4 Timeless Songs to Learn on the Piano Today

You can’t think about certain video games without also thinking about their iconic music. But the songs you hear while you’re “crushing turts” do more than just entertain your ears. They’re a crucial part of the storytelling, and not a single level you’ve ever played would be the same without it.

We here at MuseFlow love to explore the ways that music intersects with our daily life. We’ve looked at The Best TV Pianists and The Best Movies About Playing Piano, and now we’re diving into music’s role in video game narratives.

Setting the Tone with a Good Theme

Koji Kondo, the legendary composer behind Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda, said in an interview, “Music is very powerful when it comes to creating an atmosphere for games, and fueling the rise and fall of emotions. It is a vital element for creating an enjoyable game.”

A good theme immediately tells us so much about the tone, style, and intensity of the game we’re about to play. Kondo’s main theme from The Legend of Zelda feels regal and uplifting, preparing us for a grand fantasy adventure. His Super Mario Bros. theme was inspired by dance music to match the movements of the game. The theme from Stardew Valley opens with a soft flute that puts us in the cozy game mindset.

Sometimes a theme that goes against genre expectations can reveal interesting truths about its game. The Last of Us’ downtrodden, twangy theme creates a feeling of forlorn Americana that matches the game’s experience of an apocalyptic road trip and tells you that this won’t be your typical zombie game. And when you sit down to play space exploration game Outer Wilds, you’re met with a surprisingly folksy theme that utilizes the banjo, guitar, and harmonica, evoking the game’s feeling of a “backpacking adventure through space” and the thoughtful introspection that it inspires.

Clearly Distinguishing Levels

Music is also a huge part of immersing you in a game’s setting. Koji Kondo used music to contrast between levels, helping the player to always know where they are throughout a game. Think about Hyrule’s bright overworld music compared to its dark, ominous dungeon theme. The music is an auditory marker of the setting, complementing and adding upon the visual information the player is receiving.

In more modern open world games without the traditional levels of early platformers, music can still inform you of a change in location. In Breath of the Wild, each region has its own distinct music that immediately informs you about the new setting and the characters you’re going to encounter. Consider the use of the tuba for the big, slow-moving Gorans of Goran City vs. the soft, magical harp and piano sounds of the Great Fairy.

Outer Wilds composer Andrew Prahlow used a “homey sound for Timber Hearth…a unique piano sound for the Nomai, and synths for the Quantum areas of the game.” When you take off into space, you can even hear the banjo sounds of your home planet music slowly get replaced by soft exploratory electronic/piano music. It feels like the music is on the exact same journey you are!

Immediate In-Game Emotional Feedback

Video game composers use psychological principles to create emotional feedback loops with their music. Think about every time Link opens a treasure chest. There’s an emotional build up that creates suspense, followed by a celebratory release when he pulls out the new item.

As this article explains, music can be used along with other audio feedback to create a system of “rewards and consequences” to tell players “how their actions are interpreted—and how they should feel about them.” Victorious music that plays when you discover or achieve something can provide a dopamine trigger and positive feedback loop, while the displeasing music when you lose something or die can have the opposite effect.

Music can match the intensity of a moment, helping to create a cognitive mapping of the world and its different threat levels. Open world games often switch to faster-paced music during a fight, and ominous music can be used to signal an imminent danger. There’s no sound more triggering to a millennial than the heart-pounding, cortisol-spiking drowning music in Sonic The Hedgehog.

While some music can make you feel a certain way about a particular setting or the game as a whole, reactionary music tells you how to feel about the actions you take and the actions befalling your character.

Conclusion

Music is a crucial part of creating a game’s setting, tone, and emotion…core components of its storytelling. Composers are storytellers just as much as the writers and programmers. Try playing a game without sound…it’s just not the same.

At MuseFlow, we understand the importance of blending music and games. That’s why we created a gamified piano learning program that offers:

• Incremental, hyper-specific levels that give you the perfect balance of skill and challenge.
• Real-time responses to your playing that encourage a steady Flow State, similar to the one you experience during a good gaming session.
• Indefinite sheet music that offers constant variety.
  

When discussing his compositions, Koji Kondo said, “I think that music also plays an important role in terms of having the game stay in your memory for a long time.”

I think that’s 100% right. How else could you explain why I haven’t been able to get this song from Sonic Adventure 2 out of my head since 2001?

