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ASMR - A piece for a video game OST.

Discussion in 'Critique & Feedback' started by Adam Alake, Sep 23, 2017.

  1. #1 Adam Alake, Sep 23, 2017


    I have just finished another track for Null Vector, a game for which I am doing the soundtrack and sound design.

    The version you can hear is meant for the standalone soundtrack, in the game it will appear as two looped tracks - the current A and B sections.

    Let me know what you think.
     
    Jake Schale, Rohann van Rensburg and Sylvain Provenzano like this.
  2. #2 Louis Calabrese, Sep 26, 2017
    I listened to this and said to myself it sounds like some 90s PC scroll game / arcade machine music. Clicked on the link and saw that that was pretty much what it was far, definitely fits for me!
     
    Rohann van Rensburg likes this.
  3. #3 Adam Alake, Sep 29, 2017
    Awesome, glad to hear I found the right vibe.
     
  4. #4 Adam Alake, Oct 2, 2017
  5. #5 Adam Alake, Oct 2, 2017
  6. #6 Sam Miller, Oct 2, 2017
    You've got a lot of structural changes in a very short period of time - 4 structural changes in less than 30 seconds. The constant changes make it hard for me to get into a groove with the music or lock onto your melody.

    The changes aren't as frequent in the individual loops, but the drum fills still feel like too much too early. I don't know what your file-size limitations are, but is it possible to save the fills for later? That would allow you to establish your theme in the beginning and have variation for later in the piece.
     
  7. #7 Adam Alake, Oct 3, 2017
    Each loop is limited to a maximum of one minute in length and ingame they often play several times in a row, I chose this form to make it a little bit unpredictable in the beginning and so the players would get increasingly more comfortable with the changes with each successive loop play. But yeah, it is probably too much. What do you mean by saving the fills for later?
     
  8. #8 Phillip J. Faddoul, Oct 3, 2017
    Nice. You've got some really cool sounds in there. It makes me wanna play Nintendo!
     
  9. #9 Sam Miller, Oct 3, 2017
    Last edited: Oct 3, 2017
    You can do a lot in one minute. Have a listen to the theme song for Super Mario Bros. It has 6 developmental changes in one minute, but it's cohesive throughout. Sometimes it develops vertically and adds another layer (bass, percussion etc.) or it develops horizontally and introduces a new melody. Rarely does it introduce multiple elements at once. That continuity allows the listener to stay in the groove and follow the music because familiar elements are still present.

    I contrast, you have 4 changes in 30 seconds and introduce multiple new layers at once.

    Players may become more comfortable with each successive loop, but in the beginning it's too jarring for my taste and acts as a distraction.

    Sorry, I should've been more specific. I was talking about Loop1. You keep adding variations of your percussion, but they don't add anything for me. Instead, they're a distraction. My knowledge of percussion is limited, but when I hear a variation in rhythm I tend to see it in one of two ways:
    1. Telegraphing a change in the music
    2. Adding a small variation to prevent the music from becoming boring through repetition.
    Save those effects for later in the song when you're repeating a section the listener has heard but want to add a small variation to keep it all interesting.
     
  10. #10 Adam Alake, Oct 3, 2017
    Thank you, great to hear you enjoyed it.


    Ah, I tend to use small percussion variations to accent specific motions in the lead lines mostly, and the complete rhytmic pattern switches to complement the current section better. But I can definitely see what you are pointing at here, I have heard the thing too many times in the creation process to accurately judge what is too premature or jarring. I will keep that in mind for the next track, thank you.
     
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