How Would You Handle the Music of Modern Dragon Ball?

[Bianju]

I've been thinking about this. I think Kikuchi is masterful at making themes... But I think the orchestration is what really dates his sound to people (not me, but others). One thing I noticed about his later soundtracks (Movies 12 and 13) is how much more modern they sounded, and I think that's in no small part due to their slightly deeper orchestrations. So, because of this, I started thinking about how much more... "2st century" a great deal of his compositions would sound if interpolated by a different composer and a larger orchestra. "Piccolo's Theme" could have a much deeper brass section, with some woodwind flares (heh), Shenlong's Theme could use a lot of blaster beams and other exotic percussion to increase the intrigue (see V'ger's theme from Star Trek: The Motion Picture for some kind of idea of what I'm thinking), and a bunch of existing cues could have a much more "epic" sound, too. Imagine a full orchestra playing "Garlic Jr. Summons the Dead Zone", what with swirling strings and a fuller horn section.

What do you guys think? Would Kikuchi's compositions be better suited to a larger orchestra? Would that sound benefit modern Dragon Ball? Or would something else be more advisable?

[floofychan333]

Isn't a full orchestra already playing for Kikuchi's music?

[Kojiro Sasaki]

That's exactly what I always wanted the new music of Dragon Ball to be: Greatest Kikuchi leitmotifs rearranged to sound fresh and more modern. It would be really something... damn
It's a shame that the only thing we got was sample of CHA-LA-HEAD-CHA-LA...

Speaking about modern arrangements of Kikuchi's works - somebody needs to go to Paris in may and record the entire concert

[SpiritBombTriumphant]

I thought Yamamoto made a perfect score for Kai. It's a damn shame that he got fired. Hell, I despise Kikuchi's score, and it bothers me that they didn't bother to sync his score with the original track placements for the original DBZ. I feel gipped no matter what if I buy any of DBZ Kai now.

[Ripper 30]

I thought Yamamoto made a perfect score for Kai. It's a damn shame that he got fired. Hell, I despise Kikuchi's score, and it bothers me that they didn't bother to sync his score with the original track placements for the original DBZ. I feel gipped no matter what if I buy any of DBZ Kai now.

Kikuchi Score placement in Z is fantastic for most the part and I think some of Kikuchi's Music placement in Kai worked better than Yammamoto's like whole vegeta ascending ssj and fight vs imperfect cell and that "Call me Super Vegeta" thing was better with Kikuchi's Kai score than Kai score

[cRookie_Monster]

Isn't a full orchestra already playing for Kikuchi's music?

Sort of...not really

Kikuchi's orchestra is more of a jazz orchestra, which is basically a "big band" with a string section thrown in. His scoring style was more typical back in the 80s when TV arrangers were has been jazz heads. I grew up watching G1 Transformers which had a similar setup for their score.

- No french horn which is a staple of typical epic Hollywood scores. He tends to stick to stage band brass, trombones and trumpets. TBH, I can't think of when I personally used French horn for DBZ either. It comes off as very American Super Hero or Star Wars. Mike and Bruce used it a bit though in the more classical way, not the loud brassy Hollywood Conan "Anvil of Crom" way.. Mike: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tbmbalQG_w Bruce: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz7-ad3hLAo
- No harp, but you will hear vibraphone.
- His usage of the sax section also points to jazz orchestra, sax is not part of the traditional symphony orchestra and isn't really used in films unless a jazzy feel is desired.
- Some sax players in a jazz band double on flute or sometimes clarinet, I often hear flute in Kikuchi scores, I thought clarinet too, but I can't find any examples tonight.
- No double reeds like oboe and bassoon. These are almost never in jazz band, and I rarely hear them in Kikuchi's work (can't find any examples as I search around youtube)
- Drums, bass, electric guitar. Of course these are jazz instruments as well and all the various scores use these. The guitar does use more gain than the typical jazz player, but that's of course to get an edgier rock sound.
- I just heard plunger mutes on brass in a Kikuchi piece, which is also usually only a big band/stage band thing.

Other than using a jazz orchestra like old time TV composers did, he used a huge amount of vibraslap, and occasionally things like musical saws and the like. To me that's Kikuchi's version of "making it for kids".

As for my tastes I like a big range of sounds for DBZ, it invites so many styles for different types of scenes. You really have to take it scene by scene.

I do admit to liking some hard music for brutal fight scenes, but object to say heavy metal for Trunks (which I wrote and performed...because Funi wasn't having anything else!)

On my on page I tend to cater to Faulconer fans, since that's who tends to listen to me, but I think I would write somewhat differently from the Faulconer style if I was starting from scratch.

[floofychan333]

Isn't a full orchestra already playing for Kikuchi's music?

Sort of...not really

Kikuchi's orchestra is more of a jazz orchestra, which is basically a "big band" with a string section thrown in. His scoring style was more typical back in the 80s when TV arrangers were has been jazz heads. I grew up watching G1 Transformers which had a similar setup for their score.

