I think Michael Staple would be a perfect option to doing original composition (like in 16-Bits format itself) for Sonic 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-nsw0jYNK0
Look: fair enough that many of you have a hyperbolic hate-boner for the S&KC tracks, but at the end of it all it's a part of S3&K's history inasmuch as the SoA music is to Sonic CD or SoE's music is to 3D Blast. It would be sensible to include it in any hypothetical remaster, whether it was the sole option available or not. It perhaps wouldn't hurt if people were exposed to a version that didn't use Window XP-onwards crummy instrument samples ("soundfont"?). Generally agree with this assessment, however I feel Carnival Night Act 2 is good. Though, perhaps not to the extent of redeeming Act 1.
I completely agree that they sound awful with the default Windows XP MIDI soundfont. As previously mentioned in the thread, I think that ValleyBell's Sonic 3 Complete versions of the S&KC tracks are actually excellent. I would be happy just having similar versions in a potential S3&K rerelease. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBkp6rYq1sY[/youtube] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQSwPM7HdDQ[/youtube]
Ughhhhhhh... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baKvbg9u1fE Why is the common thread to completely gloss over the FM Synth rendition of the soundtrack? It's always the same redundant mentioning of that nails on a chalkboard MIDI. I grew up on the FM Synth version, so when I first listened to the MIDI and then the original Mega Drive renditions, I was surprised how few of you even like or respect the overall quality of the FM Synth. The original 16-bit soundtrack grew on me as I emulated the original more. The FM feels so fluid and intensely atmospheric to the respective zones and themes. Not sure what words I should use to describe it. The Mega Drive version vs. the S&KC FM Synth, to me, is like the Atari Jaguar Rayman vs. PS1 Rayman. It was just a complete upgrade. The songs work so well in my opinion, especially HPZ, LRZ, SSZ and the Final Boss theme to name a few I love most. Every Sonic 3 song rendition we've been given since, like in Generations for instance, pale in comparison to the FM renditions. That's my opinion though, I guess you can only understand if you immersed yourself in the game with that FM soundtrack before any other as a kid. I can thank the legal situation for the music and how it all turned out.
You wrote that entire post without taking into account that "FM" and "GM" mean "frequency modulation" and "general midi", respectively. That is not how the FM music option was supposed to sound or be used! It was for OPL synth cards, not anything sample based. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0nhfcLw4es&list=PLnSMBJ-Hzi2-RnIDli_erAJuTbxd06_rU
I failed to point out earlier that my first experience in hearing the S&KC tracks was in S3C. Didn't like them right away. I couldn't remember them to save my life. Nothing instantly recognizable like S3 Ice Cap or Launch Base. Even I get annoyed with CNZ's music in S3, but its replacement wasn't great. It is probably the best out of those, though, for what it's worth. For the record, I think Launch Base original fucking rocks. But, before slipping too off-topic, I'd like to know why some music was changed for Sonic 3 & Knuckles, such as the miniboss theme or Knuckles' theme. Has there been any confirmation? Did MJ have a hand in those? Or was it for aesthetic reasons? My memory fails me regarding those.
I'm going to make myself unpopular. The best sounding versions of the S&KC tracks are the GM versions, with the default Windows Roland soundfont. The Drums are a bit loud, but apart from that?.. The FM versions of the same tracks, presumably for running on FM cards, lack a strong conviction to them. They seem like they might have sounded nicer if they programmed the soundcards directly, but, they don't. Even more unpopularly, I hate the Mega Drive version of the Carnival Night theme. The GM version sounds a lot nicer. :v: I'd love to know how the tracks were ported to PC in the first place. It's a shame we simply won't ever know the people involved. There was clear effort put into them, such as added Stereo that would have been difficult for the Mega Drive.
Since I never had a Mega Drive (I only had a Game Gear), the S&KC was my first experience with 16-bit Sonic ever. It wasn't until several years later that I discovered the magical world of emulation, so I didn't know that the PC soundtrack had a few replacements. I grew with the GM versions played on an AWE-32, and that's how I'm always going to remember those tunes. This is to say that nostalgia is probably a factor for me, but I actually like some of them, such as CNZ2 and LBZ2. Even today, I find nothing wrong with the default Windows soundfont, I do have a few other DLS files which claim to be better, but I can't see (or rather, hear) why. I'd kill for a DLS that mikicks the AWE-32, though.
Something I would like to say that left my head while I was posting earlier is, I love the percussion in the PC versions a lot. Those meaty, meaty kicks are so good.
Glad to hear that I'm not the only one At the beginning, I was too "used to" MD version (played in those emulated re-releases on PC). A bit later though, when I had opportunity to compare both and played a bit more in PC S3&K collection... I admit that I had enough of MD version. And different tracks are where PC version shines. Even in terms of trivial as hell carnival night motive, it done better job. Not to mention about other zones - Launch Base Zone sounds so "proud" and "up to sky" with this rhytm. Much much better than original Sonic 3.
This isn't 100% related to the thread but it feels like a bit of a small issue to make an entirely new thread over this... If Ice Cap Zone was a Brad Buxer composition and not a MJ one, then how come it got replaced for the PC port? Are the PC track replacements not necessarily due to legal issues with MJ's estate?
The wiki has credits specific to S&KC. It shares only two people under audio: Masaru Setsumaru and Jun Sunoue. Setsumaru was the coordinator, presumably he called the shots on which synthesizer was used. Otherwise, there are three people unique to this version, which the wiki has red links for. Likewise the company they seemingly work for, USP, is also red linked. VGMPF has pages for Shigeaki Irie, and Goro Takahashi, but no page for Masaaki Nishizawa. Searching VGMPF for USP itself yields nothing else but a page for a Eisaku Nanbu. Maybe none of is new to anyone here, but it's surely more than nothing for a starting point.
We shouldn't have to jailbreak current generation consoles simply to play Sonic 3. The XBLA version was released in 2009. We're fast approaching an entire decade since the game has had a new, official, re-release on a console.
This just changed EVERYTHING for me! I was wondering why there was always an FM and GM soundtrack. I had the trial version of the S&KC but all the music was accessible. It had always sounded like crap to me but there was a noticeable difference in the Mushroom Hill tracks.
This probably wouldn't work since I assume Warner owns the rights to the track, but I'd be down with them using the Ice Cap theme from Lego Dimensions going forward in place of the original. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqa8BjzFwJ8 Not really a fan of their Carnival Night theme, though. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZN5k5N-O8c
Might not be a whole lot to glean from it, but Taj Jackson, Michael Jackson's nephew, confirmed that MJ worked on the Sonic 3 soundtrack in a livestream talking about the whole Leaving Neverland thing (If the timestamp doesn't work, he's asked about it around 53:17): https://youtu.be/tsuxaa3qIzE?t=3197 Taj doesn't go into specifics, but he says he did the music, but didn't get credited for it. So we have some kind of confirmation from a Jackson family member now.
Wow, I assume these are likely what the tracks were intended to sound like on FM? Never heard of these versions before. Regarding the tracks from the Genesis games, the instrumentation here sounds remarkably watertight to what the Genesis could do in comparison to the other FM versions everyone's familiar with. Moreover, these versions have more audible changes in instrumentation (and even composition in a few cases) from the Genesis tracks that I really appreciate (certain standouts being Lava Reef Act 2, Azure Lake, Doomsday, and Knuckles' Theme). Honestly rather impressed. As for the PC-specific compositions, I think on the whole, I may like these a bit better more than the "standard" FM synth versions I've usually heard. Definitely like Launch Base Act 1 in particular over the others.
