Before bashing me, just realize that I have never worked with sound before. So what should I do first? I know there are many different programs out there for many different reasons, and the above stickies didn't help me any because I don't know what any of those programs do. Are there any step processes that I should do to get better at composing, like a programmer would progressively move up in his pong....tetris... and finally full fledged MMORPG -- :) lol Massive-war

Well, the answer to the question, "How do I start" largely depends on where you want to go with this, I suppose. I noticed in the other thread you were interested in metal. If this is your forte, focus on it by all means, but is there any other direction you want to branch out into? Say, electronica or even classical? There are specialized software apps and sound libraries for any and all of the above that you could work with. Another question is, how well do you know your music theory? That's the foundation everything else is built upon. I prefer a balance between left brain and right brain when composing my own music. I struggle to imbue it with feeling and meaning, and at the same time there is a very scientific way I go about making it sound right. It's kinda like rocket science, really. If you want to blast a man into orbit, that's a tremendously challenging, lofty, and noble goal to work towards. But NASA wouldn't get anyone off the ground alive (much less safely home) if they were staffed only by romantic idealists, with no one that had a firm grip on the hardcore math that makes it all tick.

Hopefully this makes an ounce of sense. I just woke up and it's probably the coffee talking more than me right now! It's a potentially vague question you've put forth, I'm just trying to cover most of the bases in answering it, and hopefully there's something of value in my response. Let me know your thoughts. I too am starting out in this business and I think it's important to be in contact with kindred spirits.

Brian

thanks Brian

I don't know why I re-brought up that metal post.... lol look what I wrote (can you say tired?)

What I'm looking for is dark, gloomy music. Something that, no matter where you listen to it, it sounds creepy.

Now put that into a game where you're in some dark alley and nothing's moving, and you're just anticipating something to come out and eat you. Just some wigged out dark music.

I said metal because I felt that I could shape metal (heavy, fast, whatever) into something dark, but then, after seeing some of the 'stalker' music clips, I realized it's better to go with more effects than actual music.

Stalker is a game in development, you can check it out here www.stalker-game.com

I guess I just want something to fit my game... scary. I just don't know where to go with it.

Massive-war

You want something scary, put this in your game.

In all seriousness though, I think you'll get more results if you're a little more specific--are you looking for advice on composing dark music, or what software to buy? If you need advice on composing, what genre are you looking to do? Orchestral? Ambient? If you can give us a little more information, that would be helpful.

Here's my two cents: I completely second Brian--there is NOTHING more valuable than getting your music theory knowledge solid. Nothing. Let me say it again: know your theory. This is where everything comes from. There are a million guys out there who can make great sounds because they are audio engineering whizzes, but the music they write is utter crap, and hurts to listen to. I don't give a flying bucket of crap about fancy sounds unless they serve the purpose of enhancing an already-well-crafted composition.

That said! If you are looking for an orchestral sound bank, I've heard lots of good things about Garritan Personal Orchestra. I personally use Reason 3 (Propellerhead software). Reason is a good choice if you want to do a wide variety of styles--it also has an excellent orchestral library, as well as extensive synthesis, sampling, and realtime effects for other electronic music. Many people also like to begin with Fruity Loops Studio, because it's cheap and works pretty well for a low price.

Hope this is helpful!

Sounds like you probably want a lot of dissonace in the overall sound. Here's where music theory can be used as a springboard. On whatver instrument you have handy (hopefully a piano or guitar) try using fully diminished chords or anything built on a tritone interval. The tritone is six half steps up from the root of whatever chord or note you're using as your tonic, or base key signature. If C is the root of your chord, play an F# on top of that. It's the single most dissonant interval there is because it divides the octave cleanly in half, leaving the sound totally ambiguous and on-edge. No matter whether you move six half steps up or down from C, you will always land on F#. This interval is so dissonant in fact, it was avoided like the plague by most during the Common Practice era (1600-1900) and many in the Middle Ages believed it summoned the devil.

Here's how to build fully diminshed chords, which incorporate that interval. In C, the chord spelling is C, Eb, Gb (the enharmonic equivalent of F#, just using G to illustrate that it's a chord still built off the triad system). Pretty nasty sounding, eh? From there, try inverting the chord, not necessarily using the C as the root but using another note at the bottom instead. Next try doubling a note in another octave above or below your starting point or just altering the order and rhythm you play them in. Just be careful not to overdo it with either of these approaches. Just some regular minor chords will suffice most of the time. I'd only use the extreme dissonances for the most tense moments of the game to heighten the effect. If the music sounds like a relentlessly tortured orchestra from hell 100% of the time, you lose a lot of the effect you would otherwise have during a critical dramatic moment, and in the very worst case scenario, the gamer decides their ears just can't take it and they stop playing your game altogether.

Hope this helps.

Brian

Blaise...

That was just...wrong...on so many levels...I can't even find the words. Excuse me while I go flush my eyes and ears with Drano.

Brian

First off...HEY m4G buddies, Brian and Blaise!

Secondly, your goal should necessitate your actions towards this endeavour. Find out what you want to do and WHY you want to do it. Everything else will fall into place...it's just how it works.

You'll find a program to use, and method of instrumentation naturally. If it doesn't come naturally, you simply may want to try something else. Start slow if you have to.

Acid makes a neat free version of their popular software called Acid Express for download.

http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/download/step2.asp?DID=551

That can get you started by just playing with music and finding out what you want it to do for you. If you want to go further then it's time for an investment of some kind...Reason or Fruityloops like Brian and Blaise mentioned.

This is kind of general advice for everyone interested in "starting up" so...

Find your voice, your groove, and you'll hopefully find your niche/market whether it's a paying one or not.

Just keep playing/writing music. Theory and theory classes help, but if there isn't something inside of you wanting to get out to begin with, no language of any kind will ever get it out. Zero translates to zero in any language.

And with that piece of pseudo-New Age wisdom I wish you good luck.

And obviously keep asking questions, there's always someone willing to help! Or contract one of us to write for you! IT's what we do!!!

I swear I'm not really this fruity all the time!

Tony
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http://www.anthem-audio.com

Quote: Original post by Blaise Douros
You want something scary, put this in your game.

What...the...fk.....? lol

seriously though, I'm 17 years old and I've played music all my life. I have no degree in composition or anything, but I know tons about notes, rhythms, patterns, etc.

I guess I don't really need to know about how to make harmonics and such with music (like the actual music itself) because I'm a good experimenter anyway and I'd make it sound good. I was just wondering how people make all the cool effects in game music you hear, and how to replicate sounds and stuff like that.

Will froot loop do that for me?

Jason

Are you asking more about composition or SFX design?

Frootyloops and Reason will help with composition but you'll want something else for making SFX and other "cool" effects.

You want to learn how to make any cool sound? Try and copy it. Try and copy it exactly. Record it and listen to it over and over and try to break down each part of the sound. Then recreate it with what you have.

You can learn a lot by this process.

Is there any one effect or sounds you have in mind?

Tony
___________________________
http://www.anthem-audio.com

Quote:
Will froot loop do that for me?

No, but you can do that with FL. Sorry, I had to take the shot ;)

But seriously, are you talking about Jean Michel Jarre kinda sounds? If so, any kind of FM syth can make some pretty funky stuff like that. Some are better than others. I really can't make a recommendation becuase I'm only familiar with one at the time. Also, some of these 'cool effects' are recordings that are put through sound processor software (to add effects like reverb, flange, tremolo, cut, etc ...)

If that is not what you are talking about when you say 'cool effects' then please clarifiy a bit.