Videogame music deserves more respect, says classical scholar
CBC Radio | Posted: August 6, 2015 1:36 PM | Last Updated: August 6, 2015
Videogame soundtracks are more than mere background music, says Andrew Schartmann. In the musical theorist's estimation, Koji Kondo's Super Mario Brothers compositions are as culturally and musically rich as any great album of the twentieth century.
Schartmann joins Shad to discuss his new book, Koji Kondo's Super Mario Bros. Soundtrack, and to make his case for celebrating a talented composer and an underrated genre.
WEB EXTRA | Can you whistle the original Super Mario Bros theme music? Have you ever thought of it as a work of musical genius? Care to consider Schartmann's arguments while listening to these classic tracks?
WEB EXTRA | Can you whistle the original Super Mario Bros theme music? Have you ever thought of it as a work of musical genius? Care to consider Schartmann's arguments while listening to these classic tracks?
Plus, Have you ever heard of Pico-Pico or chiptune music? Here's your crash course.
Schartmann says YMCK— a very popular pico-pico band in Japan — uses the 8-bit aesthetic to new expressive ends.
He also says that the chiptune or bitbop genre has influenced electronic dance music. "That connection is fairly apparent upon listening to many electronic dance music hits," says Schartmann. "Anamanaguchi is a great example of this merging of dance music with 8-bit sounds."
Schartmann says YMCK— a very popular pico-pico band in Japan — uses the 8-bit aesthetic to new expressive ends.
He also says that the chiptune or bitbop genre has influenced electronic dance music. "That connection is fairly apparent upon listening to many electronic dance music hits," says Schartmann. "Anamanaguchi is a great example of this merging of dance music with 8-bit sounds."