Live/Orchestrated Video Game Music Thread

bombardier

What I'd like is to get going a nice index of various releases of orchestrated and live video game music. I like collecting soundtracks, but having live performances of tracks is something really special. I'll get this going with a few that I have:

Smashing Live!


Wonderful live performances of tons of tracks from Super Smash Brothers Melee. I got this one as a really big surprise from when I still subscribed to Nintendo Power. It's possibly the best additional perk item I got from that magazine, aside from the Donkey Kong Country and Ocarina preview VHS tapes from way back when.


Mario & Zelda Big Band Live


I came across this little gem while ordering the Snake Eater soundtrack online from an import website. A really fun CD and a nice twist on the Live versions of stuff. I think my favourite track is the Shop song from the recent Zelda incarnations. The first song opens with a bit of Miyamoto guitar soloing the Mario theme.


Sort of maybe a live soundtrack:
Shadow of the Colossus


Also something I had imported. It's not what I'm going for in the sense of this thread since it's original game music, but It's worth mentioning since it's already fully orchestrated. I wish more games put as much effort into their soundtracks as Shadow did. This soundtrack got some great playtime.

Suggest by MikeRyu:
Hyrule Symphony

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So there's a start. Add any more albums that you know of and/or love (Neskimos and so on). I know there's lots of remixes and high class MIDI stuff, but let's keep this strictly LIVE as in real instruments.

Finally, if anyone can point me into the direction of some Mario RPG orchestrated music, I would be very happy! Feel free to post links to where you can currently purchase releases as well.

MJ

This one is greatness


Greatness on a smaller scale.

I highly reccomend the orchestra one and the Shadow of the Colossus soundtracks. They are the best I've heard in a while.

Also of note, the red streel original soundtrack is out now. That game has some nice music, for a sub par shooter. It's worth checking out.

bombardier

Haha, wow. That's what I'm talking about! I will be checking those out for sure.

And just to expand the horizons a bit, I give you:

The Neverhood


Performed by Terry S. Taylor (also available is Imaginarium but I can never find a copy that isn't being sold for ridiculous $$$). Even if you havn't played The Neverhood, it's worth the listen!

MJ

I almost forgot about the music from this game. I usually play it before bedtime, and the music in it is soft and ambient for the hour, but it kicks in with those battle themes and gets your heart racing. I could probably get the songs off my game but there is an album around to buy I believe.

The Dude With Herpes

I don't have a picture, but the Guild Wars soundtracks are all pretty good.

Jeremy Soule also, iirc, and I'm pretty sure they're orchestrated.

polaris314

Thread wouldn't be complete without mention of Actraiser - Symphonic Suite. Exquisite.

I'll post an image if I can find one!

squirly

Has anyone been to the Play! travelling symphony thing ? It's showing this month here in Aus but it's in another state (The one below mine) so I'm debating whether it'd be worth a road trip.

Darmak

KingsHand wrote: »

I don't have a picture, but the Guild Wars soundtracks are all pretty good.

Jeremy Soule also, iirc, and I'm pretty sure they're orchestrated.

The first Guild Wars soundtrack is Jeremy Soule, the other two are Jeremy and Julian Soule. All three are totally awesome and worth getting. Probably my three favorite soundtracks, and I loves me some soundtracks.

cfgauss

I'd love to hear the Chrono Trigger / Chrono Cross soundtracks performed. They're some of my favorite songs, but I've only heard a few of them done by anyone.

Musiqua

squirly wrote: »

Has anyone been to the Play! travelling symphony thing ? It's showing this month here in Aus but it's in another state (The one below mine) so I'm debating whether it'd be worth a road trip.

I went to one of their Stockholm performances. And it was great. The crowd gave it a standing ovation, and the conductor had to go out and explain that they did not have any more songs rehearsed, and that they needed time to eat dinner before the next performance. So I recommend it fully.

A few niggles, though. Their arrangement of Metal Gear Solid's main theme, and Theme of Laura from Silent Hill (with Akira Yamaoka on guitar) left a lot to desire, and the video screens that they had up showing the games was a bit distracting at times.

Pureauthor

I'm going for the Play! concert in Singapore come 15th June. Can't wait!

MikeRyu

Hyrule Symphony is worth checking out.

bombardier

I've heard good things about that Play! concert. They need to release a recording.

Edit: I know there's a lot of other concerts that have had releases of recordings but I have never been able to find any.

solsovly

Dragon Quest VIII soundtrack, absolutely gorgeous. One of the only game orchestrated soundtracks I thought was worth listening to when I finished the game.

APZonerunner

While not orchestrated, Black Mages Live DVDs are awesome.

