Sound\Music

[Psymong]

Thanks BTAxis, I appreciate your input.

I've been doing my best to keep it melodically and harmonically minimal, but so far thats just resulted in a lot of drone-based music, which isn't bad in places, but really wouldn't work for the entire soundtrack.

I'll see if I can come up with some spooky, ambient themes.

Thanks again mate.

[Psymong]

Hello again guys,

Just dropping in for a quick update:
I'm currently working on 4 new tracks for the project, all of them are more ambient and minimal than some of the tracks from my earlier efforts, and hopefully should be more suited to in-mission scenes.

I'll post up some rough versions soon and updates of the old tracks i've decided to stick with.

Hope everything's going well with you guys,
Cheers,

  Simon

[Reenen]

Hi, you look like you're prolific!

:-)

I've written one track for another open source game.  But this game really wants the music to be in .mod (or later .xm or .it etc.) formats, and I am really bad at that (I can do some MIDI, but they suck because they sound different on each machine).  Are you apt in those formats?  That game is also much smaller, so that's why it's a concern.

The wiki is here: http://wiki.t-o-m-e.net and the specific call for muso's is here: http://wiki.t-o-m-e.net/GeneralDiscussion_2fPlea_20for_20music_20in_20ToME3_2c_20musicians_20needed

It's a fantasy lord of the rings themed rogue-like game, but the new version will be seeing a lot of bells and whistles (like sound, music, better graphics and so forth).

And a double thumbs up for all the efforts that you've done! Music is the stuff that creates such a special atmosphere in a game, and can sometimes be the difference between just a good game, and a absolutely enthrilling addictive game.

[Reenen]

I'm not allowed to download mp3's at work (obvious reasons)... but

So you should probably refrain from using pronounced percussion effects (like the ones in track 5).

Those are good for the "You've won the mission/game" type of music.

A hum-along melody is probably also not a good idea.

These can be good for short bursts like "research complete" or even interceptions. (but then not too cheerful, more "tense")

[Psymong]

Thanks for your kind comments Reenen,

At the moment, working on the music for UFO:AI is my priority, but once i've made a decent contribution to the project, i'd be happy to have a think about this other game.

To be honest, working with synth/sample engines like .mod or .xm isn't how i'd normally like to work, but we can have a talk about it sometime.

Thanks,
 
 Simon

[Vector_Matt]

Psymong, the music sounds great so far, gj.

[offtopic]Can you tell me what programs you used to make these? I've been experimenting with music/sound creation and have been unable to find a good synthisizer so far.[/offtopic]

[Reenen]

I use,

(Free software)
Audacity (wave editing program, used to save .ogg files),
Frieve Music Studio (.mid editor, a bit buggy, but good),
ModPlug (.mod editor),
Timidity (software soundfont enabled soundcard... kinda)

Then I know a lot of "professionals" use CakeWalk, Band in a Box, and others, but I only have limited experience with these.

[Psymong]

Hello again guys,
I'm starting a new job, so things are pretty hectic at the moment, the music is coming on slowly, but surely though.

As for what software I use:

Ableton Live: For sequencing
Soundforge: for Audio Editing
Reaktor: very versatile sound environment (plus a great set of synthesisers, drum modules and noisemakers to mod and mess around with)
Battery: Fantastic Drum Sampler
Atmosphere: Great sample-based synthesiser
Crystal: Very nice-to-use freeware synth

Oh, and my best friend: PSPVintageWarmer : The nicest Tube-style compressor available, makes everything sound BIG

Hope you have fun trying some of these out.
I'll be back soon to post up my latest efforts for the project.

All the best everyone.
Simon.

[ubequitz]

Hi Psymong,

Thanks for the update and for sharing some of your trade secrets
I listened to your first set of tracks and I think that you are doing some awesome work... can't wait to hear your updated versions!

PS: Good luck with your new job!

[Psymong]

Hello once more!  

I've just spent an evening putting together some rough versions of the new tracks and the latest versions of the old tracks from my last update (minus one that i've decided not to use).

