Does anyone know who composed the SEGA startup jingle?

Well it dates back to at least 1983 as it's used in TV advertising, probably earlier - it's just two notes and I'm not sure you could copyright it*, so chances are some Japanese marketing firm invented it before it was adopted as an official thing.




*because I actually know something about this - when Channel 4 launched in the UK in November 1982, there was a big fuss about its signature ident and theme. "Four score" is four notes long, and was at the time was supposedly the shortest copyrighted piece in existence... and it actually cost Channel 4 quite a bit of money since they had to pay royalties every time it was used (it was eventually replaced in 1992).

 

Isn't it just a minor variation on "Ta Dah!"

 

We aren't talking about the "SEGA!" voice though, aren't we talking about the "ding-dong" sound played on a lot of games before they start up.

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GguzZTDGNnQ[/media]

 

Technically its more than just the frequencies of the notes. At the very least there is also their duration and the time interval between their playing. (not including instruments, decay, attack etc since we have both synthetic form and sung one).

 

Nah it dates back before music in video games was even much of a thing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjhbFa6a6Ss

in what I designate Sega's "screeching woman" phase. Doopedy doo.

I can't find anything older than 1983, likely because Sega... didn't really have anything to advertise. That and recording equipment and Japan and age and yeah.

 

I read that as minor key and got really confused for a while.

 

For the record, the jingle was phased out of advertising in 1995.


It's actually a surprisingly rare thing to see these days. Aside from ports of Sonic 1 and 2, it doesn't turn up much - it was used in Sonic Pocket Adventure in 1999 and Sonic 4 pretends it's cool by using it, but neither are brand new super original products. For the last ten years they've been using that newer one.

 

You say "surprisingly rare" like every other company has retained their jingle.

I miss this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3n8c4UzVMI

 

This one was the best anyway:

 

No I say "surprisingly rare" because it's one of the most iconic things about the company, and yet it hasn't really been in use for 20 years or more.

 

I wish they'd bring it back. There's nothing iconic or even interesting about the current one, it's so generic, like a logo for EA or something. I think now would be a good time to bring it back to say "Hey, so SEGA were kind of shit for 10 years or so, but now we're going to be awesome like we used to!"

The new CEO has been saying that they want to go back to being a company people trusted, and I think a change in branding could show the change of ethos.

 

Outside of the diehardest fans, in terms of perception going back to an old jingle is simply going to be interpreted as "lol we can't make anything good anymore".

 

If it helps anyone to know, the SEGA jingle is in C major (it goes from G and E to E and C, in two octaves I think, but I'm not quite sure). It's funny how something so simple in concept can come to symbolize so much for so many people.

 

I really like the current SEGA logo. It's somewhat memorable. I don't think it needs to be changed at all.
But obviously the old one in better. My favorite: http://youtu.be/5tHOk2GKztY

 

Guys, it's just a "classic doorbell" sound.