Video game music research project! Need sources!

[DrumUltimA]

Hey guys! I have the lucky opportunity to get to write a research paper about video game music! Pretty cool, huh?

However, there's a big challenge to this--there's not that much literature on the topic. What I'd like to do is write about the history of the compositional style we see--aka, how we went from blips and bloops to what seems like, in some cases, full scale film scoring. Of course, this will deal greatly with the development of the technology.

Anybody have any ideas or leads at some good sources for me to use? Books, articles, heck, even people I can interview. If you are a video game composer or work in the industry and think you could help me out with answering some questions, that would be awesome. I think I could have a lot of fun with this topic, but I have to be sure I have enough information to support it!

Thanks guys!!!!

[Tuned Logic]

I came across a few articles you might find interesting. I would like to read your paper when you're finished.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?device=iphone&storyId=89565567

PC World's response to the above: http://blogs.pcworld.com/gameon/archives/006804.html

http://www.openlettersmonthly.com/evolution-video-game-music/

http://moonandbackmusic.com/archives/2673

Cool timeline:

http://www.dipity.com/cbc_adrian/personal

[Mirby]

I don't know if any of my interviews will help, but feel free to use them in your paper.

The link's in my sig; they're all on my website.

[Brandon Strader]

There's a few good episodes of Icons from G4 that cover stuff like that. Particularly the Nobuo Uematsu or Final Fantasy episode. Covers how the technology changed with each game and gave more opportunities to use more and higher quality sounds.

http://g4tv.com/icons/videos/index.html

[ella guro]

I think CHz would probably be a good person to talk to about this.

[Less Ashamed Of Self]

...and sephire obviously.

Make sure to mention the limitations of each system each step along the way, isolating examples (if it will work for paper) of moments where composers had to get especially creative to achieve a desired effect.

When it comes down to it, that's the most important difference between then and now.

[Dissidia]

Actually, at the pre-concert of Distant Worlds II in Stockholm, David Westerlund held a lecture called: "From Blip-Blop to Art music" You can check out his website here: http://www.davidwesterlund.com/

Some info on the lecture: (can also be seen on his site)

As the title implies, this lecture investigates the historical development of videogame music, from using primitive sound chips to being performed by orchestras in concerthalls. The first half of the lecture focuses on the history and technological innovations, and the latter focuses on videogame music as a genre today. The lecture was originally ordered by the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, where it was first performed on Ocktober 27, 2009. It has since been performed in different venues, perhaps most notably the Stockholm Concerthall on June 12, 2010. The lecture is available in both Swedish and English (David has a teachers degree in English).

Good luck with your paper

[Arcana]

Try Google Scholar, they might return relevant academic articles. When writing an academic research paper for a conference or journal, try not to cite too often from media. (If this is just a school project though feel free to cite whatever).

One of the hits was:

Collins, Karen (2008). "Game sound:

an introduction to the history, theory, and practice of video game music and sound design", MIT Press.

[djpretzel]

I've got all three of these books

• http://astore.amazon.com/ocremix-20/detail/075466211X
  
• http://astore.amazon.com/ocremix-20/detail/026203378X
  
• http://astore.amazon.com/ocremix-20/detail/1592730094
  

The work by Karen Collins would probably be most appropriate; Fat Man's book is brilliant & hilarious, however...

[anosou]

I've got all three of these books

• http://astore.amazon.com/ocremix-20/detail/075466211X
  
• http://astore.amazon.com/ocremix-20/detail/026203378X
  
• http://astore.amazon.com/ocremix-20/detail/1592730094
  

The work by Karen Collins would probably be most appropriate; Fat Man's book is brilliant & hilarious, however...

Karen Collins book is considered the "standard" work about video game music at the very least in musicology. Plenty of research papers have been published in the recent years, go to your uni/college and search via their databases.

Also, don't want to be an ass here, but your topic is really, really big. Collins basically does exactly what you set out to do but her book is quite long. If you can still change your focus I suggest you find something a bit "slimmer" so you can maybe come with new theories and do some analysis/research of your own.

I'm writing my bachelor's thesis in musicology on game music. My thesis is a part analytical and part ethno-musicological study of Game Boy music, mainly the chiptune scene with focus on Sweden. 40 pages of examining all the modern music-making software on the gameboy, interviews with artists and fans about the scene, interview with LSDJ's creator and more. Gonna see what I can conclude about all this in December

Anyway, hope you find what you're looking for baby <3

[The Pezman]

Is this an academic paper? For publication?

[DrumUltimA]

Is this an academic paper? For publication?

It's just for school, but I'll probably put it online.

AnSo- yeah, I'll probably narrow my topic down as I get into it. My teacher basically told us the same thing.

Thanks for all the help guys!!

[anosou]

It's just for school, but I'll probably put it online.

AnSo- yeah, I'll probably narrow my topic down as I get into it. My teacher basically told us the same thing.

Thanks for all the help guys!!

The more VGM research available online, the better. I still plan to translate my papers and my bachelor's thesis into english.

Anyway, good luck mate!