I do really understand what you mean, especially the last part is true. I also had the feel that library music lagged behind in quality when it comes to 70s funk for example. It sounded so "wannabe" and "tryhard", not really cooked out so to speak compared to commercial releases.
But else, as stated in some other thread, I am born 1990, so I grew up with the MegaDrive/Genesis. The digital, cold sound was awesome. Many games had a sound test menu and I'd often just boot up the console and listened to the songs. Later I learned that the YM2612 - the soundchip of the console - (and to an extend, the YM2812) are DX7 "Light versions", the flagship of FM synths. Unlike the Super Nintendo, which had many RPGs that needed e.g. a realistic flute, the YM2612 pumped out crystal-clear, digital sound (unlike the SNES which was a tracker with poor samples). Having a guitar "rolling over" on a long sustain note still gives me goosebumps, or the strong sounds of a synthesized slap bass.. Incredible!
And while certainly a soundtrack for a game was important, it was obviously not even remotely close to a major label output. But those composers pumped out absolute gems, but being "only" 16-bit computer game tunes, they were belittled. Production music got it on studio CD quality and got it out of the boundaries of being only very "Yamaha-sounding" - it was basically my favourite music just multiplied by 10 in terms of great sound. "Silver Vision" from the BRUTON album Metal in Motion for example is exactly what I described in the last paragraph. The same sound, just awesomeficated. Could be straight from a MegaDrive game's main menu.
Unfortunately, I just collect from 1980 to 1999 and I am 100% strict about that. 1980 because I can't stand the weird disco influences and the Moogs are not my cup of tea. It always seemed analogue synth users had a certain, usually calm or very hectic vibe with logs of arpeggios going on in their music whilst digital synth users wanted the cold, powerful tunes. And 2000, not only did the music start to suck in general then, but also seeing the waveform being a sausage - fade in, full block of loudness, fade out - made me realize really quick that 1999 is the last year I want to collect.
I am usually kind of alone on the forum here, that is what I ultimately learned. The last 20 or so shared rips were not my taste, so I think with my 696 tracks I have carefully collected, I kind of reached the limit. I'd might find something here and there, but I guess my time is quite over. It's the first time since August I could actively see someone else enjoy my suggestion or sharing it openly.
