Author Topic: Question: Why does most new game show music... (Read 6360 times)

gtbecbp · « **Reply #15 on:** September 22, 2004, 03:16:37 PM »

[quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'Sep 22 2004, 12:36 PM\'] [quote name=\'gtbecbp\' date=\'Sep 22 2004, 12:25 PM\'] IMHO, the Balderdash theme is one of the best in many years. It's catchy, and uses real instruments!!!

Ben [/quote]
As opposed to imaginary instruments the other game shows use? [/quote]

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As opposed to imaginary instruments the other game shows use?

I think a clarifaction is in order!! :-)

What I mean by "real" instrument is something other than an electronic synthisizer or other electronic music-making device. Balderdash has real horns, real bass, we haven't seen this in a while!!

Ben

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #16 on:** September 22, 2004, 03:57:55 PM »

[quote name=\'reason1024\' date=\'Sep 21 2004, 11:39 AM\']
On a similar note, I was humming the beginning of Press Your Luck's theme the other day in the yard, and somehow I turned it into Tic Tac Dough...!?! [/quote]
Something like that happened to me. My local station never showed Super Password. The only time I ever saw the show was when I was on vacation, from that one-time viewing the tune stuck in my head and I would occassionally think of it. I was looking forward to getting GSN to watch the show and the theme was not exactly how I had hummed it all these years. I realized that I had merged the SP theme in my head with the early-80's Top-40 tune "If the Love Fits," by Leslie Pearl.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #17 on:** September 22, 2004, 04:25:49 PM »

[quote name=\'gtbecbp\' date=\'Sep 22 2004, 03:16 PM\'] What I mean by "real" instrument is something other than an electronic synthisizer or other electronic music-making device. Balderdash has real horns, real bass, we haven't seen this in a while!! [/quote]
I attended a taping, and I can tell you I didn't see any musicians there. With the advances in electronic reproduction in the last few years, can you say for certain that they used "real" horns and bass to make that sound?

SRIV94 · « **Reply #18 on:** September 22, 2004, 04:41:19 PM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Sep 22 2004, 02:57 PM\'] I realized that I had merged the SP theme in my head with the early-80's Top-40 tune "If the Love Fits," by Leslie Pearl. [/quote]
Now THERE'S one for the "Forgotten Oldie" crowd. I think I've got that on one of those Barry Scott Lost 45 compilation CDs.

Amazing that one can get that on CD, but can't get the radio-friendly version of "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes." OK, I'm off the soapbox.

Doug

TimK2003 · « **Reply #19 on:** September 22, 2004, 05:07:10 PM »

[quote name=\'The Ol' Guy\' date=\'Sep 22 2004, 12:07 PM\'] I think Clay's pretty much on it. Times change, and the beautiful melodies of Gershwin and Porter are rapidly leaving the airwaves and are replaced by music where the rhythm and a hook phrase is more important than a melody (It has a good beat, I can dance to it, I'll give it a 92, Dick). Since producers want young demos, they're just playing up to what the crowd is listening to. It takes concentration and time to appreciate a well-crafted song/melody/theme, and the mass venue just isn't bothering. [/quote]
Same goes with why most commercials don't come up with original jingles or music anymore.

Most commercials nowadays seem to use songs from the 60's and 70's as their "jingle", either derived from the main part of the song (FF Survey Question: Name a commercial that used Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" or The Human Beinz's "Nobody But Me" as their jingle), or used a minor part of a song for the meat of their jingle (Chevy's "I Like to dream" from Steppenwolfs Magic Carpet Ride).

What it all boils down to is that:

a) The newer Songwriter/Composer schools don't teach the old school ABCs on how to write or play original material anymore -- nowadays it's "write or compose a 10-second bit, lather, rinse, repeat.

b) Companies who are looking to use recorded music want it done for little or no expense. To them, it's cheaper to buy the rights to an existing song, or if they can get a catchy tune performed by a high school junior with a good synthesizer for $200, then it's a deal!

And yes, the "Balderdash" theme has been the most entertaining new theme in quite a long time!!! That show in general has really grown on me, and some of the commeraderie between the celebs and Elaine is getting into MG'7X proportions.

