# Tibetan Temple (Game Music)



## devastat (Jul 23, 2011)

Tibetan Temple: http://soundcloud.com/devastat/game-mus ... tales-snow

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OLD: 
Thought to post a music example here for the first time. This is some low-key "Celtic" inspired music from a computer game I am working on. The mix is not very "big" as it is supposed to be backgound music in the game so it cannot be too overpowering. 

Here is the link: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9178387/NEUTRAL_demo-LongVersion.mp3 (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9178387/NEUTRAL ... ersion.mp3)

All feedback appreciated!


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## Mike Marino (Jul 24, 2011)

Dig it!! Yeah, I wish it was bigger on the low end with some percussive boom....but I see what you're saying.

And I didn't get tired of the background ostinato with the percussion either.

Yeah, very nice! Thanks for the share!

- Mike


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## devastat (Jul 25, 2011)

*Re: Humans & Goblins - "Celtic" inspired Game Music*

Thank you, Mike!


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## FredrikJonasson (Jul 25, 2011)

*Re: Humans & Goblins - "Celtic" inspired Game Music*

Yeah, I like this one! I find my self humming on it, and that's a good sign. The mix is fine and it's gonna be great as game music! What library are you using for the melody instruments?


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## devastat (Jul 25, 2011)

*Re: Humans & Goblins - "Celtic" inspired Game Music*

Thank you Fredrik! I am using Eduardo Tarlionte's instruments (Forest Kingdom and Celtic Winds) and there is also one from QL Silk.


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## FredrikJonasson (Jul 25, 2011)

*Re: Humans & Goblins - "Celtic" inspired Game Music*

Excuse my lack of knowledge regarding ethnic winds, but I find the first one very nice.. is that Forest Kingdom perhaps?
/Fredrik


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## devastat (Jul 25, 2011)

*Re: Humans & Goblins - "Celtic" inspired Game Music*

The first one is Duduk from QL Silk.


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## IFM (Jul 25, 2011)

Sounds good! When the uilleann pipe come in at the end it sounds too unnatural. Try doing an accidental for the 1st pitch instead of a bend...and it shouldn't hit exactly when the flute does.

Chris


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## Ian Dorsch (Jul 25, 2011)

Thanks for sharing, I really like this! 

I would like to maybe hear more idiomatic performances from the flute/whistle thing and pipes. I'm not sure what your options are with those samples, and perhaps you're already aware of this, but a real player of either pipes or whistle would use much more ornamentation.

All things considered, though, it all works well. I particularly dig the interplay between strings and percussion. It evokes a little Halo nostalgia, without sounding derivative.


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## devastat (Jul 25, 2011)

*Re: Humans & Goblins - "Celtic" inspired Game Music*

Thanks for your feedback guys - really appreciated and very useful!!

The style of the game is not very realistic but more towards caricature with humoristic overtone - so I don't need to be too worried about realism, but i'll try the accidental like you suggested Chris! I could also definitely get more "character" out of that flute. 

The game is combining RPG with strategy, think of something like Diablo, Warcraft and Settlers meshed-up with lots of humor added as an extra ingredient. This example of music is for the human village. I will have to introduce completely different set of instruments for the Goblins, and the Orcs.


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## devastat (Aug 7, 2011)

*Re: Humans & Goblins - Goblin "Swamp" theme*

..


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## impressions (Aug 7, 2011)

i love the way you mix your tracks, what plugins do you use? EQ?
and your pieces definitely sets the mood without overpowering the player's actions.


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## devastat (Aug 7, 2011)

*Re: Humans & Goblins - Goblin "Swamp" theme*

For reverb I use usually QL Spaces, EQ is usually Equality or Cubase's own, to get more out of some instruments i might put Voxengo Elephant into them, then I use some stereo expanders such as Crysonic SINDO in few instruments if I need to widen/narrow them down.. I think in this track I did not use anything else actually!


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## hbuus (Aug 7, 2011)

Thanks for posting, devastat - I enjoyed listening to both your tunes.

I think the NEUTRAL_demo-longversion sounds more finished than the Goblin-tune. The latter sounds very good too, but it is too much of the same all the time. It needs to be more varied IMO. Though what you have is definitely sounding good. I can picture goblins sneaking around when listening to your tune 

Keep up the good work and please post more examples, it's enjoyable to listen to.

Best,
Henrik


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## devastat (Aug 7, 2011)

*Re: Humans & Goblins - Goblin "Swamp" theme*

You are right its not a finished tune - its in a way a sound concept for the melody and instruments to be used on the theme that will be developed more.

There will be probably a digeridoo, jaw harp or some kind of flute as a central element later on..


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## Marius Masalar (Aug 7, 2011)

Hi, Oskari!

