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[ShadowFX]

Dedicated thread for this fantastic music restoration project. I will do my best to keep an eye out for changes and
updates made, and post them here.

Project status: Completed (March 7, 2021)

The goal of this project is to restore the entire DKC series soundtrack, created by Rare.
Specifically, David Wise, Eveline Fischer / Novakovic and Robin Beanland.

This is made possible by locating the sounds from workstation keyboards and drum machines
such as the Korg Wavestation, Roland S770, and Roland R8, and plugging them into
the music instruction data ripped from the game, plus a little mixing magic to create what
it might have sounded like with the veil of 16bit compression lifted.

Now, I present to you the man behind this extraordinary feat: Jammin’ Sam Miller, film and
video game music composer. Based in New Orleans, Louisiana.

He creates music that makes you feel like you're somewhere else, using whatever sounds
and melodies he can to create a surreal music experience based on a piece of art that you create--
whether it's a film, video game, poem, or story, provide him with inspiration and he'll put music
to it that will make you feel connected.

... and finally: restoring the Donkey Kong Country series soundtracks!

Sam has been restoring the Donkey Kong Country series soundtracks since 2017.
Currently, there are over 70 tracks restored. The following lists show the progress and
completion of the restoration.

Tracks are available in .mp3 and .flac format (downloads are available below).

Download
Restored tracks, projects, samples and source sounds, and blueprints:
Dropbox or Google Drive

MSU1
Enhanced MSU1-versions of the original SNES games:
http://www.zeldix.net/t1484-donkey-kong-country-1
http://www.zeldix.net/t1445-donkey-kong-country-2
http://www.zeldix.net/t1598-donkey-kong-country-3

Patreon
If you want to support this project, much appreciated!
https://www.patreon.com/JamminSam

Twitter
News and other interesting tidbits:
https://twitter.com/PrinceSamlet

YouTube
Content is also available on YouTube, including live restorations:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKaTWjXt6tJ9S6K0YFJVEfQ/

 

[Mista]

Posted on behalf of our great OT maker ShadowFX

 

[Mista]

I enjoyed making this thread that was made by ShadowFX .. Nobody can take away the effort he made and the greatness out of this thread. Well done my man and please accept this little gift for your amazing effort

 

[nkarafo]

Holy shit....

I'm a huge audiophile/sound remastering addict. Stuff like this is better than sex for me. Huge thanks.

 

[ShadowFX]

It sounds really crisp, clean and rich in detail now the compression of the SNES has been lifted.
Also, there was an update posted yesterday:

 

[nkarafo]

These sound much crisper than my own 5.1 remasters of these games. Though i did mine by ripping each SPC channel individually and trying to clean them up and then separating them to different speakers. But my source was the already lossy SNES files.

 

[stranno]

Does this have something to do with the 5.1 tracks from DCK and DKC2? It was a project uploaded to Underground-Gamer years ago. I have them somewhere.

 

[nkarafo]

Does this have something to do with the 5.1 tracks from DCK and DKC2? It was a project uploaded to Underground-Gamer years ago. I have them somewhere.

No. The project you mention was mine and i can also confirm the one this topic is about is even better.

 

[Ichabod]

Obligatory

 

[angelic]

I'll wait for the Eurogamer vinyl release.

 

[nkarafo]

The songs sound great. But i would like to play with them myself. I noticed the flp files and all the samples are available for d/l too.

So i am opening the flp files in FL studio (to experiment a bit with the mixes) and i figured out the correct paths. But there are still some samples missing according to the program. For instance, when i open "Gangplank Galleon" it says the file "VS50.wav" is missing. I downloaded the whole folder from dropbox but there is no such file. What do i miss?

 

[digital_ghost]

Time to bust out the Donkey Kong Automobile and blast these songs going down the street.

These sound fantastic.

 

[Tarin02543]

Thank you! Thank you!

Aquatic Ambiance in FLAC, finally.

