The Song of Time: How Video Game Music has Levelled Up

When the designers of early video games first developed the ability to synthesise sound in gaming back in the 1970s, there was not much scope for creativity. However the idea of music in games has grown over time and is now a huge part of the industry.

When Atari unleashed PAC-MAN on the world in 1980, an iconic theme emerged, which instantly makes gamers and non-gamers alike think of this little pill gobbling, ghost chasing, missing-a-slice yellow pizza guy.

Then later in 1984 the infamous Tetris theme became synonymous with the challenge of fast paced block stacking. Originally this piece of music was a 1860s Russian folk tune called ‘Korobeliniki’, but the chip tune melody rose to fame through the success of this addictive puzzler, and it left a mark on history that is still revisited today. Bristol based Balkan breaks band, Slamboree, for example, have reworked it into a savage Drum ‘n’ Bass assault called ‘Little Boxes’, which is a frantic reminder of just how fun it is to dance like a nut job.

Other artists have made entire careers from Chip Tune music. DJ/Producers like Sabrepulse and Benjamin Briggs have reworked some of gaming’s earliest musical gems into infectious tracks that perfectly compliment a night of gaming, or indeed a sweaty, spasmodic dance floor in a club.

It’s also worth noting that in 1994, pop superstar Michael Jackson even had a hand in crafting the soundtrack to Sonic the Hedgehog 3, in particular, the music for the ‘Carnival Night Zone’, by far one of the catchiest pieces from the game.

As hardware developed and software became more ambitious, a different kind of video gaming music evolved however. With the advancement in graphic technology, the storytelling and gameplay within videogames became more cinematic, and game directors wanted to simulate the atmosphere of a film by hiring movie composers to work on their games.

Michael Giacchino who worked on the soundtrack for the television series LOST has composed music for Call Of Duty and Medal Of Honour, amongst others. Even heavy hitters like composing legend Hans Zimmer have been recruited for Crysis 2 and Modern Warfare 2, to give the first person shooters a real sense of epic cinematic scope.

Of course there are composers who focus their efforts solidly on music in video games. Men like the immensely talented Koji Kondo, who created some of Nintendo’s finest musical moments, including the Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time and Super Mario 64. The iconic status of these games is definitely solidified by these masterworks of music. They were created with the idea that a melody that, although never truly being the focus, could be repeated over and over again without ever getting boring.

This led to a whole new approach to music composing and production that has seen even more impressive feats of creativity in recent years. Games like Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Bit Trip Warrior have dynamic soundtracks that alter depending on player behaviour. This means you are creating unique pieces of music from various elements of the soundtrack each time you play, an idea that would have been mind-blowing to the creators of Pong.

A third kind of gaming music has also become incredibly popular. The idea of a licensed soundtrack has caused many artists careers to skyrocket. The first soundtrack that left an impression on me when I was younger was the amazing mix of music for Tony Hawks Pro Skater 2. It had hits by Powerman 5000, Rage Against The Machine and Bad Religion, to name a few.

Fellow Musically Fresh writer, Stefan, even states that his love of The Offspring all stemmed from his Sega Dreamcast and Crazy Taxi.

The tunes used on those games are still some of the biggest hits for those artists, and a major factor in that is down to their their exposure on these awesome soundtracks. Blockbuster franchises like Grand Theft Auto have helped further the careers of artists like Flying Lotus and David Axelrod, who are now being brought to the attention of consumers who or may not have encountered their work before.

And the same can be said for music used in gaming trailers. Woodkid enjoyed a surge in popularity after his track, ‘Iron’, was featured in a trailer for a highly anticipated, Assassin’s Creed sequel, and since then, Woodkid has gone on to help advertise huge brands like Addidas and Volvic.

An anarchic third person shooter called Sunset Overdrive even helped increase the visibility of Punk bands like Meat Market and Cheap Time, helping another new audience discover great music. It has become something to aspire to; a feather on the cap of anyone who considers their music to be worth hearing.

So what does the future of video game music hold and how can a band, producer or composer benefit from one of the world’s fastest growing industries? A good place to start would be the indie gaming community.

Could you imagine if an artist had attached his music to mobile gaming titans, Candy Crush or Flappy Bird? Or on the flash-based games on sites like Newgrounds? Or even huge sleeper hits like Minecraft and Bastion! There are thousands of games just looking for the right sound.

This is one of the biggest parts of this growing industry and the profit margins can get seriously ridiculous. Notch Pearson, the creator of Minecraft, outbid odious corporate “musical” couple, Jay-Z and Beyonce, for a $70 Million megamansion.

That kind of money could buy you a whole lot of diamond pickaxes…

99.9% of gamers have probably never bought a video game based on the soundtrack, but nonetheless, they’re going to listen! So advice for artists out there, go out and try find the next big game that needs a soundtrack. And not only will you help add the right atmosphere to a game, you may also find yourself with legions of fans you wouldn’t have found otherwise.

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