I was listening to this track yesterday and I couldn't help but notice a similarity: (at 56 seconds) A little faster, but I assume the DX7 was used on the original track, and it's playing the Silver Bells melody, it's just so close.
Yeah, that's definitely a Yamaha DX7 preset. I've used it before in a couple of my own tracks, and I'm pretty sure Masato Nakamura used that preset in one of his original demos the Sonic 1 and 2 tracks.
Yeah, that really stands out when you hear it! Either way, this is chill and festive as fuck and going right on the Christmas Party Playlist
I love those old synthesizer workstation presets, loads of gold stuff on the Korg M1 and Roland D50. I always loved that Sonic CD soundtrack was influenced by 90s UK rave That was a big reason why I loved Sonic sountracks as a kid, they seemed to take nods from current music culture. Sega have done it in small doses since (Rush & some of the Generations remixes) - but I'd love the next mania game to go full on CD and take cues from current electronic trends.
I doubt it directly influenced the ring sound effect, but that's a pretty neat find nevertheless. Hearing that song and associating it with the ring sound effect makes me imagine what Brenda Ross's winter level could've looked like. To each their own, but I wholeheartedly disagree with you on this one. If it's going to be a classic Sonic nostalgia game, it really should be a throwback to the 90s and not take on current trends. That, and as a matter of personal preference I quite dislike modern electronic music and prefer music from or in the style of the 80s and 90s. Mania's soundtrack was pretty much perfect for what it was, it was just oozing the 90s. I mean I realize it's still got a little bit of modern flair to it, but it doesn't go all dub-steppy or anything like that.
I didn't mean full on modern electronic tracks, just take influence from current trends for certain elements. Dubstep has been and gone. I'd also argue that pixel art is fully modern now, and has gone past the point of nostalgia. It's hard to really explain what I mean without getting all production technical. I did love mania's soundtrack but I also felt at times the instrumental sounds chosen lacked a bit of energy and grit. A few standout electronic elements could have elevated it, but I guess that's Tee's style and my personal feelings towards the soundtrack. Again, really hard to explain what I'm getting at. And I'm also kinda anal about this kinda stuff so it could just come across as nitpicking.
Take a listen to Method of Modern Love, by Hall & Oates (toward the end of the song): As a self-designated expert on the DX series, I can tell you that the voice you hear isn't necessarily a DX7. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if it was a DX27, TX81Z, or some other variation. Here is Spring Yard Zone on my TX81Z, which is capable of producing the very same sound: I highly doubt Sonic Team came up with some of those sounds you hear in the original game. Of course I have no hard proof of this, but the ring sound alone gives me the indication that they used voices (and maybe sound effects too) programmed by others.
I remember this song and never noticed that! I too am leaning more towards it being a cool coincidence, even if IS in the same key as the ring sound. Also, if I'm not mistaken this was a preset on the Yamaha DX keyboards back in those days. I'm almost positive I have this exact preset on my DX21 (some of Spinball's grungy synth sounds are definitely in there). I too will be (re)adding this song to my Christmas playlist. I haven't heard this since the mid-90s at most!
