Contributing music

[joelthelion]

Hi all,

I have a friend who is considering making music for STK. Before he gets started, we would like to know if you have any tracks for which you would like better music? Any particular wishes?

I have duely noted the licensing and style guidelines.

Thanks!

[Auria]

Hi,

thanks for your interest! Here are some ideas of tracks where a new song could be helpful

* Oliver's math class - currently it uses a very old-school chip song. It's a bit less clear what to replace it with, there is no typical song associated with this setting, so this may require a bit of experimentation
* The dark mansion track (halloween theme) - we already have a song for this one, but we can probably do better (sorry OzoneOne, you made many songs that we love, but the mansion one is a little weird ) example of what it could sound like : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKx8IpyNvWQ#t=62 (starting around 1:00), or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe2gev9JMw4
* A spacey song for XR591 - we already have one that works reasonably well but the license under which the song is released is under question so it may be nice to replace it. It should use a style similar to the current one, perhaps a little less "agressive"
* The scotland track : we already have a song that's pretty cool, but it's not original soundtrack, so it could be nice to have a song of our own. Warning, the new song would of course need to be at least as cool as the current one

This should help, don't hesitate to ask if you have more questions, better clarify things than start working in the wrong direction!

[GeekPenguinBR]

My preferred soundtracks are "Sky Vibe - High Gain Frequence" (XR591), the old "Amazon Jouney" theme, "Druckverlust" (Crescent Crossing) and "Kart Grand Prix" (Tux Tollway).

Scotland's theme should be very scottish including pipe organs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSH0eRKq1lE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIgQj30Sy8I

I would like if "Blackhill mansion" had a theme that sounds like an old TV show called "The Munsters", still available on some cable TVs. Listen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuHr00nxeew

If you want a theme song for another space track other than (except) XR591, I think that the style should be one of these three below.

Star Wars (in the case of someone who still doesn't knows...):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjMNNpIksaI

Lost is Space (They had two themes):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp1bEpmmGMs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH6j63lhAAc

Star Trek (the original is better):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiiUOcfv58M

Another option should be the "X-Files theme", that's a bit "space related" but could fit into a "terror" track too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrlF46tZiQo

I like (very much) Sci Fi shows and movies with space theme, so I wouldn't like to "see" a good space track ruined (in my opinion, of course) by a song that doesn't match it.

[joelthelion]

Thanks for the answers! We'll definitely keep you updated if anything gets done.

[GeekPenguinBR]

This is my concept of a theme song for Dark Mansion's track:

[GunChleoc]

Creepy

[GeekPenguinBR]

Creepy

That's the idea.

[Auria]

That's a pretty nice start

[GeekPenguinBR]

EDITED: Comment below.

[GeekPenguinBR]

That's a pretty nice start

That's is just an idea (I would like if the soung could be even more creepy ). I'm ready to contribute.

I would like to watch the entire track; so I could to compose the theme based on the duration of an average lap observing the evolution of the scenes and environments.

Do you have some project for a track like "Star Wars" (or a track on space that looks like the demo showing Philae and the asteroid)? I would like to compose a theme song for it.

[0zone0ne]

I could attempt to make new music for XR591. I'll do it if nobody else wants to.

EDIT:
Here's a quick taster:

alien_test1.ogg

(569.41 KiB) Downloaded 311 times

[Akien]

I could attempt to make new music for XR591. I'll do it if nobody else wants to.

It sounds great and loops pretty well IMO :-)

[Auria]

That's a pretty nice start

That's is just an idea (I would like if the soung could be even more creepy ). I'm ready to contribute.

I would like to watch the entire track; so I could to compose the theme based on the duration of an average lap observing the evolution of the scenes and environments.

Unfortunately the new version of this track is not final yet; but in any case trying to match a loop not feasible, because the duration of a loop varies by difficulty

[0zone0ne]

I would like to watch the entire track; so I could to compose the theme based on the duration of an average lap observing the evolution of the scenes and environments.

