So who here learns video game music?

[Poop-Loops]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5holg...hp%3Ft%3D47879

If you remember (or still play) old video games, you'll know that they had entertaining melodies that were supposed to keep you satisfied for hours, not 4 minutes at a time. Moroever, the bass actually stands out!

So I'll start learning those songs by ear instead of trying to figure out if the guy meant to play some weird chord or was doing a normal chord sloppily, or whatever, in "real" songs. I won't have to strain my ears to hear the bass, either.

[lemur821]

Video game tunes are great. I learned part of the music from Dragon Warrior on classical guitar, and of course I know bits and pieces of bass lines from games here and there. Descent had some good ones.

[SirCanealot]

Video game music is AMAZING. If you don't know Final Fantasy/Uematsu, check out some Black Mages on youtube NOW (it's his prog metal band :P).

And check out the games too! They all have AMAZING music.

And god... Super Street Fighter II Turbo music! OMG!!! Tekken 2 music... w00t!!! Zelda! Mario! Final Fantasy VII! Best music EVA!

So many good tunes...

I remember Dragon Forces lead guitarist (Herman) saying he tried to make Dragon Force's music like 80s/90s video game music (didn't work, imo) since back then they had limited technology, so they had to spend the time making up an interesting melody rather than working on a good sound synth.

I started out on Final Fantasy :P
Opressed People from Final Fantasy VII was the first song I ever learned on bass, and I've been learning Still More Fighting (FFVII boss music) for years

[Poop-Loops]

Of course FF7 music is awesome, it's CD quality and orchestrated.

I'm talking about the late 80's and early 90's video games that only have beeps and boops and still have amazing music.

[rfclef]

I downloaded a MIDI file of Mortal Kombat and when I get around to it, i want to do at least a bit of it for my HS's pep band... Not that hard... If you can find a MIDI of something on the net, you can open it with Finale and it is all notated and easy to manipulate...

Bobby

[lemur821]

Originally Posted by Poop-Loops

I'm talking about the late 80's and early 90's video games that only have beeps and boops and still have amazing music.

To me this is the golden age of video game music. Final Fantasy or Halo or whatever has decent music, but it doesn't have the life that most earlier games had. There is some good newer stuff though. American McGee's "Alice", Fallout, and Cosmic Osmo had great music, to name a few.

EDIT: I'd better mention Jazz Jackrabbit as well. If you haven't heard the theme, you need to. It's a perfect exercise for that ERB you don't know what to do with.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4ZT3HZH3

[BellBottomBlues]

i know the themes for contra and super mario brothers on bass, does that count?

[rfclef]

Toe Jam and Big Earl was a hilarious game, and good music too

[anderbass]

Here's a band that plays all kinds of video game songs:
http://www.myspace.com/minibossess

[JPJ]

I don't necessarily play video game music, but I do manage to learn a lot of TV show theme songs. I tend to write a lot on acoustic guitar while watching TV. For whatever reason, my creative juices flow better when I'm zoning out in front of the TV and not thinking about music, per se.

[Wasp]

I play the melody part to Tetris as practice for finger independence, and the bass part for string skipping.