David Yasensky

Age:  24
Hometown:  Clearwater, FL
Studying:  Materials Engineering; Metallurgy and Crystal  Growth; Physics
Instrument:  Guitar
Video Games: Super Mario World, Super Metroid, Final Fantasy IV, LoZ: Ocarina of Time, Mega Man III, Actraiser, Super Smash Brothers Melee, Final Fantasy, Contra, Sierra "Quest" games, Super Mario 64, etc. Lots of Nintendo, Square-Enix, Konami, and Capcom
Musical Influences: The Smashing Pumpkins, Bach, ...and you will know them by the trail of dead, Koji Kondo, Weezer, Shostakovich, Yuzo Koshiro, The Pillows, Self, Chopin, Yuukichan's Papa

How I Started Playing:  
I first picked up the guitar when I was fourteen so that I could play Smashing Pumpkins songs to myself. I eventually became more interested in music theory and using the guitar for more than just playing my favorite songs.

How the Idea for Select Start Came About:
I had wanted to cover some video game pieces before I met any of the other band members. Originally I envisioned a rock-ish outfit that sounded like the music I grew up with. However, the moment I heard that Cheng (my Kung Fu Younger Brother at the time) played cello, I started musing about the possibilities of creating and performing my own orchestral arrangements. Writing and playing this kind of music proved to be FAR more difficult than I (or probably any of us) anticipated, but we persevered, and our writing and playing has been getting better since our inception.

Our Composition Process:
Most often, if there's a piece that I want to try to do with the band, it's because I'll hear the arrangement in my head long before I start trying to write it out. I have a general idea of the instrumentation and the embellishments I want to add before I start drafting on the sheet music software. I usually begin by transcribing the piece note for note as best I can and then start adding and arranging. Of course our instrumentation is usually more complex than what is possible in a game soundtrack. Usually (when I arrange, at least) the instruments we have are used to naturally extend the piece to where we believe it was headed when it was composed. That is, we fill out chord voicings, add dynamics, adjust rhythms, create countermelodies and harmonies, etc., but mostly just build off of what is given. Our Mario Medley, Green Hill Zone from Sonic, or Mega Man III intro are good examples of this. In some of our latest arrangements we take a lot more liberties with adding new melodies or even completely original passages, as in Eternal Wind and Castlevania II, but we generally prefer to stay faithful to the original.   

A Typical Select Start Performance:
I don't think there is a typical audience size. We've played for crowds large and small and often we don't know which it will be before we start. There are typically more folks at anime conventions that appreciate what we do, but I've met plenty of hardcore gamers that have come to see us at local bars as well. At conventions, I think we've always been received well. We're lucky in a way when it comes to playing cons because we have a relationship with the audience before we even begin. We're all fans. We always end up chatting with folks before, after, or sometimes even during the show. Of course, that doesn't stop us from always playing the best we possibly can. At bars, it's hit or miss. There are always a few people that like us, but lots of people are completely indifferent. I think playing in bars is more exciting because sometimes we'll catch some gamers off-guard and blow their minds. That's a good feeling.

Other Game Bands:  
I think that lots of people from my generation, the 8-bit Nintendo generation, grew up listening to plenty of rock and alternative music. Nirvana and the like. Hence, there are many rock-style cover bands for 8-bit chiptunes. I could probably name eight or ten. I think most of them are great. I listen to many of them regularly. The NESkimos and the Minibosses are especially influential for these kinds of projects since they were among the first. I've seen the NESkimos live and I definitely have to recommend seeing them live if you have the chance. Those guys love what they do and they force you to love them too.

Trend Towards Video Game Bands: I have seen a trend recently. I think that the first games to have memorable soundtracks emerged in the mid-eighties. The generation that grew up playing those games are now old enough to carry out projects paying tribute to them. Games have played a significant role in childhoods of people my age. Also, the Interweb exists now. It's the INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY! Many small projects that would not have been recognized otherwise can propagate their music to like-minded folk. The success of bands like the Minibosses has probably inspired many others VG fans to try something similar. Finally: playing VG music is fun. I say try it some time.

We Do Weddings Too!
For one of the band members’ sister’s wedding, we played Kakariko Village as she walked down the aisle. It was completely rad.

Video Game Music Quiz Score:
85%. I'm not hip to lots of the newer music in games.