Project Eternity Composer: In-house or External

[C2B]

there is also a possibility to do it like in New Vegas - 50/50, like Bell/Morgan, taking into consideration the poll

 

New Vegas was Inon Zur. A bit was by Obsidian and the rest reused tracks.

[BSoda]

...whatever is cheaper.

[Justin Bell]

Awesome poll, and not just because I'm one of the choices. Bottom line is, it's really great to see how many of you are passionate about the music that'll eventually get written for Project Etertnity. Music is super important for these kinds of games, and our project is no exception. Rest assured that everyone here at Obsidian wants to get it right.

 

@Justin Bell

 

If you are lurking this forum, could you share with us a sample of what you would have in mind for the soundtracks?

 

That's a great idea Darkpriest. I'm a big believer in using a model when trying to express what the musical vision for a project should be. It helps when you can point to something and say "Like this, but with a little bit of that!" It gives people something to discuss and debate, and ultimiately, something to work toward.

 

We'll probably have more to say on this at some point down the line, though I don't know when exactly that will be.

 

If Justin reads this: How long did you guys take to put that video together?

 

I took about four days to write the music for the video, giving myself plenty of time to try things out. I find its a good idea to allow yourself room to fail, since often those moments are the ones that show you what is necessary to ultimately succeed.

 

In all I wrote about four or five longish pieces of music that got cut up and stiched together, and the end result is a "medly" of all select sections from each one.

[Metabot]

How sexy would it be to get Clint Mansell?

[Monkcrab]

I like Justin Bell's work in the kickstarter video. It's a bit on the generic side, but certain passages sounds like he can make more interesting stuff once more information on the game is shown.

 

Moreover, this is about supporting Obsidian to make a game it wants to make, so it'd be a bit cruel not to let the Obsidian sound guy get his chance to shine, too!

[TwinkieGorilla]

I'm a big believer in using a model when trying to express what the musical vision for a project should be. It helps when you can point to something and say "Like this, but with a little bit of that!" It gives people something to discuss and debate, and ultimiately, something to work toward.

 

Good to know you're interested in being a vocal part of the process. Looking forward to hearing more (or enough to make a fair judgment). Cheers.

[Justin Bell]

Good to know you're interested in being a vocal part of the process. Looking forward to hearing more (or enough to make a fair judgment). Cheers.

 

But of course! That's the beauty of Kickstarter rihgt? It's just as much our opportunity to make the game we really want to make as it is your opporunity to tell us what kind of game you really want to play.

[WorstUsernameEver]

Obviously I'm too interested in hearing what direction you have in mind, Justin. I'm not a soundtrack buff by any means, but I often feel like that kind of "direction" is more important than the quality of the single pieces in characterizing some piece of work in my mind, it helps defining the personality of the game.

 

Also, thanks for the update!

[TwinkieGorilla]

It's just as much our opportunity to make the game we really want to make as it is your opporunity to tell us what kind of game you really want to play.

 

Indeed! Just, you know, don't listen to us overmuch.

 

bonusthought: if you do listen to us...*ahem*...I'd personally love the music to occassionally go the route of somebody like Lustmord, particularly his work on "Stalker". That is all.

[Karranthain]

Good to know you're interested in being a vocal part of the process. Looking forward to hearing more (or enough to make a fair judgment). Cheers.

 

But of course! That's the beauty of Kickstarter rihgt? It's just as much our opportunity to make the game we really want to make as it is your opporunity to tell us what kind of game you really want to play.

 

Indeed, and don't be afraid to go crazy and experiment!

[Vatdim]

I really don't need big names to come and make the music, although I'm sure that'd bring up some more support from the Kickstarter community. I just need the music to be atmospheric and so far I've liked what Justin did with the kickstarter video. It was really good. However, I need to learn a bit more about the world of PE and I've to listen to some more of what Justin's planning for this project in order to be 100% sure that this is the style I want.

 

Let me share with you a few short pieces I've really gotten to love because of how well they have conveyed a certain feeling to me.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC2VEGrHkqA

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFoaFw0MqMY

[Justin Bell]

[cool videos]

 

Great examples! Like the second one best of all personally.

[Syraxis]

Mulsantir's theme was awesome.

 

More stuff like this if you would, Mr. Bell.

 

[Infinitron]

Honestly? I love game music, but at the same time, I don't think it's important enough for us gamers to have a say in who Obsidian chooses.

Edited September 19, 2012 by Infinitron

[morhilane]

Justin Bell all the way. It just make the game more personal to Obsidian, for me, if the music was all made in-house.

