Game Music 101

Jazz is a distinct genre that is often overlooked when we think of music in video games.  For this episode, we uncover and dissect the world of jazz in video game music – from ‘live’ music to creating historical authenticity to establishing the genre of 'film noire' through its connection with jazz.  Each member looked at a specific game that featured Jazz music including L.A. Noire, Grim Fandango, Diggs Nightcrawler, and even the first Sims game. From discussions of nostalgia to new age jazz, this podcast takes you through a variety of video games that feature their own distinct jazz sound. Music used, in order that it appears in the podcast: The Sims Soundtrack: Building Mode 4, by Jerry Martin and Marc RussoGrim Fandango OST - 12 - Manny's Office, By Peter McConnellGrim Fandango OST - 02 - Swanky Maximino, By Peter McConnellLA Noire OST - 01 - Main Theme, By Andrew HaleandSimon HaleLA Noire OST - 24 - (I Always Kill) The Things I Love, Produced and written by Stephen Coates (of The Real Tuesday Weld) and featuring the guest vocals of Claudia Brucken (of Propaganda) Grim Fandango OST - 06 - Hi-Tone Fandango, By Peter McConnellDiggs Nightcrawler OST – Prologue, By Jim FowlerDiggs Nightcrawler OST – Hood and Seek, By Jim FowlerDiggs Nightcrawler OST – The Nightcrawler is In, By Jim FowlerLA Noire OST - 05 - Minor 9th, By Andrew HaleandSimon HaleGrim Fandango OST - 03 - Smooth Hector, By Peter McConnellDiggs Nightcrawler OST – Eggs in the City, By Jim FowlerThe Sims Soundtrack: Building Mode 5, by Jerry Martin and Marc RussoLA Noire OST - 08 - Noire Clarinet, By Andrew HaleandSimon HaleThe Sims Soundtrack: Building Mode 2, by Jerry Martin and Marc RussoDiggs Nightcrawler OST – Diggs and the Pigs, By Jim FowlerGrim Fandango OST - 04 - Mr Frustration Man, By Peter McConnellLA Noire OST - 11 - Temptation, Part 3, By Andrew HaleandSimon HalePsycho (theme), By Bernard HermanDiggs Nightcrawler OST – Welcome to Library City, By Jim FowlerLA Noire OST - 25 – Guilty, Produced and written by Stephen Coates (of The Real Tuesday Weld) and featuring the guest vocals of Claudia Brucken (of Propaganda)Grim Fandango OST - 01 - Casino Calavera, By Peter McConnellThe Sims Soundtrack: Building Mode 1, by Jerry Martin and Marc RussoDiggs Nightcrawler OST – Table Top Jump, By Jim Fowler

Women have been composing music for video games since their inception and yet their stories can often be forgotten amongst a male-dominated industry. Today’s episode looks to focus in on a selection of women who are behind the sound we hear in video games, both past and present. From Yoko Shimomura’s iconic Street Fighter II soundtrack to the sound design by up-and-comer Em Halberstadt for the award-winning Night In The Woods, the Game Music team is looking at some of their favourite women, their influences, and the versatility of their talents. The team also poses the question, “What sort of social conditioning have these composers and designers experienced as women and have we experienced as listeners?”  Track TitleVideo GameComposer Calling From Heaven(Stage 6)Castlevania: Bloodlines Michiru Yamane Foretellers CaseKingdom Hearts 3Yoko ShimomuraVictoria's LabLittleBigPlanet 2 SoundtrackWinifred PhillipsPrayerCastlevania: Symphony of the Night OSTMichiru YamaneLeft Bank TwoLittleBigPlanet OSTWinifred PhillipsDeep DiveKingdom HeartsYoko ShimomuraThe WildernessLittleBigPlanet SoundtrackWinifred PhillipsLiberation Main ThemeAssassin’s Creed 3: LiberationWinifred PhillipsHikari (Instrumental)Kingdom HeartsYoko ShimomuraRyu StageSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate SNESYoko ShimomuraClear BreezeSkull GirlsMichiru YamanePandora's BoxGod of War SoundtrackWinifred PhillipsPink ShoelacesLittleBigPlanet 3 SoundtrackWinifred Phillips Astral TrainNight in the WoodsAlec HolowkaRyu vs. GuileStreet Fighter IIYoko ShimomuraIn Just A Moment's TimeSkullgirlsMichiru YamaneSinger: Geila ZilkhaMonk chants, 1 through 5HaloMichael SalvatoriThe Wolven Storm (Priscilla's Song)The Witcher 3: Wild HuntPercival (polish folk band)Voyage of Promise (A Galleon Named Minerva)Bloodstained OSTMichiru Yamane