Unfortunately the new version of this track is not final yet; but in any case trying to match a loop not feasible, because the duration of a loop varies by difficulty

It should be perfectly fine as long as it's about one minute long (50 to 70 seconds), and is split into clear sections. Structure does not matter, it can be chorus-verse-chorus, verse-bridge-chorus, etc. As long as the first and last sections are similar enough to loop nicely.

[GeekPenguinBR]

Unfortunately the new version of this track is not final yet; but in any case trying to match a loop not feasible, because the duration of a loop varies by difficulty

Ok. I will try based on this aspect.

[samuncle]

I could attempt to make new music for XR591. I'll do it if nobody else wants to.

EDIT:
Here's a quick taster:

alien_test1.ogg

I love it \o/. the only sad part is these aren't HD track like cocoa temple :'(

[GeekPenguinBR]

A portion inspiration of classical music for a track - why not?

Yes, always!

[0zone0ne]

Well since nobody else has said they want to do it, I've been working more on the XR591 music. Now it is full length and loops properly. Thanks for your feedback on the short preview I posted earlier.

My main goal with the recent music I've done or helped with for the game (Cocoa Temple and anything newer) is that I'm trying to create a sense of consistency. For the Cocoa Temple and Gran Paradiso Island songs this wasn't a problem since, because of the similar environments, I could incorporate many of the same instruments and the music had many similarities stylistically. However, XR591 is different in that aspect so it is much more difficult to create a sound that fits the environment and is consistent with the other music. I think I'm on the right track but it still needs a bit more work.
For example, I try to have a small jazz influence in each song. That's more difficult to do in heavily electronic music like this. So in this song I decided to start off with a normal blues scale, and had the scale evolve through the song as each different section used slightly different notes. I think this makes it fit in more with the other music.

alien_test2.ogg

(997.18 KiB) Downloaded 303 times

Hey, it sounds pretty similar to your space-track music

I didn't make the STK Enterprise music, if that's what you mean... Perhaps you mean something I made a while ago that didn't make it into the game?

I also tried transposing my XR591 preview up one semitone as you suggested, but the melody didn't really have the same catch as before.

[Akien]

Awesome :-)

When you post a new mockup, I tend to set it on "Repeat" mode and listen to it for a while... Until I realise that I was listening to a 1-minute long track :-p
What I mean is that it loops really well and it's nice to hear even when not playing STK :-)

[GunChleoc]

Good job on the music

[GeekPenguinBR]

Ok! Here is an attempt including all tracks mixed. This is not a finished and edited audio yet. Tell me if there's much noise because I'm hearing a lot (my headphone broken yesterday; so, I'm using a provisory earphone).

Two Observations: 1. Other MIDI and VST effects including scream and creaking door can be added (and this can help to increase a bit the duration of the song adding an extra compass in the case it is a little bit short); 2.I didn't like the steel string guitar (actually, to be more specific, this should sound like an electric guitar with vibrato) as leading voice.Then, I changed it to Syn Bass, and now, I'm posting the two options for evaluation.

I hope you like this suggestion of song, but If somebody has a better song, it's ok for me.

[GunChleoc]

I think the guitar version sounds fuller - maybe extend the track, start with the syn bass followed by the guitar?

[GeekPenguinBR]

I will try this and, maybe, I add some effect too.

[0zone0ne]

@GeekPenguinBR
I would try using a harpsichord as the leading voice. It would sound similar to the steel string guitar soundfont you're using.

Also, I know this isn't what you want to hear, but I honestly liked the concept version you posted earlier more than the new one. The new one doesn't remind me of a haunted mansion the same way that the first one did.

[GeekPenguinBR]

@GeekPenguinBR
I would try using a harpsichord as the leading voice. It would sound similar to the steel string guitar soundfont you're using.[/quo

Ok. I willl try this too.

Also, I know this isn't what you want to hear, but I honestly liked the concept version you posted earlier more than the new one. The new one doesn't remind me of a haunted mansion the same way that the first one did.

What is not as good in your opinion: the rhythm, the melody or the arrangement (this one had a few changes)? No problem If tempo is the reason; this is not the final version, anyway. So, I can set it faster than now.