Arcubalis

Haha, I didn't think about that... the title does look an awful lot like spam. I guess I was counting on people knowing what OSV was, but my bad. Yeah, we need you support! We got Dale North and Mustin on board, so come on!

Hey guys. Sorry to torture you with my horrible face and voice, but we just launched a YouTube channel specifically for Original Sound Version. We're looking forward to bringing you guys some interesting content in the future, but this time we're announcing a special contest for signed copies of a certain soundtrack from a recent hit game: http://www.originalsoundversion.com/?p=303 As always, we're open to your suggestions for how to make the channel and the site better, so please accept us and bring OSV into the fold. We need your support!

Japan is getting another cool game music event next month: http://www.originalsoundversion.com/?p=294 This is the second year the event is taking place. It's basically a show where all the game music composers get together and perform on stage. Freaking amazing. There's actually a planned DVD for last year, but I think they're having licensing issues (guess VGL and PLAY! aren't the only ones). Performers this year include: - KORG DS-10 (Nobuyoshi Sano x Yasunori Mitsuda x Michio Okamiya) - THE IDOLM@STER / 8BIT series - Motoaki Motoaki Furukawa with VOYAGER - Yuzo Koshiro x Norihiko Hibino - Shinji Hosoe - Hip Tanaka.ex - BETTA FLASH - H.(from SEGA) - KPLECRAFT - quad(luvtrax) - Uraken Official website: http://ex-project.com/aboutevent/

Blizzard posted the Diablo III Overture from the previous trailers and VGL performance at the Worldwide Invitational on iTunes today, and it's free: http://www.originalsoundversion.com/?p=283 What do you guys think of the orchestral style here? Pretty awesome that Russell Brower knows how to use music to promote a game. Now if everyone else would catch on.

Sounds like somebody messed up. The soundtrack just went up on iTunes in Japan for 2,000 yen, but the official US website has the entire soundtrack available for free in the downloads section: http://www.metalslug7-us.com/ Would suck to be one of those guys who dished out $20 for it. Perhaps the iTunes release is a better quality version. Anyway, we posted about this and the game's music over on OSV: http://www.originalsoundversion.com/?p=271

OSV has just rolled out an exciting new feature called "Ask Hibino," which invites readers to submit any question they may have regarding himself or the game music biz in Japan to Norihiko Hibino (Metal Gear Solid, Zone of the Enders, 1942: Joint Strike). Each month, one question will be selected and answered by Hibino on OSV. http://www.originalsoundversion.com/?p=224 This is unparalleled access to such a high-profile game music composer, so be sure to thank Hibino-san for his time!

I figure a lot of people are familiar with Norihiko Hibino and his company, GEM Impact. There were a lot of questions as to what, if anything, Norihiko Hibino contributed to the MGS4 soundtrack. While the "official" soundtrack release featured a single track by Hibino and a few others by GEM Impact staff, I was curious as to the extent of his involvement. In an exclusive interview at OSV, Hibino shares information regarding both the individual members at GEM Impact and their specific contributions (90 minutes of music!) to the MGS4 soundtrack: http://www.originalsoundversion.com Here's hoping for a GEM Factory release of GEM's contributions! Think it could happen?

Even better, composer Christophe Harel just confirmed to Music4Games via email that he is on board for the sequel: http://www.music4games.net/News_Display.aspx?id=933 I was introduced to the music in this game by Video Games Live, and it was really one of the sleeper hits of the evening. Just like the game I suppose!

Interview just went up at Music4Games featuring Yoko Shimomura discussing her work on drammatica, the "best of" collection recorded with a live orchestra. Some cool photos and an interesting discussion about the project: http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=269 Enjoy!

I could have swore that I saw a thread about this here, but I can't seem to find it! I'm sure everyone is aware that PLAY! is coming out with a CD and DVD of the recent Prague performance on April 23, 2008, but JMP Productions was kind enough to give Music4Games a sneak peak of the recording session: http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=267 Photos, a partial set list, and commentary by Jason Michael Paul are included. Wish I could have been there to see Super Mario Galaxy! Anyone else as excited about this CD/DVD as I am?

Wasn't aware he was involved with GT4. I'm surprised he didn't mention it given the large amount of material he covered. But yeah, his music is absolutely amazing, and it was cool to have Klepacki contribute some questions to the interview as a fan.

If you haven't heard of Vince DiCola, I don't blame you, although it's really a shame. He composed Rocky IV and Transformers: The Movie (1986) which was not only one of my favorite movies growing up, but also had some of the most awesome, rockin' tracks and hilariously 80s vocal tracks. I was incredibly surprised to see DiCola's name reappear this year with the release of the Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Original Soundtrack. DiCola arranged the series theme, "Moon Over the Castle," and for his fans, yes, it sounds like DiCola, it sounds modern, and it's completely awesome. As a huge fan, I had to find this guy, and as it turned out, he's one of the most mellow, outgoing guys I've talked to. He has a lot to say about his work on GT5P and about possibly doing games in the future. He also tells his fans what he's been doing over the last 20 years. I hope you guys enjoy this read as much as I did: http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=251

Good to see a good interview out of him. Seems like most interviewers don't seem to care and don't bother doing their homework to ask good questions. Good job!

