So THAT's how he pulled that off! I think the soundtrack for Plok also uses chords in one channel, so I wonder if the SNES is capable of something similar?

@@BladeShadowWing The snes could put any number of notes in one channel as it used sample based playback. Again however the main limitation was memory so single notes spread over multiple channels was by far the more sensible solution.

@@carpathia808 Ah, I see. So that also explains why he only used 5 channels.

That's actually super interesting! Thanks for the info!

More specifically, each FM channel is made of four oscillators ('operators' in FM parlance), each with their own envelope generators. Each operator can be played directly or used to modulate another operator to achieve a more complicated sound. Each operator can have it's frequency multiplied by an integer, so 1x and 2x makes an octave, 2x + 3x makes a fifth etc. It's kinda limited, but you can absolutely use this to squeeze out more notes per channel, which is what's happening in that bass path. It's a bit impractical to use for whole chords (especially since you'd only get one op per note), but I have seen songs using fifths to achieve a variety of seventh chords using only two channels (effectively 2op per note). This sort of trickery costs next to no memory since an FM patch is only a handful of bytes, so separate patches per chord is totally doable. There's also a lesser used function where on channel 3 (only) you can assign totally different notes to each operator. As mentioned in the other comments you can do something similar on the SNES -- since it uses samples, you can just record a whole chord and use it as a single sample, using only one channel. This is very common on Amiga, which only has 4 channels. Less used on the SNES, as it has a very generous 8 channels to play with. It's also pretty expensive in terms of memory, so you usually end up with basic major and minor samples, with no inversions or anything, so it can end up sounding awkward in it's own way.

Specifically us Canadians, who notably have a batshit insane army.

Canadians 😅

Your dad had good ears

Sadly, it's believed that Jackson's involvement with the soundtrack is what sometimes prevented Sonic 3 from being re-released in a number of subsequent compilations, as seeking licensing rights and permissions from major performing artists is often quite expensive and more than a game company is willing to pay to re-release an old game that they probably won't make much of a profit from. That being said, it does look like Sonic 3 will be included on the upcoming Sonic Sega Genesis collection.

@@glennwelsh9784 No... Not exactly. What prevented sonic 3&K from getting more ports is fans inability to let go of their childhood music.

@@Leonard_Wolf_2056 Origins didn't do us any favours

@Leonard Wolf could you stop blaming fans it's getting old and yes licencing was the problem

Let me guess... Couldn't get past the barrels?

@@LaskyLabs At first, yeah. But after I figured that out, I spent most of my next runs looking for special stage rings. Usually my hand slips and I walk off a ledge requiring a whole other minute to get back to where I was. The worst part is that once I'm in the room before the act's boss, my timer is already at around 9:30.

Yeah. It's saying "You're not a clown. You're the whole Circus."

@@Jongivitis So you too used Super Sonic to clip through the barrel, uh?

Wow, that’s pretty bad

yeah, i really struggle even with 8 bit music theory and others. while I don't "learn" a lot from these I still "get" them better and it makes me think about music a lot more

For me it feels as bad as not knowing how to read

The guy: the mixolydean syncopation contributes to a dichotomous harmony of funk and photosynthesis Me, nodding along: fuck dude it sure does

I'd love to see some of these aimed at people who don't know anything about musical theory.

honestly. i am smiling and nodding the entire time.

Wow, that's so cool, I hadn't known! Here's the link for anyone curious: The lead-up has Sonic on the surfboard with Mario gloves kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jal8YKqL2sm5qHU.html

WOW! ALL OF THE MOVEMENTS ACTUALLY PERFECTLY SYNC. nice

There’s a mod for sonic 3 air that makes the aiz intro line up well with the origins version, and the sfx for sonic jumping and for transforming into super line up PERFECTLY with beats of the music

Yeah I like it too, was a bit disappointed at how much he was dissing it

I always mostly see the Carnival Night soundtrack as the stage basically not having music. Same with Launch Base: there's a bit of sound so it's not dead quiet, but it's as close to nothing as you can get. Not sure I liked the prototype music; compare that to Casino Night Zone in Sonic 2, which had a nice, slower feel. "Lost and confused" seems to be the overall feeling of Carnival Night, so bright and happy music doesn't seem to fit. All of MJ's tracks are still terrible either way.

