Cue in ABA structure

Good point! What about game music that isn't specifically made for cutscenes? E.g. the Dark Souls or Bloodborne soundtrack that only plays during bossfights?

 

That's a great question and awesome music from those two games you listed.=. I actually would put Game music (that aren't cut scenes) above film music for transitions yes. So classical/romantic music > Game Music > Film Music. Because they aren't tied down to following a specific pacing of the scene, whereas game music is describing an emotion or event in the game. So the form and transitions are more solid and sound compared to film music.

Now with alot of game music today being modular -- meaning the more intense the game action gets, the music adds in layers and other elements; this makes it a lot harder to properly develop (develop horizontally not vertically like mike verta always preaches about). So in the sense of transitions, yes I think you can find greater examples in video game music because it can breathe longer and the composers aren't restricted, but in terms of development (not that you won't find any), but your not gonna get true development in game music like you'll find still in classical/romantic music.

Now I just played a bit of Kingdom Hearts 3 that just came out, Yoko Shimomura besides not only being an amazing memorable melodic composer, but also that she actually knows how to compose legit music. She does REAL development and transitions while figuring out how to be modular. Like she's a beast! But you know, i didn't realize how well she was as a composer (even though I've been listening to her for my whole life aka Street Fighter II) until I studied classical/romantic music. Because now for the past 9 months I've been listening to pretty much only symphonies and overtures, that I've got an ear now for what developement should be and I can recongize it in other people's work now. And yeah, Yoko is solid!

 

@Dillon DeRosa I never heard of her, but I've started listening to a playlist with her music and I quite like it!

Thanks for the recommendation! I don't own any of the games that are listed in the tracklist, so maybe that's why I didn't know of her work.


Good point about the modular/dynamic music systems! That's why I picked DS and BB as examples, because with the music only being in bossfights they aren't under the same "pressure to be agile" as in a game like e.g. Deus Ex, where they need to be able to switch between stealthy and all guns blazing at any moment. I think they still have some degree of dynamic change when you trigger the next phase of a multi-phase bossfight, but when you listen to the soundtrack version I'd assume they've let those transitions be as graceful as possible.

Hope I'll get there too one day.

 

Nice job mate. I'm glad to see you progressing with this track.

1. Wasn't your post about working on natural transitions? Using your melody to help transition is one device (so great job on finding how to use that), however the jump at 1:32 is not the smoothest transition. Now to be clear your transition isn't out of nowhere and you used your melody to help modulate. it works yes -- can you do it? Sure. But, is it the smoothest transition? Not really. John Williams has done transitions like this all the time, but also he's done some of the sexiest and smoothest transitions. But if you're happy with it then I'm happy. Just pointing that out.

2. Both. You should really zone in on dynamics and other orchestration (are there any winds at all?, poor winds mate). I think a bit with mixing but mostly with programming and orchestration is making it sound thin. If you're going for that trailer sound then you can just keep layering and that'll fix stuff for sure. But if your going for good orchestration for starters adding winds will help. And if the winds are in there, I can't hear them so it could be mixing them up a bit (dynamics, z-depth, etc). Aaron the wizard will be much better help with the mixing then me.

Also the snare drum is new from your first version. It gives a different feel in case you were wondering.

What kind of music do you write JP? Are you looking to write orchestral, trailer, film, video game? I am just curious to know as I don't want to give some advice that might not be useful.

 

Well ........ we are getting there. It's heading in the right direction, but off. (Also ......don't extend the length of the track. It's very valuable to work within constraints.
The horn Eb at the end ....... well I guess it's like those old cartoons where the lady in on the train track and you cut right to commercial)


OK. For me, what is off - on first listen - is the section at 37 is clearly meant to be higher in intensity, and yet we loose the snares and percussion here.
That goes against the arch you are creating.

Don't do that. Hold off on the snares in the opening. Bring them in here at 37.

But wait.....???? ....... weren't you following my advice ? Well I never talked about instrument choices.

Here is what I would advise now:

Take the rhythmic figure you currently have on the snare at the opening (but loose the roll as other instruments can't imitate that)

Now let's take that figure, and how about putting it on the Violas. This is also going to prep your ostinato strings at 37 better.

Here is how I would proceed.

1. Take your bass note and write a very simple counterpoint over it. The focus is only on voice leading and melodic aspects. Half notes only are fine.
(See measures 1-4 of the example below) Since it is simplified you can write out many different possibilities to evaluate.

2. Now that we have the sketch, and the voice leading add in the rhythmic figuration, and "fill in the gaps". Remember to make it idiomatic too.

So below measures 1-4 is creating the outline. Then 5-8 are the realization of this.

You can have snare in the opening, but make it more sparse and then bring it in fully at 37.

Keep going !

PS. additionally using a softer dynamic that builds for these figure might work really well. The ear can tire of these

 

Nice job mate!

Although the piccolo caught me off guard I was really happy you added it. It brightens things up and it's quite a bold color choice which always makes me happy. Definitely reminds me of Nobuo Uematsu as he loved to write piccolo melodies in the middle of this action/adventure like music.

You can hear it all over this piece, definitely a piece to get inspired from. Around 3:27ish you can hear the piccolo take the melody as it leads us back into the transition to one final recap of the main melody.

 

Me too. Nice work ! It's come a long way really from the first version.

Umm....... you trying to get me to jump off a tall building ?

Pay attention to the note duration and how they cut off at the end of each of the piccolo phrases. They sound abrupt to me.
Often we all don't think enough about how to a shape a notes decay.

For my taste you return to the cookie jar too may times with the piccolo (which like recorder, pan flute, Eb clarinet are not my favorites)

The initial entrance is successful.

I think the spot at :53 to 1:01 is problematic. I'm just not convinced of the Horn piccolo doubling.
Just let the picc. trill, and here is a spot it cuts out too quick for me.

Maybe the first melody could go to horns the second the trumpets. Or perhaps first time Cello and then to Horn as you have it.

I am not entirely sure, but am sure you can have more variety, while at the same time blend them less. Make sense ?

You really love that snare in the opening huh ? By all means "stand your ground" and if you really love it, keep it.
I think I already explained my case, but I'll add in one last submittal of examples.

As per my comment above I think holding off the snare will create even more forward motion, and you can have the same rhythms in the snare put to other instruments.

Again, be true to your own artistic vision, and don't let me sway you if you are not convinced. Below are two examples that are closer to what I am referring to in terms of
getting from slow to fast.

Here the viola take the same role as your snare (as I suggested above). :46 now becomes a clear arrival point




This one is less like your piece, but still demonstrates the issue of forward motion. The opening the strings alone provide enough drive.
(you have vocal instead of "one of those woodwinds")

Then 1:00 and 1:17 create the clear arrival or climatic spots. The holding off of lots of percussion until then helps tis.

Please do as you wish however. I am sure there are hundreds of examples like what you are doing.