ANTHONY LUIS SANCHEZ: Composer and Musicologist - Blog

ANTHONY LUIS SANCHEZ: Composer and Musicologist

Galactic Stinger On Patrol (2024)- Complete Miniseries OST

10/29/2024

Creating music for visual media can be both an exciting and challenging process. The compiled soundtrack that I created for Galactic Stinger On Patrol features several tracks that initially did not make the cut into the episodes, primarily because some of the music was too long or just did match the scenes enough.

Tracks:

1) "Galactic Stinger On Patrol Theme"

2) The Voyage

3) Into the Hangar

4) Briefing at Headquarters (Alternate Version)

5) Beginning the Mission

6) The Unkown

7) The Unknown (Alternate Version)

8) Episode Recap (Beginning the Mission)

9) The Unknown (Alternate Version)

10) Orcus

11) Prehistoric Portal

12) Dinosaur Attack

13) Dinosaur Attack (Alternate Version)

14) Heroic Battle Theme

15) The Guardian Ghost Waltz (Alternate Version)

16) The Guardian Ghost Waltz (Final Version)

17) Dungeon Lair Theme (Alternate Version)

18) Dungeon Lair Theme (Final Version)

19) Apple Orchard Attack

20) Lighthouse Theme

21) Galactic Stinger (Vaporwave Mix)

22) Galactic Stinger (Original Version)

The Guardian Ghost Waltz (2024)

10/9/2024

Music by Anthony L. Sanchez (b. 1988)

3D modeling and animation by Freddy Sanchez

Copyright © 2024 by ZEKE SPILLED INK MUSIC (ASCAP), Savannah, GA

Music created and edited using the following programs:

Reaktor 6 Player (Native Instruments)
MuseScore 4
Audacity

"Guardian Ghost" voice by Freddy Sanchez- Created and edited using Easy Voice Recorder for Android Phone (app) and MixPad Multitrack Recording Software (NCH Software)

This track will be featured in the forthcoming episode for the Galactic Stinger On Patrol miniseries.

Latin American, and Caribbean Elements in Video Game Music, Part 3

10/3/2024

Nintendo Video Game Music

The research presented in my recent posts concerning video game audio technology and its ethnomucsicological connections emerged via a growing curiosity and love towards video game music. I grew up in the 1990s when video game arcade machines, consoles, and computers coexisted and constantly evolved with new and exciting technological advancements. As someone who had the opportunity to play many of the available 8-bit and 16-bit video game machines in the United States in what society coined the “Console Wars,”[1] that experience enabled me to develop an appreciation for the respective hardware. This appreciation not only applied to the graphical processing capabilities and media formatting (from cartridges to CD-ROMs and exclusively digital releases), but also to the aural possibilities via music and sound effects. In recent years, I have noticed that video game music has created a lasting impact on popular music culture and history. Musical artists like Button Masher have received positive recognition and awards for arranging video game music by using video game audio hardware from the 1980s and 90s or approximate emulations. The Library of Congress has also contributed to video game music by officially archiving the “Overworld/Above Ground Theme” from Super Mario Bros, (1985) in early 2023.[2]

I have also noticed myriad instances involving the globality and cultural connections with video game music to Iberia (Spain and Portugal), Latin America, and the Caribbean. The research presented in this investigative work has attempted to locate and compile video game music (VGM) tracks that incorporate music cultures from Iberia, Latin America, and the Caribbean through genres or instrumentation. [3] I have already demonstrated instances from games by Sega, as well as the Uncharted Waters JRPG series. When it comes to Nintendo, the company has existed for well over a century. That is no exaggeration. 2024 marks the 135th anniversary of Nintendo, which began in Japan in 1889 as a playing cards company. Over its long legacy, the company established itself for much of the twentieth century as a toy maker by creating interactive and electromechanical toys for Japanese consumers before entering the video game market in the 1970s. Readers can find visual examples of some of the toys that Nintendo released in the 1960s and 70s. Of considerable interest for this blog is the Ele-conga from the 1970s. The toy functions as an analog electromechanical drum machine presented in the shape of a conga drum and complete with an "Autoplayer" and paper disks to interpret different rhythmic patterns. The drum head on the Ele-conga features five buttons that produce distinct sounds that try to mimic an actual conga drum and percussion ensemble. The disks are inserted into the Autoplayer like a record player and and can be connected to the Ele-conga drum which interprets the rhythmic patterns. Nintendo recently included a digital version of the Ele-conga as a quick minigame in WarioWare: Get it Together for their Switch console.

