Level Up: The Evolution of Video Game Music

Technology has come a long way in the last 40+ years, so let’s take a trip down memory lane to learn how video game music was made and how far it has progressed. You’ll hear from some of the top names in the industry as they share their take on the current and future state of gaming music!

“One of the things that is so special about video games is you could say that you achieved something that you know there was a goal, and you were able to conquer a goal and be rewarded for that. This is something that is so great about computer games that it just doesn’t exist in other media.” – Inon Zur

In the Beginning

Back in 1978, the classic game Space Invaders was introduced to arcades worldwide. While earlier consoles could produce sound in one way or another, Space Invaders was the first video game with a continuous “soundtrack,” which was groundbreaking then. While there was nothing wrong with hearing the iconic blips of the 1972 classic Pong, Space Invaders set the tone for where video game music would end up.

Early games like Space Invaders used the Texas Instruments SN76477 complex sound generator. The SN76477 was a noise-generator chip that consisted of a noise generator, VCO, super-low-frequency oscillator (SLF oscillator), a mixer, noise filter, A/D circuitry, audio amplifier, and control circuitry. Someone could use all this to create noise, sounds, tones, or a combination. Programmers used this chip in many arcade games and clocks. And, with some circuitry knowledge, you could (and still can) even create a synthesizer!

Ti SN76477 complex sound generator

Ti SN76477 pinout

What About Actual Music?

You might be saying: “Space Invaders didn’t have any music. It was just noises,” and, yes, you’d be correct. While Space Invaders has the title of the first continuous “soundtrack,” the distinction is continuous sound — notmusic. Rally-X, an arcade game released in 1980, holds the distinction of the first continuous melodic soundtrack. Instead of using the sound generator like previous arcade games, Rally-X was the first known game to use a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to produce sampled tones.

RALLY X (1980 Namco)

8-bit Revolution

Fast-forward a few years, and the 8-bit revolution begins. No longer were there simple beeps on a one-channel sound chip. Developers could now compose soundtracks on a more advanced programmable sound generator (PSG). This revolution laid the groundwork not only in the gaming world but for a popular way of creating music in the future, aptly called “chiptune.”

No matter what platform you used back in the stone age of video games, you needed a great understanding of circuitry to program video game music. However, thanks to modern technology, you can re-create the sounds of old using virtual instruments like UVI’s 8-Bit Synth and Vengeance-Sound’s 8-bit Era!

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NES (Nintendo)

1985 saw the release of arguably the most iconic console game of all time: Super Mario Bros. While plenty of games were released before that, it’s widely accepted that it’s one of the most, if not the most, famous video game soundtracks of all time. Unlike previous video game systems that used the TI SN76477 as a sound generator, Nintendo used a Ricoh 2A03 (NTSC version)/Ricoh 2A07 (PAL version) for creating music.

The 2A03 consisted of five mono channels that could only produce the following sounds: two pulse waves, one triangle wave, one noise generator, and one DPCM channel, which was allocated to samples but was very rarely used. Due to Ricoh’s restrictions, programmers were stuck with those five sounds. That explains why most NES music sounded the same — catchy but very primitive.

Ricoh 2A03

Commodore 64

The Commodore 64 (C64) used the MOS 6581 SID (sound interface device) chip. Although it only had three mono audio channels, each channel could produce a triangle, pulse, sawtooth, or noise waveform or any variation of the four waveforms.

MOS 6581 SID

MOS 6581 SID pinout

What made C64 soundtracks more interesting was that programmers figured out how to “hack” the chips to reassign waveforms on a channel at any time, allowing the programmers to write more complex pieces with fewer limitations. Here are oscilloscope traces of the M.U.L.E. and Commando soundtracks to better understand how the chip worked “before the hack” and “after the hack.” In M.U.L.E., you can see it only uses square, saw, and noise waveforms. On the Commando soundtrack, however, you can see how noise waveforms were reassigned as square waves on the same channel on the fly.

M.U.L.E Theme – Oscilloscope

Commando – Oscilloscope

Time to Upgrade

The fourth generation of video games (more commonly referred to as the 16-bit era) debuted new technology and methods for creating music. Console companies began slowly transitioning to 16-bit sound processors that were far more complex. Better-sounding instruments, more intricate music, and realistic sound effects started taking shape. Moreover, developers could focus primarily on games, and music composers were finally able to write multidimensional music. However, console companies utilized the technology differently.

