Something I've noticed about DBZ game music

[90sDBZ]

Is it just me or does the music from most DBZ games seem to appeal to both sides of the franchise ie. dub fans and Japanese version fans? The Yamamoto Budokai game scores in particular seems to be pretty universally popular among fans. I've seen people who watch nothing but the dub and love Faulconer and yet they love the Budokai music too. The Budokai music also seems to be popular here where most people are fans of the Japanese version and Kikuchi. I find it interesting that the music from these games has managed to appeal to both fans who like only Kikuchi and fans who only like the dub score.

Maybe it's because the Yamamoto Budokai scores are that perfect mixture of happy upbeat sounding music as well as epic sounding metal and techno. And somehow the whole score just comes together and works really well and succeeds in enhancing the game experience. It's essentially the best of both worlds and it fits the world of DBZ perfectly(even if it is plagiarised).

Another score which I felt achieved a similar effect was the English BT2 score. That also had a blend of upbeat music and metal and techno.

What are everyone's thoughts on this? And how do you think the game scores compare to the various scores from the show?

[Leviathus]

Maybe it's because the Yamamoto Budokai scores are that perfect mixture of happy upbeat sounding music as well as epic sounding metal and techno.

I think this is one of main the reasons. The Budokai score has indeed a mixture of the Kikuchi cheerful/oldschoolness and modern day techno/metal. I think it's a really nice mix!

[TheGmGoken]

Not found of your use of Dub fans since I'm a dub fan but for Korean dub which kept the original score. Seeing as you're obviously referring to english dub let me tell you why the game music is well received.

The music matches the action fast pace-ness. Play a fast track with badass beat and feels DB and you get the gamers pumped.The music during the emotion scenes(Such as BT2 score) are also great cause it's emotional and really makes the players sad(I always feel bad for Trunks when Gohan dies in BT2). The video games music is a mixture of modern day music and Kikuchi's style. The modern-ness brings more of the English fans(Who are used to the score of Brucey and Nathan) as it sounds fast pace and action like. The Kikuchi's style and DB feel brought into the music makes the Kikuchi fans enjoy it as well. Which brings in both English fans and Fans of the original score. I would go out on a stretch and say that SOME songs only fit the videos and the other songs COULD been used in the anime but as I've seen(Not sure if the videos are still up) they don't fit AS MUCH as they did in the video games.

[kei17]

Yeah, it must be widely popular cause it's a copy of popular music.

I do like DBZ VGM, but as TheGmGoken has already stated, I think it goes well with only video games.

[cRookie_Monster]

It probably also has something to do with the game music not replacing anything.

[Fionordequester]

Well, until the HD rereleases !

Anyways, I dunno about some of the other fans, but I don't like it because it's in a distinct style, I like it because it's good music. I mean, I guess I have a preference for guitars over some other instruments, but even then, that's not gonna stop me from saying that Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask have wonderful scores.

[Black_Liger]

i RAGE over the fact that in the hd collection, the music is completely terrible...


I miss this :S

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6A6xuH1a6s

[90sDBZ]

let me tell you why the game music is well received.

The music matches the action fast pace-ness. Play a fast track with badass beat and feels DB and you get the gamers pumped.The music during the emotion scenes(Such as BT2 score) are also great cause it's emotional and really makes the players sad(I always feel bad for Trunks when Gohan dies in BT2). The video games music is a mixture of modern day music and Kikuchi's style. The modern-ness brings more of the English fans(Who are used to the score of Brucey and Nathan) as it sounds fast pace and action like. The Kikuchi's style and DB feel brought into the music makes the Kikuchi fans enjoy it as well. Which brings in both English fans and Fans of the original score. I would go out on a stretch and say that SOME songs only fit the videos and the other songs COULD been used in the anime but as I've seen(Not sure if the videos are still up) they don't fit AS MUCH as they did in the video games.

Isn't this essentially what I said in my first post?

Anyway I agree that some of it wouldn't fit the show so well but some of it would.

It probably also has something to do with the game music not replacing anything.

That's true for the Budokai games. It's interesting to note how the score for those games incorporates metal and techno and everybody seems to like it but when the Funimation dub of the show does the same thing there tends to be lots of complaints(mostly revolving purely around the fact that it isn't the original score and then they later try and justify it when prompted by saying metal and techno doesn't suit DBZ).

BT2 on the other hand did have a replacement score which is popular as far as I'm aware. Although I'm not sure what the general opinion of that is on here.

[TheGmGoken]

Isn't this essentially what I said in my first post?

No. There is SOME things similar but not the same.

It's interesting to note how the score for those games incorporates metal and techno and everybody seems to like it but when the Funimation dub of the show does the same thing there tends to be lots of complaints(mostly revolving purely around the fact that it isn't the original score and then they later try and justify it when prompted by saying metal and techno doesn't suit DBZ).

Here goes nothing.

Anyway I agree that some of it wouldn't fit the show so well but some of it would.