I have noticed that myriad video game score composers from Japan incorporate musical genres and sonic textures largely from the Spanish, Portuguese, and (sometimes) British areas of Latin America and the Caribbean. Reasons for including these musical materials often do not involve “cultural theft,” as some would claim. Rather, the creative process involves active listening, learning from the music cultures in question, and absorbing the music while still maintaining cultural respect. Koji Kondo (b. 1960) has adhered to this process when scoring music for Nintendo video games. As a composer, sound designer, and music supervisor for Nintendo, Kondo has served as the man behind the musical scores for the Super Mario Bros. (1985-Present) and The Legend of Zelda (1986-Present) series. Latin American and Caribbean music figures prominently into his video game soundtracks. Kondo has repeatedly confirmed this aspect in interviews with Japanese media conducted in the 2000s. He includes Latin American music because it serves as one of the many genres and subgenres of music that he enjoys listening to it in his spare time.[4]

Kondo approaches video game music scoring like film scoring, albeit with one exception: the interactivity associated with video games. He would often play through certain sections of a game undergoing production to try and get a sense of the kind of music that would match the setting and gameplay. His choice for Latin American and Caribbean music in Super Mario Bros., for instance, depended on several factors. Kondo considered the mood and rhythmic flow for sections of the game. In explaining how he composed the “Overworld/Above Ground Theme,” he wanted to create happy and energetic music that complemented the fast pacing in the game. He also incorporated elements of Portuguese folk music with Latin jazz and Japanese popular music at the time.[5]

As I illustrated in my discussions about video game music for Sega consoles, composing video game music depends on the available hardware at a given point in time and working around its limitations to produce the final product. Nintendo consoles from the 1980s to 2020s are no exception. Koji Kondo (b. 1960) started writing video game music in the early 1980s and had to compose with technology that gradually evolved as the years and decades progressed. The release of a new Nintendo console or feature usually means learning and adapting to the new hardware. Kondo has been actively composing and co-composing music for Nintendo consoles for decades from the Family Computer (Famicom) (1983-2003) to the Switch (2017-Present).

Kondo composed the music to Super Mario Bros. for the Famicom in Japan. Western releases in the United States and Europe saw the game as the launch title for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Both the Famicom and NES feature an Audio Processing Unit (APU) integrated with the Central Processing Unit (CPU) of the respective consoles. The APU for the NES consists of five audio channels, which have specific functions: two pulse wave channels, one triangle wave channel, one noise channel, and one Delta Modulation Channel (DCM, sometimes referred to as DPCM for “Delta Pulse Code Modulation) for instances when a game required instrumental or vocal sampling. Kondo used three audio channels to create the music for Super Mario Bros. (the two Pulse channels and the ttriangle channel) and the fourth Noise channel to create sound effects, like the iconic “jumping,” “coin collect,” and “Power-Up” sounds.” Kondo would eventually use the DCM channel several years later to created more pronounced and realistic-sounding drum patterns for Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988, 1990).

For the sake of conciseness I will not include the long list of video game consoles, handhelds , and musical tracks that I have compiled for the Nintendo VGM playlist on my ZEKE SPILLED INK MUSIC YouTube channel, It is more fitting to direct readers to the playlist link instead, I have attempted to include tracks from both memorable more obscure or forgotten Nintendo games, including some license games published by other companies and initially released on Nintendo consoles or handhelds. I have chosen tracks from the following:

