What background music to play for a real arcade experience?

[rackoon]

So I'm at a keg party last night, (well actually a memorial for a guy who drank himself to death by age 28. Keg party memorial, not my idea, trust me, but I just can't pass up a good keg party) and we all start talking about the arcade cab I'm building and someone brings up the fact that you can play mp3's in the back ground with some of the emulators, or is it the front ends that let you do this?

Soon we are all discusing what music should be played to create the real arcade experience. I was kind of hammered so I can only remember a few of the titles like Joan Jet and the Black Hearts, Rush, and Van Halen.

Regardless, I was wondering if you guys had any input. It can be pop or metal just as long as it sounds like it belongs in a 1980's arcade.   

[Hoopz]

Here is a link not to 80's music but to Ahofle's Arcade Ambience Project.  He is a member here and he put together some MP3s that provide background sounds from various arcade games.  If you play it on your front end, it will sound just like being in an arcade 20 years ago.

http://arcade.hofle.com/

It's great.   

[missioncontrol]

yeah the sound of Ahofle's Arcade Ambience and some mid eighties toons and you forget your at your house.....

[MaximRecoil]

Here is a link not to 80's music but to Ahofle's Arcade Ambience Project.  He is a member here and he put together some MP3s that provide background sounds from various arcade games.  If you play it on your front end, it will sound just like being in an arcade 20 years ago.

http://arcade.hofle.com/

It's great.   

Does it have the sound of someone slamming repeatedly on a Punch-Out!! Big Blue Button and the accompanying "ding" sound that indicates that they don't have the necessary full KO meter to use the KO punch yet?

Does it have the sound of some kid saying to the attendant, "Hey, this machine stole my quarter!"

Does it have the sound of a kid walking around from machine to machine pressing the coin return buttons and sticking his finger in the coin return slots hoping to score a free quarter?

How about the sound of a fight breaking out in the background after someone "accidentally" elbow smashed his buddy on Double Dragon one too many times?

The sounds of various expletives and kicking/punching/banging on machines?

What about the sound of an annoying kid saying stuff like "That's not the way you're supposed to do that..." or "Want me to get you past this part? I'll give it right back!" or "Hey, you missed that powerup!"?

[rackoon]

Wow that is really cool but it lacks some music. Could you play this at the same time with music and a Mame game on you computer? 

[gamecreature]

Yeah, some true tunes would be nice. So far I've been collecting some techno-pop tunes to play while the menu is up, but apart from some soundtracks, (the theme from Disney's Test Track works well) I haven't really found a lot.

As for playing all of this stuff while playing my game, I'm not too concerned about that. Just getting absorbed in the game's sounds are usually enough for me.

[davieboynj]

I can vouch for arcade ambience being a great background sound for a front end.  The background volume is set (in the front end) for 40%.  Really added a lot to the cabinet's attract mode. 

[Banacek]

You should have a random selection of Journey and Styx songs. Maybe some Rush if that's your thing

[rackoon]

Styxs would be good and I gotta have rush. Not a big journey fan but I have thought of a couple more: Boston's smoking and Judas Priest's Breaking the law, DA DA! Oh and Priest's Electric eye.

[NightGod]

Don't forget Quiet Riot and Twisted Sister!

[rackoon]

Does any one know if I can play music over the top ambiance sound and hear the game I'm playing at the same time?

I'm not familiar with music on computers yet,  but I going to hook up my new MAME up set next week; I' ll play around with this then.

[danny_galaga]

ACDC- back in black (",)

[westell]

I tkink it depends on the era. I do remember back in 82/83 ish >Twilight Zone was played in every arcade i went in > by: Golden Earring

[NickG]

All the Putt-Putt Golf arcades I visit in Texas have an ambient background track that they loop all night.
I think it is this track, or is used in this track:
"Sweet Garbage Streets" by Dead Voices on Air.
Amazon sample: "http://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-pop-up/B00004TSBC001009/ref=mu_sam_wma_001_009/104-3047488-4450339
Sound familiar to anyone in DFW?

[MYX]

All aboard HA Ha ha haaaa ........ Dun dunt.... Dun dunt... Dun dunt... dun dunt...I i i i

Crazy Train Man!!!

Rush is a must. Throw in some Peter Gabriel, Ooooh Hows about Triumph, Havent heard them for a long time, but remember that they rocked. Night Ranger, Billy Squier, Def Lepard, And yes, though I don't think it would in today's world fly today, Dee Snyder and Twisted Sister.

Can't stomach Poison though.

Gotta also add some chick songs so they will come in too. Aha, take on me. Absolutly no Phil Collins (Would just kill the vibe) Bengals, Gogo's (Although, though it wasn't cool to admit it in highschool, and for that materstill may not be cool, but, I will say now that I was a closet Go Go's fan.)

[rackoon]

Did someone say Golden Earing, Radar love would be cool.

How about Wip it by Devo

[jan25th]

Nothing reminds me of Space Invaders more than Blondie's, "Heart of Glass".

[ArtMAME]

I grew up in Latin America (Panama) during the Golden Era of Arcades.  They had few desent arcades there, but we spent the summers and Christmas vacations in the states, where I would make my yearly pilgrimiges to the big arcades. 

