Comments on: Irregular meter in video games, part three

By: Jaxcheese

Jaxcheese — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 00:57:00 +0000

I have found the most awesome website ever!
Music + video games + irregular meter!? I didn’t think anyone else ever thought about that.

Here’s one I found from Rocket Knight Adventures for Genesis in 5/4 (My favorite time signature!) but with a few extra beats thrown in.

http://www.brawlcustommusic.com/9072

By: Pakken

Pakken — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:01:19 +0000

Suikoden Tierkreis has some pretty irregular meter music, most notably Conflict, Collapsed Pagoda (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoLy7KIwAQo), and Believe in Tomorrow (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J7XXyqAA78), as well as others.

By: Jangler

Jangler — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 04:06:09 +0000

Here’s some stuff from Lagrange Point, a NES game that used an expansion chip for FM synthesis:

5/4 and some other phrases with totals of 10 and 12 beats:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PK_04dJjVc&feature=BFa&list=PL2917FA48A56DB74C&index=18

More 5/4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqhK_l4H-Qk&feature=BFa&list=PL2917FA48A56DB74C&index=19

3/4 with odd phrasing with mixed meter interludes that remind me of Gentle Giant:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAF6XvwdW_s&feature=BFa&list=PL2917FA48A56DB74C&index=22

By: RushJet1

RushJet1 — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:46:33 +0000

Super Metroid – Ridley has some 5/4 (someone mentioned this above I think, but the video has been removed).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d69jkLgLw58

By: codeman38

codeman38 — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 03:44:49 +0000

If you’re ever considering picking this back up… do check out the works of Tim Follin. One of his inspirations was ’70s prog-rock, and it totally shows. For just one example, here’s the beach theme from Plok for SNES, which effortlessly drifts between 7/8 and 4/4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ODKKILZiYY

Then there’s this tune from Treasure Master for NES, which is all over the place:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Faz-3VoW23U

And not Tim Follin, but check out the theme for the Nippius level from Jazz Jackrabbit, which is also rather interesting (3/4 + 3/4 + 3/4 + 3/4 + 2/4? it’s in units of 14 beats, however it breaks down):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2jdMqH9j0M

By: Yomi

Yomi — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 07:34:33 +0000

The Masked man version of Strong One is even more wacky, since it is missing half a beat from every measure of the 15/8. So that left you with an even stranger 29/16. And yes the piece sounds subtly off balance at the end of every measure, which aids in even more frustrated aborted combos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdEF9FlXNno

By: Nate

Nate — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:58:49 +0000

I don’t know what you mean by the modal ambiguity of that one melody, it is pretey odbious that it is in the C half-whole diminished scale.

By: Crimm

Crimm — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:00:23 +0000

It maybe that I’m a percussionist and I’m used to weird things like this, but a few of these don’t seem as “irregular” as you make them out to be. The GunGriffon Theme that Jakob posted is a simple 4/4 to 3/4 meter that feels like a 7/4.
I guess what I’m really looking for is stuff like these Gannondorf themes from the first post, with the strange 16th note meters.
But if you’re interested in looking at weird meters outside of Video Games and Prog. Rock, there are a few things written solely for percussion instruments that shift meter. the easiest example that comes to mind is Lynn Glassock’s ‘Factions’ (only recording I could find – http://www.furaffinity.net/view/4898615). Instead of typing out a long explanation of how it shifts, I might just leave you to listen to it yourself.
But this whole discussion makes me want to write something in something weird… maybe 11/16 or 17/16

By: Jakob

Jakob — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 07:20:16 +0000

This is a lovely series of articles that you have going here, kudos!

I would like to add a few examples!

Motoaki Takenouchi uses lots of irregular meter, sometimes very noticeable and other times subtle.

For example, Shining Force 2′s “Battle 2″ is mostly 4/4 with some 7/8 in the middle with a little variation. The odd meter feels very natural in this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d0k4TB2IZM

“Theme of Gungriffon” has more obvious odd meter, but it still feels natural

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EABXjc4BoSs

“Second Effort” from Shining Wisdom is also full of odd meter and is one of my favorites.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tu462qlWaw&feature=related

Motoi Sakuraba is also a common culprit,

some examples from him–

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ08RZmNkqg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVfkLiLFYHA (also another glaring Mars quote)

By: Ryan Miller

Ryan Miller — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 21:08:50 +0000

Time to add a few more. The opening to Megaman 10 is in 5/4 for a majority of it, with a few variences into 4/4 and 6/4.

The Boss Battle from Majora’s Mask is also in 7/4 for a majority of it before switching to 6/4 and finally moving to 4/4 before the loop. Personally the Boss Battle from Majora’s mask is one of the cooler irregular time signatures I’ve heard in a while, at some point I want to go through and really figure out exactly what’s goin’ on in the piece.