Evolution of Video Game Music: Played on Violin
July 20, 2018 2:46 PM   Subscribe

Part One. [SLYT 3min 50sec] Part Two [SLYT 2min 45sec]

Part one covers 1986 - 2017
Part Two covers some missing years/games: 1991, 1996, 2004

Enjoy.
posted by Faintdreams (9 comments total) 6 users marked this as a favorite
 
How does he not, in two entire videos of this, have Chrono Trigger or any FF other than X (which while I love it did not have the most memorable music)? I feel like any video game music "evolution" video which doesn't at least gesture at One-Winged Angel has a pretty large lacuna.

On the other hand, the set pieces are hilarious and fun, and the music he does play he plays well.
posted by Scattercat at 4:21 PM on July 20, 2018 [2 favorites]


This is legit cool. Great share.
posted by Fizz at 5:03 PM on July 20, 2018 [1 favorite]


Part one starts at 1972, Pong. The game where Nolan Bushnell wanted a cheering crowd of thousands, and Al Alcorn said screw this guy and went poking around in the video sync generator for some kind of audible beep that he could gate.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 5:18 PM on July 20, 2018 [1 favorite]


I have a lot of stupid internet-frustrated responses but, like, Scattercat, appreciate the costumes. "Evolution" it's not, but it DOES interestingly highlight how quickly we get to "orchestral" and just stay there -- at least in the big-name games. Composition-wise, there isn't anything that's separated "video game music" from "every other music" for a long time (see: Zelda, maybe something earlier?), and since PSX (??) its been the exact same instrumentation, too, just took awhile for the bitrate to get up.
posted by curious nu at 5:40 PM on July 20, 2018


And definitely not the FFX piece I would've picked; that'd be Someday the Dream Will End, which.. I don't know, it's fine music, but in context it wrecks me.

The obvious FF choice of the chiptune era would be NES Opening Theme (crystal theme is whatever).
posted by curious nu at 5:45 PM on July 20, 2018


Also how is there no Metroid?!

(hello i have a lot of feelings about video game music)
posted by curious nu at 5:46 PM on July 20, 2018 [1 favorite]


C64 game music, a genre unto itself, always gets ignored with stuff like this. Alas.
posted by grumpybear69 at 9:13 PM on July 20, 2018


grumpybear69, you try covering this on solo violin.
posted by darksasami at 11:03 PM on July 21, 2018 [1 favorite]


Love the costumes, though he kind of muffs the Pokemon segment by playing the TV theme song instead of any of the great themes from the actual game.

(Also, needs more Katamari!)
posted by Rhaomi at 7:00 PM on July 27, 2018


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