Anyway, Menudo (Ricky Martin's old boy band) was huge back then.  This was early 80's (before Ricky Martin ever joined the group) and these guys absolutely ROCKED!!!   

These modern boy bands... ... and Ricky Martin's new video, I just don't get   

Try playing Grand Theft Auto while listening to "Livin' La Vida Loca"... ...It just does not work...

Or how about "Saint's Row" on your XBOX 360 while listening to "I want it that way"? 

Now I see I have offended some RM and BSB fans ...but hopefully nobody on THIS forum...and if you do come out and reply to this...you will be singled out and ridiculed as a...  boy band lover or something... especially if you are a guy...

Yeah... I know...I know... this is coming from someone who used to listen to Menudo... so what... big hairy freakin' deal... at least it was the 80's ... they had real arcades back then, and I was kickin' Donkey Kong's big hairy butt before you could even hold an XBOX gamepad and cover it in baby druel...

...I see I have offended some babies now    ... I better quit this post... 

MENUDO ROCKS!!!

Peace...

[MYX]

My daughter liked BSB and Nsync. I always got the people in the bands mixed up (did not put much mental energy towards a boy band.) Any when the kid came out of the closet a couple of weeks ago, I suggested that the new name of the group be "Brokeback Boys". I got the go to He11 look and she corrected me as to which group he was in.

[gamecreature]

My son prefers to listen to the Clash when playing his games. That's my boy! 

[danny_galaga]

ive just ordered this:

http://gkworld.com/product/GKW00732

you cant get more relevant than that! before i got into mame i found a tune by accident called kof- ice place. at that time i had no idea it meant King Of Fighters! the song is stuck on a dead hard drive now and i miss it and cant find it on the file sharing places. now i find i can get the album, which i couldnt seem to find before. so all is well again, and who knows maybe some of the other tunes are cool too (",)

[danny_galaga]

just received the cd! from montgomery, NY to brisbane australia in less than a week (",) . ahhh, it was good to hear 'ice place' again. haven't listened to the rest yet.

oh, also in the mail was a $1500 tax refund  . now i wonder what the third cool thing is that this day brings...

edit: well, ive listened to all 14 tracks now. about 3 or 4 goods ones. sorta trancey or acid jazzy like.  the others sound too much like 'america, f*** yeah' kinda songs, or cheesy cop chase type tunes- which isnt surprising since it IS background music for a fighting game (",)

[loadman]

Does any one know if I can play music over the top ambiance sound and hear the game I'm playing at the same time?

I'm not familiar with music on computers yet,  but I going to hook up my new MAME up set next week; I' ll play around with this then.

Most if not all FE's play MP3's. 

In Mala (for example) you have the option of having the music 'pause on game start' or keep Muzac playing while you are Gaming.

[Sizzler]

I've played video games and putt=putt in Texas since the 70s and I've never heard anything like that at all.

Are you being serious or were you joiking?

All the Putt-Putt Golf arcades I visit in Texas have an ambient background track that they loop all night.
I think it is this track, or is used in this track:
"Sweet Garbage Streets" by Dead Voices on Air.
Amazon sample: "http://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-pop-up/B00004TSBC001009/ref=mu_sam_wma_001_009/104-3047488-4450339
Sound familiar to anyone in DFW?

[squirrellydw]

Does it have the sound of someone slamming repeatedly on a Punch-Out!! Big Blue Button and the accompanying "ding" sound that indicates that they don't have the necessary full KO meter to use the KO punch yet?

Does it have the sound of some kid saying to the attendant, "Hey, this machine stole my quarter!"

Does it have the sound of a kid walking around from machine to machine pressing the coin return buttons and sticking his finger in the coin return slots hoping to score a free quarter?

How about the sound of a fight breaking out in the background after someone "accidentally" elbow smashed his buddy on Double Dragon one too many times?

The sounds of various expletives and kicking/punching/banging on machines?

What about the sound of an annoying kid saying stuff like "That's not the way you're supposed to do that..." or "Want me to get you past this part? I'll give it right back!" or "Hey, you missed that powerup!"?

I love it   

[NickG]

Are you being serious or were you joiking?

Serious.  Nevermind.  It is only on my recent trips within the last three years to a particular Putt-Putt in West Fort Worth.   Now that i think about it, the sound may be coming from a a particular game, but it fills the whole arcade, and sounds like it is playing over their intercom system or something.  Sorry to waste your time. 

[Sizzler]

Are you being serious or were you joiking?

Serious.  Nevermind.  It is only on my recent trips within the last three years to a particular Putt-Putt in West Fort Worth.   Now that i think about it, the sound may be coming from a a particular game, but it fills the whole arcade, and sounds like it is playing over their intercom system or something.  Sorry to waste your time. 

Not a waste of time, I just thought it was odd. 

I've heard a lot of things mentioned in this thread playing at arcades but nothing that sounds anything like "Sweet Garbage Streets".  Just thought it was weird that you hear that track looped continuously at every Texas putt-putt you go to but I've never heard it at all.