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  #1  
Old Feb 19, 2016, 02:36 AM
mikurotoro mikurotoro is offline
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Default why is there not much classic VG sheet music available in the US?

iam trying to find sheet music for classic games so i can start my remix album but i can't find that much besides mario & zelda! why is that? could it be because VGM isn't popular enough or is it a copyright or licensing issue or a combination of all three? (my guess is the former!) i see people remix classic games that don't have official sheet music how do they do it? i really want to do this but i have unfortunately hit a roadblock & can't go any farther can someone please help me thanks in advance!

also is there a way us VG remixers can somehow convince the developers & composers to start releasing more sheet music for classic games in the US?

Last edited by mikurotoro; Feb 19, 2016 at 04:42 AM. Reason: changed color again
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Old Feb 19, 2016, 03:13 AM
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Maybe because they're annoyed by people writing entire paragraphs in red? *rolleyes*
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Old Feb 19, 2016, 03:27 AM
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there i fixed it!
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Old Feb 19, 2016, 03:33 AM
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mein Gott -_-

after red pollution, now green pollution
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Old Feb 19, 2016, 11:14 AM
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i see people remix classic games that don't have official sheet music how do they do it?
Never underestimate a musician's ability to either play by ear or make their own arrangements using a sequencer, which is quite easy these days.
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Old Feb 19, 2016, 02:07 PM
mikurotoro mikurotoro is offline
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^how do i make arrangements with a sequencer? do i do that with a DAW or do i need other software? thanks in advance!
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Old Feb 19, 2016, 04:01 PM
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Personally, I use a DAW (Sonar), but there are many others. You can either input things via midi or do a live performance with a midi controller or real instrumentation if you record it.

Sibelius is also popular.
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Old Feb 19, 2016, 04:11 PM
mikurotoro mikurotoro is offline
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ok but do i still need to know the structure of the song like the notation? i have some DAW's specifically LMMS & podium but im not sure how to do this within both programs! (im completely new to remixing) thanks in advance!
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Old Feb 19, 2016, 04:15 PM
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ok but do i still need to know the structure of the song like the notation? i have some DAW's specifically LMMS & podium but im not sure how to do this within both programs! (im completely new to remixing) thanks in advance!
Correct, you will generally need to have an idea in your head for an overall structure. Sometimes you can just experiment, too, and find inspiration through recording random ideas, and all of a sudden stumble onto something.

Some people have an easier time with this than others. Since jazz in general involves a lot of playing by ear, it comes a bit more naturally for me, but I generally find that people with more "rigid" styles of playing have a bit more difficulty with arranging. So don't be afraid to "loosen up" a little bit if this is something you initially struggle with, it gets easier with time.
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Old Feb 19, 2016, 04:27 PM
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what games have you remixed?
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Old Feb 19, 2016, 04:40 PM
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what games have you remixed?

Well, since we are talking about DAWS and sequencers and such, technically, it wouldn't be "remix" since I am really not taking the original audio files and editing them. So, yes, "arranging" would be more appropriate a descriptor.

But for what it's worth, in terms of official video game releases, as of yet I've done Chrono Trigger, various Final Fantasy, a ton of Castlevania and Wild Arms. You should be able to find some of my arrangements on Spotify or Youtube, and a few more in the near future for reference.
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Old Feb 19, 2016, 04:45 PM
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is it a copyright or licensing issue?
Even if someone were inclined to release their own sheet music renditions of VGM, they most likely wouldn't be able to afford the licensing costs, they can be quite steep. Quite the deterrent for anyone who would consider such an undertaking, especially given that in all likelihood there wouldn't be a huge financial profit from publishing something like this.
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Old Feb 19, 2016, 04:52 PM
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that makes sense unfortunately VGM isn't popular enough in the US to warrant such a release it's all supply & demand! oh how i wish VGM was more popular!
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Old Feb 19, 2016, 04:56 PM
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VGM isn't popular enough in the US
I would say that CD's or Digital Media are very popular for Video Game Music. Sheet music on the other hand? Outside of piano maybe, I could see very few uses and opportunities for someone to take the time to score it, especially if everyone these days is just wanting to learn to play guitar or something.