As you switch through the TV channels, you’re bound to find characters who play the piano. We’ve watched a wide range of pianists grace our screens, from serious doctors to puppet dogs. Some have even been portrayed by skilled musicians!

In our previous post we explored movies about playing the piano. Now, we at MuseFlow dive in to some of the biggest pianists in TV history and what they can teach us about playing this iconic instrument.

Schroeder (Peanuts)

It’s hard to think about TV pianists and not think about Schroeder. The Peanuts’ resident pianist was first introduced in Charles M. Schulz’s comics in 1951 and made his first TV appearance in 1965. Schroeder is a musical prodigy who has been playing the piano since before he could walk. He idolizes Ludwig van Beethoven and is constantly practicing on his small toy piano.

It’s rare to see a child character with such a deep love for classical music. Schroeder teaches us that musical passion, focus, and Flow State can come at any age. All we need is something or someone to inspire us…whether that’s a legendary composer or a dancing beagle.

Dr. Gregory House (House)

When some actors play the piano, they just pretend to play and the music is added in post. But not when Hugh Laurie’s on the keys. The actor behind House is a talented pianist (and also singer, guitarist, drummer, saxophonist, and harmonica player). His character Dr. House even has a scene playing the piano with a patient…who happens to be Dave Matthews!

In media, playing the piano is often used as visual shorthand for intelligence. If a character plays the piano, it usually means they’re smart. And it makes sense…studies have shown that playing the piano is tied to cognitive function. With Dr. House, we see a character whose genius spreads across multiple disciplines, from medical to musical. Learning to play the piano may not make us as smart as Dr. House, but hey…even he had to start somewhere!

Rowlf the Dog (The Muppet Show)

How could we leave out TV’s most famous piano playing dog? Rowlf was created and played by Jim Henson and was the resident pianist on The Muppet Show, performing melodic piano numbers coupled with his gruff voice and comedic lyrics. Rowlf was also the first Muppet to achieve widespread popularity as a recurring character on The Jimmy Dean Show.

Rowlf is said to be the closest to Jim Henson’s real-life persona. The wisecracking dog shows us the value of introducing play to our musical learning. If you approach your music the same way Rowlf approaches this song about his friend George, you’ll never take anything too seriously

‍Blaine Anderson (Glee)

We had to include a character from a musical show, and what better than the campy jukebox musical Glee? Darren Criss consistently impresses as singer and pianist Blaine Anderson. It doesn’t hurt that Darren Criss is also a very talented pianist in real life. He studied musical theater at the University of Michigan and even has his own piano bar in Los Angeles called Tramp Stamp Granny’s…where our very own COO Patrick Boylan performs!

Blaine Anderson is sensitive and romantic, bringing those strong emotions with him into his musicality. Just look at how Blaine holds back tears while singing Katy Perry's Teenage Dream. If there’s one thing we can learn from Blaine, it’s that infusing emotion into our music can be rewarding and cathartic.

Frasier and Niles Crane (Frasier)

Remember what I said about pianos making characters look smart? Well, they can also make them look classy and refined, as they do with Frasier and Niles Crane in Frasier. In fact, Frasier’s apartment — one of the main locations for the show — has a prominently featured grand piano that both characters play throughout the series.

Both Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce actually play the piano, with Pierce having studied piano performance at Yale (which feels very Niles of him). Frasier and Niles show how the piano can give you an air of sophistication — even if you also enjoy more modern music when nobody’s watching!

Conclusion

The piano has enjoyed countless forms of TV representation over the years. Its association with intelligence and refinement can give you a clear sense of who a character is just by seeing them play. My favorite thing to see is when an actor brings their love of piano into their roles, like Frasier’s David Hyde Pearce or The Office’s Craig Robinson. That passion for the piano can be inspiring to the next generation.

At MuseFlow, we love to be a part of that inspiration. That’s why MuseFlow offers:

• Incremental, gamified lessons that meet you exactly where you’re at.
• Indefinite sheet music with a focus on sight reading as a foundational skill.
• A perfect balance of variety and challenge that encourages a more productive Flow State.
  

No matter your personal skill level or musical journey, there’s a TV character you can look up to and be inspired by. And with enough practice, one day you could be that inspiration for somebody else.