http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality ... ersion.mp3
(Try copy/paste the entire URL into the address bar if the link is broken.)
I've been meaning to redo the main title (used for the main menu) I did for the Galactic Melee game score (since the game was canceled) because I was always unhappy with how it turned out originally. For the 2011 version, I changed quite a bit of stuff, such as:
-Rewrote the string section in the second half with better counterpoint. Although my understanding of counterpoint has greatly improved since when I did the original version, it's still not to my total satisfaction. I have to experiment even more--especially on crafting compelling dissonances that serves as intriguing tensions before they resolve.
-Completely redid the drum section in the second half.
-Complete redid the bassline in the second half.
-Other changes of how the glitch effect is handled, and redid the whole mix/master.
Galactic Melee - Main Title (2011 version)
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- KVRAF
- 1643 posts since 18 Mar, 2004 from Lincoln, CA
Last edited by Lunatique on Mon Jan 03, 2011 3:20 pm, edited 7 times in total.
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- KVRian
- 657 posts since 2 May, 2002 from Kalispell, MT
This sounds really great. The first couple of listens the gate (or whatever) around 1:05 f'd with my head. I thought my speakers were cutting out. Once I got use to it being there, I liked it. The strings that come in around :28 are my only quibble with this track. They sound like D50 Arco Strings or something... very mechanical/synthetic and the line they play as well sounds very quantized. The strings later in the track sound much more fluid.
This feels much more mature than the stuff I last heard back when you were a mod on CGTalk. That's been a while.
Would love to hear more like this.
This feels much more mature than the stuff I last heard back when you were a mod on CGTalk. That's been a while.
Would love to hear more like this.-
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 1643 posts since 18 Mar, 2004 from Lincoln, CA
Thanks for the comments!
The strings are LASS, and I didn't do anything specific to make the 1st violins sound synthy that isn't applies to all the strings (such as compression). The strings in the first half are definitely more mechanical sounding for the electronic vibe--that's what I was after. The spiccato cellos that comes in after the 16th note violin ostinatos are doubled by a gritty synth to make it sound more aggressive, but still sounding like strings. It's interesting how that probably sounds more natural than the violins that weren't tampered with. Some musicians subscribe to the "if it sounds good, it's doesn't matter how much you tweak it, even if it's an acoustic instrument" philosophy. For me, I think more in terms of the sound I want as opposed to whether it sounds real. There are times I'll process acoustic instruments heavily, because, well, why not? There's no law stating that you can't, right? Why not run an orchestral through audio effects and totally mess with them? But obviously some things you do want to sound lyrical and real, like if I have a sad violin solo or something.
The glitch effects in the middle is a love or hate thing with most people. My wife doesn't like it, and some people do like it. I tend to like it since it provides an interesting break right before the drums and guitar kicks in, and thematically, I was trying to convey that in space combat, mechanical glitches can happen, and often right before the big fight (the second half of the track).
BTW, I'm still a mod at cgtalk.
The strings are LASS, and I didn't do anything specific to make the 1st violins sound synthy that isn't applies to all the strings (such as compression). The strings in the first half are definitely more mechanical sounding for the electronic vibe--that's what I was after. The spiccato cellos that comes in after the 16th note violin ostinatos are doubled by a gritty synth to make it sound more aggressive, but still sounding like strings. It's interesting how that probably sounds more natural than the violins that weren't tampered with. Some musicians subscribe to the "if it sounds good, it's doesn't matter how much you tweak it, even if it's an acoustic instrument" philosophy. For me, I think more in terms of the sound I want as opposed to whether it sounds real. There are times I'll process acoustic instruments heavily, because, well, why not? There's no law stating that you can't, right? Why not run an orchestral through audio effects and totally mess with them? But obviously some things you do want to sound lyrical and real, like if I have a sad violin solo or something.
The glitch effects in the middle is a love or hate thing with most people. My wife doesn't like it, and some people do like it. I tend to like it since it provides an interesting break right before the drums and guitar kicks in, and thematically, I was trying to convey that in space combat, mechanical glitches can happen, and often right before the big fight (the second half of the track).
BTW, I'm still a mod at cgtalk.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 1643 posts since 18 Mar, 2004 from Lincoln, CA
UPDATE:
http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality ... rsion2.mp3
What was updated:
-The synth melody in the middle got a drum update that makes it sound like it the track is being propelled forward more instead of repeating the same percussion.
-The percussion is now spread out more in stereo and lower in volume, as well as more reverb.
-The cello spiccato's balance with the synth is now altered to have the cellos dominate more, for a less synthy but still aggressive sound.
-The balance of the strings during the synth melody part was changed.
-The middle glitch break is now strings only, and it's no longer a glitch effect but a simple telephone mono effect.
-The Drums of the second half was updated with a punchier kick.
-The bassline before the strings come in is changed to mostly double the guitar instead of fighting it. Since I lower the volume of the guitar when the strings come in, there was no need to change the bassline once the strings show up.
There are probably other tweaks here and there but I didn't keep track of all of them so I can't remember now.
I wanted to implement another composer's suggestion of bringing back some of the staccato feel of the strings for the second half, but as I realized that there's already a lot of percussive elements going, so perhaps keeping the entire string section lyrical and flowing would be a better contrast.
http://www.ethereality.info/ethereality ... rsion2.mp3
What was updated:
-The synth melody in the middle got a drum update that makes it sound like it the track is being propelled forward more instead of repeating the same percussion.
-The percussion is now spread out more in stereo and lower in volume, as well as more reverb.
-The cello spiccato's balance with the synth is now altered to have the cellos dominate more, for a less synthy but still aggressive sound.
-The balance of the strings during the synth melody part was changed.
-The middle glitch break is now strings only, and it's no longer a glitch effect but a simple telephone mono effect.
-The Drums of the second half was updated with a punchier kick.
-The bassline before the strings come in is changed to mostly double the guitar instead of fighting it. Since I lower the volume of the guitar when the strings come in, there was no need to change the bassline once the strings show up.
There are probably other tweaks here and there but I didn't keep track of all of them so I can't remember now.
I wanted to implement another composer's suggestion of bringing back some of the staccato feel of the strings for the second half, but as I realized that there's already a lot of percussive elements going, so perhaps keeping the entire string section lyrical and flowing would be a better contrast.