Dec 312009
The music in Tanks! is deceptively simple. You may have noticed that in the higher levels, when powerful tanks such as the white tanks are destroyed, the background music immediately becomes less complex, less rich. This is because certain types of tanks come accompanied by their own musical instruments!
This is first heard in Mission 8, where yellow tanks are introduced along with a new bass drum beat. The bass of the music is much deeper when yellow tanks are present. Once all yelow tanks are destroyed in a mission, the bass drum component of the music ceases.
The most obvious tank-specific instrument is that that comes with the white tanks. Below is a complete list (special thanks to U.E. for providing this info):
[table id=3 /]
Brown: Drums and flute
Grey: Triangle
Teal: Timpani.
Yellow: Bass drum.
Red: Harder timpani
Green: Bells
Purple: Green theme without bells
White: Trumpet/Saxophone
Black: Green and white combined (drums replaced to cymbals)
Drums are replaced to cymbals if the following occurs:
When there’s just one teal tank left.
When there’s just one yellow tank left.
When there’s a green tank but 2 or less on the field.
When there’s just one purple tank left.
When there’s a black tank.
Bass drum is removed when there’s just one white tank left.
Complex timpani plays if there’s:
a pink tank
a yellow tank with 3 or more
a teal tank with 3 or more left
Isn’t black tank the white and green themes combined?
Yes, it is
Music also varies on number of tanks, I think there is different misic when there are 3 or more, 2 and when theres only one
And one thing I notice in my game, the teal tanks look more dark green and the grey tanks look more brown. Why is that?
I think i found out what black “Features”…
I think Bells are much louder than the other instruments, so if you destroy
a black tank and only a white tank is left, you shouldn’t
be able to hear bells.
Yeah… i noticed that too…
if teal is timpani and cymbals,
then what is Black? that’s what is really puzzling.
Seem like it simply has everything.
Also, it seems green is Bells & Trumpet (in addition to everything before). But in mission 17 there is tympani too, but only in the beginning…. I’m gonna need to devote a lotta time into this to dissect it…
I think that that the color of the Tank has the instrument that comes with the color, and all the instruments below it.
For example, a Yellow Tank has it’s instrument, the Bass Drum, but also has the intruments of the Tanks “lesser” then it, the Tympani of the Teal Tank, the Triangles of the Grey Tank, and the Snare Drum & Flute of the Brown Tank, you know what I mean?
So I guess thats why Black Tanks seem to have everything, because they are the “highest ranking” Tank.
^One more thing to add…
If your not sure, then if there is a level with a White Tank, then kill all the other Tanks except for the White Tank then listen for the other instruments.
The black tank is white and light green combined
I listened to the game more and it seems the musical arrangements are more complex than simply tank-based. Here are some observations:
It seems Grey is Snare drum, flute, and triangle.
Tympani is present until only 2 enemy tanks remain except teals have their own tympani.
Teal – all of the above plus tympani and Cymbal.
Tympani is somewhat unique in that its volume is dependent on the number and mix of the enemy tanks present. Hmmm…
More to come when I have time to work on this.
I’ll listen closely to the music, just so
the info. isn’t wrong.
oh, and you’re welcome! 😀
Brown Tanks: Snare drum & flute
Grey Tanks: Triangles
Teal Tanks: Tympani
Yellow Tanks: Bass drum
Red Tanks: Complex Tympani
Green Tanks: Bells/Gong
Purple Tanks: Tuba
White Tanks: Trumpet & Saxophone
Black Tanks: Cymbals
Thank you very much for the info!