That pretty much sums it up. Video game music is not the same as Anime music. How there place the tracks are different and what type of scenes they used. For example Burst Limit used tension music which is different from Bruce's....rock...or super hero like music and Kikuchi scary-type music. Burst Limits also used in game effects to match the music. While Funimation could't change the animation to match their music. In Budokai Tenkaichi 2 case. The score actually matched the scenes(Especially the emotional scenes) though sometimes they repeat the same music a lot.Though this seems like a cheap way to complain that fans like a modern techo music for the games but not the series

[Thanos]

I feel like video game music (not just Dragon Ball games) in general is getting gradually less inspired and memorable. It used to be that the market was full of games with amazing soundtracks... now everything is generic techno, metal or orchestral, film score-type soundtracks. Back to Dragon Ball games though, there hasn't really been a good, official, memorable soundtrack since Budokai 3. Infinite World had a couple, but, I can't imagine actually sitting there and listening to the Ultimate Blast/Tenkaichi score (which, for the record, I still do with the Budokai soundtrack).

I think Dragon Ball games had an amazing run in terms of soundtracks, and they seemed to take a nosedive with Burst Limit.

[dbzfan7]

I feel like video game music (not just Dragon Ball games) in general is getting gradually less inspired and memorable. It used to be that the market was full of games with amazing soundtracks... now everything is generic techno, metal or orchestral, film score-type soundtracks. Back to Dragon Ball games though, there hasn't really been a good, official, memorable soundtrack since Budokai 3. Infinite World had a couple, but, I can't imagine actually sitting there and listening to the Ultimate Blast/Tenkaichi score (which, for the record, I still do with the Budokai soundtrack).

I think Dragon Ball games had an amazing run in terms of soundtracks, and they seemed to take a nosedive with Burst Limit.

I like the RB sountrack and a smidge of the RB2 soundtrack....but nothing beats the budokai series soundtrack for me.

[TheGmGoken]

I feel like video game music (not just Dragon Ball games) in general is getting gradually less inspired and memorable. It used to be that the market was full of games with amazing soundtracks... now everything is generic techno, metal or orchestral, film score-type soundtracks. Back to Dragon Ball games though, there hasn't really been a good, official, memorable soundtrack since Budokai 3. Infinite World had a couple, but, I can't imagine actually sitting there and listening to the Ultimate Blast/Tenkaichi score (which, for the record, I still do with the Budokai soundtrack).

I think Dragon Ball games had an amazing run in terms of soundtracks, and they seemed to take a nosedive with Burst Limit.

I like the RB sountrack and a smidge of the RB2 soundtrack....but nothing beats the budokai series soundtrack for me.

I might be in minority but Bt2 had the best score. Imo

[cRookie_Monster]

I feel like video game music (not just Dragon Ball games) in general is getting gradually less inspired and memorable. It used to be that the market was full of games with amazing soundtracks... now everything is generic techno, metal or orchestral, film score-type soundtracks. Back to Dragon Ball games though, there hasn't really been a good, official, memorable soundtrack since Budokai 3. Infinite World had a couple, but, I can't imagine actually sitting there and listening to the Ultimate Blast/Tenkaichi score (which, for the record, I still do with the Budokai soundtrack).

I think Dragon Ball games had an amazing run in terms of soundtracks, and they seemed to take a nosedive with Burst Limit.

There's a couple reasons for this, and I've brought them up in professional circles before.

1) The instrument sounds are getting better and better
So you can get away with one long note(say strings+ a giant percussion hit) that sounds awesome. In past listening to a long square wave, not so interesting. You had to create active melodies to make interest because the sounds themselves were terrible. Now-a-days composers are either more like sound designers, or they are just plugging in other people's sound design (like Native Instruments, East West, Ilio, or Heavyocity)

2) Composers are afraid of driving players crazy with melodies played over and over hour after hour.
I've been to seminars where people like Martin O'Donnell encourage writing very generic bland music for game play because there's no telling how much it will get repeated. Especially for mmorpgs.

My point is that the Final Fantasy soundtracks are the most popular game soundtracks ever...and they
1) are very melodic and extremely repetitive
2) use cheesy synths (the old games anyway)

[Fionordequester]

My point is that the Final Fantasy soundtracks are the most popular game soundtracks ever...and they
1) are very melodic and extremely repetitive
2) use cheesy synths (the old games anyway)

Hmm...that reminds me of someone...or rather THREE someones...who happen to be responsible for my favorite soundtrack of all time !

[cRookie_Monster]

My point is that the Final Fantasy soundtracks are the most popular game soundtracks ever...and they
1) are very melodic and extremely repetitive
2) use cheesy synths (the old games anyway)

Hmm...that reminds me of someone...or rather THREE someones...who happen to be responsible for my favorite soundtrack of all time !

ack! Thanks I think

[Fionordequester]

But your soundtrack IS my favorite! Your work demonstrates your point well, even if it was low budget! Heck, if I ever became a movie director and had to hire a musician, one of my very first tests of their talent would be to see what they can make with nothing but NES music! Just to avoid those "long blobs of music" (as I like to call them).

