How to Write Atmospheric Music on a Super Nintendo

Secret of Evermore has a great, moody soundtrack that I'm sure would be a way bigger deal in video game music history if it hadn't been released shoulder to shoulder with the best video game soundtracks of all time. Let's take a look at the soundtrack and see how it creates such a poignant atmosphere.

0:00 - How does SoE craft its musical atmosphere?
1:24 - Simulated Reverb
3:13 - Sitting on Am for forever
7:16 - A Clever Homage
9:25 - Changing Keys on a Dime
18:06 - Voice Leading through Weird Key Shifts
20:41 - Outro

#SecretofEvermore #SNESmusic #8bitMusicTheory

[Moewenfels]

You have NO idea how WIDE my mouth opened up in shock and awe to see Secret of Evermore covered.
I literally listen to that OST every single night to calm myself and reach for happy thoughts so i can somewhat sleep well.
I love this game, i LOVE the soundtrack and I'll be eating well with this video <3
Thank you!

[monkehm]

Secret of Evermore is my favorite game of all time, and is one of the games I most remember playing with my Mom, who has since passed away. The nostalgia of this game is that hard hitting kind of nostalgia that makes you simultaneously feel like booting it up again but also wanting to cry and go back to times before things got bad. Thanks for giving this game some recognition, it never gets as much attention as I always felt it deserved compared to Mana.

[ChipsNCellos]

One of the best era of video game OSTs, indeed!

[jasonulloa]

So glad you finally got to this game's soundtrack. I remember playing this game when it first released and really loving the moody soundscapes it had, especially that echoey reverb-like quality you pointed out. I always felt this game should've gotten more attention; even if it's not quite at the level of FF6, Chrono Trigger, or Secret of Mana, it's still a great game in its own right.

Now I must go find another game soundtrack to pester you into analyzing.

[stephaniec]

I had to stop everything to watch as soon as I saw that thumbnail, Secret of Evermore is a childhood favorite that stood the test of time and that soundtrack is a big reason why!

[themotioncodemarc]

The reverb part blew my mind. You sir are a treasure of theory

[robhulson]

I rented the Secret of Evermore with a buddy way back in the 90s and fell in love with the game over a weekend. It was the first game I purchased for myself even before I had a Super Nintendo. It's always been a favorite and most people have never heard of it.

Yes, I have the OST as well so this video delighted me. It's fun to talk about with people who appreciate his Elder Scrolls works. Really great atmospheric music I always found unique compared to any other SNES game I've played.

Best thing about the internet, though, is the 2 Player ROMhack of Evermore that allows a second person to play as the Dog.

[owlyus]

It's kind of fun to see how the Evermore soundtrack sets its mood in comparison to how Kikuta does it in SoM

[icaliver]

How dare you internet read my mind about reminiscing privately offline about secret of evermore.

[johnopowell]

Dude, I love your content. I'm a full time music teacher and life-long game enthusiast. I often teach game tunes in lessons and love taking a theory rich approach to things like this. You're nailing it!

[ThePixelExpedition]

Secret of Evermore is my favourite game of all time, along with its hauntingly beautiful soundtrack. Thank you so much for showing it some love. I'm glad this game is not forgotten.

[poweruser]

It would be really cool if you could get interviews with some of these composers

[domdudedd]

The melody over the F to E- reminded me of the intro to OoT and Pokemon Stadium with the chromatic run

[Deioth]

"While it's a hidden gem, it really is a gem!"
Yes, Tiny like irony.

[chrismansi]

The music referenced in the "clever homage" section of the video, from both Chrono Trigger and Secret of Evermore, absolutely SCREAMS similarities to the track "Feena" from Ys Book I, which predates both games by several years. If you look up the track "Ys I ・ II (PC Engine CD) - Feena" on YouTube, and skip about a minute and a half in, you should pretty immediately start to hear the similarities unfold, especially the downward melodic motion you referenced as being shared between Chrono Trigger and SoE. Would love to see you tackle some music from the Ys series someday, it's really some of the best composed RPG music out there, from the series beginning all the way to the present day. Loved this video btw ❤

[andrewmuir]

Can I make a request? "Happenings On A Moonlit Night" from Secret Of Mana. It's so harmonically and rhythmically bizarre. I've tried figuring it out on piano to no avail. Would love to hear a theoretical dissection! Thanks for the great content.

[RF-frmz]

SO awesome that you covered this highly underrated OST and game. One of my all-time favorites. Mind-blowing that Jeremy Soule was only 19 when he composed this. Thank you for shedding light on this amazing game!

[ajhigginscomposer]

This music is so engaging! Your analysis was as well.

[ovpcyzq]

Thanks for doing another kickass video bro. You Rock, or swing, or jazz…whatever musical adjective floats your boat. ;)

[Caveras]

I LOVE this game and its music, one of the most underrated and rarely mentioned gems of the era. Absolute joy to see this covered here! :)