Inquisitor

cfgauss wrote: »

I'd love to hear the Chrono Trigger / Chrono Cross soundtracks performed. They're some of my favorite songs, but I've only heard a few of them done by anyone.

Here's a band I found that does a variety of videogame songs orchestrated:

http://www.selectstartband.com/media.html

That's a link to their download page. One of their songs they have up for sample is Frog's Theme from Chrono Trigger and I think they did an excellent job of it.

I will second that the Black Mages are awesome. Also, now I really want the Shadow of the Colossus soundtrack.

Vincent Grayson

The old Orchestral Game Concert series is fucking amazing. There's a number of more obscure games, but also stuff like Mario, Metroid, several FF games, Fire Emblem, Secret of Mana/SD3 (I think), Dragon Quest, etc.

Also, that Final Fantasy VI Grand Finale album is awesome as fuck.

Strifer

Oh yes, Orchestral Game Concert is pretty awesome, but getting it now is almost impossible unless you have a daily supply of money trucks.

Masa

Video Games LIVE!



Seeing this in person is absolutely amazing.
Check http://www.videogameslive.com/index.php?s=home for tour dates and stuff. I saw it a few months ago in New Haven, CT at the Yale concert.

Also, many previews of past shows are on the youtube(s). But of course do not expect good sound quality or for it to actually do justice to the live performance.

Tofystedeth

Seiken Densetsu Sound Collection. A couple of the tracks are meh, but the battle ones with the Spanish guitar are sweet.

EDIT: Also, The Video Game Pianist (can't find link, at work atm) has lots of songs, and does live concerts.

Vincent Grayson

Strifer wrote: »

Oh yes, Orchestral Game Concert is pretty awesome, but getting it now is almost impossible unless you have a daily supply of money trucks.

Yeah, but you can find pretty good quality mp3s on a number of game music sites.

Wyborn

Man, what concert was it where Uematsu was present for a version of Dancing Mad using a pipe organ and live choir? I'd kill to hear that.

Frem

Chrono Symphonic!

Edit: oops, never mind.

MikeRyu

I've asked this before in a different thread but didn't get a reply, but are we allowed to link to a site that has some soundtracks in Flash?

Spokes

so there was a concert at my school the other day and some band i had never heard of was opening for sugarcult. i was mildly disinterested

and then they went into this

http://youtube.com/watch?v=OGNDw9HtYoE

and i was like ohhhhhh shit

bombardier

Spokes wrote: »

and then they went into this

http://youtube.com/watch?v=OGNDw9HtYoE

and i was like ohhhhhh shit

Haha, yes. I have that one track around here somewhere. Took forever to find a decent version of it.

squirly

Musiqua wrote: »

squirly wrote: »

Has anyone been to the Play! travelling symphony thing ? It's showing this month here in Aus but it's in another state (The one below mine) so I'm debating whether it'd be worth a road trip.

I went to one of their Stockholm performances. And it was great. The crowd gave it a standing ovation, and the conductor had to go out and explain that they did not have any more songs rehearsed, and that they needed time to eat dinner before the next performance. So I recommend it fully.

A few niggles, though. Their arrangement of Metal Gear Solid's main theme, and Theme of Laura from Silent Hill (with Akira Yamaoka on guitar) left a lot to desire, and the video screens that they had up showing the games was a bit distracting at times.

Well, from what you and others have said I'm going to try and get down there for the show, I'm sure a roadtrip to see videogame songs preformed in the Sydney Opera House would be an awesome adventure.

AWinnerIsYou

That Chrono Symphonic thing seems pretty interesting, some of the tracks are really well done.

An awesome album of Chrono Trigger music that I think slips under the radar a lot is The Brink of Time.
(album art spoilered for possible size issues)

It's really hard to describe exactly what it is, but it's somewhere between jazz, fusion, progressive rock, funk, and jam band. It's a little campy at times, but it's a good listen.

Lost

I'm not sure if this is quite what your looking for, but what about The Protomen?

They are a band devoted to only making music about the mega-man series.

Chen

Musiqua

Wyborn wrote: »

Man, what concert was it where Uematsu was present for a version of Dancing Mad using a pipe organ and live choir? I'd kill to hear that.

They did Dancing Mad at Play in Stockholm, with orchestra, pipe organ, choir, AND rock band. No sign of Uematsu, except a greeting on a prerecorded video, though. Unfortunately, the acoustics wasn't that good for the rock band, so you couldn't hear any of the solo guitar, for example. Except for that, it was pretty awesome, to say the least.

Inzigna

Pureauthor wrote: »

I'm going for the Play! concert in Singapore come 15th June. Can't wait!

You lucky shit.

I couldn't get tickets.

Good to know I'm not the only one from Singapore around here.