What genre of music should sonic games have?

Sonic does need that classic early 90's house soundscape, Hataya had it perfectly with SCD. Listen to Chigago house, such as Frankie Knuckles and The Nightwriters, or acid house, it fits Sonic perfectly. I would post a YouTube vid of "Only The Strong Survive" by Frankie Knuckles but I'm on my iPhone. If anyone does care to look it up, it sounds very similar to Green Hill, not so much the melody but chord progression in the background. I have never studied music so perhaps I'm describing it wrong.

 

Evil sounding dubstep for the bosses.

 

I love Jazz/Funk style versions of Sonic tunes they just seem to fit perfectly. I mean just listen to this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTqCzzaCufk You can't say that this doesn't sound great, Or, GHZ in Jazz/Funk style. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq4SCpvRTWE

 

Sonic CD had the perfect soundtrack in my opinion. In fact, that game has my favourite soundtrack out of any of the games.

However, I don't think more Sonic music should be like it. They would just fail at capturing the feel of it anyway.

I'm fine with how the music direction was going in Unleashed, however.

 

I'm agreeing with Maxd here and a few others that the music should be based on the context of the zone, like if it's serious or lighthearted or whatever.

However, there needs to be at least one or two songs that the player begins listening to where their arms tense up and their fingers gnarl the controller from the adrenaline they receive from it.



Like this song. It blew me away when I heard it yesterday. Even after letting my reaction and my opinion of it cool, upon listening to it again, it still makes me feel completely tense. It's a great example of the type of energy filled music that a Sonic game would need in at least one spot or two.

Other than that, psychedelic rock, jazz-funk, 80's synth + orchestrated music, techno (GOOD techno, not just any old NNN-TSST NNN TSST techno).

 

I agree that Sonic should have a mix of styles, using a different one depending on the theme of the zone. That said, there needs to be an over-arching style that brings them all together. For instance, yes, Aquatic Ruin sounds all South American, and Casino Night sounds all jazzy, but they share a certain Sonicky vibe that stops the soundtrack from being a hodgepodge. This may be simply because in Sonic 1 and 2, all the songs were by the same composer. Lately, there has been a greater disparity of styles... well, except for Sonic 4. =P

The style of music I most associate with Sonic, though, to the point that when I hear a song in this style I say, 'That sounds like Sonic music', would be the whole Naofumi Hataya sound. The OVA uses something like it, as well. Certainly this musical style predates Sonic, but the first time I heard it was in Sonic, so I'll forever associate the two.

Funnily enough, I just heard someone compare the Sonic CD USA Robotnik boss music to this very Pink Floyd track the other day.

 

I say either Rock, Techno, or Jazz. But it really depends on the mood of the level. Sonic can do without all that rap crap.

 

The light 90s rock feel infused with an electronic base takes the cake and eats it in my book. That refers to the Japanese and Engligh soundtracks for CD, to clarify..)

On terms of a sidescrolling spriter one, anyways. When I think about 3D, Sonic the Fighters and SA1 come to mind. I generally like the soundtracks of every sonic game, but those stuck rather well.

Mostly, I'll agree that the genre should be driven primarily by each specific stage.

 

I think the mood and genre should depend on the zone's setting, however the game's soundtrack needs to be tied together with one underlying style for it to remain consistent. In my opinion this "underlying style" should be almost 100% synthesised (apart from occasional lyrics and samples), featuring elements of techno, house and italo/hi-NRG.

Sonic CD is a great example of early-'90s house, and Sonic 3 and Knuckles has those driving, funky hi-NRG basslines. Overall the classic Sonic music is quite similar to space-synth, with its varied sound patches and memorable melodies.

I think Sonic should stay completely away from rock, rap and orchestral/cinematic music. This is what most videogame music has become, instead of the catchy, melodic tunes of the "golden years". For this reason I never understand people who say Sonic has had consistently good music - I can't stand the guitars and rap from many of the games since 1999!

 

There's nothing wrong with rock or rap. It just has to be good rock or rap.

Anyhow, I think DCT's albums are a good pointer. They try out tons of musical styles, but never lose sight of the basics, making sure there's a catchy tune or melody. There's enough tunes that could be converted into Sonic level themes in their back catalogue to last us for 10 years.

 

Note to Self: music analysis + forming sentences + perfect pitch + Nyquil = FAIL

 

I'm sorry, what? If that was an attack on me, I suggest you apply the "forming sentences" part of the formula.

EDIT: And I'll try reading properly. Sorry about that.

 

I hate rap and hip-hop so..

In my opinion there should be more trance, industrial, electronica and maaaaybe some aggrotech. But still, it depends what the level-cliché is. If it's a tropical island level, there should be summer-like music which makes good mood at the same time. + - Loona - Bailando   . :specialed:
But doesn't Sonic Riders have already trance in it? If so, I take trance out of the list above.

It also could have some hard rock or death metal. Why? Because just look at the third act of the demo of Sonic Boom. + - The act where you have to escape from the fire wall y'know   . It makes you all "keep running or you'll fucking die".

 

This is the Frankie Knuckles track, as I've said I think it sounds a bit like GHZ. Regardless of that it would still make a great tropical/beach level music. Did you also know that there was a house artist called Vector? Emm.

 

The guys who did 06 and Unleashed.

 

King Masa. Always.

 

She was more like a beauty queen, from a movie scene...

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oh wait am I supposed to be hearing green hill here?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvKhDiNME4E - THIS sounds like GHZ

I think the Jackson pop sound is my prefered style for the Sonic brand. Its always been an influence and quite frankily, given what we've learned about Sonic's creation, and the actual collaboration, the Jackson brand of sound is kindof integral to the franchise. Jazzy hiphop beat driven RnB with funk overtones.

That said, its just one influence, and when it comes to Sonic music I've never been hard to pleased because the boys at wavemaster always do a stellar job. All a song needs to be a sonic song imo is a driving melody and an active bassline.

 

Dreams Come True (Masato Nakamura) hands down. I didn't even have to think about it.

 

Weird Al Yankovic.

This might seem out of left field, but behind his lousy voice and focus on comedic lyrics, he's quite a talented musician, and a master at imitating other styles. If you gave him a sampling of music from past Sonic games, as well as a feel for what the gameplay is like in any individual game, he'd certainly be able to come up with something that is good and fitting.