 

Although, whom ever Obsidian pick also work.

[Jaesun]

Obsidian has ALWAYS done a very good job in music for their games. I trust whoever the decide upon. I really liked the music in the KS video. In fact I wish they would share that piece, so we could hear the whole thing by itself.

[drgonzo]

Who ever the composer, though, I wouldn't want the music to be like in the pitch video where it souded good (to me) but kinda generic. I'd want the score to have some experimental bite to it; something nonconventional. Arcanun did great (imo) with the minimalistic approach, and PS:T did likewise great with the Mark Morgan ambient touch, for a couple of examples -- and that's the sort of thing I'd like to hear in PE too, something that strays at least a bit from the basic fantasy orchestrals.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[casa]

Justin, if you're the chosen one please consider going a little bit into the Arcanum direction for a few tracks at least - I really like the music from NWN2 posted above, but things like

still give me goosebumps. (sorry, no idea how to embed videos yet. )

[IEfan]

OFC i'll support Obsidian's choice, no matter what it is. I voted Justin Bell if only to reinforce an antagonism to fracking Jeremy Soule who'se style is pretty unremarkable & kinda insulting to Justin as well if he's on the job by default. You nerds you!! You would think a lesser-known composer would pour his heart out on a project like this, you know.

 

And I'm somewhat suprised people have forgotten BG 1 & 2 composers, seems like a some kind of insult to those guys consider how ****ing good OST's both have, with major stylistic differences. I really haven't heard anything like them in a long while and i'm a music guy/composer-want-to-be myself. NWN's music was kinda good but the pool of songs wasn't big enough for the game (too much replay) and as for NWN2, idk haven't played much of it.

 

I really miss the weather/outdoors music of BG 1 though!! or any music really. They went all for the epic, grandiose fantasy stuff in BG2 and forgot all about the atmospheric music... though that might be because there wasn't much wilderness in the game anyways (or tiny/peasant towns anyways), everything had to be big.

Edited September 19, 2012 by IEfan

[drgonzo]

Anyone remember the game Silver? Awesome soundtrack. Don't know the name of the composer though.

 

 

[Redwulf]

Personally I vote for Metallica. :D Really though, I'm sure I'll be satisfied with whoever they pick. Music is a big deal, but, game play is the biggest, and that's what needs to be focused on first. If the gameplay is made awesome, I have little doubt the music will follow suit. To cut to the point if the game play was really fun, and the music was just satisfactory, I have no doubt I would still love the game.

[Anaeme]

The music is half the game for me...so long as it is Epic

[bunia]

I really liked the music in the KS video. In fact I wish they would share that piece, so we could hear the whole thing by itself.

It would be awesome! I totally support this idea! :3

[Tychoxi]

I can't wait to hear who's the composer (and to a lesser extent, in which direction he's told to go), but I can't really say I prefer anybody in special at this point.

 

 

I always loved this Soule track, so I'm sharing!:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsK4FZCGums[/url]

Edited September 19, 2012 by Tychoxi

[Justin Bell]

[...] Arcanum direction for a few tracks at least - I really like the music from NWN2 posted above, but things like

 

String quartet is amazing, and it's not something a lot of composers are asked to do nowadays. But yeah, I'm a huge fan of that intimate chamber music sound. You know, anything is really possible as long as:

 

a. It fits the over all musical style of the game

b. It suites the specific narrative moment of the game

c. Doesn't sound jarringly out of place.

 

I think for the right moment in the game, it can work great. Above all, the narrative drive's the music first and foremost. As long as music obey's the narrative, you can use pretty much any musical style. The trick is to keep things interesting, and this is one of those things that could shake things up a bit in a good way at the right moment.

 

They went all for the epic, grandiose fantasy stuff in BG2 and forgot all about the atmospheric music... though that might be because there wasn't much wilderness in the game anyways (or tiny/peasant towns anyways), everything had to be big.

 

Good observation here! I'm a big believer of having music ebb and flow, and more importantly, that it be interesting and emotionally engaging to listen to.

 

When music is all big all the time, you tend to get tired of listening to it after extended periods. That's what we in audio call "listener fatigue", and I'm pretty sensitive to that. The problem with listener fatigue is that when you reach the climax of musical intensity and you keep it there for stustained periods of time, where can you go next if the narrative calls for things to get kicked up another notch?

 

You have to leave yourself a "vertical buffer" to ensure those moments have meaning and impact. So, to answer your question, there should definitely be moments of moody ambience when its appropriate, just as there should be big grandoise moments when it's called for. But ultimately, everything depends on the narrative...