Mental Health awareness has become a global topic of discussion – and the video game industry has been getting in on the conversation. In this episode, the research team explores the impact and role that music plays in video games recognized as part of the mental health conversation. From The Last of Us to Gris to Hellblade to Celeste, the Game Music 101 team looks to unpack the portrayal of mental health in these games and how – if at all – the music and sounds we hear bring us to a better understanding of this very important topic. Music Tracks:   Gustavo Santaolalla - Main Theme, The Last Of Us soundtrack David García Díaz, “Druth”, HellBlade: Senua's Sacrifice soundtrack David Garcia/Andy LaPlegua, “Fight Theme”, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice soundtrack Berlinist, “Mae”, Gris soundtrack Berlinist, “Pt 1 + Pt 2”, Gris soundtrack Lena Raine, “My Dearest Friends”, Celeste soundtrack Lena Raine, “Spirit of Hospitality”, Celeste soundtrack Lena Raine, “First Steps”, Celeste soundtrack Berlinist, “In Your Hands”, Gris soundtrack David Garcia/Andy LaPlegua, “Dillion”, HellBlade: Senua's Sacrifice soundtrack Gustavo Santaolalla, “All Gone (Seasons)”, The Last of Us soundtrack Toby "Radiation" Fox with FL Studio, “Megalovania”, Undertale soundtrack Lena Raine, “Resurrections”, Celeste soundtrack Berlinist, “Comparison”, Gris soundtrack Berlinist, “Perseverance”, Gris soundtrack David Garcia/Andy LaPlegua, “Fight Theme 2”, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice soundtrack Gustavo Santaolalla, “The Quarantine Zone (20 Years Later)”, The Last of Us soundtrack David Garcia/Andy LaPlegua, “Psych”, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice soundtrack Lena Raine, “In the Mirror”, Celeste soundtrack Lena Raine, “Scattered and Lost”, Celeste soundtrack Gustavo Santaolalla, “All Gone (No Escape)”, The Last of Us soundtrack David Garcia/Andy LaPlegua, “Just Like Sleep”, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice soundtrack

From Stardew Valley to Animal Crossing to Harvest Moon, the game genre commonly known as the “Farming Sim” often features calm, relaxing music.  Farming Sims music often makes explicit reference to musical elements associated with rural environments, such as Country and Folk music styles, but also incorporate subtler elements rooted in the concept of the “pastoral”:  a trope with a surprisingly long musical history!  The podcast hosts will present their favourite examples of Farming Sim music, and will discuss how these songs are structured to keep the listener engaged – but not too engaged – and relaxed – but not too relaxed! Music Tracks: ·       “1AM” Animal Crossing New Leaf Music: (12:07-12:20) ·       “10AM” Animal Crossing New Leaf Music: (26:22-26:41) ·       “5PM” Animal Crossing Original GameCube Soundtrack: (11:54-12:07) ·       Goat Simulator “8-bit Super Happy Version”: (21:29-21:49) ·       Goat Simulator “Main Theme”: (2:38-3:05), (17:36-18:02), (26:57-27:21) ·       Deadmau5 “Petting Zoo”: (21:53-22:09) ·       Harvest Moon Back to Nature “Spring”: (6:47-7:11) ·       Harvest Moon “A Wonderful Life: Breeze”: (19:48-20:14) ·       Harvest Moon “Animal Parade: Summer”: (25:41-25:53) ·       Harvest Moon Back to Nature “Title Theme”: (5:01-5:21) ·       Harvest Moon Back to Nature “Town Theme”: (5:21-6:11), (25:55-26:18) ·       Harvest Moon “Dance”: (23:35-23:59) ·       Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony: (13:57-15:31) ·       Stardew Valley “Distant Banjo”: (23:27-23:33) ·       Stardew Valley “Fall”: (17:03-17:34) ·       Stardew Valley “Spring”: (9:11-9:53), (18:38-19:13), (24:48-25:33) ·       Stardew Valley “Overture”: (8:00-8:21), (16:01-16:40) ·       Stardew Valley “Summer”: (8:21-9:11), (28:02-25:05) ·       Stardew Valley “Winter”: (9:53-10:46) ·       Story of Seasons “Spring Theme”: (4:35-4:57)

This bonus episode focuses on composer Trevor Morris’s work on DragonAge: Inquisition.  Research assistants Brooke and Andrew tackle a variety of questions ranging from the controversy about switching composers mid-series, what harmonic factors distinguish the music, and how the music does (or does not) reflect Morris’s Canadian-ness. Music Tracks (all from DragonAge: Inquisition) ·       The Lost Temple: 0:29-7:32 ·       Dragon Age Inquisition Theme: 7:37-10:50, 14:05-17:39 ·       Journey to Skyhold: 10:54-11:33 ·       Orlais Theme: 11:39-14:03 ·       In Hushed Whispers: 17:39-19:22, 20:54-23:48 ·       Aquatic Ambience: 19:22-20:54 ·       The Wrath of Heaven: 23:48-25:51 ·       Take Me Home 25:51-26:17

