I made Super Metroid like music for my free music pack Larvae, and I want to show how I made it. We will learn about:

• The instruments used in Super Metroid
• What the instruments play (Composition)
• My Super Metroid Like Songs!

Instruments

Super Metroid has different types of songs, and I will just talk about the area themes. They use three instruments often:

• Synth Choir - A choir played by a synth or sampler. This is THE Super Metroid instrument! It sounds full by playing the same notes twice, just one higher and one lower. Like having both women and men singing together.
• Timpani - A drum with a big sound. This is the most used instrument in Super Metroid, and it gives the songs a deep feeling.

Flute - It gives a beautiful strange feeling.

Instruments example: Brinstar Red (Red Soil Swampy Area)

Now we have our instruments, so let's talk about what they will play: Composition.

Composition

Super Metroid songs use these ideas:

• Slow or small chord progressions - The songs stay on one chord for long or move between just two. Changing chords a lot sounds dramatic, so not doing that feels atmospheric.
• Riffs - These are short, repeating parts that use just a few notes. Riffs are the "core" of the songs.
• Vibe > Melody - The music focuses on vibe, instead of melodies you can sing along to. Not all songs have a lead melody, so the background instruments become the focus.

Composition example: Brinstar Green (Overgrown With Vegetation Area)

It stays on one chord, has no sing-along lead melody, and makes the bass and timpani riff the core of the song.

My Super Metroid Like Songs

How I used what we learned!

• Green Life

Like Brinstar Green (Overgrown With Vegetation Area), the choir plays after other instruments like a response. I wanted this song to feel like the walls are alive.

• Red Earth

This song has a cave like sound, maybe because of the dark chords and drums. It was inspired by Brinstar Red (Red Soil Swampy Area).

• Drowned Garden

Like Maridia Lower (Rocky Underwater Area), this song is slow and has the instruments rise and fall in volume. I think of an underwater place, with a little light coming from above.

• Underground Beach

The strange feeling was inspired by Maridia Upper (Drifting Sand Underwater Area), and the catchy beat was inspired by Brinstar Green (Overgrown With Vegetation Area). I wanted to make one song with that kind of catchy beat.

• Arid Stone

This song has pulsing bass and timpani like Norfair Upper (Hot Lava Area). I think those instruments make that "hot cave" feeling.

• Magma Vein

This song also has a "hot cave" feeling, and a more uplifting part. It was inspired by Norfair Lower (Ancient Ruins Area).

In short, Super Metroid uses instruments like synth choir and timpani, and short riffs to make music that's atmospheric and catchy. This is just my view on Super Metroid style music, and you might have a different view on it - feel free to share yours.

I hope you found this useful or interesting. Thanks for reading!