Map Music: SMB3 – World 1

Super Mario Bros. 3 introduced the world map to us, an concept which was used again in Super Mario World and similar games, and has recently come back to us in New Super Mario Bros.

The World 1 map is probably the most recognizable of all the world map objects.  This one is just twelve measures (depending on how you transcribe it).

I chose to write the tune in 12/8 time, however, it could be transcribed in 4/4 with an indication to swing the rhythm. 

Super Mario Bros. 3 made use of the mysterious fifth sound channel.  This channel is a PCM channel (pulse-code modulation) which was able to take sampled analog signals and convert them into a digital sound.  SMB3 used this channel to incorporate a more realistic sounding drum set, complete with bass, snare, and toms.  The white noise channel is still used in the same manner as before, to provide a rhythmic backdrop.

There is a conflict between the two rhythmic lines.  The white noise line (line four) is setting up a nice four pattern that seems to compliment the rhythm of the three pitched lines.  However, the PCM Channel (transcribed on line five) seems to be setting up a large feel and more accurately emphasizes when the melody changes pitches. 

So how do you hear the piece?  Does it have an overarching two beat feel, or do you hear a lively four pattern?

And why twelve bars and not a full sixteen?  That would make a much better period.

Harmonically, it is also interesting that they are able to emphasize C as the root of the object, yet there is no emphasis on a dominant harmony.  The first and last phrases are centered on C and the middle phrase is centered on F.  Someone might even mistake this object as an F centric tune, but our ears tell us that C is the root pitch (the B Natural gives it away).

Lastly, notice that the bass line chooses to touch on the relative minor of the respective harmonies emphasized.  That would be a perfect place to drop down to the dominant, but the composer choose to stop short at the submediant.  It gives the object a nice color and does not seem so repetitive.  It really sounds like it could and should go on forever… and it will if you do pick a level.

8-Bit Zelda Title Themes: A Comparative Analysis

This post was originally intended to be an analytical look at the Title music from The Legend of Zelda: The Adventures of Link, but in doing the analysis, there is just too much to discuss when looking at these two objects together.  As a refresher, here is the Title Music from The Legend of Zelda:

… and the title music from The Legend of Zelda: The Adventures of Link:

The LoZ title music is structured in the following format:

4 measure intro | 6 measure bridge | 8 measure Phrase A | 12 measure Phrase B

In contrast, the LoZ:AL title music breaks down as follows:

4 measure lead in | 8 measure intro | 4 measure bridge | 8 measure Phrase A | 8 measure Phase B

There are some similarities here.  Each object contains two primary phrases of music, with an introduction and a bridge from the intro into the main melodic statement.  On first listen, these two objects appear to have very little in common…

… however…

If you look at the harmonies implied in the introduction phrases, you get the following (harmonic rhythm is one chord per measure):

LOZ – Bb | Ab | Gb | F
LOZ:AL – G | F | Eb | D | G | F | Eb | D

Roman Numerals: I – bVII – bVI – V (– I – bVII – bVI – V)

Each of these objects is built on this descending sequence of chords through a modally mixed scale.

Each object uses this progression differently.  In LOZ, the pattern is used again at the beginnings of both Phrase A and B, but then moves to different related harmonies. 

LOZ:AL is entirely based on this progression.  Phrase A emphasizes I, using bVII as a dominant functioning chord, and Phrase B alternates between bVI and V. 

These harmonies are ingrained in the harmonic language of music written by or inspired by Koji Kondo.  I could reference other examples here, but I’ll save it for another day.

Now listen to the two objects again.  Can you here the remarkable similarities?

Super Mario Bros. 2 Analysis – Ending (Part 2)

Six months later and we finally get the epic conclusion of this analytical mini-series.

Well, I’m not sure how epic a conclusion it is, but we will make the best of it!

This is a pretty straight forward excerpt.  There is a nice passing motion between the V and IV chord on the third line represented by a bVII, though functioning only as a passing motion.  Also, there is a nice sequence descending from V to ii early on in the excerpt.

What I want to draw your attention to here is the last eight measures.  Why do you ask?  Well the progression alternating from bVI to I ending in a secondary dominant half cadence is not new.  It may not sound familiar, but with a little bit of chord analysis, you will soon see:

This is the third formal section of the original Super Mario Bros. theme.  The exact same chord progression in the exact same key, with the same harmonic rhythm.

Intentional?  Maybe.  Pretty Cool? Absolutely.

Review: Reale’s “Chaos in the Cosmos”

The first article I want to take a look at was recently published in a new journal based out of Germany.  This music journal ACT focuses on the relationship between music and performance.  Steven B. Reale published an article entitled “Chaos in the Cosmos: The Play of Contradictions in the Music of Katamari Damacy.”

