Does anybody know what technology & software they used to make the music for Ocarina of Time & Majora's Mask?

[JamesAndrewHarris]

Does anybody know?

I've scoured the web, only to find out about technology the Zelda games had been on (which is one half of the answer really)
It is annoying searching for a while, and not getting anything, especially with the brief information out there, so I thought to come here, instead of getting pissed off.

The main purpose of my question is for research and documentation purposes and for an assignment in college, as it mainly is about the technology of video game music.  
So if anyone knows, please help.

-James.
 

• P.S If I find some info I will be sure to pass it on, so a useful collection of data is there, for others who want to know. Also, if this has been asked before I am sorry for not checking if someone has already given the answer.

[HeavyZ]

It was probably made using custom software?? using computers??

[punk7890]

95% of music on N64 is custom MIDI formats. While they aren't really midi, they are close to it. There are 3 that I know of that are completly different. I can't really go into detail since I don't know the specs or anything of the like.

[JamesAndrewHarris]

Just that alone is helpful. I some what suspected it wasnt MIDI, in its entirity.

[EXIA]

Seeing as MIDI was fully available during the 80s, the music was most likely sequenced with a MIDI interface. (It's worth noting that MIDI isn't a way of producing a sound, it is actually just a set of instructions that control other parameters)

Punk's OoT soundfont clearly shows the use of sample manipulation (chants and performed rhythmic instruments are clearly audible when slowed down), so they certainly recorded a lot of their own sounds and used some kind of sampler during sequencing.

The best way to find the sound sets and instruments they used would be to look at which were popular during the 90s (for example, if in 15 years you were looking for sound libraries from the 2000s, you'd be sure to find things like EWQL and Cinebrass). However, I wouldn't count on finding too much. Larger companies like Nintendo and Square Enix would have team members specifically to design synth sounds (it's still a very common practice today). Composers like Masashi Hamauzu (FFXIII) started their careers with those jobs. Also, because of the use of samples, I'd be willing to bet that some of the instruments are also samples, rather than being synth based.

Of course, this is just educated guess work. But I'm pretty confident that a lot of it is correct, haha.




 

[JamesAndrewHarris]

I study Music Technology at college, this is why I find a lot of Nintendo's work on the Zelda (OOT & MM) series fascinating. It is interesting that they chose to use samples, I remember reading that some of the samples where in stereo and at 44.1khz or that they could have the capability for it I don't remember exactly (it was from a manual I believe.)

it wouldn't surprise me (Nintendo) did have a fondness for pushing the N64 to it's limits during it's prime (e.g. separating music into sequences and playing it at different times. The music for hyrule field mainly where it slowed down and sped up according to the walking speed.)

 

About Cinebrass, I am positive Graeme Norgate from Goldeneye used Cinebrass for the brass work, especially as the brass does not sound like programmed GM sound sets. 

Hmm, now to find info on the computers and software they used to programme and arrange the music. 
Thank you, this information is amazing.

-James


Oh I found this - http://www.pixelprospector.com/the-big-list-of-sound-and-music-creation-software/

Edited December 9, 2013 by JamesAndrewHarris

[EXIA]

Given that Cinebrass was only released in 2011, there's no way it could have been used on Goldeneye.

I vaguely remember having a conversation with Punk where he mentioned a Roland JV 1010 being used on a lot of n64 games, including Goldeneye. I can't quite remember, though.
 

(Punk, if you see this could you clarify? ^^)

There appears to be something called "n64 sound tool" which is a windows 95 MIDI sequencer that could connect to the n64 via a cartridge.
http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?19049-N64-Sound-Tool

 

I'm not sure it was used on OoT, but several sources I've seen after a quick google search have linked it to games by Rare, so it might be interesting to look at.


One of my lecturers is well versed in old methods of music production, so I'll try to ask him what he thinks about it while I'm in today.

[punk7890]

Goldneye/Perfect Dark did indeed use a Roland sound device. Graeme and Grant used a Roland JV1080 for both said games. He also used a Emu Proteus FX (also that very low Tambourine sample that is all over Goldeneye is in here) for the various sound effects (mostly all) in Banjo Kazooie/Tooie. Not sure how they got the samples into the game thought. Might be some sort of dumping routine that can be used or a simple line-in recording.

[JamesAndrewHarris]

Given that Cinebrass was only released in 2011, there's no way it could have been used on Goldeneye.

Oh. My mind is absolutely scattered at the moment - long days at college. But thank you for telling me.

 

 

 

 

[JamesAndrewHarris]

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/03/72971 - An article on Koji Kondo (however it only states that he made his own basic programs) 

Another article - http://www.nintendo.co.uk/Iwata-Asks/Iwata-Asks-Super-Mario-All-Stars/Vol-1-Super-Mario-History-Soundtrack-CD/6-Music-Commentary-by-Koji-Kondo-3-/6-Music-Commentary-by-Koji-Kondo-3--220102.html (this one is about Super Mario and the music production/composition and importation but it is very brief on the N64 on inputting music.)

One quote from Wikipedia (grr)  "In 1996, the Nintendo 64, still using a solid state cartridge, actually supported an integrated and scalable sound system that was potentially capable of 100 channels of PCM, and an improved sample rate of 48kHz. Games for the N64, because of the cost of the solid state memory, typically had samples of lesser quality than the other two however, and music tended to be simpler in construct."

http://www.rarewarecentral.com/?q=miditutorial - A tutorial (For Rom's though--Maybe they had the same process in the N64 days?)
 

Edited December 11, 2013 by JamesAndrewHarris