Video games often take influences from real-world cultures, sometimes to reflect particular eras and locations in historically-based games, but in other cases as a ‘shortcut’ for suggesting particular cultural norms.  From Nordic influences in Skyrim to Middle-Eastern instrumentation in Assassin’s Creed and The Legend of Zelda, this episode will present a number of examples.  The podcasts hosts will discuss how such borrowing can give game designers a quick method to generate a rich game world, but how in the process cultural appropriation becomes a major issue. Musical examples: 1:58:  New Donk City, Super Mario Odyssey 2:31:  Main Theme, Battlefield 1  3:16:  City of Jerusalem, Assassin's Creed 1 4:01:  Main Theme, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 4:46:  Woman's Battalion of Death, Battlefield 1: In The Name of the Tsar DLC 5:30:  Cimbalom sample, Hammered Dulcimer Family, Tim Manning Music Magic (Bohak) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFaXcvHpJwU&list=PLfxFd1oEv69SNsbTPN4qBCbf0HMv26NRL&index=5 (1:50) 6:05:  Dean Shostak Plays Cristal Baschet, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVHzwdnYdEc 6:57:  Tibet: Tibetan Monks - Playing Long Horn https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1_C3TLXRlI 9:18:  Tostarena Ruins, Super Mario Odyssey 10:37:  Polonaise, op. 53, Frederic Chopin 11:30:  Nocturne in E-Flat Major, op. 9 no. 2, Frederic Chopin 12:15:  Volvo Queen of the Night Commercial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRnXONCj45Q 12:44:  Queen of the Night aria (“Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen”), from The Magic Flute, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 14:45:  (Best Service) Voice Spectral Vol. 1 "Track 76" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U34MFcJdGCo (12:03) 16:00:  City of Jerusalem, Assassin's Creed 1 17:16:  Darkness Falls in Florence, Assassin's Creed 2 17:02:  Access the Animus, Assassin's Creed 1 17:50:  Phoibe the Orphan, Assassin's Creed: Odyssey 18:20:  Gerudo Town (Night), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 24:12:  Tostarena: Town, Super Mario Odyssey 25:33:  Las Alazanas, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klVe7_2UEQ8 27:28:  Chaharmezrab Nava, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95amB7kUu-k 29:12:  Dawn of a New Time, Battlefield 1 29:39:  Zajdi, Zadji, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob7FWkXgXkM (1:40) 30:31:  The Parting Glass, Assassin's Creed: Black Flag 35:05:  Gerudo Valley, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 36:10:  Gerudo Town (Day), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

TFirst-person shooters often feature driving, pulsing music meant to propel the player onwards.  However, not all games evoking war follow this model!  In this podcast, the hosts will examine the music from games that evoke regret, grief, and sorrow in their attempt to create game worlds that more accurately depict the horrors of war and conflict.  The hosts will examine what musical elements, including harmony, key, and instrumentation, contribute to how we hear sadness in this music. Music Tracks: 6:25 "These Cold Days" – This War of Mine 7:42 “Round Victory Theme” – Battlefield 1 10:07 "Main Theme" – Papers, Please 10:56 "Death Theme" – Papers, Please 11:55 "Victory Theme" – Papers, Please 13:11 "Death Theme" – Papers, Please 15:26 "When the Night Comes" – This War of Mine 16:34 "Some Place We Call Home" – This War of Mine 18:07 "Markus' Main Theme" – Detroit:  Become Human 19:35 "Libera Me" – Battlefield 1 20:22 & 20:41 "Dawn of a New Time" – Battlefield 1 23:21 "Markus' Main Theme" – Detroit:  Become Human 24:30 "Connor's Main Theme" – Detroit:  Become Human 25:49 "Flight of the Pigeon" – Battlefield 1 27:39 "New World Symphony: Largo" – Antonin Dvorak 29:44 & 30:15 "Kara's Main Theme" – Detroit:  Become Human 31:45 "We Keep Going" – This War of Mine

The first episode in our podcast series will present the four hosts – Stephanie Lind (project supervisor) and undergraduate research assistants Brooke, Andrew, and Kaitlin.  Stephanie will outline how video games, and more specifically their music, often reference stock concepts derived from TV, film, games, and other pop culture references – known as “tropes” in the online world and “topics” in the realm of Semiotics – in order to quickly communicate culture, gameworld, or common narrative conventions.  Each podcast host will describe one of their favourite musical tropes in video game, and how that trope makes a connection between game worlds and our previous cultural experiences. Music Credits: ·       5:04-5:15 = Cyrus’s Theme – Octopath Traveler ·       5:28-5:42 and 12:59-13:28 = Primrose’s Theme – Octopath Traveler ·       7:57-8:09 = Age of Oppression – Skyrim Soundtrack ·       9:43-10:00 = Theme from Red Dead Redemption Soundtrack ·       10:42-10:53 = Reunion – Uncharted 2 Soundtrack ·       17:59-18:08 = Dragonborn – Skyrim Soundtrack ·       21:18-21:56 = Gwyn, Lord of Cinder – Dark Souls Soundtrack