Mario Golf: Super Rush
Mario Paint
Mario Strikers Charged
Mario vs Donkey Kong (Original Game Boy Advance Version)
Mario vs Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
Super Mario Kart
Super Mario RPG (Original SNES Version)
Super Mario Sunshine
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (1993, 1994)
Mole Mania (1996,1997)
Kirby’s Epic Yarn
Wario: Master of Disguise
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Remake)
Kid Icarus: Uprising
Mother 3
Congo’s Caper
T&E Virtual Golf
Donkey Kong (1994 Game Boy Version)
Earthbound/Mother 2
Mario Kart 64
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Super Mario Odyssey
Wave Race 64
Pilotwings
Picross DS
Chibi Robo: Clean Sweep
Paper Mario Color Splash
Pokemon Sun & Moon
Stunt Race FX
Diddy Kong Racing
Yoshi’s Safari
Kirby Til ‘n’ Tumble
Super Mario 3D World
Kirby’s Dream Land 3
Donkey Kong Country
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Kirby’s Dream Land
StarTropics
Super Mario 64
Yoshi’s Story
Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
Super Adventure Island II
Super Mario World
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island
Kirby’s Adventure
Kirby’s Dream Land 2
Super Mario Bros, 3
Chrono Trigger

[1] Some people within gaming communities online still use this name, albeit to refer to older and current video game consoles: primarily to initiate arguments and spread toxic behavior by demonstrating the “superiority” of one game console over another.

[2] Library of Congress, “National Recording Registry Inducts Music from Madonna, Mariah Carey, Queen Latifah, Daddy Yankee,” Library of Congress (April 12, 2023), https://newsroom.loc.gov/news/national-recording-registry-inducts-music-from-madonna--mariah-carey--queen-latifah--daddy-yankee/s/5a91b115-3825-4a5f-a702-35940b4de958 (accessed August 9, 2023). The article features a section about the “Super Mario Bros. Theme” via input from the video game score composer Koji Kondo, translated from Japanese to English.

[3] I use “Caribbean” within the context of the current research to refer to the multiple colonial and linguistic influences in the region: Hispanophone (Spanish-speaking), Francophone (French-speaking), Anglophone (British English-speaking), and others.

[4] shmuplations, “Koji Kondo—2001 Composer Interview,” 2012 (?) https://shmuplations.com/kojikondo/ (accessed October 3. 2024).

[5] shmuplations, 2012 (2012).

Galactic Stinger On Patrol Part III: The Mission (2024)- OST (Visualizer)

10/1/2024

Music by Anthony L. Sanchez (b. 1988)

3D model art by Freddy Sanchez

Copyright © 2024 by ZEKE SPILLED INK MUSIC (ASCAP), Savannah, GA

The latest episode of Galactic Stinger On Patrol is now available: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BiLPaHO_bc

This soundtrack (audio only) is available now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/posts/galactic-stinger-112835201

Tracks:

1) Galactic Stinger On Patrol Theme

2) Episode Recap (Beginning the Mission)

3) The Unknown

4) Orcus

5) Prehistoric Portal

6) Dinosaur Attack (Loop)

7) Dinosaur Attack (Alternate Version)- Unused Track

8) Heroic Battle Theme (Loop)

Galactic Stinger On Patrol Part III: The Mission (2024)

9/26/2024

Short film by Anthony L. Sanchez and Freddy Sanchez

What awaits the Galactic Stinger Force on their latest adventure? Things are not as they seem...

3D modeling and animation by Freddy Sanchez

Music by Anthony L. Sanchez

Copyright © 2024 by ZEKE SPILLED INK MUSIC (ASCAP), Savannah, GA

Soundtrack coming soon to Patreon.

(See "Credits" at 7:34 for all photos, music production programs, visual arts, and video editing software used.)

Note: This video contains an Epilepsy warning at 0:00-0:10 for people with photosensitivity. Viewer discretion is advised.

Foreboding XIV (2024)

9/24/2024

Music by Anthony L. Sanchez (b. 1988)

Copyright © 2024 by ZEKE SPILLED INK MUSIC (ASCAP), Savannah, GA

Photograph by the composer, taken at a Michael's arts and crafts store- "Black & White" filter applied.

Music created and edited using Reaktor 6 Player (Native Instruments), Audacity, Lexis Audio Editor, and CD-ROMantic- "Echo," "Reverse," and "Vaporwave Effect" used.

Music coming soon to Patreon.

I originally designed this track for the upcoming episode of Galactic Stinger On Patrol, but the music seemed more appropriate for Halloween via my electronic "Forebodings" series of fixed media pieces.

