Music by Eman

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Eman
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Music by Eman

Post by Eman »

I'm back from my brief hiatus and I come bearing a gift :). I finally have the score finalized for the temple chambers, something I've been working hard on, and I have a recording of it so you guys can give me some feedback. I'll also post the score once I find a good notation program. Recording 1: "Temple Ruins". This recording is still not complete "musically" but it gives you an idea of what I envisioned the music to sound like in the temple. The idea was to create both a suspenseful and mysterious mood, maybe elicit a bit of fear as well, all the while increasing the dynamics of the score gradually up to the climax and ending in a similar fashion as the intro, only louder (this will work well for looping...not in this recording though). Just a couple of quick notes: Since I had to take my sequencer to the shop, I wasn't able to edit the individual tracks like I usually do. So those of you who have a good musical ear will notice that the tracks need to be properly mixed and the timing needs to be a bit tighter. I basically recorded everything in real-time, really late last night, so for being half-asleep, I don't think it turned out bad...but of course, let me know what you guys think. ;)

Recording 1: "Temple Ruins"

I hope this will be the first of many!
[3man in game]
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Crush
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Post by Crush »

Really good.
  • former Manasource Programmer
  • former TMW Pixel artist
  • NOT a game master

Please do not send me any inquiries regarding player accounts on TMW.


You might have heard a certain rumor about me. This rumor is completely false. You might also have heard the other rumor about me. This rumor is 100% accurate.
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Rotonen
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Post by Rotonen »

Plain, jumpy and randomish. Not really loopable.

But compose more, please. Experience will start to tell you on the long run about how to interleave different soundlayers in a fluent manner. This piece does have its moments.

Also this is really too oppressive and lead role taking to be background music for an mmorpg, which should be more like in the movies in general: mood inspiring, not mood inflicting and dictating.

In the end I must say that this is far better than most of the stuff we have now.
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Eman
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Post by Eman »

Rotonen wrote:Plain, jumpy and randomish. Not really loopable.
Huh? If you listen closely, the musical chord progressions are the same throughout the composition, and there are instruments that take on a lead role according to the dynamics at that point in time only. I think I have an idea why you're saying it's jumpy, which could be fixed because this is still not a finished version, but I don't understand why you're saying its "randomish" or not loopable. It can easily be loopable.
Rotonen wrote:Experience will start to tell you on the long run about how to interleave different soundlayers in a fluent manner.
Can you please elaborate on this point? By "soundlayers" do you mean instruments and what do you consider "fluent"? All harmonies are coherent and theoretically correct and I did mention that the volumes need to be adjusted but I can't do it at the moment but eventually will.

Rotonen wrote:Also this is really too oppressive and lead role taking to be background music for an mmorpg, which should be more like in the movies in general: mood inspiring, not mood inflicting and dictating.
It all depends on the situation and environment (or the type of movie). The Mana World has and will have different maps that should elicit different moods depending on the type of environment (high or low level of danger, etc.). Obviously, there are maps where we shouldn't play a theme like this one, the City for example, but where we currently have a theme that is very somber to say the least. You mentioned movie background music, here's a good example, the main Star Wars theme verses the Star Wars Imperial March theme, that's mood inspiring versus mood inflicting. Plus, do we really just want elevator music?
Rotonen wrote:In the end I must say that this is far better than most of the stuff we have now.
Thanks!

I appreciate your critique.
[3man in game]
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Rotonen
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Post by Rotonen »

We should have a real time feedback session about this on IRC one day now. Then we could more efficiently talk the same language with the same vocabulary.

For example: jumpy as in "instrumental lead roles too emotionally separate from each other".
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Post by Cosmostrator »

This is a great, moody sounding piece. It is very dynamic, especially the staccato hits, but like you said it is a rough version, I'm sure the final will sound much more polished.
I think the looping problem Rotonen is talking about is the fact that there is a definite intro and conclusion to the song. Ideally the music for the background would loop seamlessly so that it sounds like it never ends.
With that being said it may be possible to have an intro track that does not loop, and have the rest of the track loop. There is a pretty clear break between the rhythmic intro and the piano section where this would probably work.
Keep up the writing, can't wait to hear the next song.
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Eman
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Post by Eman »

Rotonen: Sure, I'll try to get on IRC so we can talk.

Cosmostrator: It sounds like you've studied or have knowledge of musical theory yourself, thanks for the tips and motivation. I think I can lessen the dramatic ending by not shifting octaves and then continuing the drum pattern a bit before starting with the rythmic pattern again, maybe, I'll have to listen to it.

Once I get my keyboard I'll clean this up and add some missing elements which were not possible in this recording. I hope that you guys listen to the score more than the flaws I've already mentioned, because I'm going to fix that when I get a chance, so you guys can give me feedback related with that. Thanks.
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VictorSan
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Post by VictorSan »

Hey i like the song, it really feels like being in a crypt or a dungeon.

Did you make it by keyboard, or which software tools did you use?

Keep on it ;)
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AxlTrozz
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Post by AxlTrozz »

The Music is perfect for the "Temple" purpose, we are trying to modify the mood of the player, what is the music if not a mood changer ? we want to create an environment around the temple zone, unpredictable, claustrophobic, dangerous but motivating, inviting to see what else they can find ahead....

Listen to the music again thinking in the tower, the arcs, plus damaged columns (pieces of that laying in the floor) the the temple entrance, two giant snake statues guarding the entrance, new monsters around, then once inside a Labyrinth so narrow and claustrophobic, and at last one of the chambers with more surprises, rewards or death.

Obviously is not finished but have all the necessary to fit in the game....
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Post by Eman »

VictorSan: Thanks for the kind words...yes, that was the point of this composition since the whole idea for this is to add it to the Temple map that is being developed. FYI, first I recorded this on my keyboard by playing everything (it has a sequencer which allows up to 5 tracks to get recorded) and then ran it through the line-in into my laptop and used Audacity to record it as audio and convert it to OGG. I didn't want to get too complicated with the process right now because I have to refine the song, that is re-record and edit using a professional keyboard, and my idea was to give everybody the chance to listen to it and give me some feedback. I hope more people get to listen to it and chime in.
[3man in game]
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