Tag Archives: Video Games

Classic Video Game Sounds on Vintage Analog Synthesizers

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I often find myself producing similes of classic video game sounds on my vintage analog gear like the Pro-One, Casio CZ-1000, Juno-106, MKS-80, or in this case on the Oberheim OB-8 that I am borrowing. Usually this involves pulse wave oscillators, LFO modulation, or high-speed arpeggiation. Aside from being nostalgic it is a good exercise for learning the synthesizer’s controls. Here’s some Pacman-esque sounds done on the OB-8. I converted it to mono and left it unprocessed to exemplify it’s vintage sound.

Classic Video-Game-Like Sound

Video Game Music Remixes: Tetris

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As I have mentioned in previous entries I give an assignment in my audio production class on importing MIDI files and producing music using Propellerheads Reason. The goal of the assignment is to learn about MIDI as an interface, protocol, and file format, and to learn some of the basics of Reason.

Usually I demonstrate how to do this with a MIDI file from Classical Archives, but I also use popular music examples from mididb.com, and I always get an enthusiastic response when using a MIDI file from a video game. A great site for video game MIDI files is vgmusic.com.

Consequently, many of the projects turned in are remixes of video game music. This quarter I have a student who is planning on submitting his work to Overclocked Remix, a site dedicated entirely to remixes of video game music. Another talented student named Ben Siegel produced this excellent version of the theme from Tetris that starts out with piano and then builds into a disco classic.

Tetris Remix by Ben Siegel

Video Game Music Remixes

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One of the projects that I assign in my audio production class is an exercise on how to import MIDI files into Reason and assign specific instruments to each track. I usually demonstrate this with a random classical MIDI file from classicalarchives.com and end up with a Tomita-esque rendition of Mussorgsky.

The Lost WoodsHowever, I do not limit the assignment to classical works. Sometimes, students make clever remixes of popular music, and frequently they choose music from classic video games like this remix of the Lost Woods theme from the Legend of Zelda – The Ocarina of Time by Brandon Sullivan. Brandon creatively chose some unique patches for this piece and then added a drum-n-bass beat to the end of the sequence that elevates the energy and takes the Lost Woods on a wayward yet intriguing new path.

Later I’ll add some more examples to this post. Also, if you have any interesting examples of video game music remixes and would like to share, please post a link in a comment below.

Lost Woods