The original owners/publishers could theoretically release the material very cheaply if they wanted. Like you said, though, supply and demand.
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Old Feb 19, 2016, 05:09 PM
mikurotoro mikurotoro is offline
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what i mean is VGM isn't widespread like you can't walk in a store & find an entire shelf stocked with game music or even on mainstream radio you won't hear VGM it's not treated as a separate genre it's always lumped together with movie soundtracks!

meanwhile in japan you can easily find VGM at any store
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Old Feb 19, 2016, 06:51 PM
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you can't walk in a store & find an entire shelf stocked with game music
Well, you may have to go to a specialty store of sorts, but it is very possible to find a Hello Kitty store or something like that which carries shelf-fulls.

Mind you ,most of these will always be imports, hardly any major VGM CD's are manufactured in the States for sure.

Mainstream radio, definitely not, but in many respects, streaming IS the new radio, and there's quite a lot to be found there.
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Old Feb 19, 2016, 09:08 PM
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really? i don't think i have any "hello kitty" stores around where i live there's a bookstore nearby that has older games i tried looking for game OST's but i didn't find them. as for the radio thing you're definitely right that we'll never hear VGM on any mainstream station because the people who run the stations don't think of VGM as real music (even though it is) they just want to play top-40 over-rated singers!

if VGM was on mainstream radio or had televised concerts on mainstream channels like ABC,NBC,CBS,or fox it would help increase the popularity of said genre then we might start getting more OST's & official sheet music
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Old Feb 19, 2016, 10:23 PM
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Tons of genres aren't represented in mainstream media. Honestly it's better that way, as a small loyal community is better than massive one.
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Old Feb 19, 2016, 10:31 PM
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^what other genres besides VGM aren't represented in mainstream media in the US? also why do you think a smaller fanbase is better then a large one i mean if VGM was more mainstream wouldn't it make the genre easier to support because we would be able to buy more OST's instead of having to import them,sheet music would be easier to find, VGM concerts would be more prevalent,etc?

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Old Feb 20, 2016, 12:01 AM
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Tons of genres aren't represented in mainstream media. Honestly it's better that way, as a small loyal community is better than massive one.
Agreed, niche markets can be a great thing...
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Old Feb 20, 2016, 11:13 AM
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I disagree about niche markets, if game/anime music would have bigger community behind them, we would get more soundtracks released in US/EU too, instead of having to import the stuff.

And whole scene is growing bit by bit, tells much that Sumthing Else puts out nice amount of soundtracks nowadays, and there's lots of game music concerts happening every year.
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Old Feb 20, 2016, 11:20 AM
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I disagree about niche markets, if game/anime music would have bigger community behind them, we would get more soundtracks released in US/EU too, instead of having to import the stuff.
It all depends on your perspective, I suppose. It's good if you can be one of the few providers for the demand. The fan base itself really has the most to suffer from the dearth of material, but I am just saying that it's not necessarily a lose/lose scenario all the time depending on how you look at it.

But it's not just VGM music that suffers. Heck, it seems that to get anything decent these days, I have to import it. Take a lot of my favorite jazz CD's from the past few years. I can't get them in the U.S. , even though in theory it would make most sense for these to be manufactured and distributed here.

As strange as it seems, these too have also been manufactured and distributed for sale in Japan...rather funny and frustrating at the same time seeing Brazillian bands featuring Japanese script on the the covers.
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  #23  
Old Feb 20, 2016, 07:40 PM
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yeah the US music industry only cares about the latest teen singer it sucks that the powers that be (the people who run our music industry) won't give VGM a chance!

EDIT:the fact of the matter is VGM can co-exist with other genres but our music industry doesn't want it to (probably because it would take away from sales for albums of top-40 singers)! i mean think about it what would more people want to buy: an OST composed by koji kondo or yoko shimomura or the latest tailor swift album? i already know the answer!

EDIT 2:i tried to suggest on my local amphitheater's facebook page that they should have VGM at there annual summer concert series but they blocked me from commenting so it's not just the music industry itself that isn't open to VGM!

Last edited by mikurotoro; Feb 20, 2016 at 07:58 PM.
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Old Feb 20, 2016, 07:59 PM
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Yeah, the game music industry only cares about the latest Uematsu score, it sucks that the powers that be (the people who run our game music industry) won't give Taylor Swift a chance to compose power ballad for the next Final Fantasy game!

Also, US music industry cares about game music, otherwise Baba Yetu wouldn't have gotten a Grammy Award. It's the snobby attitude like "I KNOW WHO WHAT MASSES WOULD PICK BETWEEN OVERRATED AND OVERRATED" makes things harder for stuff to happen.