I really love the first cue you posted. Exactly what I'd expect from the context you described and I'm sure it will fit beautifully. If it were me, I would have opted for a bit more movement in the second half, perhaps with some subtle moving legato string lines to buoy the woodwinds and celtic harp a bit, but I know you had to keep it fairly low-key.

Mix-wise, there's something about the main drum sound that bothers me. It feels closer up than the rest of the ensemble and not in a particularly flattering way. When the rest of the percussion enters it's less noticeable, but near the beginning it felt like I was sitting in front of the drum and trying to peek behind at everyone else playing. I think it's just a placement/reverb depth issue.

As for the goblin cue, it's got a great mood. The panpipe puffs are a bit close up, but the rest sits nicely. I don't particularly like your string staccatos (they feel a bit mechanical and dynamically static...some more bounce would fit the cue, I feel) but the rest was convincing.

Really great work. Hope to be able to hear these in context soon!


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## devastat (Aug 7, 2011)

*Re: Humans & Goblins - Goblin "Swamp" theme*

Thanks a lot for your great feedback Mathazzar, really valuable to me to improve my mixes. 

Actually I just got feedback from the game developer and I have to replace the whole strings section in the Goblin theme with something else, as he doesn't like the idea of using a string section in the goblin world.. I have to think of a rare or exotic sounding instrument that would fill those similar frequencies..hmm.


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## devastat (Sep 12, 2011)

*Goblin "Swamp" theme (2nd version)*

Here is a second version of the Goblin Swamp theme http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9178387/GOBLIN_NEUTRAL-demo%20-%20ver2.mp3 (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9178387/GOBLIN_ ... 20ver2.mp3)

I hope you enjoy it!


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## zacnelson (Sep 12, 2011)

I listened to both tracks, they were both good. The goblin swamp one was repetitive in an appropriate fashion for a computer game. I certainly would not get tired of it if I was playing for hours, which is an important factor. Whereas the Celtic long demo version file was quite moving and evocative, I think I would even choose to listen to that on it's own, I could imagine that on a great CD of instrumental music as a nice relaxing lull placed between a couple of tracks with more emotional intensity. Not every piece of music in the world needs to build and climax and hit you in the head. I think the restrictions of the game format have allowed you to create something that breathes and flows and settles into the listener's mood without trying to grab too much attention. It's lovely. I really like the music of a Scandinavian group called `Secret Garden' who have had a number of successful new-agey albums which include some tracks with a similar mood to yours.


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## zacnelson (Sep 12, 2011)

I also should add your mixing is of EXCEPTIONAL quality


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## devastat (Sep 13, 2011)

*Re: Goblin Swamp theme (2nd version)*

Zac, I'm really glad you liked it and thanks for the feedback!


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## zacnelson (Sep 13, 2011)

Now you need to get on to your drum and bass tracks for that other track we discussed on your other thread!


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## devastat (Sep 13, 2011)

*Re: Goblin Swamp theme (2nd version)*

I will make the new version of the track this weekend, will have to make more "goblin" music all week.. o/~


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## devastat (Oct 15, 2011)

I started working again on a new area. 

This is in an area which is kind of a "tibetan" temple on top of a snowy mountain guarded by a big Yeti.

http://soundcloud.com/devastat/game-mus ... tales-snow

Any feedback really appreciated as this is kind of music style I've never done before, thanks again!


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## noiseboyuk (Oct 16, 2011)

devastat @ Sat Oct 15 said:


> I started working again on a new area.
> 
> This is in an area which is kind of a "tibetan" temple on top of a snowy mountain guarded by a big Yeti.
> 
> ...



I don't really know much about video game requirements, specifically what needs to be foreground / background, how loops work, so any comments are with that proviso. Basically I think the piece works well and I and imagine it working fine in context, the only exception might be the voice. It seems to stand out rather, which in a regular mix is right, but my instincts would be to push it further back in the mix for a videogame. It's reverb is great again for a regular mix, but it might be worth trying more of it relative to dry for the same reason.

I could be COMPLETELY wrong on all that, it's just a gut instinct that having this percussion driven with the voice way off for a bit of texture might be better in context. That aside, like I say I think it would work great.


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## devastat (Oct 16, 2011)

I think you are correct the chant is too loud and should be more distant.

About the reverb, you most likely are correct in that as well, however so far it seems that when the music is slightly too reverbery (is that a word?) - the music seems to blend better in with the soundscape. Like this one will have a loud howling tusky wind in the background. I will have to see the music again within the game and then take some of the reverb out if needed. Thanks for the feedback Guy!


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## dannthr (Oct 16, 2011)

Just take the chant and drop it about 2 octaves in pitch, and it will stop sounding so human and friendly and sound more yeti and menacing.


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## devastat (Oct 16, 2011)

It is actually a human temple guarded by a Yeti. 

The brief was to do something more in a "buddhist" sense rather than menacing..


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