History Main / ProgressiveInstrumentation

* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' [[Music/{{Homestuck}} tie-in album]] ''The Felt'' features [[https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/omelette-sandwich-2 "Omelette Sandwich"]], a song about the BumblingHenchmenDuo Eggs and Biscuits, who repeatedly travel back in time to amass clones of themselves to fight. The song itself starts with a simple viola and cello duet, but it periodically "rewinds" and layers in new instruments, speeding up each time to reflect how they become more frenzied as they bring in more copies. At the very end, the instruments cut out in the reverse order as the song slows back down.

* ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'': The toon "[[http://www.homestarrunner.com/onetwo.html One two, one two]]". This one uniquely features a [[http://www.homestarrunner.com/onetwomixer.html custom mixer]] that lets you add or remove instruments interactively.

* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' [[Music/{{Homestuck}} tie-in album]] ''The Felt'' features [[https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/omelette-sandwich-2 "Omelette Sandwich"]], a song about the character Eggs, who repeatedly travels back in time to amass an army of himself whenever he needs to fight. True to form, the song itself periodically "rewinds", layering in new instruments and speeding up each time to reflect how the character grows more frenzied as he brings in more copies of himself. At the very end, the instruments cut out in the reverse order as the song slows back down.

!!Examples

* "Memphis Soul Stew," by King Curtis, which is also performed on ''Music/TheSimpsonsSingTheBlues'' as "Springfield Soul Stew," introduces each part separately.

[[folder:Other Media]]
[[AC:{{Anime}}]]
* At the climax of ''Manga/{{BECK|1999}}'', [[spoiler:everyone but Koyuki has given up, so he is left on his own on stage, and begins to play without the rest of the band.]] Inspired, one by one the rest of the band joins in, building on the song this way. The song in the original Japanese audio was Music/TheBeatles' "I Got A Feeling," but it was changed for the dub.

[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989'''s "Kiss the Girl", where the various animals jump in one at a time.
* "Trashin the Camp / Doo Bad Shi Doo" from Disney's ''WesternAnimation/{{Tarzan}}'', in which some playful gorillas and an elephant find a human camp and use the random objects they find there to play a (very destructive) impromptu song.
* "Hedwig's Theme" from the ''Film/HarryPotter'' series opens with a celeste solo, after which the rest of the orchestra is brought in gradually: first the strings, followed by the woodwinds, and finally the brass.

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* A rare literary example, the Song of Iluvatar in Creator/JRRTolkien's ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' is described as this. Each of the Valar adds their voice to the rest, one by one, and Iluvatar adapts the song to fit each new voice, including Melkor when he attempts to turn it into a dirge...

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]
* The one-episode FakeBand in ''Series/EvenStevens'' plan to play their debut concert on the school roof, but each member drops out for various reasons and only Louis (the drummer) shows up. Refusing to let the band die, he proceeds to play the beat and sing his vocals until the other members join in one-by-one.

[[AC:VideoGames]]

* Happens twice in ''VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay'':

* The menu music from ''VideoGame/MarioKartWii'' adds a new instrument as you move from one page of the menu to the next.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}'', the music in [[EldritchLocation Tartarus]] works like this. The first block (of 6) has a simple beat in the background. Each new block has an additional instrument added.

* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'': The theme for the [[HubLevel Comet Observatory]] starts off with a handful of soothing-sounding instruments like a xylophone, a flute, and a single violin. As Mario collects more Power Stars and restores power to the various sections of the observatory, more and more instruments are added until the theme uses a big, sweeping orchestra.

* ''VideoGame/WiiFit'': In Rhythm Parade, your Mii begins as a lone baton-twirler. If you step in time and wave the controls at the right time, more characters join you, playing different instruments, and the music reflects this. But if you make a mistake, these characters disappear.
* ''VideoGame/WiiPlay'': In the "Tanks" minigame, the background music gradually gains instruments as the player progresses further.

* The Level Select theme of all ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'' games adds an instrument for every world completed.

[[AC:Webcomics]]

[[AC:WebOriginal]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': In Season 1A, the credits theme (''Love Like You'') started as a simple piano piece in the first episode's credits, and gradually gained more instruments as the season progressed. The final episode of the half-season, Ocean Gem, adds the lyrics.

* The first movement of "Jeux venétiens" by Witold Lutosławski consists of eight alternating fast and slow sections, each of which commences and terminates with an identical percussive clap. The fast sections have all the musicians playing more or less independently of each other, but from the same parts, for a specified number of seconds. Only the woodwinds play during Section A; Section C has kettledrums playing along with the winds; (muted) brass are added to the mix in Section E; and the piano plays with all of the foregoing in Section G.

* At the climax of ''Manga/{{Beck}}'', [[spoiler:everyone but Koyuki has given up, so he is left on his own on stage, and begins to play without the rest of the band.]] Inspired, one by one the rest of the band joins in, building on the song this way. The song in the original Japanese audio was Music/TheBeatles' "I Got A Feeling," but it was changed for the dub.

* ''VideoGame/{{Furi}}'''s music pieces generally start simple, then add instruments and/or increase in tempo as the battle progresses from one phase to the next.

* ''VideoGame/{{Furi}}'''s music pieces generally start simple, then add instruments and/or increase in tempo as each battle progresses.

** This can be done optionally in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening'' by playing the Wind Fish's Ballad in front of its egg before all of the Siren's Instruments are obtained. Each instrument will materialize and play its own separate section of the ballad, with or without the necessary accompaniment.
** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' one minigame features Link performing a music test in the milk bar. As he assumes each of his four forms and plays their respective instruments, an illusion of the previous forms playing their parts appears and the music gets more complicated as instruments are added. Finally all four Links are somehow on stage playing at once. See this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXwn_zu-Q9A here]].
** A dynamic example in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks'': As more sections of the tower become accessible, the music that plays in higher sections contains more instruments.

* "Celebrate" by Music/KidRock: starts with drums, then keyboards and bass, then guitars, then voice.

* Music/TheDoors "Wild Child" starts with guitar, then drums, then bass, then keyboard, then finally Jim keys in.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' do it ''twice'' in the very short song "Love Makes the World Go Round," first with drums > bass > guitar, then with vocals.

!Examples

* The Temple level of ''VideoGame/{{Journey}}'' is a tower, which you ascend by activating light emitters at its core, one floor at a time. Each time you light up a floor, additional instruments join the background music, starting from complete silence at the start of the level and going to the full orchestra by the time you reach the top.

* The one-episode FakeBand in ''Series/EvenStevens'' planned to play their debut concert on the school roof, but each member dropped out for various reasons and only Lewis (drummer) showed up. Refusing to let the band die, he proceeds to play the beat and sing his vocals until the other members join in one-by-one.

* On Music/{{Nightwish}}'s album, ''Dark Passion Play'', the last song, "Meadows of Heaven", starts with just a single instrument and a voice, and builds up into a grand finale with the whole orchestra and choir and band.

* Music/TheCure' "Just Like Heaven" starts with the drums, then the bass comes in, then the rhythm guitar, keyboards, lead guitar and finally the vocals by Robert Smith.

* "Memphis Soul Stew," by King Curtis, which is also performed on ''The Simpsons Sing the Blues'' as "Springfield Soul Stew," introduces each part separately.