You know, people just have their own preferences, you can't force yours.

Also, wtf @ game music or anime music would take sales from top 40 artist albums. What fucking fuck is that bullshit.
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Old Feb 20, 2016, 08:12 PM
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im just saying VGM can co-exist with other genres in the mainstream industry that's all

BTW when i said VGM would take away from sales of top-40 albums i mean people will realize VGM is better then most top-40 singers & start supporting it which would drastically hurt sales of top-40 albums which they wouldn't want to happen hence why VGM isn't mainstream in the US!
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Old Feb 20, 2016, 08:21 PM
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BTW when i said VGM would take away from sales of top-40 albums i mean people will realize VGM is better then most top-40 singers & start supporting it which would drastically hurt sales of top-40 albums which they wouldn't want to happen hence why VGM isn't mainstream in the US!
And I'm saying that's bullshit. You really think that people who buy albums from Billboard Top 40 artists haven't heard ever single tune of background music from games? That's just silly.

Also, by that logic, US music industry wouldn't release soundtracks for movies or tv-series. Or release music from genres outside of pop or country. Because it would eat sales.

Also, why I'm feeling that I'm talking to someone who has just recently discovered game/anime music properly and thinks it's the best shit after sliced bread and cocaine.
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Old Feb 20, 2016, 08:21 PM
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It's the snobby attitude like "I KNOW WHO WHAT MASSES WOULD PICK BETWEEN OVERRATED AND OVERRATED" makes things harder for stuff to happen.
In a nutshell, it's always been about the "mindless masses". Nothing new there, really, I can't blame investors for wanting to ride the gravy train when it comes in, but conversely, when just about every producer does absolutely nothing but follow the latest trend is part of what leads to stagnation and lack of development across all genres, not just VGM.


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You know, people just have their own preferences, you can't force yours.
I won't argue that point; at least, not in a sense. However, I would force people to have a little bit more of an educated opinion on certain things at times, if I did have that power. Often times, it can be quite lacking, which again, may at least partially be contributing to modern VGM perceptions.

But if Jeremy Soule can be on MTV, methinks overall that things must not be quite as bad for the genre. It's mainly that there are simply too few names that are being recognized across the VGM industry, and until there are more of the Big Fish in the VGM sea, things will probably stay as they are for a while.
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Last edited by Jazz Paladin; Feb 20, 2016 at 08:27 PM.
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Old Feb 20, 2016, 08:27 PM
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when i said VGM would take away from sales of top-40 albums i mean people will realize VGM is better then most top-40 singers!
But gee, that would probably mean that people would actually take the time to learn a thing or two about music...make their brain hurt too much or some such thing. Think...think...think...ouch! That hurt!

A little more music education wouldn't hurt in general across the nation, but as long as military budgets trump everything and public school funding remains dismal, the weekly top 40 (or whoever it is that the big music networks shove down everyone's throat next) will probably be all that some people ever recognize as "good".
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Old Feb 20, 2016, 08:32 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jazz Paladin View Post
In a nutshell, it's always been about the "mindless masses". Nothing new there, really, I can't blame investors for wanting to ride the gravy train when it comes in, but conversely, when just about every producer does absolutely nothing but follow the latest trend is part of what leads to stagnation and lack of development across all genres, not just VGM.




I won't argue that point; at least, not in a sense. However, I would force people to have a little bit more of an educated opinion on certain things at times, if I did have that power. Often times, it can be quite lacking, which again, may at least partially be contributing to modern VGM perceptions.

But if Jeremy Soule can be on MTV, methinks overall that things must not be quite as bad for the genre. It's mainly that there are simply too few names that are being recognized across the VGM industry, and until there are more of the Big Fish in the VGM sea, things will probably stay as they are for a while.
exactly! until VGM composers get more well-known it's going to stay like this for a while also this isn't just a problem with the musical aspect of games but video games as a whole there is a lack of especially on TV
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Old Feb 20, 2016, 08:36 PM
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isn't just a problem with the musical aspect of games but video games as a whole there is a lack of especially on TV[/FONT]
The irony here is that the last time I checked, the video game industry is already starting to surpass the movie industry in terms of revenues that are being achieved...
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Last edited by Jazz Paladin; Feb 20, 2016 at 08:39 PM.
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