[DHR-107]

Originally Posted by Fat Jorgen

Not really in-game "jams", but more of a criticism of RSE's music. From what I've heard of the RSE "big" battle themes, it seems like the composers didn't really know how to write a decent intro:

rival battle analysis

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Rival battle is a decent tune, but the intro... what? Victory music? But wait, there's a tense, repetitive tympani rhythm in the backgorund? Am I cheerful or tense? It's confusing and really really clunky.

gym battle analysis

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The gym theme, again, is solid, but the intro sounds like what a Pokemon parody might do to try and sound like the intro to the Pokemon trainer battle theme without actually infringing copyright (namely, by lowering the last note of each bar instead of continuing the rising phrase established by the other 2 notes). Without context, it'd admittedly be okay. With the context of the RBY classic, though, it just feels... off.

champion theme analysis

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And the champion theme. Holy crap. Technically, my beef isn't with the intro - it's actually somewhat well-done here, if only because it doesn't stray too far from its source material like the gym battle theme does (i.e., it preserves rising phrases instead of lowering the last note of each bar just to make it sound "different"). No, my beef is with the beginning of the track proper. What better music to accompany the biggest battle in the game than the audio warble of an old VHS tape? Seriously, why do they dip down so low in that part? It almost feels like they're making the part move just because it has to move, and they don't really care where it goes. It's awful, it doesn't fit in, and it's just really awkward-sounding.

That being said, there is one track that has a pretty decent intro imo:

grunt theme analysis

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Still the same cookie-cutter 3-3-2 rhythm as all the other intros, but that's not really bad, since it's an easy and popular way to create rhythmic tension. This intro does manage to distinguish itself with a very exotic use of phrygian mode in the melody and a bass riff that's more than the boring 2-note oscillating "doo-dee doo-dee" found everywhere else in Pokemon music. Unlike other intros mentioned in this post, it's not trying too hard to be similar to, but distinct from, some classic source material. And it shows with a vibrant character of its own.

Anyhoo, that's enough of my high horse for now.

But... RSE had the best Music EVER in the battles with Maxie/Archie!

Youtube

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I wish I could find a live version with a Sax ot Trumpet doing the main theme part...

Also... I simply love this piece of music from DPPt... Outside the Pokémon league During the day.

Youtube

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