Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Ian Martyn

@ianmartyn.bsky.social

1.5K followers 940 following 290 posts

Multi-genre #VGM musician, composer, arranger. he/him yonsei nikkei. Ludomusicology, ethnomusicology. Co-head of operations @gamegrooves.com, @jampilgrimages.bsky.social board member, VVGO release manager. https://linktr.ee/IanMartyn

linktr.ee

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Ian Martyn @ianmartyn.bsky.social · Apr 7

I'm super excited to release the original soundtrack that I wrote for @lemonpeppergames.bsky.social's cooking game / RPG, Kitchen Sync: Aloha! Available now on Bandcamp and streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music.

Available now on streaming: lnkfi.re/kitchensync-...

#vgm #gamemusic #ost

Ian Martyn - Kitchen Sync: Aloha (Original Game Soundtrack)

Listen to Kitchen Sync: Aloha (Original Game Soundtrack) by Ian Martyn.

lnkfi.re

2 10 22

Reposted by Ian Martyn

GameGrooves @gamegrooves.com · 1d

Although he's played piano in various ensembles, @ianmartyn.bsky.social has just started exploring the world of vgm piano covers. His arrangement of Masaharu Iwata's Tavern theme takes you on a short journey.

Out now: lnk.to/brave-sonata

#finalfantasytactics #piano #solopiano #pianosolo

Ian Martyn's artist spotlight

What inspired you to choose your track?
I'm a big fan of Masaharu Iwata's music, and I wanted to try arranging his playful Tavern theme in a few different styles. When I first listened to the soundtrack as a kid before the game came out in the States, Tavern was one of the tracks that I immediately gravitated towards, and I wanted to try use the loop's short length to explore different moods throughout my arrangement.

What's your favorite aspect of Tactical RPGs like FFT?
I love the board game-like aspect of moving characters around on a grid while retaining familiar elements of turn-based RPGs. I also love the emphasis on job classes in certain tactical RPGs. FFT's job class system feels like a combo of the robustness of FFV's jobs combined with Tactics Ogre's system, expanding the best elements of both.

1 9

Ian Martyn @ianmartyn.bsky.social · 6d

It’d be so tasty haha

Ian Martyn @ianmartyn.bsky.social · 6d

Nothing quite like a guilt trip to fuel nostalgia haha

Reposted by Ian Martyn

GameGrooves @gamegrooves.com · 6d

Come listen to Brave Sonata with us tonight! We'll listen to the whole album, watch some music videos, and hear from some of the arrangers. Tonight on the GameGrooves Twitch: twitch.tv/gamegrooves

Art by @aggressionrose.bsky.social

#finalfantasytactics #piano #pianocover #pianocovers #vgm

Brave Sonata Final Fantasy Tactics Piano listening party on Thursday, October 9 at 6 pm pacific time, 9 pm eastern time on the GameGrooves Twitch channel

4 8

Ian Martyn @ianmartyn.bsky.social · 7d

Too many chocobos is something I never thought I’d say

Too many chocobos in Final Fantasy Tactics

3 1 21

Ian Martyn @ianmartyn.bsky.social · 8d

Had planned to knock out a bunch of vocal recordings today for projects, but something in the neighborhood has been beeping literally ALL day...

Reposted by Ian Martyn

GameGrooves @gamegrooves.com · 9d

Brave Sonata, our Final Fantasy Tactics piano-centered album, is now available on all #streaming services in addition to #Bandcamp! Find it wherever you listen to #music!

Available now: lnk.to/brave-sonata

#FinalFantasyTactics #piano #spotify #applemusic

2 4

Ian Martyn @ianmartyn.bsky.social · 12d

It's #Bandcampfriday again, and I've got my usual offering of albums. Please check them out if you're looking for something different.

ianmartyn.bandcamp.com

#Bandcamp #music #indie

Ian Martyn

Video game soundtracks. Acoustic trad folk. Original and traditional songs and tunes.

ianmartyn.bandcamp.com

2 7

Reposted by Ian Martyn

GameGrooves @gamegrooves.com · 12d

It's #BandcampFriday today! #Bandcamp is the best place to get all of your favorite GameGrooves releases like our latest album, Brave Sonata. Get high quality downloads in the format of your choice to listen to on whichever system you have.

gamegrooves.bandcamp.com

#videogamemusic #gamemusic #vgm

Bandcamp Friday @ Gamegrooves on gamegrooves.bandcamp.com

On Bandcamp Friday, Bandcamp waives the cut it normally takes, giving more money back to the musicians who post their music there. Support GameGrooves this Bandcamp Friday.

8 13

Reposted by Ian Martyn

GameGrooves @gamegrooves.com · 14d

Save the date! GameGrooves is hosting an all-Gimmick! album project in honor of the memory of Masashi Kageyama. In honor of Kageyama-san's memory and Gastric Cancer Awareness month in November, we will donate proceeds from this album to gastric cancer research. More details will be announced soon!

Save the date! GameGrooves is hosting an all-Gimmick! album project! We're doing this to honor the memory of Masashi Kageyama, who was an enormous supporter of the VGM cover community and who also worked with several GrooveTroop members over at Brave Wave. In honor of both Kageyama-san's memory, as well as how November is Gastric Cancer Awareness month, we will be donating proceeds from this album to gastric cancer research. More details will be announced soon! In the meantime, save this weekend for what will certainly be a fun jam.

8 22

Ian Martyn @ianmartyn.bsky.social · 15d

Also check out the @gamegrooves.com Final Fantasy Tactics piano album I’m on: lnk.to/brave-sonata

Brave Sonata

Listen to content by GameGrooves.

lnk.to

Ian Martyn @ianmartyn.bsky.social · 15d

It’s here!!!

