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Quintus

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6 minutes ago, Borodin said:

 

 

And I guess John Williams benefits from listening to real artists: those uncatchy and jumbling messes of early 20th century composition, then Williams having a particular fondness of some tiny second of it and saying "that would be cool as a repetitive motif." There are thousands of good ideas for catchy themes within the jumbling mess of old art, but most composers are lazy in that they want to just create without studying music.

 

 

While I agree that not only as musicians but as humans we must acknowledge the shoulders we stand on, I don't understand what you mean by these, could you please explain? 

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Sorry, the goal in my wording there was (A) sarcastically catering the popular perspective's description or lack of understanding what they're hearing, ie. "Real artists: you know those "uncatchy confusing" classicists who didn't know about rock and pop."

 

But also (B), a weighty niche of these compositions even we find jumbling and difficult to listen to. But upon extrapolated listens, the appreciation of the bigger ideas there start to sink in, ie. through forceful acceptance, we grow our understanding of the creative processes.

 

More or less, a historian or artist tends toward this, while a businessman doesn't. That is because an artist's personal interests are their business, while the latter's business is simply of their interest.

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48 minutes ago, Borodin said:

Sorry, the goal in my wording there was (A) sarcastically catering the popular perspective's description or lack of understanding what they're hearing, ie. "Real artists: you know those "uncatchy confusing" classicists who didn't know about rock and pop."

 

But also (B), a weighty niche of these compositions even we find jumbling and difficult to listen to. But upon extrapolated listens, the appreciation of the bigger ideas there start to sink in, ie. through forceful acceptance, we grow our understanding of the creative processes.

 

More or less, a historian or artist tends toward this, while a businessman doesn't. That is because an artist's personal interests are their business, while the latter's business is simply of their interest.

 

 

*takes long drag of cigarette*

 

 

 

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On 3/13/2019 at 12:41 PM, Nick Parker said:

Great composer, I was really sad to listen to his comeback with Tropical Freeze and find it really uninteresting. 

 

Oh buddy boy, I'm gonna have to respectfully disagree with ya there. Especially with that first track. Sounds like a remastered version of something we could have heard from the first 2. 

 

 

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@Cerebral Cortex Hey thanks for posting those! I like the first one. In general, when I think of Wise's work, especially the first two Donkey Kong Country games, I think of a certain depth and breadth, a certain...damn, would spiritual be too strong? I just hear a certain inner spark that gives two primates on a journey _waaaayyyy_ more emotional resonance than they should have, know what I mean? 

 

I don't hear this in most of the Tropical Freeze tracks.

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I definitely 100% get what you mean. It truly elevates the game and tinges everything with this sort of somber sadness. To this day I can listen to Stickerbush Symphony and still find myself getting emotional over it. There's that resonance, as you mentioned.

 

While I quite enjoy the Tropical Freeze soundtrack, I can totally understand why, especially when compared to the first 2, it might not be as enjoyable of a listen. 

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7 hours ago, Borodin said:

 

 

And I guess Williams benefits from listening to real artists: those whom most call "uncatchy" "jumbling messes" of early 20th century composition; then Williams having a particular fondness of some tiny second of it and saying "that would be cool as a repetitive motif." There are thousands of good ideas for catchy themes within these more advanced developments that inexperienced ears fail to conceptualize, the cinematic texture of favored effects of the orchestra are already there, but most composers are lazy in that they want to just create without developing respectful relationships and understandings with history.

Of course. One should look broad and far. But the vector model of creation dictates, that one assembles only these forces found, which are oriented towards the desired direction. Inspiration through a tiny part has no hard connection to overall appreciation or approval. One can despise 99,0%, enjoy 1% and take just 0,1%. This is true for literature, for music, for filmmaking... for every craft.

 

 

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14 hours ago, Nick Parker said:

@Cerebral Cortex Hey thanks for posting those! I like the first one. In general, when I think of Wise's work, especially the first two Donkey Kong Country games, I think of a certain depth and breadth, a certain...damn, would spiritual be too strong? I just hear a certain inner spark that gives two primates on a journey _waaaayyyy_ more emotional resonance than they should have, know what I mean? 

 

I don't hear this in most of the Tropical Freeze tracks.

Wish DKC2 wasn't so miserably difficult so I could appreciate the music more! 

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The original DKCs have a Genesis/Phil Collins-ish/Pop feel to some tracks, I assume TP doesn't have anything like that?

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Pretty, I guess I just give Final Fantasy X a bad rap 'cause of To Zanarkand.

 

 

Video game tune currently stuck in my head, by the late, great Ryu Umemoto, AKA Emperor of FM:

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Nick Parker said:

Pretty, I guess I just give Final Fantasy X a bad rap 'cause of To Zanarkand.

