had not seen since the 90s. Rows and rows of classic arcade games lined the walls, none of which required any quarters to play!
Attending panels stood out as the highlight of MAGfest. I got to see many icons from the video game culture, including Anthony and Ashely Burch (“Hey Ash, What’cha Playin’?”), Craig Skistimas (creator of screwattack.com), Jon St. John (voice of Duke Nukem), and game composers like Alexander Brandon (Unreal, Dues Ex) and Grant Kirkhope (GoldenEye 007, Banjo Kazooie). For the most part, panels were laidback and humorous, but I was still able to derive much insight and inspiration from them.
To summarize what I learned from MAGfest: Alexander Brandon can pull a mean Morgan Freeman impression, and confirmation that Grant Kirkhope is still the man. I plan on attending MAGfest again next year, hopefully this time in the company of some friends.
February 26
Fast forward a month and two trips later (a five-day excursion to visit my old school in Indiana, being the first), I found myself in Virginia again. The primary purpose of this week-long trip was to spend my birthday with the parents, but at the end of the week they treated me to a Video Games Live concert in Bethesda, Maryland.
VGL is a world-touring show featuring live orchestral arrangements of game music, a giant projection screen for visuals, lights and lasers, show-integrated contests, and smart humor. Tommy Tallarico, the most prolific gaming composer in the world and co-creator of VGL, plays the host. Concerts pull from a variety of set pieces (mostly popular titles). My personal favorites were Metal Gear Solid (I’m a sucker for the Sons of Liberty theme) and Halo. Both hit a perfect combination of music and visuals that created a powerful emotional effect.
One of the best elements of VGL is its universal appeal; even a non-gamer can enjoy the concert! I could have sworn I heard my sister (a casual gamer) screaming when Mr. Tallarico asked if there were any gamer chicks in the audience. Even my parents (non-gamers) were getting excited during the opening “retro gaming” set piece, as they recalled the many quarters they had spent playing Frogger on their honeymoon. No doubt, VGL is entertainment to the max. The quality of the arrangements and supporting visuals are superb. The only aspect of the show I didn’t like was Game Over (the end). I would highly recommend anyone to check out VGL if it books a show anywhere nearby.
March 11-13
To wrap up my travels, I spent a week in Boston, Massachusetts, to visit my friends at Berklee and to attend the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX). Attending the convention for the second year in a row, I was surprised at how much the event had been overhauled. The most obvious difference was a change in location. I haven’t been to any large city convention centers before (call me naive?), but I couldn’t get over the enormity of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center throughout the event. It felt like it took a solid five minutes to walk from one end of the main floor to the other! Regardless of size, the exhibition floor was still as crowded and busy as ever. People were eager to test out the latest technology and unreleased games. Many major publishers were present, along with a handful of independents; there was something fun and exciting to see or do at every booth. Like MAGfest, the convention also featured free-play areas (console, PC, and even tabletop), nightly live concerts, and multitudes of panels with game-related topics. Seeing everything that PAX had to offer was a near impossible feat (and no, I didn’t even come close to accomplishing this).
I spent most of my time diving into the fray and playing as many games as possible. It didn’t take long to realize that 3D technology was a major theme. I tried out a 3D first-person shooter (FPS) to see if 3D was worth all the hype. After putting on a bulky headset and pair of special glasses, I was immediately immersed into the virtual world like I had never been. The coolest aspect of 3D is the way it adds depth and detail to the surrounding environment. I often found myself staring off to the horizon at sprawling mountains or tower cities, instead of completing my next objective. However, because of the effect, many times I had to close one eye to retain my focus during hectic combat sequences. Among all of the 3D showcasing, my favorite experience was playing the now-released Nintendo 3DS. As a handheld system with a glasses-free 3D display, it was easy to be blown away by the small device. Again, environments benefited the most from the effect, but oh how beautiful they were (especially in the new Kid Icarus)! 3D gaming is definitely a unique experience to be had, but I am not convinced I would prefer it as the industry standard in the future.
Surprisingly, my favorite game I played was the new Mortal Kombat. I haven’t played any of the newer entries in the series, but I’ve heard they pale in comparison to the originals. The title showcased at PAX, however, did not disappoint. Gameplay felt true to the Mortal Kombat roots, controls were tight and responsive, and the graphical presentation was stunning (and gory, of course).
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There you have it: The last few months in a nutshell. Now that my “vacation-itis” is finally working its way out of my system, I can get back on the work horse and get some new projects going.