Latin American, and Caribbean Elements in Video Game Music, Part 2c

9/20/2024

Other Sega Video Game Music

My previous post briefly examined aspects related to video game music technology and soundtracks as they pertained to Sega video game consoles. While I did focus primarily on the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, music from that franchise that draws inspiration from Iberia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, and the lasting impact that Sonic has had on Sega, recall that I also said that Sega has a legacy spanning several decades. I will use the time in this current post to briefly list and examine VGM tracks besides Sonic the Hedgehog. Sega had several mascots in the 1980s long before Sonic appeared: most notably Alex Kidd, a boy with large hands who used the power of “Rock, Paper, Scissors” and a living spaceship named Opa-Opa as the lead character in the Fantasy Zone series. Sega also created arcade games in the 1980s, many of which incorporated motion controls to enhance their interactivity and eventually received official home ports on the Sega Master System and other subsequent consoles.

The tracks presented in the following list entitled Iberian, Latin American, and Caribbean Elements in VGM, Part 2b: Sega Games (Other) derive from many interactive media formats from the late-1980s to the 2020s. Like the music featured in the Sonic the Hedgehog playlist, the musical tracks listed below draw inspiration from many Spanish, Portuguese, Latin American, and Caribbean regions: primarily by applying genres like salsa (as in the Clockwork Knight games for the Sega Saturn), bossa nova (Shenmue for the Sega Dreamcast), and Latin jazz (OutRun for arcade and home consoles). The playlist also shares similarities with the Sonic the Hedgehog playlist in that many of the tracks that I have compiled musically reinforce the geography of a specific level or stage: specifically, those involving islands or aquatic sections. This also holds true for some license games published by Sega, which I encountered through QuackShot and The Lucky Dime Caper starring Donald Duck via The Walt Disney Company, as well as games based on characters from the McDonald’s fast food restaurant chain via titles like McDonald’s Treasure Land Adventure. Other instances involve games that unabashedly displays Hispanophone and Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) music by licensing real songs, albeit through a culturally confused and borderline homogeneous interactive lens. The Samba de Amigo series emphasizes this through its rhythm game structure, maracas controller peripheral, the overall visual presence of Amigo the monkey (who often wears a sombrero) the selection of tracks from both Europe and Latin America.

OutRun (1986)
Music by Hiroshi Kawaguchi
“Magical Sound Shower
“Passing Breeze”

Fantasy Zone (1986)
Music by Hiroshi Kawaguchi
“Opa-Opa! (Round One)”
“Hot Snow (Round Five)”

Aztec Adventure/Nazca ’88: The Road to the Golden Paradise (1987)
Music by Chikako Kamatani
Aztec Adventure/Nazca ’88: The Road to the Golden Paradise (Full Soundtrack, FM Version)

Dynamite Düx (1988)
Music by Hiroshi Kawaguchi
“Jungle”
“Achacha”

Alex Kidd in The Enchanted Castle (1989)
Music by Chickako Kamatani
“Desert Theme”

Wonder Boy in Monster World (1991, 1992)
Music by Shinichi Sakamoto
“Islands”

QuackShot (1991)
Music by Shigenori Kamiya
“Mexico”

The Lucky Dime Caper starring Donald Duck (1991)
Music by (NA)
“Peru”

Super Fantasy Zone (1992)
Music by Naoki Kodaka
“Shop”
“Mango”

Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude! (1992)
Music by Paul Gadbois
“Intro & Aztec Temple”
Grenada
“Curacao

McDonald’s Treasure Land Adventure (1993)
Music by Katsuhiko Suzuki
“Stage 3: Magical Sea”

Ronald in the Magical World (1993)
“Magical Castle (Stage 4)”

Clockwork Knight (1994, 1995)
Music by Hirofumi Murasaki
“Title Screeen”
“Bob’s Tango”
“Iron Arms”

Clockwork Knight 2 (1995, 1996)
Music by Hirofumi Murasaki
“Salsa de Pepperouchau (Intro Mix)”

Ristar (1995)
Music by Tomoko Sasaki
“PLANET FLORA – Rd. 1-1 Theme – Shooting Ristar”