Super Nintendo (SNES)

Nintendo stopped using the Ricoh sound chips with the Super Nintendo in favor of the new S-SMP (Sony Sound and Music Processor), which consisted of the SPC-700 audio chip and 64KB of SRAM (static RAM). While the sound and music process was still very technical, programmers had more freedom. Composers and developers could write programs to have the S-SMP tell the SPC-700 what sounds to make. Unlike the 2A03, which had five channels that could only produce specific waveforms, the S-SMP combo had eight channels and was sample based. However, music programmers were limited to 64KB of audio RAM, including sound effects — for an entire game!

The Sound Capabilities of the SNES

Fitting Entire Soundtracks in Less Than 64KB of RAM

Creating music with such a small file-size limit was a painstakingly long process because composers often had to cut down samples to a single-cycle waveform to fit the 64KB size limit. To make things easy, video game composer David Wise took inspiration from the technology of the Korg Wavestation, which used wave sequencing (this feature is also found in the Korg Wavestate).

After recording one waveform at many different frequencies, he input each into a program individually by using HEX code. The most-recognized example is his composition “Aquatic Ambiance” from the original Donkey Kong Country soundtrack.

Aquatic Ambience – Donkey Kong Country 1 on wavestate

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The Rise of the Synth

In the ’80s, FM synths took the world by storm with Yamaha leading the charge. As they became more available commercially, large sound chips meant for full-size synth keyboards could be miniaturized to fit onto a console’s circuit board. Video game composers took advantage of this because the instruments and sound effects sounded more pleasing, but they also relied less on the system’s memory.

While Nintendo was still using a Sony-based sound chip in the mid-’80s, Yamaha produced sound chips that manufacturers like Sega would use for gaming machines. The first was the YM2151 (their first single-chip FM synth), used in games such as Marble Madness and various arcade games from companies like Konami. It would become the predecessor of the 2164, which was used in synths like the DX100.

Sega Genesis

Sega released the Genesis console a year before the SNES was released (you may also hear it called Sega Mega Drive). Unlike the SNES, which used the 8-channelS-SMP sound system, Sega had used the 4-channel TI SN76486 and the 6-channel Yamaha 2612 sound chip. The chip was a stripped-down version of the YM21280, which was used on one of the most recognized synths ever known: the Yamaha DX7.

Before you hear the differences between the SNES and the Genesis, it’s important to note that, while they may have sounded different, ultimately, the final product was a sum of not only all its technical parts but also the composers behind it.

Street Fighter II – Guile’s Theme (Sega Genesis)

Street Fighter II SNES – Guile Stage

Sample Away

Not all consoles back in the ’90s used FM synthesis. In the mid-’90s, disc-based consoles became more popular, particularly the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation. While systems like the Genesis and SNES could use sampled sounds, consoles like the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation (PS1) were able to perfect it, thanks to advancements in technology.

Since they used CDs, composers didn’t have to worry about writing within the constraint of 64KB of RAM. They could now use 16-bit, 44.1kHz uncompressed CD-quality samples on 512KB of RAM stored on the game’s 600MB disc. The one big difference between the Saturn and PlayStation is that the PlayStation could play 24 continuous samples, whereas the Saturn could play 32.

The Odd One Out

While the disc-based PlayStation and Saturn were popular, the second highest-selling console at the time was the Nintendo 64. Like their oddly shaped game controllers, the approach to sound was entirely different not only from the disc-based PS1 and Saturn but also its predecessor, the SNES. Unlike the other consoles (even the SNES), the N64 had no sound chip, so all audio was played by the console’s 64-bit processor.

Just like the SNES, the other big issue was a limited amount of space. An N64 cartridge could only hold 64MB of data, and, since the games were graphics-heavy, only a sliver was dedicated to audio. Yet again, composers needed to get creative. They would have to compress MIDI files and use sound fonts for everything to fit. Let’s listen to how different the Sega and Sony disc-based consoles sounded compared to the cartridge-based N64.

A DAW — As a Video Game?

