Spellbound
R. Hubbard, 1956-
Spellbound is part of David Jones' "Magic Knight" series of games. It's the second in the series after "Finders Keepers". While Spellbound appeared on all the usual 8-Bit platorms, the C64 version was the only one with music actually programmed by Rob - Mastertronic's programmers converted his score for the other versions (with varying degrees of success).
“This really was a personal milestone to compose this. The melody just floats over a hypnotic bass line, but has a unique magical feel to it. It was just ‘one of those days’ when everything just happens so quick and easily.
The last section is very melancholy, with two part harmony implied Em, C(maj7), Am, and Em. The tune still holds up after all these years.” - Rob Hubbard
While the appropriately raucous and clangy C64 version of this tune pushed the chip to its limits with ring-modulation in particular (which some reviewers actively disliked), subsequent remixes and arrangements have tended to concentrate on the composition itself rather than its C64 implementation. And unlike Knight Tyme, the original score to which never really reached Commodore 64 owners, let alone remixers, Spellbound is a piece that inspired a lot of creative adaptation.
Composed by: Rob Hubbard
Arranged by: Rob Hubbard
Orchestrated by: Rob Hubbard & Robin Tait
© High Technology Publishing Ltd.
“This really was a personal milestone to compose this. The melody just floats over a hypnotic bass line, but has a unique magical feel to it. It was just ‘one of those days’ when everything just happens so quick and easily.
The last section is very melancholy, with two part harmony implied Em, C(maj7), Am, and Em. The tune still holds up after all these years.” - Rob Hubbard
While the appropriately raucous and clangy C64 version of this tune pushed the chip to its limits with ring-modulation in particular (which some reviewers actively disliked), subsequent remixes and arrangements have tended to concentrate on the composition itself rather than its C64 implementation. And unlike Knight Tyme, the original score to which never really reached Commodore 64 owners, let alone remixers, Spellbound is a piece that inspired a lot of creative adaptation.
Composed by: Rob Hubbard
Arranged by: Rob Hubbard
Orchestrated by: Rob Hubbard & Robin Tait
© High Technology Publishing Ltd.
Play Arrangements |
Download scores
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Related Links
Play Spellbound (Commodore 64) in your browser at C64Online.com
Play Spellbound (ZX Spectrum) in your browser at Archive.org
Play Spellbound (Amstrad CPC) in your browser at Emugames.net
Play Spellbound (MSX) in your browser at File-Hunter.com
Play Spellbound (Atari 8-bit) in your browser at File-Hunter.com
Play Spellbound (ZX Spectrum) in your browser at Archive.org
Play Spellbound (Amstrad CPC) in your browser at Emugames.net
Play Spellbound (MSX) in your browser at File-Hunter.com
Play Spellbound (Atari 8-bit) in your browser at File-Hunter.com
OSTs
| Spellbound (ZX 128 AY) |
| Spellbound (Amstrad CPC YM) |
Other C64Audio (and friend) project remixes
From Back in Time Live St. Luke's 2004, this live performance needed a lot of post-production and re-recording
The only iteration of SID80s I know of that had Reyn Ouwehand and Jon Hare both present: 2005, Failsworth, Manchester. Lineup from memory was Ben Daglish, Mark Knight, Jon Hare, Marcel Donné and Reyn Ouwehand. Reyn had been asked to turn up but not replied so it was assumed he wasn't coming. Then he came anyway!
You would expect a lot from this tune, but probably not Magnetic Fields! My memory is telling me that this was Marcel finishing off a WIP by Mark for Project Sidologie's "Encore" album.
A big orchestral medley of Chris Abbott's vision of these tunes for what became "Back in Time 6: Throne of SIDs". Each section of this was then done better by Rob as a standalone for 8-Bit Symphony :) Rob did take some inspiration though. Zoids is a development of the Back in Time 3 version. Solo violin is a big part of it: something Rob has an aversion to.
Spellbound is Barry's favourite Rob Hubbard tune and it shows in this extended cover for "Hubbard Remixed" (part of Project Hubbard).
It's very easy to get a monks chanting vibe from this tune, and this one plays up to that magnificently on one of the best tracks from the album "Remix64: Into Eternity".
Chris Abbott's XG MIDI file from 1997 rendered through a Yamaha MU80. Download it below!
| Spellbound XG MIDI File |
Hey, it was the early 2000s. Everything was dance mixes!
If the Hubbard '80 version sounded like a gentle BBC 1970s science show theme, this sounds more like a 1990s American Adult Cartoon Show theme!
Game-Related Video
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