DeadManFloating has 8 chronicles

1. Play! A Video Game Symphony
   

   Player Chronicle -- Posted on Apr 25 2010

   One word to watching a live symphony and choir play some of your favorite video game music? Phenomenal! I'm now going to have to kidnap my own symphony and choir and chain them in my room for when I'm playing games. Something can be said for listening to it, unfiltered from whatever digital processes it undergoes in a studio to be included in a game.
   
   Music can definitely add something to a game, making mediocre moments grand, or grand moments mediocre. The right type and pace of music, with carefully chosen instruments can really bring out the emotional qualities of a scene. Fast-paced and intense with booming drums and blaring brass for action scenes or slow and precise strings and woodwinds for love scenes, and mix for inbetweens. But it's not perfect unfortunately. The problem with watching it live, is you're not playing the game, so while it is better, it's not quite complete. You don't have the action happening in front of you taking your attention and drawing you in. The visuals are part of the equation and while they showed scenes for most of the games, it just wasn't the same.
   
   Starting off with some Nobuo Uematsu, and a piece I don't recognize, but maybe from a lesser known Final Fantasy game here in the states or from another game entirely. It was followed by the 3 recognizable pieces of Super Mario Bros. from the over world, to underwater and finally the under world. Next would come some music from Battlefield and Silent Hill, both of which I've never played so didn't recognize, but enjoyed the music. Castlevania to get back to the familiar followed by some Kingdom Hearts starting with the tune of Simple and Clean and to finish off the first half, The Legend Of Zelda. From the Ocarina of Time to the theme, a very big reaction from the audience.
   
   The second half started with music from Oblivion, and seems that one of the creators of the music was in the audience and lived in my town. Next into Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross. Starting with Cross, to Trigger, back to Cross and finish with Trigger. The second Cross music was the opening theme, and not that great. It starts off with the flute, slow and sweet, then kicks it up a few gears. The fast parts really didn't seem fast enough to me. A minor complaint though.
   
   Follow this by the theme and other music from Halo, to Sonic the Hedgehog, a lesser known game named Shadow of the Colossus and finish off with World of Warcraft. I was tempted to shout "Zug zug" at the end, but kept myself in check. Then for a surprise encore, top it off with Uematsu's, One-Winged Angel.
   
   If you ever have the ability to see this as it tours, you should. You'd be missing out. A pleasant and fun two-and-a-half hours of music while imagining the games as you listen.

   
   

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DeadManFloating has 1 comment on this chronicle.

1. A-Thon X
   Posted On Apr 26 2010

   They really need to start releasing soundtracks for video games. I would love to own some of these on Cd. MadWorld has a great soundtrack, as does Halo and Zelda.