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Ground Theme (Super Mario Bros.): Difference between revisions
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The Ground Theme is a Latin-styled composition piece with a calypso-like rhythm which Kondo wrote alongside the rest of the music for ''Super Mario Bros.'' while watching and playing the game as it was being developed.<ref>NintenDaanNC (December 17, 2009). [https://youtu.be/5ilJCerCucA <nowiki>[NC UK]</nowiki> Koji Kondo Interview]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved June 20, 2019.</ref> Kondo has cited works by Japanese fusion band {{wp|T-Square (band)|T-Square}} and musician {{wp|Sadao Watanabe (musician)|Sadao Watanabe}} as influences in the music.<ref>[http://shmuplations.com/kojikondo/ Koji Kondo – 2001 Composer Interview]. ''Shmuplations''. Retrieved June 20, 2019.</ref> The first bar after the introduction to the Ground Theme shares a melody with a bar from T-Square's "Sister Marian",<ref>Nekuro Earnhardt (October 5, 2017). [https://youtu.be/-2la3MlJx3s?t=63 T-Square - Adventures - 04 Sister Marian]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved July 31, 2019.</ref> which predates the original release date of ''Super Mario Bros.'' by over a year. | The Ground Theme is a Latin-styled composition piece with a calypso-like rhythm which Kondo wrote alongside the rest of the music for ''Super Mario Bros.'' while watching and playing the game as it was being developed.<ref>NintenDaanNC (December 17, 2009). [https://youtu.be/5ilJCerCucA <nowiki>[NC UK]</nowiki> Koji Kondo Interview]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved June 20, 2019.</ref> Kondo has cited works by Japanese fusion band {{wp|T-Square (band)|T-Square}} and musician {{wp|Sadao Watanabe (musician)|Sadao Watanabe}} as influences in the music.<ref>[http://shmuplations.com/kojikondo/ Koji Kondo – 2001 Composer Interview]. ''Shmuplations''. Retrieved June 20, 2019.</ref> The first bar after the introduction to the Ground Theme shares a melody with a bar from T-Square's "Sister Marian",<ref>Nekuro Earnhardt (October 5, 2017). [https://youtu.be/-2la3MlJx3s?t=63 T-Square - Adventures - 04 Sister Marian]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved July 31, 2019.</ref> which predates the original release date of ''Super Mario Bros.'' by over a year. | ||
Upon seeing the overworld levels in an early prototype of ''Super Mario Bros.'', Kondo initially wrote a "laid-back, relaxing" piece that would invoke the feeling of a "carefree walk," but thought it did not fit the game. Kondo decided instead to create a new piece whose tempo would match the game's speed and the rhythm of Mario's movements, though a triplet rhythm from the original piece was retained in the final composition.<ref>Nintendo (December 13, 2014). [https://youtu.be/3WsP4lnFq9w Chatting with Koji Kondo - Nintendo Minute]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved June 20, 2019.</ref><ref>[http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wii/super-mario-all-stars/0/3 Iwata Asks : Super Mario All-Stars : Music Follows Function]. ''Nintendo''. Retrieved June 20, 2019.</ref> He continued to scrap versions that did not time up with Mario's actions or harmonize with sound effects. The Ground Theme was the second song Kondo created for the game, after the Underwater Theme<ref>[http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wii/mario25th/4/4 Iwata Asks : Super Mario Bros. 25th Anniversary : To Save Memory]. ''Nintendo''. Retrieved June 20, 2019.</ref>, and took the most time to compose.<ref>Kohler, Chris (March 15, 2007). [https://www.wired.com/2007/03/behind-the-mario-maestros-music/ Behind the Mario Maestro's Music]. ''WIRED''. Retrieved July 31, 2019.</ref> | Upon seeing the overworld levels in an early prototype of ''Super Mario Bros.'', Kondo initially wrote a "laid-back, relaxing" piece that would invoke the feeling of a "carefree walk," but thought it did not fit the game. Kondo decided instead to create a new piece whose tempo would match the game's speed and the rhythm of Mario's movements, though a triplet rhythm from the original piece was retained in the final composition.<ref>Nintendo (December 13, 2014). [https://youtu.be/3WsP4lnFq9w Chatting with Koji Kondo - Nintendo Minute]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved June 20, 2019.</ref><ref>[http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wii/super-mario-all-stars/0/3 Iwata Asks : Super Mario All-Stars : Music Follows Function]. ''Nintendo''. Retrieved June 20, 2019.</ref> He continued to scrap versions that did not time up with Mario's actions or harmonize with sound effects. The Ground Theme was the second song Kondo created for the game, after the [[Underwater Theme]]<ref>[http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wii/mario25th/4/4 Iwata Asks : Super Mario Bros. 25th Anniversary : To Save Memory]. ''Nintendo''. Retrieved June 20, 2019.</ref>, and took the most time to compose.<ref>Kohler, Chris (March 15, 2007). [https://www.wired.com/2007/03/behind-the-mario-maestros-music/ Behind the Mario Maestro's Music]. ''WIRED''. Retrieved July 31, 2019.</ref> | ||
In ''Super Mario Bros.'', the Ground Theme is used as the background music of all levels that take place outdoors, excluding underground, underwater, and castle levels. This encompasses level themes that would be given separate music in later games, such as athletic and night levels. As the game is for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] and [[Family Computer]], the theme is orchestrated as {{wp|chiptune}}, using two {{wp|pulse wave}} channels for melody and harmony, a triangle wave generator for bass, and a noise channel for percussion. After the introduction, a rhythmic contrast emerges between the tonal parts, which play with straight eighth notes, and the percussion, which plays a {{wp|Swing (jazz performance style)#Swing as a rhythmic style|swing rhythm}}. | In ''Super Mario Bros.'', the Ground Theme is used as the background music of all levels that take place outdoors, excluding underground, underwater, and castle levels. This encompasses level themes that would be given separate music in later games, such as athletic and night levels. As the game is for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] and [[Family Computer]], the theme is orchestrated as {{wp|chiptune}}, using two {{wp|pulse wave}} channels for melody and harmony, a triangle wave generator for bass, and a noise channel for percussion. After the introduction, a rhythmic contrast emerges between the tonal parts, which play with straight eighth notes, and the percussion, which plays a {{wp|Swing (jazz performance style)#Swing as a rhythmic style|swing rhythm}}. | ||