# Creating music similiar like dark souls/bloodborne style



## darcvision (May 23, 2020)

hello, does anyone ever create track similiar like dark souls type? any tips?

story : i'm struggling how to create music like dark souls especially transition. after i write 4-8 bar, i just cant do next transition. feels like i cant make it longer.

when it comes to instrumentation, i'm using choir (oceania), strings (sus,spic,stac), brass, and percussion (bass drum, timpani, sometimes tambourine or sleighbells). 

reference track









this is my track ( just simple quick mix)




thanks


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## VgsA (May 23, 2020)

Something like this?


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## davidson (May 23, 2020)

stefandy31 said:


> hello, does anyone ever create track similiar like dark souls type? any tips?
> 
> story : i'm struggling how to create music like dark souls especially transition. after i write 4-8 bar, i just cant do next transition. feels like i cant make it longer.
> 
> ...




Are you having issues with writing, or instrumentation? If you haven't done it already, I'd start by transcribing the pieces you posted, and another half dozen similar pieces.


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## darcvision (May 23, 2020)

VgsA said:


> Something like this?



yeah... i wonder what's percussion did you use in your track? when i writing my track, i'm just using bass drum, timpani, tambourine and sleighbell. somehow i think its kind of missing, feels like i'm doing wrong. btw i'm using rhapsody percussion.


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## darcvision (May 23, 2020)

davidson said:


> Are you having issues with writing, or instrumentation? If you haven't done it already, I'd start by transcribing the pieces you posted, and another half dozen similar pieces.


writing and mostly transition. after i wrote 15-30 sec, somehow i can't make the next transition.


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## VgsA (May 23, 2020)

stefandy31 said:


> yeah... i wonder what's percussion did you use in your track? when i writing my track, i'm just using bass drum, timpani, tambourine and sleighbell. somehow i think its kind of missing, feels like i'm doing wrong. btw i'm using rhapsody percussion.



That's a good choice of instruments, and Rhapsody is awesome! You want to have some anvil layered with those too. Remember to think as the ''hits'' as not only one instrument, but the combination of low frecuencies, mid frecuencies and high frecuencies. So if you layer correctly an anvil that might sound ''thin'' or ''not suitable'' with, say, a bass drum with lots of low end, it will sound massive. 
So my advice for percussion would be that: think of the instruments as layers (this works for other instruments as well, of course!) 
Let me know if you have any questions!


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## MartinH. (May 23, 2020)

This might interest you:



@VgsA: Great track!




davidson said:


> Are you having issues with writing, or instrumentation? If you haven't done it already, I'd start by transcribing the pieces you posted, and another half dozen similar pieces.


+1. This will also help you set up your template to match your reference track as close as you can. When you go for a 1 to 1 copy you'll learn a lot about mixing. 

I tried that too once and this is how far I've gotten:


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## VgsA (May 23, 2020)

MartinH. said:


> @VgsA: Great track!



Thank you! I like your mockup :D


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## darcvision (May 23, 2020)

VgsA said:


> That's a good choice of instruments, and Rhapsody is awesome! You want to have some anvil layered with those too. Remember to think as the ''hits'' as not only one instrument, but the combination of low frecuencies, mid frecuencies and high frecuencies. So if you layer correctly an anvil that might sound ''thin'' or ''not suitable'' with, say, a bass drum with lots of low end, it will sound massive.
> So my advice for percussion would be that: think of the instruments as layers (this works for other instruments as well, of course!)
> Let me know if you have any questions!


great tips!!! thanks. i tried to blend it with another instrument such as metal, triangle, and carillon, and of course a lot of tweaking (de-tuning, eq inside library), and its pretty close but i still not satistified. when i'm doing something like sound design or layering with a lot of tweaking, i'm afraid it might be sounds un-natural because i think dark souls music are natural and traditional(without using synth) imo.


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## darcvision (May 23, 2020)

MartinH. said:


> This might interest you:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



great resource, thanks. i also like GDC video about disasterpeace when he's teaching NI Massive synth and talking about FEZ.


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## OrangeCloud (Jun 27, 2021)

did you figure something out?


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