 

[Yumi]

Holy donuts! This is awesome

 

[ShadowFX]

Yeah, the fidelity of the FLAC versions are really something else.

 

[Whitesnake]

No Mining Melancholy?

 

[ShadowFX]

No Mining Melancholy?

There is no finished restoration of this track. I read that some of the required sounds are unavailable at this time.
However, there is an unfinished version on YouTube.

Outdated video, please refer to: Final version of this track

 

[PumpkinPie]

Go to 1:23 on Aquatic Ambience, it's flat as fuck. He dun goofed.

 

[ShadowFX]

Try the revised version on his dropbox. To me it sounds fuller.

 

[Spukc]

Jow is this stuff patched for MSU-1 chip on the sd2snes?

I def want to give it a go

 

[ShadowFX]

I believe there is an attempt made to MSU1 this, check https://www.zeldix.net/f41-jump-n-run

 

[Garnox]

All this time I thought TerraBlue was responsible for these tracks. I neglected to read her description which at the end says Sam Miller, but still. I feel violated.

Great work on the tracks. Sounds very crisp and definitive.

 

[ShadowFX]

A new update was posted by Sam:

 

[ShadowFX]

The Great Update pt. 2 (LIVE Restoration) airing now!

 

[Shifty]

Damn, I never knew this was a thing.

That DKC1 Title Theme restoration

 

[ShadowFX]

Airing live now: restoration of Lost World Anthem (DKC2)

 

[RAIDEN1]

More than 20 years on, I've now found out how tough these games are courtesy of the SNES mini... : D

 

[mcjmetroid]

I fucking love the soundtrack for these games. Keep em coming!

 

[mcjmetroid]

!

 

[ShadowFX]

I'm eagerly waiting for the Forest Interlude restoration! Stickerbrush Symphony is also one of my favorites, and for many as well.

 

[ShadowFX]

Lost World Anthem restored! This sounds clean, and almost different than the original compressed version.

 

[ShadowFX]

Live restoration up of K. Rool Returns (DKC2)!

 

[ResurrectedContrarian]

Obligatory

I remember this.... but how does it have < 200k views a full decade later??

 

[StormCell]

ShadowFX I've been enjoying your work all the way back to Aquatic Ambience! I had no idea you were on here (here being Neogaf!).

The DKC soundtracks are very near and dear to my heart. I don't know what else to say except I love the work you've done. Thank you very much!

 

[ShadowFX]

This sounds amazing! The DKC2 intro restored by Sam (K. Rool Returns):

 

[ShadowFX]

Sam did a live stream restoring track 'Steel Drum Rhumba':

 

[ShadowFX]

Completed restoration of 'Steel Drum Rhumba' is available:

 

[tkscz]

Oh god, there are so few of DKC3 soundtrack done. Say what you will but I love the OST to that game, but they haven't done the factory or underwater music.

OH MY GOD FLAC SUPPORTS 5.1 AND IT IS GLORIOUS!

 

[ShadowFX]

Boss Bossanova (DKC2) restored!

 

[andreutas]

Honey to my ears

 

[Dirk Benedict]

Man.. DKC1 OST is some of the best music. Up there with the greatest in gaming. Fear Factory will always hold a place right in my ticker.

 

[ShadowFX]

Another DKC2 track restored! 'Cranky's Conga':

 

[ShadowFX]

Updated the OP to reflect the latest updates

 

[Business]

Quality thread.

 

[God Enel]

Agreed. Guy is doing gods work. Op and the restorer. They will neber be on spotify right? I have to download them manually

 

[ShadowFX]

The Great Update pt. 3 (LIVE Restoration) aired recently!

 

[ShadowFX]

Sam did a live stream restoring track 'Token Tango':

 

[GymWolf]

are you fucking kidding me? dk2 soundtrack is one of my favourite ost ever.



give this man a lifetime supply of bananas.

 

[ShadowFX]

DKC2 track restored! 'Token Tango':

 

[ShadowFX]

Sam aired a live stream of the restoration of 'Frosty Frolics' (DKC3):