I worked on midi from some free midi software, then loaded it with hi quality samples, and finished the song. Envision this song to be some sort of tactical battle. Would love critique. http://longebane.aoikokoro.net/archieve/Rock%20Crush.mp3

That's perfect for what you are talking about; the tactical battle theme. More specifically, it sounds like some sort of pre-battle, morale song. Translated into a video game mood, this would be perfect for a 'unit setup' mode.

I can see the tactile element of the piece, but there wasn't anything about it that instilled a sense of battle. As swordfish pointed out, this seems more of a pre-battle setup than the actual battle.

I'm curious: what software did you use for this? It's pretty good work. Are you on any projects at the moment?

I use plain 'ol noteworthy composer for midi and for daw, I use the cereal studio. I felt this could be a good first battle theme, where you're still getting acquinted with the system, and there is not much action and tension.

Currently, I am indeed working on some projects. I plan to use this song for the current battle system I am also working on.



Also working on other projects, but those are irrelevent.

I agree good work and if you added some chormatisism or more intensity it could work for the battle itself but I think this piece works so well maybe make a different song for that and leave this one as the others have suggested....regardless it's good work.

It is indeed a pre-battle or tutorial piece. Nonetheless, this is a good piece. I wish I knew how to use samples :(.

-Stenny

LongeBane-

First off, let me just say there are a lot of good ideas here! I agree with many of the assessments already made on this thread. It doesn't seem to be in the thick of battle, but the pre-fighting music.

On a critical level- I did find some of the melodies of figures a tad too repetitive at times, particularly in the higher woodwinds. The file played in QuickTime for me, so it didn't show the time but it was towards the middle and the end of the piece.

While I recognize what you're trying to do musically- it does give the listener a chance to drone or zone out. Even just changing a few notes here and there in those repeating sections would give the piece new life. This would give the piece more forward momentum.

Also, when I listened to it the piece stayed in the same range and had the same basic texture all of the way through. You might consider adding some lower sections or higher sections and broaden the range of the over all piece. You can also do this with texture- thick versus thin.

You don’t have to do all of these things- I’m just shooting off solutions what will give your composition more depth. In fact, I would urge you not to do all of these things. That would simply be overkill.

Keep in mind I make these comments only to help your piece grow. I think you have a great start! Thanks for sharing!!

On my second listening-

I do hear you doing some nice things with sections of the orchestra trading off and the texture changing over the course of the piece. So diregard what I said about texture, but the repeats still could use some tweaking.

I'm new to game composition so correct me where it's necesarry but wont making the music vary more make the beginning and end of the piece obvious? I hate when I'm playing a game and I can hear when the music starts over.

Quote: Original post by JimWelch
I'm new to game composition so correct me where it's necesarry but wont making the music vary more make the beginning and end of the piece obvious? I hate when I'm playing a game and I can hear when the music starts over.

Well, its a matter of how you make more variety. For example, what I was thinking about was even just changing the pattern by one note. Its kinda hard to explain in text without a musical example to show--but here goes---

For example- if I have the violins play this figure (c-d-e-f-g-f-e-d-c) over eight bars while other things are happening...that could work or it could get kinda predictable. Instead maybe vary up the figure by changing only the pattern (c-d-e-f-g-e-f-d-c). I'm using a very basic figure and idea to try and communicate better via text only.

I guess it's you own personal right to hate it when music starts over in a game. It really doesn't bother me as long as:
1) the piece is of decent or high quality
2) the piece isn't a 30 second loop that I'll hear repeated 400,000,000 times through one level! :)

Also, I think your statement about "wont making the music vary more make the beginning and end of the piece obvious?" is only true in some cases. Sometimes hearing a piece that does a ton of repetition is worse (at least to me and my posse) than knowing where the loop point is in a well constructed song. What if you were to expand on this battle theme idea.

You could do a basic form where the song has more length and different ideas.
Intro- Theme A- Bridging idea- Theme B- Theme A - turn around.
This could help keep the listener tuned in.... also the turn around section could be very related or bring the piece back to the intro...so it isn't so apparant that the song just started over.

Finally...I think looped music is expected in this industry. It pretty much has to be- because its our job to make sure that theme A continues as long as the player is in room A. That means if Bobby leaves his PS3000 on and goes for a walk...that song will loop continuously until Bobby gets back and moves into another room with a different theme. So, personally, I place content as my upmost concern and do not worry about loop points as much. You do want the loop point to work and keep the flow- but just because its there doesn't mean the song is ruined.

Just my two cents.