Posting something a little different today. I had a recent commission to write some video game music that was mixed with EDM. This was my kind of mashup so I gave it a go.
Had lots of fun with the production of this. There’s too much to say about what I did as all of the sounds are created from scratch. I’ll include the list of synths I used below and talk a bit about the harmony.
Harmonically this is very simple.
Based in G Major
The counterpoint is also very simple, though I did follow the general rule of moving parts… and there are no parallel chords.
Most of the variation is sonic, I use filters and a lot of plugins that are all automated to create the movement needed in the track. If anyone is interested in this style just message and I can go into more detail about the parts your interested in.
Synths used were
Alchemy
Serum
Massive
eDNA Earth
Flow motion
Esx1 and 2
Plugins used
Logic EQ
Logic Compressor
Scheps Omni channel
Bit distortion
A lot of izotope stuff
Waves mod rack and all distortion plugins
OTT
Paencheng Tremolo
Filter (always automated.
White noise
Blue noise
Sub plugin
Haha, really cool blend of styles here. I agree with what you say that I would not really call it 8-bit video game music, but rather a mashup as you say.
What I hear personally is a very unique mix of a very pop-style melodic focus, with backing retro/8-bit sounds, and a touch of classic eurobeat. Very uplifting and fun to listen to overall though!
That was real fun! For some reason it made me feel a bit nostalgic but not from video games; it reminded me of something I used to hear on TV, but I can’t put my finger on it. Loved it though!
Hey everyone, thank you for all of your kind words!
@Mikael your absolutely right, the track only has 8-bit elements which were mainly made from creating sounds in ESX1 which is possibly the best place to create them… then the resolution was brought down by adding an 8 bit distortion onto it. Then the only thing that made the 8-bit sections sound like that genre was a low pass taking out everything under 350hz. sneaky
The rest of the elements are a hybrid of Pop, EDM and trance… though apparently when you mix these genres they call it “bit-pop”… which this kind of falls into… but it’s really just more of a mashup. Possibly a Mario Adventures meets Sonic 2 vibe if anything.
@MaestroX I’d love to know what it reminds you of if you ever work it out the thought process behind the melody only had 4 parts.
Theme 1 - uplifting and high energy
Theme 2 - a rollercoaster melody comprised of 3 parts. Part 1 is more subdued, pitched a 4th below melody one. Part 2 has that rolling feel as the client wanted to convey the ups and downs of an adventure. Part 3 was simply on the rise again, moving towards the next iteration.
@Seven_Tears hahaha it wasn’t for any contest. It was made for a client on YouTube. They create three types of content
Weight loss journey.
Twitch game streamer.
Mental health awareness.
The brief was essentially that they needed a track that’s signature to them that started off small, and gradually built. They wanted 3 themes which conveyed the rising journey of a Youtuber ls path… while keeping consistency and simplicity. In other words they had no idea about music only kidding
The best part about writing this track was that it was just so much fun. Not only thematically but sound wise. I had to create every sound from scratch which was a lot of fun. I don’t get to do that too often
Oh fab! That sounds like a lot of fun. I can’t say I’ve ever done that. I’ve coded a website back in the day but that’s it. Though I do a lot of scripting too I guess.
Yeah I’ve seen there are a lot of those types of synths out there. I just find it more fun to make those sounds. They’re just so interesting as they’re deceivingly complex.
I just want to start to code python in Reaper and build a little random rythm generator or a arpeggiogenerator… but in summer times the time is missing a bit…
Sounds like a fun project there Michael. Perhaps just after the holidays you can start and see how it goes! I’d love you to keep me posted on how that goes!
I really like this, its fun and upbeat. Gets you tapping your feet, puts a smile on your face and was constantly changing so kept interest. In photography part of the goal is to engage the observer into the picture and evoke some sort of response. I imagine its the same in music and it did it for me!
Really funny, uplifting and …loopable.
Buah. It reminds me my first days with my old spectrum ,and later the Fast Tracker II, ages ago. I should recover all those compositions. Does anybody know a software to take .xm to .mid? I will dive the web…Maybe I could have a 8-bit portfolio instantly
Really like it… kinda make me feel a mix of retro and modern… But I couldn’t picture it inside a level… perhaps more as a game “theme”, like, for example, in my mind this would be perfect for the end credit rolls.
sneaky 
the thought process behind the melody only had 4 parts.
,and later the Fast Tracker II, ages ago. I should recover all those compositions. Does anybody know a software to take .xm to .mid? I will dive the web…Maybe I could have a 8-bit portfolio instantly 