Music

In *Micro Tanks*, **music** is heard throughout its campaigns. Similar to the original Wii Play Tanks, it is in a marching band style, and consists of numerous layers depending on what tanks are on the screen. Like its inspiration, instruments are removed (or added) as the player plays the level depending on what colours of tank are on the screen, and even how many of each colour there are.

## Composition

The main theme of Micro Tanks takes its inspiration from the original Wii Play Tanks game, with its two most basic instruments being a repeating rhythmic snare line, and a piccolo flute, with additional instruments added with each tank. Motifs from the Wii Play Tanks theme can be head.

The music plays on a loop consisting of nine bars. Each loop, barring the introductory "Get Ready..." snare line, is 22.5 seconds long. It is written in the key of C and plays at a steady tempo of 120 bpm. It is mostly in a major mode, however some bars switch to other modes, including Mixolydian and Aeolian (minor). Notably, the music is in the unusual 5/4 meter.

In Boss stages, the music is always in the minor mode.

## Instruments

Most unique tank types add a new instrument to the mix. The tank's corresponding instrument will only play if that tank or a "higher" tank is present on the screen. With higher ranked tanks, if that tank is the only tank left, not all instruments up to that point will play. However, the missing instruments may be added if there are multiple of that tank on the screen, or if there is a lower ranked tank on that screen which plays that instrument. Essentially, each tank has a list of instruments that will play if that tank is present, or if there are 2 or 3 of that tank present.

If all the tanks that play a particular instrument are killed, that instrument will stop playing immediately. Likewise, if a new tank is added, such as through a Tank Egg or a promotion from the Commander, new instruments will be immediately added.

The music stops instantly when the player dies, or the level is won.

## List of Instruments

Below is a list of the instrument's name, followed by the lowest tank in brackets that plays that instrument.

### Main Campaign Tanks

**Snare 1** **(Grey)** - This is the repeating rhythm that is heard at the start of the level. It repeats throughout the duration of the music loop. If there are only Grey Tanks on the screen, only this instrument will be heard.

**Piccolo (Celeste)** - This flute provides the main melody.

**Triangle (Yellow)** - Provides the "Ding" sound you hear on some beats.

**Snare 2 (Teal)** - An alternate snare line, enriching the percussion.

**Crash 1 (Purple)** - A subtle, quiet crash symbol added, to represent the explosive power of the Purple Tank.

**Floor Tom (Red)** - Another new drum, further enriching the bass of the percussion.

**Tubular Bells (Lime)** - The first melodic contribution to the music since the Piccolo, augmenting the main melody.

**Tuba (Brown)** - Another augmentation to the main melody. In the final section, its melody runs counter to the main melody, which will serve as a foundation for later instruments.

**Ryde Cymbal (Lilac)** - A subtle addition to the percussion, to note the timid nature of this tank.

**Crash 2 (Rose)** - A much louder and more present crash symbol, again meant to represent explosions.

**Bass Drum (Cyan)** - A loud thundering bass drum line which is played on every single beat.

**Trumpet (Maroon)** - The trumpet provides the secondary melody, which runs counter to the first. It is at times similar to the original melody, but often differs considerably. Towards the end, the melody lines up with the original, ending in a triumphant blast.

**Sleigh Bells (Green)** - Played in most beats to add yet another percussive instrument. The bells may represent the "hissing" of the gas attacks.

**Harmonica (Orange)** - Provides more melodic information, mostly by augmenting the chords of the original melody. However, there is some melody with this instrument too. It is high pitched to represent the small Orange Tank.

**Trombone (Olive)** - This melody is almost identical as the Piccolo until the end, when it reverts to the "counter" melody played by the Tuba and Trumpet. This results in the main melody sounding more low-pitched and serious, given the strength of the Olive tank.

**Organ (Navy)** - The organ is very different to all other instruments up to this point. It does not belong in a marching band, creating an out-of-place feel. Add to that, there are many dissonances with the original melody, which the organ roughly follows. It often deviates from the original melody, with off notes, and sometimes seemingly random notes in the middle. Towards the end, however, it conforms more to the "counter" melody played by the Trombone, largely dropping its wildcard dissonant act. This is to show the strange and unnatural feel of the Navy Tank.

### Other Tanks

**Choir (Scarlet)** - Follows the Trombone melody exactly, but in minor key. This "instrument" is used in the Mission Incendium and Mission Spectra boss fights. It could be considered the instrument representing bosses, but Mission Royale and Mission Fumos do not use this instrument.

**Recorder (Mint)** - Plays almost exactly the Piccolo theme, except the end when it switches to the "counter" melody played by several other instruments. It sounds like a more "bold" and shrill version of the Piccolo.

**Calliope (Mellow)** - Almost identical to the Trumpet theme, with a few subtle differences.

### Instrumentless Tanks

Azure and Pink Tanks do not have instruments of their own. Instead, these tanks have the effect of causing every instrument up to their rank to play, even if there is just one of them on the screen. The Azure Tank will result in every instrument up to and including the Ryde to play at once. The Pink Tank, even if there is just one, will cause the entire ensemble of the Main Campaign to play at once.

Zebra Tanks do not have their own instrument, either. Instead, their presence, even just one, will cause every *second* instrument of the Main Campaign ensemble to play at once (so if each instrument is assigned a number in terms of order of appearance, only instrument numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, etc. will play).

Peach Tanks do not contribute to the music in any way. This is to increase their stealth, since stealth is at the forefront of their existence. If there are no other tanks present, you will just hear Snare 1.

Boss Tanks typically have a selection of instruments already present in the Main Campaign (some of them may be heard in boss fights *before* their associated tank, such as the Harmonica appearing in Mission Fumos before Orange Tanks first appear). The unique instrument heard in some boss fights is the Choir. However, a unique feature of boss themes is them being purely in the parallel minor key.