SONIC CD MUSIC FILES (SNCBNK)
On the Sonic CD CD-ROM (the SegaCD version at least), all the Past level musics are stored as module files, in files called SNCBNK1B.BIN, SNCBNK3B.BIN etc. Recently I figured out how to load those module files up in a wave editor and listen to the contents! You can hear all the instrument samples used in the level music, plus the PCM sound effects and some samples and drum loops which aren't in the game at all!
I've put up .WAV versions of these files on this page here. They are a bit scratchy and distorted, but that's due to the encoding used on the CD - the samples can't (yet) be read without distortion. Also note that to save disk space, and download time, I have trimmed the files down so that they only contain the 'interesting' samples.
Click on the name to download a WAV format file of it (zipped). I also have a short description of each file below.
SNCBNK1B
This is the file containing data for Palmtree
Panic's Past music. Notice the drum loop at the beginning - I
haven't heard this used anywhere else in the game, even in
Palmtree Panic past! The rest of the file contains various
instrument samples, used by the game to play the music.
SNCBNK3B
The file for Collision Chaos Past.
At about 00:03:20 there are what sounds like speech samples,
although I haven't heard any speech samples in the CC music!
SNCBNK4B
The file for Tidal Tempest Past. Nothing
special here - just try to recognise the instruments from the
music.
SNCBNK5B
The file for Quartz Quadrant past. Maybe a
hint of some 'desert' sound effects in this?
SNCBNK6B
Wacky Workbench Past. Nothing really unusual,
I just don't remember the instrument at the very end.
SNCBNK7B
Stardust Speedway past. At 00:02:40 there
seems to be a bit of speech that isn't used in the music. Also
right at the very end there are a couple of instruments which
never play any part in the complete music.
SNCBNK8B
Metallic Madness past. Nothing unusual here,
except that the instrument samples should be easily recognisable
to someone who's listened to the music more than once. But at the
very end there's an orchestra hit kind of noise, which I don't
recall ever being played in the game!
SNCBNKB1
This is where things start to get
interesting! This file contains a drum loop, then what sounds
like part of the boss music! Maybe in a beta version you were
supposed to be able to fight Robotnik in the past?
SNCBNKB2
All this file contains are a couple of low
chords, sounding rather like the end of the final boss music!
Again, maybe you could fight the final boss in the Past on a beta
version of Sonic CD...
SFX
This is just a short file containing some of
the PCM sound effects that are used in each level.
"Future" "Past" [Robotnik machine sound] [Amy
sound effects] "Alright!" "I'm outta here!"
"Yes!" "Yeah!"
You can also download
the original SNCBNK binary files hereRemoved due to space restrictions.