Sega Water Ski (1997, 1998)
Music by Tetsuya Kawauchi
“Advertising BGM B”
“Expert Course”
“Name Entry”

Shenmue (1999)
Music by Takenobu Mitsuyoshi, Yuzo Koshiro, Ryuji Iuichi, and Osamu Murata
“Boz Nov”

Space Channel 5 (1999, 2000)
Music by Naofumi Hataya and Kenichi Tokoi
“Mexican Flyer Remix”
“Pala Paya… Lounge Music”

Super Monkey Ball (2001)
Music by Hidenori Shoji
“Monkey Bowling Menu”

Super Monkey Ball 2 (2002)
Music by Hidenori Shoji, Haruyoshi Tomita, and Ryuji Iuchi
“Monkey Golf 2”

Sega Soccer Slam (2002)
Music by Michael Beckett, Robert Buckley, Daniel Fung
“Latino Tune”

Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg (2003)
Music by Mariko Nanba and Tomoya Ohtani
“Passionate & Silent Sea”
“Bossa Nova of Briny Air”

3D Fantasy Zone II W (2015)
Music by Manabu Namiki
“Endless Love (Link Loop Land)”

Samba de Amigo: Party Central (2023)
Music by Kenichi Tokoi, Takenobu Mitsuyoshi, Iona Takashima, and
Etsuko Shimada, Various Artists[1]
“VAMOS A CARNAVAL”

[1] The Samba de Amigo music and rhythm games originated in 2000 for the Sega Dreamcast video game console. The soundtracks feature myriad remixed versions of songs by real musicians and groups: many from within the Iberian, Latin American, and Caribbean regions.

Latin American, and Caribbean Elements in Video Game Music, Part 2b

9/12/2024

**Selections from the Sonic the Hedgehog Franchise (1991-Present)**

I have spent the past few days since my last post collecting tracks from Sega video games that attempt to represent music cultures from Spain. Portugal, Latin America, and the Caribbean to varying degrees. Up to this point, I have compiled over sixty VGM tracks, about half of which belong to the Sonic the Hedgehog series (1991-Present). The history behind the series and its beginnings has received constant attention and revisions as the decades have passed. Created by Yuji Naka and released in 1991 as part of what many constantly refer to as the video game "Console Wars," Sonic the Hedgehog initially served as the leading video game mascot for promoting the 16-bit Sega Genesis and Mega Drive consoles. More specifically, the first Sonic the Hedgehog game helped Sega to directly compete with the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super Famicom in Japan) by demonstrating the graphical power of the Genesis/Mega Drive and visual trickery by emphasizing fast-paced gameplay, as well as pushing Sonic's personality as a video game character with attitude: something that future "Mascot Platformer" video games from the 1990s and beyond would try to emulate.

In the thirty-three years since his debut, the Sonic the Hedgehog series has mostly proven a commercial success by spawning myriad video games, cartoons and spin-off shows, toys, food products, clothing, and live action film adaptations (including a third Sonic film premiering later this year). In terms of music, the Sonic the Hedgehog series contains an eclectic mix of genres in popular music culture, including musical influences from Latin America and the Caribbean. In many instances, such music is often used as thematic material for in-game menu music or tunes that depict islands, some aquatic sections, or areas with festive atmospheres. Through my efforts in compiling the music from the Sonic the Hedgehog series, I have located thirty tracks that draw musical inspiration from several countries and regions: primarily from Afro-Latin and Afro-Caribbean influences from places like Brazil and the Anglophone Caribbean, as well the Mediterranean. One can hear such influences through the incorporation of instruments like guitars, accordions, marimbas, and lots of drumming percussion. Sometimes, the thematic material for a specific zone in a Sonic game can bear striking resemblances to pre-existing popular music. One could argue that the theme to "Aquatic Ruin Zone" from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992) for example, sounds similar to the piece "Spain" by jazz pianist and composer Chick Corea (1941-2020) with his group Return to Forever. Other times, a Sonic game can have a completely different soundtrack for the same title based on the region in which it released. Such has been the case for the North American and international releases of Sonic CD (1993) for the Sega CD/Mega CD. The music for "Palmtree Panic Zone" in the North American release uses Afro-Caribbean influences, while the Japanese and European version apply Afro-Brazilian samba or salsa-like music with synthesized instruments and (in some cases) samples of vocal interjections and cheering. I have provided the playlist with Sonic the Hedgehog tracks that I have compiled based on the chronological order of the release per game. Readers can find the playlist through my YouTube channel at ZEKE SPILLED INK MUSIC via Iberian, Latin American, and Caribbean Elements in VGM, Part 2a: Sega Games (Sonic). My next blog post will focus on other Sega games outside of the Sonic the Hedgehog series.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992)
Music by Masato Nakamura
“Aquatic Ruin Zone”
“Emerald Hill Zone (2-Player)”
“Mystic Cave Zone (2-Player)
“Results”

