How Cuphead Arranges for Ragtime Orchestra

In this video I take a look at how Cuphead's "Inkwell Isle One" theme takes a dynamic roadmap and adapts it to both solo piano and full ragtime band arrangements.

Background footage:

[wohdinhel]

*trombone slide is very period appropriate*

[wren_bean]

My voice instructor also teaches piano and she asked me, "Do you know anything about video game music? I'm having trouble finding pieces that my younger students are motivated to learn." I immediately sent her links to your videos.

[MkaelJohansson]

Hey the tenor player in the big band that recorded Cuphead is my theory teacher! Andy Balentine. Great teacher

edit: He played alto lol. Also got to study under Alex Dean, who played tenor in the big band, the year after I posted the original comment

[insaneintherainmusic]

So glad you got to talk about arranging! As you said, it's often overlooked in music theory learning, but is so important to keeping the listener's attention and guiding the emotional curve of a piece!

[Stenir]

And this is why, when people say video game music has no place being considered "music", that I say "quite the opposite". That, and I learned everything I know about orchestration, arranging, and composition from video game music.

Probably explains why I just started supporting this series, as I only just found it. More. Lots more.

[PiercingSight]

It's always interesting when doubling up a melody instead of harmonizing with it is actually the better choice. In fact, it's frequently the better choice, even if you've got a full band to play with. I've never actually given it much thought, though, which may be why I've been having such a hard time composing recently. I'm ALWAYS trying too hard to harmonize instead of unify.

[stevenosorio]

As an arranger of ragtime orchestra and dance orchestra, this makes me quite glad to see my techniques being told by someone else!

[cinnamonnoir]

Dynamic range may be the most underused tool in contemporary musical composition, despite its great potential effectiveness. Any given Beethoven symphony demonstrates how powerful dynamics can be.

Very interesting video and graph.

[computre]

Cuphead has one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard

[TylerInTraining]

A few years back I got to meet Kris Maddigan at MAGFest 2019 and even play with him and with other musicians on some of the Cuphead OST. I made a point to tell the man that over the years his soundtrack is going to have a profound impact on a lot of children in terms of musical influence and taste, exposing them to genres that they wouldn't have otherwise heard, much the same way that "Looney Tunes" and "Tom & Jerry" did that for me when I was a kid. He said he was just happy that there was any kind of market at all for this sort of music. lol

[FinalGamerJames]

As someone who never really liked jazz or ragtime, Cuphead's music really grew on me, especially Sugarland Shimmy. Really nice to hear you discuss on this fantastically-talented soundtrack dude, great stuff :)

[JipBosch]

2:01 Piccolo... 🤣👌

Thank you so much for covering this score. Cuphead is an amazing masterpiece on many facets.

[SnowheadBlitz]

"... it's tempting when you have 4 or 5 melodic instruments to voice everything in four or five part harmony... usually makes things sound muddy, or bogged down..."

... I will take note of this, as this could probably be used right if i knew what i was doing with it.

[JoakimKanon]

Really liking the accents on the woodblock part. Very tap dance solo-esque. 😍

[AceAttorny]

There we go! Can't say we didn't expect this, but that doesn't mean we didn't want it!

[radioactivejackal]

Just wanted to let you know I appreciate your work and analysis so much. Also, could you take a look at some of the crazy almost a-tonal themes in Majora's Mask? I think there's a lot to be learned from Majora's theme and the ost in general.

Anyways, thanks for doing what you do, your videos are both genuinely entertaining and educational.

[GameAudio]

Great soundtrack and great vid. My one comment is the tuba IS playing at 6:25 when you say it drops out. In New Orleans they call this the "Big 4" - all the downbeat notes are subtle other than the beat 4 leading into the chord change. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

[TaberIV]

Your videos go almost entirely over my head but they're so pleasant to watch I don't mind lol

[RetrOchannel]

I was literally listening to the Cuphead Soundtrack when I was sent this notification!

[steveypeppers]

Ive been binge watching your videos. I finally found a channel that explains ny two loves, music and video games