Sounds good to me


I know I won't be able to keep up the pace of one post per day, let alone the two I'm doing just this morning, but I want to get my thoughts out here while they're fresh in my mind.  An interesting phenomenon I've encountered is how much I tend to latch on to music in my games.  I used the Capcom logo because they are generally good at providing enjoyable music for their games, primarily with Mega Man and Street Fighter.  It does a lot to set a specific mood.
For example, the theme Zangief gets for Street Fighter 4 is not generally masculine, but really jazzy.  This showcases the playful nature of the gentle giant.  It also frequently shifts rapidly from low to high and back, simulating the very "spinny" nature of his moves and the inputs needed to get them.  Guile is very masculine, but in a defensive kind of way.  It gives the idea of "you're not getting past me."  It works for his defensive nature.  Ken's theme is very upbeat and quick, reflecting his flashy style of gameplay.
Lack of music can have just as big an impact, as I've discovered playing Half-Life 2.  Valve seems to favor allowing the players to make their own experience, even as they subtly guide players to do exactly what they want.  Without music, it allows you to get more personally involved with the experience and you make it your own.  The Legend of Zelda games encompass both worlds.  Link games (Legend of Zelda) often involve a lot of puzzle solving, so the music is generally softened in these instances, perhaps because distraction is counter-productive.  When the action is ramped up or the player will be doing somewhat extensive travelling, the music gets dominant to create an entertaining mood.
The next time you play your favorite game or watch your favorite media (movies, shows, etc.), take some time to listen to the music.  It probably had an impact on how you felt at any given time.

P.S.: Yes, I checked that "travelling" is properly spelled according to Dictionary.com.  The spellchecker needs work.

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