Sonic CD (1993) (North American Release)
Music by Spencer Nilsen, David Young, and Mark “Sterling” Crew
“Palmtree Panic (Present)”
“Palmtree Panic (Good Future)”
“Palmtree Panic (Bad Future)”

Sonic CD (1993) (Japanese/European Release)
Music by Naofumi Hataya and Masafumi Ogata
“Palmtree Panic”
“Palmtree Panic ‘P’ Mix”
“Palmtree Panic ‘G’ Mix”

Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Music by Brad Buxer and Sega Sound Team (Michael Jackson)
“File Select”
“Angel Island”

Sonic Labyrinth (1995)
Music by Atsuko Iwanaga
“Act 1 BGM”

Sonic 3D Blast/Sonic 3D: Flickies’ Island (Sega Saturn and Windows Versions) (1996)
Music by Richard Jacques
“Green Grove Zone, Act 1” (Sega Saturn and Windows Version)

Sonic Shuffle (2000, 2001)
Music by Yoshitaka Hirota
“Blizzard of Coast”

Sonic Advance (2001)
Music by Tatsuyuki Maeda and Yutaka Minobe
“Neo Green Hill Zone (Act 1)”

Sonic Advance 2 (2002)
Music by Tatsuyuki Maeda, Yutaka Minobe, and Teruhiko Nakagawa
“Music Plant Zone (Act 1)”

Sonic Rush (2005)
Music by Hideki Naganuma and Teruhiko Nakagawa
“Ska Cha Cha”
“Ska Cha Cha” (Blazy Mix)
“Vela Nova”

Sonic Rush Adventure (2007)
Music by Tomoya Ohtani, Seirou Okamoto, and Mariko Nanba
“Windmill Village Mode 1”

Sonic Unleashed (2008)
Music by Tomoya Ohtani, Fumie Kumatani, Kenichi Tokoi, Hideaki Kobayashi, Takahito Eguchi, and Mariko Nanba
“Windmill Isle (Day)”
“Windmill Isle (Night)”
“Apotos (Day)”
“Apotos (Night)”
“Spagonia (Day)”
“Spagonia (Night)”

Sonic Mania (2017)
Music by Tee Lopes
“Green Hill Zone, Act 2”
“Sunshine Cassette (Save Select”)

Sonic Superstars (2023)
Music by Jun Senoue
“Speed Jungle Zone”

Latin American, and Caribbean Elements in Video Game Music, Part 2a

9/9/2024

Sega Games: A Brief Discussion of Console Audio

In continuing my discussions about compiling video game music, and on the official twenty-fifth anniversary of the release of the Sega Dreamcast console (which debuted September 9, 1999), allow me to explore the tracks that I have compiled so far from games that have been published by Sega across multiple consoles in the coming posts. This includes when they created arcades and video game consoles in the 1980s and 90s for Japanese, North American, and European audiences as well as games that they have published since the 2000s upon officially exiting the video game console market in 2001. I do not wish to go into too much detail regarding Sega as a company. Readers should know, for the purposes of this blog post, that Sega features a long and varied history beginning in the 1960s: from their American origins as "Service Games," to their early arcade games in the 1970s and 80s, to the frequently debated marketing competition with Nintendo in the 1980s and 90s, to its continuation as a video game publisher (including games for said former competitor). Those who are interested in the history behind Sega should check out the Sega Corporation website for the complete timeline and other relevant resources online and in print that accurately discuss the historiography.

