Hey everyone, I'm posting this audio update on behalf of our new music overlord(TM) Jesse! So this is him from here:
Sound...
How do we describe something in only sound? First we close our eyes. What do see when these sounds are heard? Music and sound help us get places emotionally that pictures alone can not. It is together that the full impact can be felt. I've always mixed music with the lights out. When I listen to mixes back it's with my eyes closed. Writing a piece that reflects a sense of place for me starts with my eyes open.
The world map screen music was something I came up with based on several things. Arvind's direction (over all temperament of the piece) , the visual mood of the screen, and the over all story of this character.
In regard to the composition and how it relates in context of the game. There are lots of choices to be made here, many bad and many good. A feeling of mystery with an underlying sense of adventure and child like exploration was also something I wanted to portray.
Music in games that is played over and over again is often loops of small sections so you always have to be thinking how to you make this interesting without being repetitive and cluing the listener in that this is in fact a loop. Typically I will try to cover at least two different melodic perspectives to induce movement and progression into small sections like this.
The basic chords started on guitar, was later moved to piano and then the strings where added. The sliding guitar melody heard throughout was added last and is supposed to represent the main character.
This is the basic approach I use for each scene or screen through out the game itself. Sometimes things come quickly to me and others there is more concrete thought involved and less gut. Much like a dream is something less driven by yourself, when you are in that place of creation the feeling is that of a passenger.
I find it a little hard to describe my method to someone. I nearly I always find that other musicians and writers understand that sense of creation that is less easy to describe than it is to simply show.
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Cool read!
Sometimes, I actually play guitar eyes closed or without any lights for hours, so much fun. It lets you perceive the sounds really differently, or get a better touch with them.. So I can relate with what you said.
You and you're multi-talented... ness XD
I had no idea you could do music. I really need to learn to play an instrument before I'm too old and senile :-S