Friday Video Game Music Round-up – 4/6/12

Let’s take a look at the latest news/information/interviews in video game music for past week or so:

• Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka talks about the decline of the “Japanese video game” in a recent interview with Edge-Online.
• An interview with symphonic director/founder of Video Games Live Tommy Tallarico about his recent performances in the Mid-Atlantic region.
• Gamasutra reports composer Robert Holmes (of Sierra-Online’s Gabriel Knight series) and developer Jane Jensen (known for the same series, as well as Kings Quest IV and she also happens to be married to Robert Holmes, hah) are launching a new company to bring back adventure games.
• An interesting write up in the Denver Post about Symphony of the Goddesses featuring some quotes from director Jason Michael Paul.
• Last but not least, my lovely little video game chamber ensemble, Beta Test Music, will be featured in a showcase this Saturday night, April 7th, in Philadelphia.  For details, take a look here.  We’ll be playing some interesting duets as well as new versions of my Super Mario Land arrangement and Final Fantasy III (JP) Battles arrangement (links will let you listen to the tracks for absolutely free!).  Come on out if you’re in the area.  Tickets are free in advance and $5 at the door.

Have a good weekend, folks, and a good Passover/Easter if that applies!

Meet the System: Nintendo Game Boy

One of the main goals of this blog is to introduce people to each video game console and their sound capabilities.   Today, let’s talk about the Nintendo Game Boy.

Covering a Tune: Arranging Music for Beta Test Presents: HEROES! Part 2

This is Part 2 of my blog posts on arranging the music for the new Beta Test Music concert, Beta Test Presents:  HEROES!  In this entry, I am going to talk about arranging “Super Mario Land Medley” for the ensemble.  In case you missed it, here’s a link to Part 1.  Also, want to hear the track before we play it on Saturday, March 3rd?  Here’s a link to our BandCamp where we’ve already recorded it!   http://betatest.bandcamp.com/

Covering a Tune: Arranging Music for Beta Test Presents: HEROES! Part 1

This is Part 1 of my blog posts on arranging the music for the new Beta Test Music concert, Beta Test Presents:  HEROES!  In this first entry, I am going to talk about “Super Mario Land Medley”.