(in ogg format this time):

http://www.8hz.co.uk/downloads/games/UFOAI/New1.ogg
http://www.8hz.co.uk/downloads/games/UFOAI/New2.ogg
http://www.8hz.co.uk/downloads/games/UFOAI/New3.ogg
http://www.8hz.co.uk/downloads/games/UFOAI/New4.ogg
http://www.8hz.co.uk/downloads/games/UFOAI/New5.ogg
http://www.8hz.co.uk/downloads/games/UFOAI/Old1.ogg
http://www.8hz.co.uk/downloads/games/UFOAI/Old2.ogg
http://www.8hz.co.uk/downloads/games/UFOAI/Old3.ogg
http://www.8hz.co.uk/downloads/games/UFOAI/Old4.ogg
http://www.8hz.co.uk/downloads/games/UFOAI/Old5.ogg
http://www.8hz.co.uk/downloads/games/UFOAI/Old6.ogg

Hope you like them.
As always, any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Simon

[Reenen]

Thanks!  I downloaded no1.

Very impressed.  For me it works very well as an alien theme, and I can feel the tension even though I'm not even playing a game.

You are truely an accomplished composer, that had a clear idea of what you wanted, and executed it very well.

[Winter]

Nice work, Psymong. The tracks are well-constructed, very atmospheric, easy to listen to without drawing attention to themselves. You've significantly improved the old tracks since you last posted them. I fully support using these in the game, provided you're finished with them.

We just have to find proper places to put them. Old5 sounds like it would be an excellent track to play over the game intro; it's subtle, it's got exactly the right note of creepiness, and it's long enough to allow an average player more than enough time to read the whole text before the song is over.

Regards,
Winter

[ubequitz]

The new tracks sound  superb, I love the atmospherics.

So far New1, New2 and Old1 are my favourites, although I want to listen to them all properly a few times each before I make up my mind  

I've uploaded the tracks to the the UFO:AI development SVN repository... see http://svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/ufoai/ufoai/trunk/base/music/ . They are not yet used in the game as such, but it is handy to have them there as a reference so we can start thinking about how to use them best. Any updated versions you might make down the road can be integrated into the repository as well.

In the license.txt file I've credited you as the author and have very tentatively marked the license on these tracks as "GPL" since this is the most hassle-free/compatible license that will work for this game and I couldn't find where you specified a license. Please let us know if you want to use another license and I or another dev will amend the license.txt file ASAP.

PS: since you are the major music contributer I'll make sure (with your permission) that your details are added to the full game credits (the animated credit sequence in-game).

[Psymong]

Hi guys,
I'm really glad you like the new tracks  

Most of them I consider pretty-much-finished, if I decided on making any changes/improvements, or if you have any suggestions or changes you'd like  to be made, ill post up revised versions in the near future.

This also leads me to the question: How much music do you want for the project? is there a particular minimum or maximum number of tracks or filesize that you are aiming for? I'm happy to continue composing until we're collectively satisfied. :wink:

In the license.txt file I've credited you as the author and have very tentatively marked the license on these tracks as "GPL"

I'll make sure (with your permission) that your details are added to the full game credits

Thanks very much ubequitz, GPL or Creative commons is fine with me, whatever is easiest for you guys.
Also the way I'm credited in liscence.txt (as "Simon Green (www.8hz.co.uk)") is perfect, if I could get that on the credits also I'd be very grateful  

Old5 sounds like it would be an excellent track to play over the game intro

Thanks for your kind comments Winter.
As for where to use the tracks in-game, I think that's something we should discuss with anyone on the team that's interested, then i could also produce compositions to 'fill the gaps'
Also, if you mean the main menu for Old5, I think we'd be better off if i composed a track specifically for the main menu, most of the tracks ive posted so far have been a little too minimal for use there, perhaps.

Thanks for the feedback guys, I'm looking forward to continuing work on the project.
Cheers,

Simon[/i]

[Winter]

Old5 sounds like it would be an excellent track to play over the game intro

Thanks for your kind comments Winter.

No problem! I call 'em like I see 'em.

As for where to use the tracks in-game, I think that's something we should discuss with anyone on the team that's interested, then i could also produce compositions to 'fill the gaps'
Also, if you mean the main menu for Old5, I think we'd be better off if i composed a track specifically for the main menu, most of the tracks ive posted so far have been a little too minimal for use there, perhaps.

I did not mean the main menu for Old5. I meant the campaign intro, what is currently a long scrolling text that displays upon starting a new game. We're hopefully going to be changing this to a text+image slideshow in the future.

Regards,
Winter