If you didn’t have a computer or audio-recording gear or you were just a gamer who wanted to create some music, then Sony released a DAW video game that anyone could use to create their music! Like Fruity Loops (now called FL Studio), Music 2000 was a step-sequenced-based DAW with plenty of sounds and instruments to choose from. Interestingly, there’s still a community that writes music with Music 2000 to this day!

MTV Music Generator | PlayStation Television Commercial (1999) 

PlayStation 1 Music Making Software?

What About Computers?

We’ve talked a lot about consoles, but what about home computers? The evolution of PC video game sound is less confusing. While they were based on a similar architecture, the PCs were ahead of the curve. It essentially went from a built-in computer speaker to a sound card you had to install then to USB external audio interfaces.

For the longest time, PCs used a small beeper speaker controlled by the computer’s CPU to produce sound. And, while the mid-’80s had the PCJr and Tandy 1000, they only made three-voice sounds. In 1987, a PC sound card would be released that changed the future of video game audio: the AdLib music synthesizer.

The AdLib used a Yamaha YM3812, an 11-channel FM-based sound chip that could play 11 continuous sounds or six channels of sound with five percussive instruments, which meant video game composers and programmers could get creative. While it sounds elementary compared to today’s standards, it was groundbreaking technology.

Original Ad Lib Sound Card Promotion 

Roland MT-32

The Roland MT-32 was also an extremely popular choice, but it was a relatively bulky external MIDI module and was a little expensive. At the time, it cost $695 ($1,600 today), which was three times more costly than the original Sound Blaster, which was $240 ($605 in today’s money)! That said, the Roland MT-32 had a smoother, higher-quality sound. Here’s an example of the sound of each different sound card.

The Secret of Monkey Island with Various Sound Cards

Blast Off!

For a short while, the AdLib was the popular choice in PC gaming. However, Creative Labs would build the game-changing audio card that would become the industry standard. That audio card was called the Sound Blaster. It utilized DSP, or what Creative Labs called Digital Sound Processor (NOT to be confused with digital signal processor). While external audio interfaces are very popular among gamers, Sound Blaster remains the de facto standard for gaming audio.

X-Wing intro with Waveblaster + Soundblaster 16 (1993)

Jagged Alliance Deadly Games Menu Theme (SB32) (1996)

The Human Element

Though technology was the driving force behind video gaming and music, composers and music programmers were the unsung heroes. Some programmed music in HEX code, and some used recording software, like world-renowned composer Inon Zur, who used Steinberg’s Pro 24 (which later evolved into Cubase) and Emagic (later called Logic). While primitive by today’s standards, software like Pro 24 was groundbreaking. You could sit down with a keyboard, press the record button, and start recording music. However, the additional hardware required to achieve professional results was a bit much.

1986: Steinberg Pro 24 and Atari ST

As time passed, music (and game) technology changed faster than Sonic the Hedgehog could run. Computers became faster and more powerful, DAWs added new features (and, more importantly, higher channel counts, which we’ll talk about in a little bit), and gear became more readily available. Video game composers no longer needed to rely so much on programming MIDI, and they could now write, perform, and record in real time anywhere.

Current State of Affairs

Phew! In just over 40 years, we’ve come from beeps and boops to crystal-clear digitally recorded audio. From multigenre to orchestral and heavy metal, there’s no denying how far we have come. Each composer has different methods, but all of them share one thing in common: creating memorable music for generations to enjoy.

For example, Inon Zur worked with live symphony orchestras for games like Syberia and the highly anticipated release of Starfield. Meanwhile, indie video game composers like Darren Korb and Jacob Foxe connect gear to a four-channel audio interface and press the record button in a DAW.

Thanks to advancements in music technology, video game composers who need dramatic orchestral music and don’t have symphony orchestras at their disposal can now use virtual instruments. VIs (virtual instruments) like EastWest Hollywood Orchestra Opus sound so much like the real thing, they can get similar results right in their studio!

Scoring With Opus: Video Game

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What About Other Genres?

Orchestras and choirs are prevalent in video game soundtracks nowadays, and rightfully so! There’s nothing like a dynamic orchestral piece, particularly for main themes and boss battles, but not every game requires an orchestral soundtrack. However, it doesn’t always have to be the case. For example, if you listen to the soundtrack from the video game Rocket League, it’s all EDM. Why? Because it fits the style of the game. If you had a 100-piece orchestra, then it would have a completely different vibe and may not make the game as enjoyable as it is. Even heavy metal has become commonplace!