 

Oh. What's the issue with To Zanarkand?

 

I think FFX is my favorite game soundtrack, mostly for a lot of ingenious melodies throughout it. The lagoon theme above though isn't particularly special.

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Anybody here give The Marcus Hedges Trend Orchestra albums a listen to? Just got a notification from Google Play Music about a new album ('Disney Reimagined', which was just ok). Anyways, they have a whole bunch of albums out, all done on a synth orchestra (I assume). Some Zelda, Mario, bunch of Spyro and Ratchet/Clank albums.

 

Gave a listen to the album Super Mario: The Classics, and it was a pretty fun listen. Currently listening to Ocarina Of Time Symphony and I also think it's pretty good.

 

Reminds me of the The Blake Robinson Synthetic Orchestra, which had a crazy good album of Banjo Kazooie a few years ago (still waiting/hoping he'll do a Banjo Tooie album).

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  • 4 weeks later...

@Disco Stu @Faleel J.M. NEW KOJI KONDO MUSIC CONFIRMED FOR SMM2!!!

 

 

 

I love that he's so respected, he even got a name drop in the direct.  How often is a game composer mentioned in any promotional video?

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Not a huge surprise since he was lead on the first Maker as well, but it was pretty darn cool to hear his name dropped as part of the marketing.  First time I remember that happening for a Nintendo game since Tropical Freeze with David Wise.

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Yea, it's no surprise, but still nice to see!  I can't wait to drop many hours in this game while great music is playing the whole time

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I used to like Koji Kondo more, but I think there are many better VG composers.

 

I used to like Zelda more too... MM, TWW and OoT are still some of the most qualitative gameplays with quality always around you. Not sure what happened with Nintendo. It got more into just combat and scenery and scattered mechanical things, instead of before where everywhere you go had cool world-building interconnections/story puzzles everywhere and deep atmosphere. The majority of my time with BoTW was just running everywhere, collecting shallow junk and doing repeat tasks. 

 

Mario these days is much more interesting I think than Zelda, which didn't used to be the case... Love Mario Maker and Odyssey. Overall though, I think Banjo-Tooie is the most superior of any Nintendo game, and it was made for toddlers or something. Just perfect gaming. Grant Kirkhope I don't find to be a superior VG composer compared to many.

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I bought Octopath last year and have tried to play it a few times and I start falling asleep after like 10 minutes every time.  I find it very dull.

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18 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

 

I dig it.

 

Incidentally, do you know of a place where sailors hang out?

 

How about a game of Lucky Hit?

 

I know we've said this before, and I know a number of people say it. But as someone who first started in 2014, Shenmue, and particularly Shenmue II, are some of my top favorites. 

 

 

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Super Mario 64 is my least favorite Koji Kondo soundtrack, but I _love_ Dire, Dire Docks. I'm also a fan of Bob-omb Battlefield, Peach's Castle, Bowser's music (dungeon stages and boss fight), and Rainbow Slide or whatever it's called...two of those got great redos in Super Mario Galaxy 2! When the orchestral  and choral Bowser's Road first popped up in that one, I think I got teary-eyed with joy.

 

 

:48 being the money shot

 

 

 

There's a lot of versions of this tune around, and this one's my favorite! 

 

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17 hours ago, Disco Stu said:

I bought Octopath last year and have tried to play it a few times and I start falling asleep after like 10 minutes every time.  I find it very dull.

 

I actually haven't played the game at all (other than the original demo)... but the MUSIC is great.

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Alright you goofs. Here is one of my favorite tracks from Masashi Hamauzu from his personal album, although he also worked on Final Fantasy music. This one is a combination.

 

I absolutely love this style of jazz influence.

 

 

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The track "Rainbow Route" from Kirby and the Amazing MIrror (GBA)

 

And its absolute knockout arrangement that plays in the Kirby Café in Japan (I love this album)

 

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Lately I've been addicted to Christopher Larkin's HOLLOW KNIGHT score

 

The OST (and followup OST) jump back and forth between ambient and action tracks, and I just had an epiphany today to make a playlist of just the chill stuff, and a playlist of just the action stuff, so I can hear what I want depending on mood.

 

There's also stuff I heard in the game that isn't on the OST I think, so now I'm seeking out a game rip

 

Here's a cool track from the score featuring a live soprano singer

 

 

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Oka was one of those greats from the 90's whose prominence in a video game career sadly didn't live past the turn of the century, like the Follins brothers--those dudes wrote some baaaaaddd tunes.

 

 

(On a Super Nintendo!)

 

Oka had such a cool voice. There was a point a couple of years where I even tried to track down some of the corporate videos she's apparently scored since leaving the industry. There's an arrangement of one of her Pilotwings tunes in Super Smash Bros that's just amazing.

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