Sega also developed many consoles and handheld gaming devices in the 1980s and 90s, often simultaneously as expansions to pre-existing consoles: primarily, for the Sega Genesis (Mega Drive in Japan, Europe, UK, and Brazil). The following represents a chronological list of the consoles and handheld systems created by Sega:

SG-1000 (Japan) - 1983

SG-1000 II (Japan) - 1984

Mark III (Japan) - 1986/Master System (North America) - 1986, (Europe, UK) -1987, (Brazil) - 1989

Mega Drive (Japan) - 1988, (Europe, Brazil), 1990/ Genesis (North America) - 1989

Game Gear (Japan) - 1990, (North America, Europe) - 1991, (Australia) - 1992

Mega CD (Japan) - 1991, (Europe, UK) - 1993/Sega CD (North America) - 1992,

Pico (Japan) -1993, (North America, Europe) - 1994, (China) (2002)

32X (Japan, North America, Europe, UK) - 1994

Sega Channel (North America) -1994

Nomad (North America) 1995)

Saturn (Japan) - 1994, (North America, Europe, UK) - 1995

Dreamcast (Japan) - 1998, (North America, UK) - 1999

I would like to take some time now and talk a bit about video game audio: specifically, how video game audio as a whole has evolved over time and how Sega applied video game audio hardware to their consoles. One of the most important factors in composing video game music depends on the available hardware at a given point in time and working around its limitations to produce the final product. Video game consoles in the 1980s and 90s often consisted of an Audio Processing Unit (APU) with different audio chips and multiple synthesized audio wave channels for producing music and sound effects. Sega consoles from this period present an intriguing case because, when discussing their 8-bit Sega Master System console (known as the Mark III in Japan), the APU varied by region.

Sega developed the FM Sound Unit for the Mark III in Japan. The console attachment applied nine audio channels and enhanced the overall sound quality via Frequency Modulation (FM) for games compatible with the Mark III. The European version of the Sega Master System also featured FM music and audio via an integrated FM sound chip. The Master System in North America came equipped with Programmable Sound Generator (PSG) audio, which featured four audio wave channels: Square, Triangle, Pulse, and Noise (for sound effects). The PSG audio on the Sega Master System demonstrates a drastic change in synthesized audio when compared to Master System or Mark III games compatible with FM audio. Compare, for instance, the differences in quality between the FM music to Aztec Adventure (Nazca ’88: The Golden Road to Paradise in Japan) from 1987 versus the PSG version.

Later consoles from Sega, like the Genesis/Mega Drive and Sega CD/Mega CD would use different approaches to the audio hardware for both the cartridge-based and disc-based machines. In certain instances, this also meant drastic shifts in quality for Western-developed games by applying the Genesis Editor for Music and Sound effects (GEMS) or Redbook Audio to produce immersive stereophonic soundscapes. Some could argue that GEMS audio pales in comparison to "pre-GEMS" audio for Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games from Japan. I argue that it all depends on how well the composer understood the the video game audio hardware. Games like Fantasia (1991) demonstrate that audio that did not use GEMS audio could still produce harsh aural results. I will continue my discussion in a later post by focusing mainly on tracks featured in my Iberian, Latin American, and Caribbean Elements in VGM, Part 2: Sega Games playlist. I will concentrate on music from respective games across multiple formats and demonstrating how the many VGM composers apply Spanish, Portuguese, Latin American, and Caribbean music cultures.

Orcus (2024)

9/6/2024

for string orchestra, piano, and electronics

Music by Anthony L. Sanchez (b. 1988)

Copyright © 2024 by ZEKE SPILLED INK MUSIC (ASCAP), Savannah, GA

Electroacoustic synchronization

Acoustic section created using MuseScore 4 (VST playback)

Electronic section created using Reaktor 6 Player (Native Instruments)

Wallpaper image of the dwarf planet Orcus courtesy of NASA Free Wallpaper

This track will serve as part of the music to the upcoming finale to the animated miniseries Galactic Stinger On Patrol (2024), created by Anthony and Freaddy Sanchez. The episodes and extra content can be found on this channel and via my playlist here: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsKnQxIE3mKH_hncFcV6eisowRlLGgCMM