Wait a second! This isn't the Negative World Podcast! What is this Euphonic thing?
Well, glad you asked disembodied question-asker!
Welcome to the Negative World Euphonic podcast! These will not necessarily be a consistent ever X-weeks kind of thing, but from time to time Joe (Ninsage) and I (DrFinkelstein) will be recording episodes of the show where YOU negative-worlders get to help celebrate Video Game Music!
Each episode we will have a thread prior where it will be up to you to help us think of some of the best video game songs based on certain themes. The only restriction is that the song must have been featured in a game that was on a Nintendo console at some point (this does include Virtual Console).
Once that's all sorted, a new episode will be recorded where we feature three songs per theme while Joe and I will bring some others into the mix to surprise you.
Negative World does not own the rights to any of the songs featured on the podcast. This is a non-profit appreciation podcast and the rights belong to whoever owns them at the time of release.
The only reason I didn't reference it was because A.) the description is already so long and it wont be as standard episode to episode as the other podcast, and B.) it's a little diddy as opposed to a full fledged song we can link to. I assumed people would inquire or already know it's your talented self.
I hope everyone enjoys this. We're a bit tired in the recording and we're just finding our footing. I already see how I think it could be improved and I hope everyone sticks with it for future episodes.
Just started listening on my way to work today, great idea for podcast!
Just one comment: this being the first episode of Euphonic: it would have been nice to have a bit more of an introduction regarding the format of the show and such. Maybe I missed it. When you guys said you're covering the 'Mario theme' first, I thought you were specifically referring to the well-known Super Mario Bros. first stage music. There could have been just a little bit of mentioning that you are actually covering two general themes through the use of different songs submitted by NW members. No biggie though!
"Dire, Dire Docks" does have some nice extra beats that are layered on later in the song. What you guys didn't mention, though, is that those slight variations in the music correspond to different areas of the stage. From what I remember, the music becomes more calm when you are underwater, and the extra beats jump in once you reach land in the small cave on the other side of the stage after swimming deep underwater. It was a pretty brilliant use of 'dynamic music' that would become prominent in other N64 games like Banjo-Kazooie.
Congrats on having your song be the first, @HammerLord!
Some brilliant points you make Eric. In fact, the lack of explanation was my fault. We did record it but I took a while and didn't think I clarified it well enough for what it is. I didn't want to take too long getting into the podcast meat and potatoes. We are considering making the format still different to a degree and thus I will better explain for the next episode. I guess my brain relied too much on the hope that people saw the thread.
Amazingly, as much as I played TMNT as a kid (and finally beat it on the Wii VC as an adult), I never heard the speed-up music until the podcast. Still a great track after all of these years.
Enjoyed the podcast guys. Oddly enough, that makes me want to try Sonic Colors. I enjoyed the stage in Generations, so I'd probably like that game.
Throwback Galaxy was brilliant and threw me by surprise the first time I saw the stage in SMG2, it was very unexpected. I listen to it regularly on my MP3 player.
I could listen toSuper Mario Land music all day (would like to own the soundtrack).
Stephen's song pick for the Mario theme is definitely a beautiful piece. So delightful.Super Mario World's credit rolls reminds me of how powerful the music was in those SNES games, such as the ending for A Link to the Past (which I hope to hear in a future episode).
Zero's pick, Bubble Man, a timeless classic.
Great pick from @TheOldManFromZelda. The TMNT underwater stage music is actually featured in one of my favorite remixes that I wouldn't have known about if I hadn't gone back to OC Remix thanks to @NoName.
Oh man, I want to play Sonic Colors.
The music selected fromMetroid Prime is also a favorite of mine to listen to (own the official soundtrack).
Nothing more to add other than good job; I love video game music, so obviously I'm going to enjoy this podcast! I will look for the thread next time you guys are looking for submissions.
This is a fun podcast to listen to. I loved the fact that Super Mario Land's music got a shot in the spotlight. Stephen and Joe always sound so sullen though. What's the deal? Do you guys have to talk quietly when you record?
So I was at Target today, and I found a copy of Sonic Colors (Wii) for $20 and bought it...because of the music I just heard (plus the stage(s) from Generations). There you go, this podcast cost me $20!
I don't take offense to this because you're right. It is something I aim to change. You know I'm not normally sullen but we recorded this episode in particular when I was very tired and Joe had literally just woke up. In general, I have to be quiet to be respectful to the household and I think subconsciously I assume that speaking louder means I'm blowing out the mic. I'll try to pump more genuine energy into the future episodes.
I don't remember that Metroid Prime song AT ALL, even though you guys mentioned it as one of the "more memorable" songs from it. Whats the scoop? Was it an extended period of the game? Was it something you just did once? Help me rememberrr.
When you mentioned "the cylinder," all I could think of was that Metroid Prime 2 CRAP where there are those sucker things that come towards you, and it takes for-e-ver to traverse it.
EDIT- Oh, right, the other songs. I never realized how much Life Force, Castlevania, Contra there is in the Turtles song. Bonkers.
And Bubble Man's theme is one of the greatest videogame themes ever. I love listening to the..secondary? tracks in that song at any given time, especially the part from 43:51 to 44:02. I dunno, its pretty neat. I've been doing that for..a while. Listening to just the Bass in Beatles music is often cool, too.
(Note this video is after Samus gets the Gravity Suit, which enables full mobility and vision underwater. Quite the contrast from finding this area without having your upgrade, which would resemble more of a watery tomb that Stephen mentioned on the podcast).
Listened today. Fun podcast with some great tunes! I'm glad you guys both enjoyed Birabuto Kingdom theme, despite its simplicity. It's funny that when you sit down and listen to a lot of these old school video game songs you realize how repetitive they are, but not when you're playing the games (if it's good). It takes real skill to make music that will repeat over and over and never get old while you're playing.
I never really got too much into either Mario Kart DS or Mario Kart 7, but I own and have played both of them a decent amount so I recognized the Waluigi Pinball music but wasn't quite sure where it was from. I figured it out eventually, but at first it really sounded like Sonic music to me. Does anyone else think it's Sonic-esque?
Speaking of Sonic, the Sonic Colors music was pretty great. I've never played that game and probably won't, I've barely played any 3D Sonic, but it was definitely a good choice.
I'm surprised you didn't have Aquatic Ambiance, I just assumed that was a top music pick for every Nintendo fan, but I hear that a ton so it's cool to be exposed to new stuff instead.
One suggestion I would have is if you announced the name of the song and game it's from right before you play it like "Here's Bubble Man from Mega Man 2" just so that people could skip ahead if they so choose. Nothing in this episode was a problem for me, but I imagine some scenarios where I might want to skip. Like if I was in the middle of Xenoblade and you were going to play something from the end of the game that I hadn't heard yet, I would want to know it's coming so I could skip. Just a thought.
One suggestion I would have is if you announced the name of the song and game it's from right before you play it like "Here's Bubble Man from Mega Man 2" just so that people could skip ahead if they so choose. Nothing in this episode was a problem for me, but I imagine some scenarios where I might want to skip. Like if I was in the middle of Xenoblade and you were going to play something from the end of the game that I hadn't heard yet, I would want to know it's coming so I could skip. Just a thought.
That makes sense, especially for spoilers, like you mentioned, but I do like the current format of revealing the game and song after listening to it in order to keep the listener guessing (much like NWR's own Radio Trivia podcast). I always like hearing something I've never heard before and being surprised what game it's from. But that's just me.
Either option has a good side and a down side, so I'm not sure what's best.