Honestly though, if a track isn't very memorable, and it's just one long string of sounds, isn't that just even MORE repetitive?

[Thanos]

There's a couple reasons for this, and I've brought them up in professional circles before.

1) The instrument sounds are getting better and better
So you can get away with one long note(say strings+ a giant percussion hit) that sounds awesome. In past listening to a long square wave, not so interesting. You had to create active melodies to make interest because the sounds themselves were terrible. Now-a-days composers are either more like sound designers, or they are just plugging in other people's sound design (like Native Instruments, East West, Ilio, or Heavyocity)

2) Composers are afraid of driving players crazy with melodies played over and over hour after hour.
I've been to seminars where people like Martin O'Donnell encourage writing very generic bland music for game play because there's no telling how much it will get repeated. Especially for mmorpgs.

My point is that the Final Fantasy soundtracks are the most popular game soundtracks ever...and they
1) are very melodic and extremely repetitive
2) use cheesy synths (the old games anyway)

Ah, well said. It just goes into my theory that one oft-overlooked negative aspect of improving technology is the fact that truly inspired and thoughtful productions (whether they be soundtracks or games themselves) are taking a backseat to technology. One example is that it seems to me that the more graphics improve in video games, the more shallow the gameplay itself becomes. It's really a strange phenomenon... but hopefully once people get bored with flashing new toys around and these emergent technologies are more ubiquitous, people will start focusing on the "soul" of the game or the soundtrack. Though, I think a lot of indie developers have taken notice of this given that many popular titles seem to take a lot of cues from the classic era. Food for thought, eh?

[theoriginalbilis]

For me, melody is a key factor in a soundtrack. Otherwise, I pretty much won't remember or care about the music, unless it's absolutely jarring/unfitting with what's happening on-screen.

That's why most of my favorite soundtracks come from older movies/TV shows/video games, just because many of them worked on themes, melodies, and motifs that grab the viewer's attention and give the product some personality and character. This modern idea of composing, that everything must be "ambient" can work really well, but I think it is also overused to the point, where I haven't heard a memorable score to a recent film in YEARS.

That's why I appreciate much of the work of Kikuchi/Yamamoto/Faulconer Productions' crew: they went out of their way to create memorable melodies and themes for events/characters/stages. And I'll never stop being a fan of DBZ music.

[Attitudefan]

There's a couple reasons for this, and I've brought them up in professional circles before.

1) The instrument sounds are getting better and better
So you can get away with one long note(say strings+ a giant percussion hit) that sounds awesome. In past listening to a long square wave, not so interesting. You had to create active melodies to make interest because the sounds themselves were terrible. Now-a-days composers are either more like sound designers, or they are just plugging in other people's sound design (like Native Instruments, East West, Ilio, or Heavyocity)

2) Composers are afraid of driving players crazy with melodies played over and over hour after hour.
I've been to seminars where people like Martin O'Donnell encourage writing very generic bland music for game play because there's no telling how much it will get repeated. Especially for mmorpgs.

My point is that the Final Fantasy soundtracks are the most popular game soundtracks ever...and they
1) are very melodic and extremely repetitive
2) use cheesy synths (the old games anyway)

Ah, well said. It just goes into my theory that one oft-overlooked negative aspect of improving technology is the fact that truly inspired and thoughtful productions (whether they be soundtracks or games themselves) are taking a backseat to technology. One example is that it seems to me that the more graphics improve in video games, the more shallow the gameplay itself becomes. It's really a strange phenomenon... but hopefully once people get bored with flashing new toys around and these emergent technologies are more ubiquitous, people will start focusing on the "soul" of the game or the soundtrack. Though, I think a lot of indie developers have taken notice of this given that many popular titles seem to take a lot of cues from the classic era. Food for thought, eh?

I'm thinking of something like Mad Father and its soundtrack or Ib's soundtrack. Damn, those are extremely memorable games with memorable soundtracks. Not your typical generic sound. Actually, lots of indie games are like that since the developers don't have much to work with so they create very memorable stories, gameplay, and music because they are compensating for what they may or may not have. In the end, you get something very memorable.

[kei17]

There's a couple reasons for this, and I've brought them up in professional circles before.

1) The instrument sounds are getting better and better
So you can get away with one long note(say strings+ a giant percussion hit) that sounds awesome. In past listening to a long square wave, not so interesting. You had to create active melodies to make interest because the sounds themselves were terrible. Now-a-days composers are either more like sound designers, or they are just plugging in other people's sound design (like Native Instruments, East West, Ilio, or Heavyocity)

2) Composers are afraid of driving players crazy with melodies played over and over hour after hour.
I've been to seminars where people like Martin O'Donnell encourage writing very generic bland music for game play because there's no telling how much it will get repeated. Especially for mmorpgs.

I guess the advancement of graphics is one of the reasons as well. Visual information has got much greater and richer, so with it, melodic soundtracks feel dowdy and cheesy.