The origin of Mario’s iconic jump sound

Mario's jump sound is iconic - from Super Mario Bros on the NES to Super Mario Bros. Wonder on the Switch, the noise that plays when Mario leaps into the air has long been a Mario staple. In this video, I'll explore how Nintendo composer Koji Kondo created this sound, I'll discuss some of the music theory behind the sound effect, and we'll talk about how the jump sound has changed and evolved over the past 35 years!

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BLUESKY - bsky.app/profile/thomasgamedocs.bsky.social

SOURCES
shmuplations.com/nintendogamemusic/ Interview with Koji Kondo and Kazumi Totaka
shmuplations.com/kojikondo/ Interview with Koji Kondo
games.kikizo.com/features/koji_kondo_iv_p1.asp Interview with Koji Kondo
iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wii/super-mario-… Interview with Koji Kondo and Mahito Yokota
   • Hirokazu Tanaka on Nintendo Game Music, Re...   Interview with Hip Tanaka
www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/ask-the-developer-vol… Interview with staff of Super Mario Bros Wonder.
www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-pre… Interview with Koji Kondo about Super Mario Bros.
www.ign.com/articles/2014/12/10/a-music-trivia-tou… Discussion of Nintendo’s early sound engineers

CREDITS
Pan flute audio clip via CarlosCarty
Charles Martinet photo via Gage Skidmore

MUSIC
All music written and arranged by me.
Drum loop performed by mpointon, used with permission.

CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:53 Miyamoto's request
2:30 The arcade era
3:30 Koji Kondo's sound
5:06 The evolution of the sound
8:04 The N64 problem
10:33 Wonder and the ukulele
12:59 Outro