Sometimes, when I am not making video games, hacking, playing chess, chatting, eating, sleeping, working, traveling, drawing, and playing games, I do what everyone else does when they stop making video games, hacking, playing chess, chatting, eating, sleeping, working, traveling, drawing, and playing games: play piano.
I usually play classical music; a lot of Beethoven and Mozart but also Tchaikovsky (everything from Щелкунчик (The Nutcracker) is good; he was really in the zone when he wrote the score for that ballet), Albéniz, and anything good from anyone else.
Classical music is soothing but video-game and anime music is just plain fun. I play both Tetris themes, some Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest, various Mario themes, Zelda themes, Final Fantasy VII themes, and lots more, as well as some Neon Genesis Evangelion themes.
When I had my keyboard (http://www.sharpened.net/reviews/review.php?Yamaha_Motif_7) I was coaxed into doing game remixes. Some of these could be found on http://www.VGMix.com/. I’ve been putting off buying my keyboard back but I want to do it soon.
These are easy to critique but I just do what is fun so just relax and listen. I don’t like remixing as much as sticking closely to the originals (remastering); I feel the originals are great enough and just need some higher-quality sounds, and I do not feel the need to put many of my own unique touches into things which caused a lot of complaints (lack of originality) at remix sites.
Regardless, let’s try not to be too picky and just have a good listen.
Aeris’ Theme (Final Fantasy VII)
All tracks played live and then mixed.
Bramble Scramble (Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest)
Digitally composed. One of my favorites and most people enjoy it more as well.
Hip Swamp Hop (Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest)
Digitally composed. My favorite video-game song.
Konkluded Epik (Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest)
Blah to the beginning; my hi-hats were shit, but everything else worked. If I still had the keyboard/file I would redo the opening.
Lava (Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest)
Digitally composed.
Mallow’s Opus (Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars)
Digital and real-time/real-play mix. I went for suicidal on this one.
Mines (Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest)
Digitally composed. One of my favorites.
Rusty Bucket Bay (Banjo-Kazooie)
If you download only one of these songs make sure it is this one. All tracks played live and then mixed. Most people consider this their favorite among my works.
Shipwrecked (Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest)
Digitally composed.
Swamp (Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest)
Digitally composed. Alternate version of Hip Swamp Hop. More laid back and “normal”. The unnusual drums in Hip Swamp Hop are too much for some people.
The Nightmare’s Beginning (Final Fantasy VII)
Played live (digitally recorded). Soft piano solo, the sound of classical music.
Zeal Island (Chrono Trigger)
Digitally composed. I basically just wanted to remaster the song as it appears on the CD. This was my first game “remix”.
Do try to enjoy at least one of them.
I recommend Rusty Bucket Bay, Bramble Scramble, Mines, and Hip Swamp Hop. The Nightmare’s Beginning is nice for people who like classical-style piano solos and Zeal Island is a remake of one of the best songs in video-game history so how can you go wrong?
L. Spiro