Final Fantasy Tactics loading onto my Switch 2 after preordering it much earlier.

1 10

Reposted by Ian Martyn

Lauren the Flute @laurentheflute.bsky.social · 16d

Oh hey, I made a thing (with some help from my friends). Would you like to hear some music I made this month? Please listen to this song from a PSX puzzle game with the world's most unnecessarily epic soundtrack.

Marshall Art @marshallart.band · 16d

True Genius! @laurentheflute.bsky.social, @sigmabeta.bsky.social, and friends covered Intelligent Qube:

dodarchive.dwellingofduels.net/25-09-Fresh/...

dodarchive.dwellingofduels.net

2 12 27

Reposted by Ian Martyn

GameGrooves @gamegrooves.com · 16d

Our newest album, Brave Sonata, a Final Fantasy Tactics piano collection, is out now on #Bandcamp! 11 piano-centered arrangements bring Sakimoto and Iwata's enchanting original soundtrack to life!

Get it here: lnk.to/brave-sonata

#FinalFantasyTactics #piano #pianocover #theivalicechronicles

8 13

Reposted by Ian Martyn

Michael Hoffmann @michaelhoffmann.bsky.social · 16d

Happy Final Fantasy Tactics release week! To help celebrate, a bunch of us from @gamegrooves.com have released a piano focused cover album of the music from Final Fantasy Tactics today! I had the honor of arranging and performing the battle theme Apoplexy. gamegrooves.bandcamp.com/album/brave-...

Brave Sonata, by GameGrooves

11 track album

gamegrooves.bandcamp.com

11 23

Reposted by Ian Martyn

Bonnie Bogovich - conferences and concerts:) @blackcatbonifide.bsky.social · 21d

One of my favorite things is getting to sing with insanely talented colleagues, like @ianmartyn.bsky.social 's "Epilogue - To Good Friends" for SATB #acappella, on the "Chambers of Time" #ChronoTrigger album, @gamegrooves.com ❤️🎵❤️

Album links: lnk.to/chambers-of-...
#choralmusic #choir #singers #vgm

GameGrooves @gamegrooves.com · 22d

With a background in choral singing spanning most of his life, @ianmartyn.bsky.social arranged Epilogue 〜 To Good Friends for SATB a cappella octet.

Out now on #Bandcamp and streaming services: lnk.to/chambers-of-...

#chronotrigger #choral #acappella #chambersingers #chamberchoir #choir

Ian Martyn's artist spotlight, talking about his inspiration from singing on the Materia Community Chrono Trigger album, EPOCH, singing on Chris Muggli-Miller and Peter Jones's arrangement. He discusses the Antiquity period, 12,000 B.C., and his interest in Enhasa and the Kingdom of Zeal as an academic paradise while at the same time discussion the hubris of Queen Zeal and how it led to her own downfall and the downfall of her kingdom at the hands of Lavos.

1 2 7

Ian Martyn @ianmartyn.bsky.social · 20d

Thank you again for singing on the track! Really nice to collab again!

1 1

Reposted by Ian Martyn

GameGrooves @gamegrooves.com · 22d

4 16

Reposted by Ian Martyn

GameGrooves @gamegrooves.com · 23d

Brave Sonata, a piano journey through the enchanting soundtrack of Final Fantasy Tactics. Return to the world of Ivalice. Pre-order on #Bandcamp today and get three tracks including Apoplexy by Michael Hoffmann!

lnk.to/brave-sonata

#finalfantasytactics #fft #piano

7 14

Reposted by Ian Martyn

V-Ron Media @vronmediamusic.bsky.social · 23d

Pre-order Brave Sonata today, album releases this Friday!
lnk.to/brave-sonata

Album artwork by @aggressionrose.bsky.social

Brave Sonata

Listen to content by GameGrooves.

lnk.to

3 3

Reposted by Ian Martyn

V-Ron Media @vronmediamusic.bsky.social · 23d

Watch the full video on YouTube:
youtu.be/Scjnf1Ytjpc

Opening - Final Fantasy Tactics (Piano/Cello Duet Cover) ft. @ChromaticApparatus & @composerFA

YouTube video by V-Ron Media

youtu.be

1 2 3

Reposted by Ian Martyn

V-Ron Media @vronmediamusic.bsky.social · 23d

Check out my arrangement of Bland Logo~Title Back (Opening) for Brave Sonata, a @gamegrooves.com piano tribute to Final Fantasy Tactics, ft. Felix Arifin and @chromaticapparatus.bsky.social!

1 3 8

Reposted by Ian Martyn

GameGrooves @gamegrooves.com · 23d

We're very excited to announce that Brave Sonata, a piano tribute to Final Fantasy Tactics, is now available for pre-order on #Bandcamp! 11 tracks of piano solos or duets!

Pre-order here: lnk.to/brave-sonata

Art by: @aggressionrose.bsky.social

#finalfantasytactics #theivalicechronicles #piano

Brave Sonata

Listen to content by GameGrooves.

lnk.to

10 14

Reposted by Ian Martyn

There Is No Easy Mode @noeasymode.bsky.social · 28d

We're back online, for a time! Join us for a brief streaming boom on Twitch this fall before I hibernate again!

3 4

Ian Martyn @ianmartyn.bsky.social · 29d

Just beat the Ashes of Elrant DLC for Chained Echoes. Extremely impressed by everything about it. Also, incredible that indie game DLC lasts the 20-30 hours that some 90s RPGs used to take in their entirety. Looking forward to hopefully more Chained Echoes DLC!