- No french horn which is a staple of typical epic Hollywood scores. He tends to stick to stage band brass, trombones and trumpets. TBH, I can't think of when I personally used French horn for DBZ either. It comes off as very American Super Hero or Star Wars. Mike and Bruce used it a bit though in the more classical way, not the loud brassy Hollywood Conan "Anvil of Crom" way.. Mike: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tbmbalQG_w Bruce: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz7-ad3hLAo
- No harp, but you will hear vibraphone.
- His usage of the sax section also points to jazz orchestra, sax is not part of the traditional symphony orchestra and isn't really used in films unless a jazzy feel is desired.
- Some sax players in a jazz band double on flute or sometimes clarinet, I often hear flute in Kikuchi scores, I thought clarinet too, but I can't find any examples tonight.
- No double reeds like oboe and bassoon. These are almost never in jazz band, and I rarely hear them in Kikuchi's work (can't find any examples as I search around youtube)
- Drums, bass, electric guitar. Of course these are jazz instruments as well and all the various scores use these. The guitar does use more gain than the typical jazz player, but that's of course to get an edgier rock sound.
- I just heard plunger mutes on brass in a Kikuchi piece, which is also usually only a big band/stage band thing.

Other than using a jazz orchestra like old time TV composers did, he used a huge amount of vibraslap, and occasionally things like musical saws and the like. To me that's Kikuchi's version of "making it for kids".

As for my tastes I like a big range of sounds for DBZ, it invites so many styles for different types of scenes. You really have to take it scene by scene.


I do admit to liking some hard music for brutal fight scenes, but object to say heavy metal for Trunks (which I wrote and performed...because Funi wasn't having anything else!)

On my on page I tend to cater to Faulconer fans, since that's who tends to listen to me, but I think I would write somewhat differently from the Faulconer style if I was starting from scratch.

Nice insight, but I have to say I've heard lots of bassoon in Kikuchi work, prominently in this BGM (one of his best IMO) : [spoiler]https://youtu.be/90zlemIYVco?list=PL2H9 ... g6HvzmOUZI[/spoiler]

[DBZAOTA482]

Orchestral music with a couple exceptions where the style changes to suite a specific scene or atmosphere.

Kinda like Kenji Yamamoto's music...

[cRookie_Monster]

Nice insight, but I have to say I've heard lots of bassoon in Kikuchi work, prominently in this BGM (one of his best IMO) : [spoiler]https://youtu.be/90zlemIYVco?list=PL2H9 ... g6HvzmOUZI[/spoiler]

Ah yeah that sounds like a completely different setup, very dry bassoon, extremely wet strings, forward mixed banjo. Not the standard one pass orchestra take I normally think of with Kikuchi. This one is obviously studio mixed with special instruments brought in with their own tracks and FX chains.

[JulieYBM]

Assuming that Kikuchi couldn't just score two hundred new pieces of music, I would call in Sagisu Shirou to score. Sagisu has a handle on multiple tones and instrument stles, so he would be able to turn in a lot of varied music to give the franchise an exciting sound.

[El Diabeetus]

Assuming that Kikuchi couldn't just score two hundred new pieces of music, I would call in Sagisu Shirou to score. Sagisu has a handle on multiple tones and instrument stles, so he would be able to turn in a lot of varied music to give the franchise an exciting sound.

This, although if Sagisu couldn't be available I could see Shinji Miyazaki, Hiroyuki Sawano, Yoshihisa Hirano, Yugo Kanno, Akira Senju, etc. take the helm.

[SuperCyan2]

Use synthesized BGMs of Dragon Ball by Shunsuke Kikuchi.

[GhostEmperorX]

Simple: Have Kōhei Tanaka, Kenji Kawai, Yasunori Iwasaki, Yasuharu Takanashi, or even Michiaki Watanabe do the score.
Kikuchi is honestly rather overrated past the 70's where his services to anime music were excellent.

[Rafa Fast]

Hmmmmm this is a hard one for me, I'm satisfied with Sumitomo's work in the series after his ToP score, but let's see...
I've heard just a bit of Yamamoto's compisitions in Kai, but I think his work fits modern DB, but we all know his problems with the plagiarism.
Well, what I can say, I would really like to see Tokunaga (Composer of GT and Path to Power) composing again for the series.

[JulieYBM]

Assuming that Kikuchi couldn't just score two hundred new pieces of music, I would call in Sagisu Shirou to score. Sagisu has a handle on multiple tones and instrument stles, so he would be able to turn in a lot of varied music to give the franchise an exciting sound.

Lol, ur a gurl now.

Alternatively, I'd love for Takanashi Yasuharu to score. His Naruto Shippuuden and Boruto scores are so good, not to mention all his Toei work. His sound would add some nice variety to the franchise.

[Rafa Fast]

Sorry for the silly question, but was Raging Blast 2 his last work in the series?
Because I just searched for the Ultimate Tenkaichi ost and noticed that he wasn't the composer, but Hiroshi Takaki.

[Rafa Fast]

Sorry for the silly question, but was Raging Blast 2 Yamamoto' last work in the series?
Because I just searched for the Ultimate Tenkaichi ost and noticed that he wasn't the composer, but Hiroshi Takaki.

Sorry for the mistake, I'm talking about Yamamoto.

[Thanos]

I would've liked to have seen Akihito Tokunaga brought back after Yamamoto was given the boot (or at least during Super). He brought a lot of soul to Dragon Ball GT with his OST and there's no reason he shouldn't have been given more to do with the series. If I had to guess they probably wanted to distance themselves from that era, but it's still a shame as his work was a shining example of what went right with GT.