http://www.listentoyoutube.com/ I rarely find a problem with this, just click the HQ option. It takes a little longer but will convert in to decent quality.
Here you go: The bass in Sylvania Castle 1 is much catchier that Green Hill's. But the percussion is just 'ok' compared to this: (Sorry, couldn't embed SCz video because of 'just two videos per post' limit.)
I'm not convinced that the bass in Sylvania is in any way catchier than GHZ. GHZ's bass is what it needs to be. Providing the fundamental of the harmony without getting in the way. Sylvania's (and a shit ton of S4E1/E2) is honestly almost literally just random chord tones with almost no discernible objective form or function. 'More active', yeah, probably. More appropriate? Not by a long shot.
Well it complements the harmony and adds more rythm like any drum would do. I think it's a smart use of the bass. And Hataya's bass for Green Hill on Generations is much catchier than the original to me while less 'active'. It's a matter of taste.
One thing we can all agree on is the breadth and depth of this when compared to Splash Hill Act 1. Speaking of the "random" notes in the bass, I think it fits in quite well as an expansion upon the method used as far back as Emerald Hill. No one complains about the faster and more complex bass there!
My turn, not to jump in on the bandwagon or anything. Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 2 - Sylvania Castle Act 1 (VOPM) Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 2 - Sylvania Castle Act 1 (VOPM) Mixed I tried to find sound alikes with the instruments, and I think I came kinda close. I wish I could've found something that sounded a bit more like that weird 'Synth Bass 1' sound, but it sounds close enough. I made both a mixed version incase you like reverb and some other enhancements and one without if you're into that sort of thing. I didn't modify too much from the original MIDI, I just duplicated the main leads to create a delay track. If you check my SoundCloud profile you'll find more VOPM mixes using various MIDIs people have made. I really like your MIDI renditions, Master Emerald. Kind of a bummer that a Wii version never came out, maybe that would've used sequencing data one could just convert to MIDI to save everyone the trouble. :P
Well, all three classic examples quoted here (GHZ, EHZ, Aquatiic Ruin) all have very structured ('purposed' would be the word I guess) and are recognizable in terms of both rhythm and how they interact with the chord with a consistency from bar to bar. Sylvania Castle literally just... does it's own thing in each bar. It's undeniably chiptune (the bar-by-bar composition technique is pretty prevalent in chiptune music in general) but like Master Emerald said, the 'catchiness' of said groove is somewhat subjective- that much we can agree upon. I mean take the third bar of each of the examples above. You'd be able to instantly identify where it came from. The tracks have recognizability (and dare I say it, personality) that way. Sometimes consistency is what helps define a song. I know it's ironic I'm saying this in this context considering I keep blasting S4E2's music over its repetitiveness from phrase to phrase.
In fact some midis they used have less tracks so it doesn't sound the same. So one would have to make edits, but it would be easier! As I'm having problems with VOPM... Someone could try it with Aquatic Ruin voices for VOPM! Also Falk, the thing is that, I think Jun composed this on a keyboard, it's clearly a "piano bass". As it is so lively that it kinda replaces the drums in some parts (super crappy mp3 to show my point).
In piano solos, normaly (not always!) the low chords are very 'active' and have other chords that don't directly complement the others to try to compensate the lack of other instruments. (It happens in drum-less 8bit tracks and in some guitar solos, but I usually associate more with pianos).
Jun using a synth keyboard to compose music is obvious. It's normal. But I'm not sure where you're getting this "piano bass" idea from. I mean, I know the train of thought you're following: in 8-bit music or when playing a song using only a piano, there are only so many notes that can be played at the same time, and as a result someone may play a very busy-sounding bassline with the left hand to make the song sound richer and more filled out. I'm just a bit lost as to how you jumped to the conclusion that this was the case for Jun. I guess I can see where the thought would cross your mind, as the basslines done here sound less complex than even one of his basslines performed using a real bass guitar... though personally, I've always chalked this up to being part of the different methods Jun uses to compose, and in this particular case I'd figured it was a matter of Jun trying to further get into that mindset of composing 'retro'-sounding music.
This was something I didn't really pay attention too until you brought up that point. I always thought that the bass line was ridiculously busy. Act 2's is busy too, but in a different way and doesn't reflect the "extra drums" part. But I know exactly what you are talking about. Having been in music for years (but not with piano) I'm surprised I never consciously realized this technique. It gives the music "life" while playing on piano. Death Egg mk. II's base is crazy....and good.
First, the "obvious" part is the key part. I assumed it's a piano-solo-style bass because Sylvania castle melody have 5 channels + percussion, so it's pretty limited, not as the 8 bit games, which had 3 channels + percussion. But if you remove the supporting lead tracks (that are L and R panned) you have a pretty decent 8 bit song. It's not normally a coincidence this happens, so even if he didn't intentionally did that, it's the same technique they used in the 90's. Just that! I only thought of that when I sequenced the midi and heard the tracks isolated.
Hm. I guess I was confused because I'm interpreting your explanation as if you're saying "He writes music on a synth keyboard, so naturally that means he writes music with a piano in mind!" even though I also use a synth keyboard and I don't compose that way. I always write separate instrument tracks as if they're separate instrument tracks, not how they might sound when all played together on the piano. Hearing Jun's live performances made me think he and I share similar methods of composition. I'm primarily thinking of live recordings of, say, Jun vs. Richard Jacques. It's very clear (er, well, to me at least) that Richard's primary instrument is the piano; he knows how to make the best-sounding chords for a live performance. In contrast, Jun's performance of Splash Hill sounded like he'd simply taken the sequence he'd made of Splash Hill for the game and applied piano patches to multiple channels in it. But seeing as Jun's primary weapon of choice is clearly guitar, I suppose I wouldn't expect the level of "natural pianist" that Jacques gives off anyway. It's just funny considering that Jun likely uses keyboards just as often, so I suppose I'd have expected him to have some of those "pianist" skills all the same. Eh, sorry, I'm just kind of rambling now...
I wasn't trying to say exactly "piano". Just the fact the piano bass has to be used more actively was why I chose it as an example. But it's more like EHz bass and many 8bit examples we can get.
..what? Anyway, I just got an email that the soundtrack has been shipped out and should be here in a few days. You can probably expect a rip from either myself or (more likely) Ashram, depending on who gets theirs first.
