challenger theme from Gradius (an old game)

[kensuguro]

I couldn't get this tune out of my head so decided to have some fun with it.
This is based on the turbo graphix 16 version, which has a slightly different chord progression than the original (or the NES version). The bass line going down through the inversion I think has much better flow than the original where the bass goes up. I also added a II instead of the IV 1st inversion just for some variety. Arrangement gets really full when I do a melody + 2 harmony that follows tightly with with the melody as with the NES arrangement tradition. Adding in tension notes in the harmony was hard since the melody is fast and there's not enough time to do detailed resolutions.

All leads are sylenth
bass is efemme
piano is pianoteq (it might as well be anything since it's just for guide)
bells is sql8 (not too critical I guess)

Some notes about the melody: The phrasing is very tight. Like the melody has no time to rest. So it's good in a sort of "can't catch your breath" sort of way.. but when I tried doing counterpoint call and response sort of lines, there's just not enough gaps to do a proper response. So overall, I'd say this melody is too busy. You can tell the writer "filled in" the gaps with the 16th note runs. Carries the melody forward for sure, but there is a cost.

[scopus]

dont think ive ever played this game before but dont need 2 to know this is from a game, immidiately gives that vibe, jkust noticed keep music player on loop keeps going hehe, great job!

[kensuguro]

Here are the originals:
the "original" progression from MSX version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-aF05A6nOs

the PC-Engine turbo graphx 16 version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2gp6qRRyAs

and of course, the NES version (fighting hard with just 2 voices)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGqnctiqTGQ

[Nestor]

It's fun I like the approach you have, in which you look into simple things to perfect them even farther, is like having the capacity to admire a flower in the desert, sort of feeling, instate of passing away without realizing it was there. Cool!

[kensuguro]

interesting. I never though to of it that way, but yes, I guess it's kind of like finding inspiration and an opportunity to learn in any small thing, how irrelevant it may seem. It is also true that a lot of my music related sensitivities were cultivated from listening to game music over and over again. And many times I was enjoying the music rather than the game since the NES limitation of only having 4 voices made things easier to decode.

At the end, I think every time I revisit classic game tunes I am reminded of just how effective the concept of musical efficiency can be. Maybe you can't paint a photorealistic image, but you can paint epic adventures, grand stories, and intergalactic travel with just 4 voices and a handful of waveforms.

[scopus]

urs is the best by far, not often do remixes come out better than the original, guess this inspired u to bring an old melody back to life perhaps how it always wanted to be but couldnt of gotten there till now without the technology n u