The soundtrack for Granado Espada has quickly become one of my favorites of all time. It's just so good. I'm a fool for SoundTeMP, too, so anything they do I absolutely love. We got a brief interview with the sound team from Korea. Unfortunately they couldn't get ahold of the composers to take part, but it still turned out alright: http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=249 I hope they put out a REAL Volume 2 in the future with music from SFA, SoundTeMP, and Kubota in the future, because there are still some tracks of theirs that didn't make it into Volume 1.

Just finished an interview with composer Masafumi Takada. We talked about NMH quite a bit: http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=249 This is part two of the interview, but the first portion is linked from inside this one. This guy rocks, and his music is amazing.

Don't forget, it's KORG and Procyon Studios (Yasunori Mitsuda) who are putting this out: http://www.music4games.net/News_Display.aspx?id=867

I've seen a lot of people post about this, but nobody seems to be pulling out the biggest piece of info here: http://www.music4games.net/News_Display.aspx?id=867 It's a KORG/Yasunori Mitsuda collaboration.

Yeah, sorry about the samples. No soundtrack release for Opoona, so the music isn't readily available. I highly recommend getting ahold of a fan recording though, as the music is awesome! The battle theme is some of the least impressive stuff in the game!

I had wanted to create a new thread, but I figured I'd revive this old one with some more cool news. The Eminence Symphony Orchestra, a Sydney-based orchestra that performs annual video game music concerts and works closely with composer Hitoshi Sakimoto will be recording portions of the Junichi Nakatsuru's Soul Calibur IV score. We got a little news item and an interview with the president of Eminence, Hiroaki Yura, about the game. http://www.music4games.net/News_Display.aspx?id=891 I'm really looking forward to this one. They're also recording Sakimoto's score for SEGA's Valkyria Profile, so you're going to be hearing a lot more from Eminence in the future.

One of his least know projects lately, Hitoshi Sakimoto opens up about the quirky Wii RPG Opoona. For anyone who has played the game, they know the music is fantastic. It's a shame there hasn't been a soundtrack release yet, but perhaps if it sells well here they'll go for it! Sakimoto provides some pretty thorough answers, and I was really happy with how it came out. What do you guys think? http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=219

I agree with those. I wrote a "grip" of reviews last year, so I have a lot of favorites! Excuse the long list in advance, but I think if it opens up people's eyes to something new and obscure, it's worth it. "I think" Artist: Keiichi Sugiyama Album: LUMINES remixes WINTER Review: http://www.music4games.net/Review_Display.aspx?id=135 Note: Upbeat chiptune with electronic vocals. "813" Artist: Hiroki Kikuta Album: Alphabet Planet Review: http://www.music4games.net/Review_Display.aspx?id=134 Note: Moody atmospheric piece, different for Kikuta. "Iron Footfalls" and "Gates of Azura" Artist: Jeremy Soule Album: Guild Wars: Eye of the North Original Soundtrack Review: http://www.music4games.net/Review_Display.aspx?id=87 Note: Amazing album with amazing music. One of my favorites of 2007. Some of Soule's most epic, realistic work using sample libraries as opposed to a live orchestra. "The Office" Artist: Jared Emerson-Johnson Album: Sam and Max Season One Soundtrack Review: http://www.music4games.net/Review_Display.aspx?id=86 Note: Jazz! Catchy, memorable theme that I won't forget any time soon. "The Looten Duke" Artist: Michael Bross Album: Music From Oddworld Stranger's Wrath Vol. 1 Review: http://www.music4games.net/Review_Display.aspx?id=81 Note: Twangy western track, epic buildup. "Netherstorm" Artist: Matt Uelmen Album: World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade Original Soundtrack Review: http://www.music4games.net/Review_Display.aspx?id=69 Note: Gritty ambiance with wailing electric guitars and lots of distortion. "Cite de Reboldoeux" Artist: Kim Junsung Album: Granado Espada Original Soundtrack Volume 1 Review: http://www.music4games.net/Review_Display.aspx?id=64 Note: Absolutely gorgeous piano concerto.

And now complete impressions are posted as well for those who are interested in buying the album: http://www.music4games.net/Review_Display.aspx?id=150 I look forward to seeing what everyone things of the album as it starts arriving.

We barely got this together and ready to go leading up to the release of the third Black Mages album coming out tomorrow: http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=208 Please let me know what you think! I think there were some interesting answers, especially the fact that he was in a band 20 years ago.

I imagine most of the people here have heard of Norihiko Hibino (MGS2, MGS3, Zone of the Enders). I doubt many people knew that he actually pursued a career as a jazz musician in the United States for a time. I think it gives him some really awesome insights into the music industries in Japan and the Unites States: http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=206 Let me know what you guys think. I'm surprised he hasn't been interviewed more frequently.

M4G got the jump on the news that a teaser site for The Black Mages 3: Darkness and Starlight went live today: http://www.music4games.net/News_Display.aspx?id=816 What do you guys think of the clip? Two months away from release!