Dire, Dire Docks (Super Mario 64) Jazz Arrangement

Can any video game music cover artist do Dire, Dire Docks too many times? I don't think so! Oh also, I got a soprano sax.

I love Dire, Dire Docks! In my first year of making music videos, I recorded a piano and soprano sax version of Dire, Dire Docks, using a soprano sax that I borrowed from a friend at my high school. I also arranged a version of Dire, Dire Docks for the Mulitplayer II Charity Album that I participated in back in 2016. If my new trend is making a cover of Dire, Dire Docks every 4 or 5 years, I guess that means I'm due for another one come 2025 - 2026 :)

Since then, I've never had the chance to play soprano sax... until now! I decided to complete my saxophone family (the 4 most common ones, at least) with a soprano sax! This is a Yamaha Custom Z, and oh my goodness, does it play well. Pretty much all saxes have intonation issues (soprano sax especially), but this one manages to play pretty well! Really looking forward to using it more in the future, possibly for some sax quartet stuff!

Dire, Dire Docks is such a beautiful melody. It's one of my go-to melodies when I sit down at a new piano I haven't played before, just because the melody is so great, and the harmony has just the right amount of lushness to it! I took it up a notch with this arrangement, adding a decent bit of reharm and meter changes, nothing too crazy, though! The duet combination of soprano sax and flugelhorn was a really interesting one to try (somewhat inspired by Quincy Jone's big band tune "Grace"), and I think it worked out super well in this mix! I am also SUPER happy with the piano and drum sounds in this mix - I used some mics I already had in some different ways on the piano and the drum overheads, and MAN they added so much! This is definitely one of my favorite-sounding arrangements I've produced, for sure!

Hope you enjoy! As a reminder, I'm still uploading every other week from now on. This gives me more time to work on outside business (of which I have a good amount of currently), and work towards cool opportunities for the channel... one of which you'll see in the next video!

♫ "Dire, Dire Docks" composed by Koji Kondo
Mix by @JuliaHenderson

SOCIAL MEDIA:

[SkaTuneNetwork]

a rerecording ive been anticipating for half a decade, and you delivered

[ChristopherMoom]

I feel like the sheer amount of work and talent that was involved with making this arrangement is probably scarier than the iconic Jolly Roger Bay Eel

[Lumigle]

Normal musicians: I want to be in an orchestra!
Insaneintherainmusic: I wanna BE the orchestra

[chordalharmony]

Dire Dire Docks just BEGS for flugelhorn, but then you made it better with the flugelhorn/sax textures. The strings to transition to the higher energy section, as well as really good solos, it’s perfect

[Evansurfnet]

This man single-handedly became the most recognized orchestra in the gaming community.

[onlyadog]

The one dislike is the eel that has to listen to dire dire docks on repeat 24/7

[RoundGamingChannel]

Had a slow piano version of this as our wedding ‘walking down the aisle” song. Incredible tune. Great jazz rendition!

[MostTimes]

This video oozes quality like a delicious burger for breakfast

[maxencec]

This is something i'd listen during a summer outside festival, while the sun goes down, the wind is blowin' and the chery blossoms are flying. The reverb on the saxophone, the string and the chimes made me think of that atmosphere

[solomonheinkel]

This Soprano-Flugelhorn combo is God’s gift to man during Covid season

[IMadeThatJumpCmon]

I got in a really big verbal fight with a good friend today. After leaving them alone for a while, I was just browsing through YouTube when I found this in my sub box. It really calmed me down and I managed to sort things out with my friend. Literal magic, Carlos 👍

[PepperonibeatsZombie]

When mentioning all the times you covered Dire Dire Docks in the description, you forgot to mention when you arranged it for the Video Game Jazz Medley! Just wanted to point that out

[KingoftheKeyboard]

This has always been my favorite song from Mario 64

[ItsDrMoist]

I’m actually convinced that you cant make anything that doesn’t sound beyond heavenly. Easily one of the most talented people on this platform man

[Dizee]

That big soprano melody at the end has such a 90's vibe and I'm here for it

[CAPAE]

At this point, all we need is an updated Stickerbrush Jazzphony...

[Croagunk.Collector]

The beginning of the chord progression you used for this arrangement will not stop reminding me of giant steps

[aydenwoyus]

Its crazy to see how much your arrangement style has changed in the 5ish years since your last version of this song

[rodithink]

I have shed many tears to your music, but this tear was special

[BrodySchoonMusic]

JESUS MAN I WAS NOT READY FOR THIS
I really can't bring to words how insanely wonderful this song was for me. By the end I was on the floor absolutely brimming with happiness, a huge smile and a genuine feeling of peace. Why was I on the floor you ask? 2:58. That killed me. I was not ready. Lastly, idk what it is, but in this I could really feel "you". The overall sound, especially towards the middle/end, is exactly the kind of sound I feel is why I love your music so much. No analysis to understand it, I just have this pure feeling like "this is the music that perfectly sums up insaneintherainmusic." Keep up the wonderful work, sorry for the essay. :)