This article was very interesting to me.  First off, the game examined is not one I would consider first for an analysis, mainly because the qwerty, cutesy nature of the games initial appearance.  However, fans of the game will be very familiar with all the contradictions in the game, from the King’s attitude towards his son and his subjects vs. the generally happiness that seems to pervade every angle of the game.

The article begins with an overview of the game’s plot and examination of some of the contradictions that occur in the story and dialogue of the game.  He also uses this point to examine the kawaii culture of the Japanese and how that plays into the game design.

The rest of the article focuses on examining the various music elements of the game.  He traces the use of a particular tune throughout many of the different music objects in the game, and also examines the reinterpretation of certain tunes.  He comments on the juxtaposition of acoustic and digital music throughout and gives us a great overview of the music throughout this game through an analytical lens.

The resulting conclusion of the analysis looks to paint a picture of the games contradictions as it is embodied in the music, from the terrible vs. kawaii, digital vs. acoustic, and overall right vs. wrong.  Steven’s article takes us much deeper into a game that on the surface does not seem to offer as much as is actually there.

A Blast from the Past

I visited the Orlando History Center this past weekend.  They are hosting a special exhibit called “Games People Play” going through the history of video games.  Sadly, I was disappointed by the latter half of the exhibit.  I was hoping for more detailed exhibits on significant moments in games past.  The first three exhibits were fun though.  They had a working pinball machine from 1966, called Central Park made by Gottlieb.

What does this have to do with game music analysis?  Well not much.  This game has two sounds produced acoustically (not electronically!).  There is a bell that rings every time you score points.  For every multiple of 100 pointes, the monkey on the backboard rings the bell you can see in the picture.  The two bells are tuned very dissonant to each other and both have a lot of overtones.

I was intrigued by the sound of the score reaching 100.  An score-hungry player would be focused on the playfield and the ball so much that he would not have much of a chance to see the score board.  The use of a sound indicator at every 100 point mark gave the player some indication as to his progress in the game.

It goes to show that sound has been used in games very early on as an indicator to the player of an event or situation the player would want to be made aware of.

Changes coming!

So I have been away from analysis for a couple of months due to some other projects I have taken on.  However, recent events have gotten me excited about this blog and all the analysis I want to share with you.  The most exciting of which is an article I have published in a new academic journal in Germany: ACT, zeitschrift fur musik and performance.

Before I tell you about that, I would like to let you know what is coming around the corner (some of the changes you can already see).  I will be adding a pages bar at the top here with various resources the study and appreciation of game music theory.  This will allow me to get rid of all the extra fluff at the bottom of the page here and give a closer look at some of the terminology and analytical tools I use here or have come across.  Right now, you can see that I’ve posted a page with a list of books and articles discussing game music theory, with links when available.  This list is in its infancy and will grow extensively over the next month or two.  If you have a reference you’d like to add, you can comment below and I will include it.  I have many references already to add that I used in some of my articles and thesis but will be doing so when I have the time to format them correctly.

I will be finishing up my SMB2 series and will start on some other topics which I hope you will enjoy.  I will also be doing some reviews and commentary on game music theory publications as I come across them.  Until then, here is an the abstract to my article “Thematic Unity Across a Video Game Series” (you can read the whole article here):

Composer Koji Kondo’s music for both Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo, 1984) and The Legend of Zelda (Nintendo, 1986) is among the most recognized video game music ever written. Through the use of motivic and prolongational analysis, this article demonstrates how Kondo created a unity across the entire Zelda franchise, while making each game’s score unique by examining one musical element, the overworld theme, from each of the main entries in the Zelda series. Schenkerian analysis is used to identify structural and motivic relationships between the various themes. This article concludes with an examination of semiotic implications of this analysis and its impact on other as-pects of the Zelda series and game music analysis as a whole.

Chromatic Harmonies in Pac-Man

EDIT: Due to the original YouTube video being removed that this post was originally based off of, this post may be a bit confusing. I will attempt to get the music object notated and added to this post to make it easier to follow.

Yes, I said it: Pac-Man!  Not a game one would study much for music, since there is so little to be found in the game, but if you stop to look, you never know what you may find.  Below you find the introduction music from Pac-Man (at 0:20), which I am calling the “Game Start” object.

What I found was the interesting chords heard in the “Game Start” object.

Looking at the whole object, Roman numerals would make it I-bII-I-V7-I in B Major

Now there is a bit of logic to this if we dig deep enough (or I could just be making it all up).

In this case, the bII functions a bit like a dominant.  We can hear the E pulling down to the D# (E being the only diatonic pitch in this bII chord).  This allows us to establish B as our tonic pitch before hearing the implied V7 chord in measure 2.

On beat three of measure 2, we get ever so briefly an E over an F#, implying a V7, which re-enforces this idea that E is serving a tonally defining feature until the A# is heard at the very end of this object in the ascending passing motion between V7 and I.

So little music, but so much to uncover.  While I am primarily interested in analysis, a music historian might be interested in tracking the influence of such tonal devices through music of the 8-bit era.