Off-Topic: My Musical Talents?

"zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
09/07/2014 at 22:36 • Filed to: musiclopnik, tayclassic

So the other day I thought to myself, "why am I not in a band?" Then I remember, "oh yeah, I only play bass, and poorly might I add". *sigh* Sadly it's true, my only musical talents involve playing bass guitar and trombone. Which makes it really depressing because I can easily write the music. Ugh.

I have a BS in Game and Sim production. For my final project I had to help create a game. I wrote the music for it, since...well....it was easy and fun. The game was called Meltdown, and it was about a nuclear plant exploding and dealing with the aftermath....with zombies. Here are a few songs I made for it.

The following song was used during a battle sequence. It was made so it can be loop infinitely. Appropriately named "Battle Song". I spent weeks on this song, going through a total of 9 versions (every time I changed something major, it was a new version).

The following was the overworld theme music. I renamed it "Life is a Journey", and this guy went through 5 versions, but this song actually grew out of a rejected battle song for being "too bland". I beefed up the song, added layers, then slowed it down.

The following song was rejected complete because....well....I couldn't figure out how to finish it. I only submitted a few songs to the project, a overworld song, a battle song, and a main menu song. There was no reason I needed to write an extra song, so I left it called "stressful song". A year later, I picked it back up, completed the song and beefed it up. I'm really glad/proud of the final project.

What does oppo think?

DISCUSSION (11)

tromoly > zeontestpilot
09/07/2014 at 22:50

Bass? Trombone? Sounds like a Ska band is in your future!

zeontestpilot > tromoly
09/07/2014 at 22:57

That would be amazing. Especially if it was anything like Five Iron Frenzy or The W's.

tromoly > zeontestpilot
09/07/2014 at 23:09

Dude, between Five Iron Frenzy, The W's and The O.C. Supertones, that's my childhood in a nutshell.

zeontestpilot > tromoly
09/07/2014 at 23:28

Dude, have you heard FIF's newest album, Engine of a Million Plots? It is amazingly good, and the sound has matured a lot. Which I'm ok with.

If you haven't, at least listen to 'So Far' and 'Battle Dancing Unicorns with Glitter'. :)

tromoly > zeontestpilot
09/08/2014 at 11:01

I've heard bits of it, not the whole thing yet.

kaploy9 > zeontestpilot
09/08/2014 at 21:48

Well, I'm not really an Oppo, but I dug the groove on that last one.

zeontestpilot > kaploy9
09/08/2014 at 22:35

Thanks! I forgot I cross-posted this to Tay, lol.

I think there's a total of 4 chords, to which I changed the notes around to make it different. If you listen to the low instrument, an alto sax, you can hear where the four chords begin and end, :).

ttyymmnn > zeontestpilot
09/09/2014 at 08:51

I haven't listened to the music yet, but did I imagine you know that there is a huge industry for writing music for the gaming industry. I have a friend who moved to LA to gig and write VG music. I've performed with orchestras on concerts of the music from Zelda and it was amazing. Have you thought about trying to get involved in the musical aspect of gaming as a composer or in some other role?

zeontestpilot > ttyymmnn
09/09/2014 at 09:46

No I haven't really. I'm not really educated well in music, I only performed in jazz, concert, and marching band. Anything else is self-taught. Meaning I sat at a computer and just played around. Not sure if anyone is looking for something like that...then again they might be. Perhaps an indie game? But then, I'm not really sure how I'd even start getting involved into something like that.

ttyymmnn > zeontestpilot
09/09/2014 at 09:58

Do some research. Find out how the music is created and by whom. I'm sure much of it is created by people with degrees in music, but there are also tons of talented composers out there who never went to school. Listen to as much of it as you can and see if you can copy it at first. Then, using the techniques you learned by copying, see what you can create on your own.

Both of the samples you provided have a definite Prokofiev vibe going. Get on the YouTube and listen to some of his music, such as the suite from Lt. Kije and his score to the ballet Romeo and Juliet. Check out the orchestral works of Dmitri Shostakovich, as well as his string quartets. (The quartets are phenomenal.) You'll hear a lot of your music there, and probably get some inspiration. Twentieth century Russian music is amazing, and doesn't get near the amount of respect in music history that it deserves.

Both your examples are a great start. It's easy to start a tune, though, but it's harder to develop it. Experiment with changing keys (modulation) and longer melodies. Try to come up with a contrasting melody that also compliments the first and work your way to it. You'll be half way to sonata form. You've got a good handle on ostinato, now try to make your bass lines perhaps a bit more melodic and not strictly foundational.

Good luck!

zeontestpilot > ttyymmnn
09/09/2014 at 10:18

Thanks! I write my music in anvil studio, a midi program. The instruments there are diverse, but it doesn't mean they all sound good. I usually try to write the music around the limitations given to me, into something that works.

I think those songs were my first ever venture into something that doesn't use guitar. Most of my other music is usually a rock band setting; guitar, bass, drums. But I needed something that sounded good and professional.