Tim

FeudDude · « **Reply #20 on:** September 22, 2004, 07:44:00 PM »

I think that the problem with modern game show themes is that they lack melodies. I don't mind a game show theme being done in more modern/popular musical style, but I want to be able to hum it. I think that the Lingo season 3 theme (my favorite current-day theme not counting J! and TPIR) is a good example of how a modern game show theme should be done - it has an up-to-date techno-rock sound but it also has the kind of hummable melody that all game show theme should have.

bricon · « **Reply #21 on:** September 22, 2004, 07:53:15 PM »

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QUOTE (gtbecbp @ Sep 22 2004, 03:16 PM)
What I mean by "real" instrument is something other than an electronic synthisizer or other electronic music-making device. Balderdash has real horns, real bass, we haven't seen this in a while!!

------------------
(quote from Matt O.)I attended a taping, and I can tell you I didn't see any musicians there. With the advances in electronic reproduction in the last few years, can you say for certain that they used "real" horns and bass to make that sound?

They are real horns and bass. Several of the band members who recorded the music are from the Brian Setzer Orchestra.

Sound files and some photos of the composer as well as the musicians in the band can be found here.

gtbecbp · « **Reply #22 on:** September 22, 2004, 09:52:43 PM »

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They are real horns and bass. Several of the band members who recorded the music are from the Brian Setzer Orchestra.

Thank you so much for finding that site!! Not only did you prove me correct, those are incredible cuts!!

Ben

adamjk · « **Reply #23 on:** September 22, 2004, 10:35:21 PM »

They are indeed. Anyone catching the misspelling on the first cut? Bladerdash? lol

clemon79 · « **Reply #24 on:** September 22, 2004, 10:37:56 PM »

[quote name=\'adamjk\' date=\'Sep 22 2004, 07:35 PM\'] They are indeed. Anyone catching the misspelling on the first cut? Bladerdash? lol [/quote]
Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. You ever make a mistake, Adam?

adamjk · « **Reply #25 on:** September 22, 2004, 10:48:10 PM »

No, I didn't say I haven't ever screwed up. Lord knows we all have. I just found the misspelling funny, because of what it turned out to spell instead. If not for that, I likely wouldn't have mentioned it.

clemon79 · « **Reply #26 on:** September 22, 2004, 10:51:34 PM »

Yeah. Bladerdash. That's a real laff riot.

Clay Zambo · « **Reply #27 on:** September 22, 2004, 11:38:23 PM »

[quote name=\'gtbecbp\' date=\'Sep 22 2004, 12:25 PM\'] IMHO, the Balderdash theme is one of the best in many years. It's catchy, and uses real instruments!!! [/quote]
It's not bad at all. But Balderdash is a perfect example of the input a bright music supervisor can have. The cue under the bonus game small prize is fine, but the cue under the grand prize is VIRTUALLY THE SAME THING. Sorry to shout, but it makes me crazy. I've just listened to both cues, in the clear, and they're not the same. But the difference is quite subtle, especially with the announcer reading copy and the (real or fake?) applause over it; it might as well be the same cue. A different piece of music--or even a more-differently arranged piece could add a great deal of excitement, especially to a show whose prize budget is not high.

Ian Wallis · « **Reply #28 on:** September 23, 2004, 09:06:24 AM »

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but it also has the kind of hummable melody that all game show theme should have.

Being an '80s top 40 music fan, I always like music that has a "hummable melody". For me, the era of really good game show themes ended in the early '90s. "Trump Card" and "To Tell The Truth", both from 1990, had the last really great themes. I haven't really cared for too many of "Wheel of Fortune's" themes since then -- "Big Wheels"(from '75) and "Changing Keys"(from '83) at least have a "hook" and are enjoyable to listen to. Even the '98 "Squares" theme doesn't quite do it for me - I don't dislike it, but it doesn't rank up there with the themes from the '70s and '80s.

TimK2003 · « **Reply #29 on:** September 23, 2004, 10:29:47 PM »

[quote name=\'gtbecbp\' date=\'Sep 22 2004, 12:25 PM\'] IMHO, the Balderdash theme is one of the best in many years. It's catchy, and uses real instruments!!!

Ben [/quote]
Oddly enough, I just played "Goody Two Shoes" by Adam Ant on my little ole' internet station, and the first thing I thought of when I heard the horns come in at the beginning was "Balderdash". No wonder why I like the theme so much!