NeS Music

[Edward]

Hi!
I've kinda volunteered to do some sounds for some of the Radio Snippets. But, I have no inspiration for Theme Music. The best I can think of is the NeS Movie Theme, but Geb didn't approve of that. So, anyone have any other ideas? Or maybe someone could compose something?

/Edward

[Tracer]

I had initially intended to compose the music myself, though I haven't looked into the processs mainly because we can't know what we'll be needing sound-wise until the voices are recorded (I wanted to be able to look at it and go "okay, we need 20 seconds of music" and then compose a 20-second cue rather than use a 20 second excerpt of music from an existing song). As far as inspiration goes, I was just going to read the script and hear how people do the voices and run with that.

However, more help is better than less and I'm just about the laziest person on earth, so you're welcome to participate. What instrument do you play, and what kind of gear are you recording on?

[Edward]

Well, there have been recordings, though all voices by one man. Maybe two: http://nesradio.sorrowind.net/audio/

Anyway, I play keyboard, but alot of the times I just plink on the keyboard, then I use a tracker to do the final (ModPlug Tracker). I also mix sounds using the tracker. But sometimes I use Audacity because of some of its other tracking methods. Sometimes I'd prefer Cubase, if I had it for PC. But I manage.

Anyways, you can have a listen to what I've put together so far: http://edward.leuf.org/x/chimichanga.rmx.ogg

/Edward

[Semievil333]

(This is Geb -- I'm hijacking Sem's computer.)

I've actually never been able to envision what sort of theme music/unique musical score NeS would have. My guess would be that it'd be like LotR, or Star Wars, or the Matrix, but with a quirky edge to it. Even that's not very easy to imagine for me though.

However, I strongly stand by the fact that it should be UNIQUE -- not being identifiable music from something else (The Neverending Story predictably being the usual source, and yes, I do love its theme music). The exception to this would be if it used the Loony Toons approach (classical music mixed in with other music during their episodes) -- and that approach isn't applicable for a main "theme" music. My stance on this stems from my overall stance on original material for NeS, and it's a stance that I'm the only one strongly vocalizing, and since my "democratic" principle stands above this one, it's a stance I can only push so much.

[Edward]

Well, we could have a mix of themes, though put together in a way that makes it "Wait, do I know this song? No... There's something about it... Is it..? Nah."
We could make something that has a Star Wars/Cantina Melody (maybe reversed), with the chords of NeS the Movie, and the jumpy beat of Loony Toons. Maybe a little less.
I did find something among my music that seemed like a good beat: http://bleuf.org:37600/edshare/crazycow4v.mod.zip
This might bring in some inspiration. Or, we could just use it. Either way.

/Edward

[Gebohq]

The music you linked there could probably work as some part of the music (not necessarily specifically that even, but the general feel), but as for a "main theme" the music probably needs to be more dramatic-ish. Maybe.

As for combining/remixing multiple themes from other sources, that dances on a fine line. On one hand, it could simply sound like a remix, like what they do when they mix Star Wars' Imperial March and Star Trek's main theme and the "what is love?" Night at the Roxberry soundtracks together -- it's very obviously those individual pieces remixed and (admittedly well) put together. On the other hand, it may create something comepletely new-sounding, despite it actually using other themes as source material that's been remixed-whatever. The short is, I don't really approve of it if people think "hey, that sounds like the such-and-such" theme. I'm not even a fan of actual music that accidentially appears to pull from something else. I like my originality. And yes, I'm well aware of the "everything's been done" perspective of art.

[Tracer]

I'm for all new original songs (and by 'songs' I mean shortish musical cues).

[Baconfish]

I'm all for helping compose some small things.

Although it would probably end up being midi unless i gave someone with a keyboard some music to record and just tell them to edit it how they like.

[Edward]

Well, you could make the midi, and then I replace the instruments. You could just make pieces of it (main melody, chorus, chords) and I put them together. Or something...

[Baconfish]

Indeed.

We'll get several people on it.

[Edward]

So, is anything happening?

[Gebohq]

Dunno. I'll see if I can get Baconfish and the like to see what they have to say...

[Baconfish]

Right, after quick discussion with the Alpha Dog ^ right now we're just going to say try composing a main theme of sorts in whatever style you think seems fitting, and then people can discuss it from there.

It's really just do whatever you want, and we'll see how it fits. :P

[Edward]

Well, I'm not really good at creating anything original. I thought you guys were going to create something... The only "original" I can do is play something known in reverse. :p

/Edward