Rocket League: Official Game Soundtrack Vol. 1 & 2

Mick Gordon – Inferno (Cinder’s Theme)

Where Are We Going?

In the words of iconic vocalist David Coverdale, “I don’t know where I’m going, but I sure know where I’ve been.” To answer that question, I went straight to the source and asked some of the most recognized video game composers two questions:

“Video game and music technology have evolved quite a bit, even in the past decade. Do you think technology will evolve even further? If so, where do you think it will go?”

Inon Zur (Dragon Age, Syberia, Fallout)

“There are two branches of evolvement and humankind. One of them is purely technical. We know that the technical aspect will always evolve. Computers are going way faster, and it will be easier to enhance AI. You know artificial intelligence will start becoming more and more a part of our lives, and it will also take a stand when it comes to scoring games.”

“The more modern thinking is that the game company will create the soundtrack for the game, and the game will pick up its music queue and put it inside the game based on the gamer’s preferences, so, basically, it’s personalizing your own soundtrack. We’re a little far from this, but this is where it will gravitate from a technical point of view, and it will really influence your artistic choices and how it will work.”

Starfield Suite – Inon Zur

Darren Korb (Hades, Bastion, Pyre)

Hades: Original Soundtrack – Full Album

“It certainly has! I can only assume it will become even more powerful and cheaper to access if this same trend continues. I know for a fact that if I had started working on Bastion even two years earlier, I wouldn’t have been able to approach the music the same way. Just the change from Logic 7 to Logic 8 really shaped my workflow and allowed me to iterate on ideas quickly and access tons of sounds easily.”

“I think the improvements to ease of use, lower prices, and increasingly powerful tools will continue to be helpful to me and others looking to make the most of a minimal home-studio setup. On the game side, the middleware used to integrate music into games is advancing, as well! The ease of doing really interesting stuff with dynamic music and multi-stem playback of pieces with lots of interactivity has drastically improved over the last 12 years or so, and that’s something I’m excited about for the future of game music.”

Chase Bethea (Aground, Aztec Ride)

“Yes, I do. People are always pushing forward in efficient workflows, and they use technology to achieve that. From EQs like FabFilter, SplitEQ, and Soothe2 to speaker monitors such as Kii and Fluid Audio. Even in game audio, middleware like ELIAS and Wwise are evolving in ways that give people another way to experience audio in other mediums of entertainment. MIDI 2.0 offers a plethora of new audio and video techniques to enhance workflow efficiency. Tool sets and guidelines will be more defined as more people use headphones for immersion. [HRTF — Head Related Transfer Functions] locality practices are to be considered in relation to references on VR/MR/AR/XR peripherals. Waves Nx and Sound Particles are making incredible technological advances such as creating virtual mix rooms that emulate world-class acoustically treated studios and buildings.”

“Tale of Time” composed by Chase Bethea

Jacob Foxe (Verdancy Vale)

“This question is very interesting to me since my degree is in computer hardware engineering. Video game technology is evolving quickly because there’s a lot of money in the field, and I think that will only continue down the road. Many people herald VR and AR (virtual reality and augmented reality) as the future of gaming. While I’d love for that to be the case, I think we have a couple of decades left before those media are perfected to the point where AAA companies will develop games for them.”

“As we’ve seen in recent years with the Nintendo Switch and the newer Steam Deck, many companies have turned their gazes toward making powerful yet portable consoles, whereas others like the latest PlayStation and Xbox generations have proven yet again how powerful we can make little black boxes. In both cases (and PC gaming), companies are limited to the technology at hand, but graphics cards will continue to become more powerful, CPUs will become faster, and memory will continue to become cheaper. So, more powerful consoles/computers are cheaper. As for music technology, I’d venture those further evolutions of what we have now will be heavily leaning toward software rather than hardware.”

Conclusion

In 1978, rhythmic beeps and boops produced by a small sound chip took the world by storm. As time progressed, developers and musicians used the ever-changing technology to create sound and music that became mainstays in every household and arcade. Now that we’re taking advantage of real-time recordings of 100-piece symphony orchestras and software that can do pretty much anything, where will we be in the next 50 years? The answer is unclear, but you never know what the future holds.
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