7G Assasin’s Creed II The Universe

assassins_creed_2_the_momment

OST: Ezio’s Family
Remix: The Universe
Sheet: None yet

First off, I’m back. I took a break when my work/life changed but I re-evaluated that unintentional decision and decided it was a mistake. I will be arranging music once again on a regular basis and performing live every few months.

Inspiration

Until now I have only arranged/played songs that are quite old (from my youth) because nothing gave me the feeling of being immersed in a new world that was worth exploring. I’ve spent my fair share of time playing sandbox games like GTA and Protoype but they felt like games/engines, not worlds. I played through AC2 & Brotherhood in 2011 and both games took me to an interesting place with many very cool challenges. While there were many songs in both of these games that were enjoyable this song was the first time I’ve played a 7G game and thought “oh yeah, video game music is awesome!”. The theme is re-hashed through several AC songs but the moment when the AC2 screen comes up still gives me actual chills.

NES Mega Man 2 Woodman’s Forest

Remix: Woodman’s Forest
Sheet: PDF

Inspiration

While practicing go perform a couple of months ago I got tired with the songs I knew and felt like learning another one. I browsed through my list of OSTs and stopped at Mega Man 2 remembering my extensive time playing including the fact that I had just beaten it a week prior. I had originally intended to learn the most famous Dr. wily Level but while I was playing it found myself accidently straying to wood man’s stage. Once I realized I enjoyed playing it more I decided to learn it.

Please excuse the lower quality as I’m inbetween sound cards and am currently using an SBLive.

PS2 Final Fantasy X Zanarkand

Only If

OST: PSF2
Remix: Great Hope
Sheet: None yet

Inspiration

Back in the winter of 2000 I stumbled across a trailer for Final Fantasy X and this song was in it. I thought the music was so beautiful it reminded me of my earlier SNES days and left a pretty good impression on me.

I never got around to playing through FFX but this song stuck with me. I realize this song is quite popular and there is a good reason for that, the same reason that I’ve played it here (not arranged).

SNES Chrono Trigger Purple Robe

schala

OST: Schala’s Theme
Remix: Purple Robe
Sheet: PDF

Inspiration

The dark ages was easily my favourite part of Chrono Trigger. I felt most connected with and to me at the time it was really surprising creativity. Schala’s theme was my favourite from this time (Next to corridors of time) but what I found was it is very enjoyable to play on piano. It’s not that hard so if you play give the sheet music above a try.

SNES Zelda (ALLTP) Sad Overworld

OST: Overworld
Remix: Goodbye Link
Sheet: None yet

Inspiration

Just before I went to perform at a convention I was playing through my Zelda Medley and I noticed I really enjoyed the soft part of the overworld so I decided to record a section of it using my Toneport UX2 and the Roland RD700SX I had rented for the performance. I turned out rather nice and I uploaded it as sort of a preview.

Over time as the new Zelda games have come out for N64, DS and Wii I’ve given them a minor chance but not being a kid I didn’t give them hordes of time as I would have before. So I guess I felt like my time spent with Zelda was now only in the past.

SNES Super Metroid Piano Maridia

Lower Maridia

OST: Maridia 2
Remix: Piano Maridia
Sheet: PDF

Inspiration

It doesn’t take much to turn this almost written for piano song into a piano solo. When I got to this part of the game I was really surprised how trapped the background music made me feel. All metroid games have the feel of being lost in the depths as you play through them but for some reason this song really made me feel it.

SNES Super Metroid Item Collect

Super Metroid Item

OST: Item collect
Remix: Item collect
Sheet: Item Collect

Inspiration

I had always liked the soundtrack to super metroid. When I first came up with the idea of vgPiano I tried to get some albums together and one of them was super metroid. However, if not for metroid metal I probably would have never picked this song.

SNES Super Metroid Title

Super Metroid

OST: Title
Remix: Metroid Intro
Sheet: None yet

Inspiration

This remix was one of those times where you sit down a keyboard and just start playing. I never intended to remix this song but I picked it up quickly and figured what the heck I’ll hit record. I’m glad I did.

NES Metroid Kraid #3

Third time's the charm

Remix: Kraid Three
Sheet: PDF

Inspiration

When I launched my first version of my vgpiano page I wanted to have one good version of this song since at the time I had so many floating around. So I sat down and recorded what to be honest I still don’t think captures what I was trying to do but until I revisit this song (which I doubt I will for quite a while as this game has other good un-covered tracks) this will have to do.

SNES Zelda (ALLTP) Before the Mirror Medley

Link

OST: Sanctuary, Overworld, Kakariko
Remix: Before the Mirror
Sheet: Kakariko, Overworld, Sanctuary

Inspiration

In 2005 I started looking for remix competitions because I was really enjoying tracking compos. I found a competition on RPG Gamer called Sound Test. This competition featured an “On the Keys”  section. There were basic rules but it had to be from an RPG and on a keyed instrument (organ, piano, etc). I always figured that Zelda for SNES was a bit of a stretch to say it was an RPG but I guess that 1 town was enough to make an RPG so I was more than happy to do this.

Initially I wanted to do more tracks but I started to run out of time so I called it “Before the Mirror” because all the songs it in take place in the light world. I have always intended to do an “After the Mirror” with songs from the Dark world and maybe one day I will.