New 16-bit JRPG Music (Americana Dawn)

[Sam Ascher-Weiss]

I wrote an entire snes-style soundtrack with my own custom built sound-set a couple of years ago, for a game that at the time very closely resembed a real 16 bit JRPG.

The game has since changed direction enough that this music will no longer be the best fit, but I just recently got permission to release that version of the soundtrack. I've been doing it 1 song at a time through my soundcloud. 18 are up now and more are coming soon.

I think you guys will enjoy these. The square and enix OSTs from the 90s snes era are SUCH a hugely formative and inspirational thing to me, so getting to attempt this was a very powerful emotional experience and I'm really glad I got to do it.

 

 

[DarkeSword]

Oh man I love the Americana Dawn album you released years ago. Reminded me so much of Hamauzu's SaGa Frontier II (which, if you know anything about me, is very high praise). Definitely going to check this out.

Will we be able to purchase this version?

[Sam Ascher-Weiss]

Just now, DarkeSword said:

Will we be able to purchase this version?

This will have to be discussed with the game director, as of yet I only have permission to release them in this format, as far as an official soundtrack album through bandcamp or something, that is possible, but not yet worked out. 

I'll definitely be pushing for something of that nature and I will give an update if we're able to move forward with that. 

Also, thanks a million for the support Shariq, really glad you enjoyed piano+violin versions!

[Eino Keskitalo]

Goodness, got to check these out. I'm still looking forward to the game too, hope it won't be too long now..

[DarkeSword]

8 minutes ago, Sam Ascher-Weiss said:

This will have to be discussed with the game director, as of yet I only have permission to release them in this format, as far as an official soundtrack album through bandcamp or something, that is possible, but not yet worked out. 

I'll definitely be pushing for something of that nature and I will give an update if we're able to move forward with that. 

Also, thanks a million for the support Shariq, really glad you enjoyed piano+violin versions!

Of course. I often go back to Civilized Folk when I need something chill to listen to. I shared the album with my Dad years ago when it came out and he also bought it off Bandcamp.

Have listened to the SNES versions for the past 20 minutes or so. Really loving it.

[CHz]

Do you have permission to / were you planning to release Soshiro Hokkai's music too?

[Tex]

Loving what has been posted on Soundcloud so far. Also, nice work designing your own samples.

[Nase]

someone should make a game around these. this is 'just' snesology now. but you needed the illusion of them ending up in a game to really come that far with your snes expertise. it's cool, innit? extreme mockup. are you gonna stay in the project? feeling frustrated with it or good to write another 20?

 

thinking about it, why don't you just rename it part of the snesology thing? i mean it's all a brainfart until the music meets the game and is released, right?

 

a wonderful brainfart

[DarkeSword]

10 hours ago, Nase said:

someone should make a game around these. this is 'just' snesology now. but you needed the illusion of them ending up in a game to really come that far with your snes expertise. it's cool, innit? extreme mockup. are you gonna stay in the project? feeling frustrated with it or good to write another 20?

thinking about it, why don't you just rename it part of the snesology thing? i mean it's all a brainfart until the music meets the game and is released, right?

a wonderful brainfart

Well I mean he wrote them for a game that's being made. He's just not using the SNES versions anymore. Americana Dawn is still under development, and I imagine Sam's going to write new versions for the actual release.

[Nase]

you think the non-snes versions are gonna be anything like the snes versions? this is sam we are talking about....

it might just be from scratch with a couple thematic connections

unless he finds a way to directly midirip all the 'snes originals' and makes everything sound super awesome with kontakt in 5 minutes. who knows.

[Nabeel Ansari]

On 8/26/2016 at 7:11 AM, Nase said:

you think the non-snes versions are gonna be anything like the snes versions? this is sam we are talking about....

it might just be from scratch with a couple thematic connections

unless he finds a way to directly midirip all the 'snes originals' and makes everything sound super awesome with kontakt in 5 minutes. who knows.

An acoustic album of arrangements of the Americana Dawn music has been out already for a couple years. https://shnabubula.bandcamp.com/album/americana-dawn-civilized-folk

Also, I imagine someone who wrote music would have a very easy time "midirip"ing it... Composers don't really do that regardless, they tend to just organically rewrite stuff instead of grabbing MIDI's from past projects.