MJ's music sounds like a twisted carnival to me.

@@johnmoser3594 booo

Yea it's my favourite prototype tune

I definitely have interest in / concepts for a Spyro video, but it's not quite clear if there'd be enough...demand for it? If I was mega rich and could pick passion projects I would really want to do Spyro 1, Reignitied. So far I'm disliking Spyro 2's music overall due to the over-reliance on, audio samples (?) including human voices and such and for me those are awful to hear on a loop, which sometimes you hear it way too many times in a row because you're looking for the start point of an Orb quest in that level. for a while. Spyro 1 however....really fantastic throughout. So many highlights. My personal favorite is Dry Canyon....but, without going down a rabbit hole, I will say that the Reignitied versions of the music are absolutely amazing and should be regarded as the gold standard on how to update music for remasters of this kind.

@@AlexYardZone That's fair to say that there might not be enough demand for it, it's not nearly on the same level of popularity as something like Sonic or Zelda. I agree mostly with you on Spyro 2. I'm not a fan of using full song samples for a game although I don't mind the vocal samples. Spyro 1 has a great soundtrack and I'm glad to see that you really enjoy it since I grew up with it. I'd recommend checking out Year of the Dragon's soundtrack, it doesn't use full song samples like 2 and it's all original but it does sound quite a bit different from Spyro 1. I'm looking forward to when you feel like you can do a Spyro video and I'm always down for any of your uploads since it's so interesting learning how some of my favorite songs from games work compositionally.

@@AlexYardZone Its kinda ironic since for me Spyro 1 is the most forgettable while Spyro 2 is the best one, to me the Reignited lacks that oomph that the ps1 had If you know what I mean.

Oh man they sound so much better on their intended Genesis sound chip, compared to the MIDIs the PC version got

I do the exact same thing in Sonic 3 AIR. Much prefer Carnival Night and Launch Base’s prototype music but I can’t imagine Ice Cap with anything else.

I also do the exact same thing as you.

I couldn’t get rid of the OG launch base. It’s too good. But yeah, the proto carnival night is just better lol

They probably changed the pitch because the proto version of act 1 plays at a much slower tempo compared to the PC version and the lower pitch made everything sound too off at that tempo, IMO neither the proto nor the PC version of CNZ1 got the tempo right (PC is way too fast and proto is way too slow, the tempo should be directly inbetween the 2 at the PC pitch).

Link?

@@Hamster_Pants Sure. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rttxqtiintTMYn0.html There's a whole community of rendering game music with original synthesizers there. Ton of variety especially in the "related channels" section and the VGM Sources spreadsheet.

@@FLYNN_TAGGART thanks!

You beat me to the punch by a long time 😅

Also the first bit of the Mc Donals boss fight it seems familiar, its like a song from another game, a TMNT maybe? I dont recall it correctly

It ain't just the chip...the entire soundtrack of that game is packed with genius (against all odds)

I have both the final on Act 1 and the prototype music for Act 2 and have the prototype super theme as well

Thanks very much. In particular I do think Proto Carnival Night is very evocative with its metaphorical imagery...and there's so much to draw from. Gameplay-wise, I always liked Carnival Night as a kid. Nowadays I actually like Act 1 a lot but act 2 sort of drags. Act 1 though is a fantastic obstacle course which you can get through with minimal stoppage if you..

​@@AlexYardZone ..I hardly remember the details anymore as I haven't played in years. My folks sold my Genesis and a couple dozen+ games for like $30 when I was a teen and it pains me to think about it to this day at age 33! I find Proto Carnival Night to be easier on the ears myself and love the upbeat feeling, you're entering the carnival and taking in all the sights, sounds and smells for the first time. A sense of adventure and possibility awaits. ;) The realization that Japanese composers are responsible for most of the iconic Sonic tunes has lead me into a years long dive into the world of 70s and 80s Japanese Jazz-Funk-Prog fusion type stuff like Casiopea, Masayoshi Takanaka, Prism, Space Circus.. to name a few. Thanks for your response