FreeGameDev

Hello good peoples.

I have been following this forum for a while now and I thought it was time to contribute something of my own.

I am currently working on some new music for SuperTuxKart, so I am going to share each one now so I can get some feedback about how to make each piece better.
I have made some music for Amazonian Journey, Star Track, Fort Magma, and I did an experimental piece for the upcoming overworld. I have made some progress on some new music for Snow Peak, as well.
Sorry for the fact that each song is a different volume (fort magma is much louder than star track), but I don't know how to control the volume while exporting the files on my program.

I hope you like them, please give feedback!

Hi,

I think there are interesting ideas there, but also room for improvement. Constructive criticism :

Overworld : I think this song is a little too electronic/8-bit for STK, it sounds like a song from an old game, I'm not sure that's what we want. I would also perhaps go for something more "ambient" for the overworld, a little quieter etc.

Fort Magma : interesting ideas in there, but I'm not sure that it's better than the music we currently have. I'm actually quite happy with the music we currently have over there so I'm not convinced we need to replace it?

Space track : again interesting ideas, but I'm not sure that it's better than what we currently have?

Jungle : it was a little mean of you to make a jungle song when Bollen is already making one, are you trying to compete with him or something? that being said this song is interesting and not that jungle-ish, so I'm actually wondering if it might suit the overworld. The song sounds a bit like going on an adventure and that's what the overworld is about

I'd welcome opinions from other people

I think 'fort magma' is the best of those four, if that helps

I like overworld, it could be included with a track that fits. (I'm thinking of XRsomething91 but it might already have a good music)
I did not listen to the other ones :-/
Regarding space track, I think it's a crappy track any way, it's too slow long and all the beginners I've played with fall of cause they don't see where the road is. It should be remove from defaults GP.

Auria {l Wrote}:Jungle : it was a little mean of you to make a jungle song when Bollen is already making one, are you trying to compete with him or something?

Whoops, I had no idea that topic was even there, I looked right over it

I think i could make some adjustments to the jungle song to make it fit for the overworld.

Are there any tracks in specific that you think need different music? It would make it easier for me if there was.

Krobonil {l Wrote}:Hi! ^^
I like it, to drive STK-Racings and to get this racing-feeling. Important for this feeling are things like the gameplay, graphics, tracks, etc...
And of course the music is a part of this feeling. Don't try to make music - try to bring this game-feeling to the people.
At the moment I get this STK-RACE-feeling mostly in your Song of fortmagma.
The reason: the rhythm and the music-speed are nearer to the game.
If you've got questions or want more feedback, just ask.

Nice to read about STK and to see the guys behind

Chris Leutwyler (krobonil)

I understand you perfectly about the 'racing feeling' that the music should have on the players.
You probably understand music much more than I do, do you think there's anything else i should change?

Krobonil {l Wrote}:You could try, to bring a little bit fun into the songs
Of course, fort magma is a hot and dangerous place, that can I hear in your actual version.
But I'm missing the track, the opponents. Where are they? - They also should take place in the music.
___

If you like, we could make a music for Fort Magma together, step by step
I would give advices and a bit support to you here in the forum, only if you want of course.
Perhaps we must delete and change many or even all parts of your song - but that's also a part of composing (I know that)
Would you be ready for that? If yes -> Continue reading^^

1# Which instruments you're using for this song?

Let's make a song - How do you think about?

I think that is a wonderful idea!

Krobonil {l Wrote}:Which instruments you're using for this song?

I think the most important part of this song is to keep it 'evil' sounding, but in a way that it is still slightly cheerful. That's why i picked that specific synthesizer for the 'melody' (if you could call it that) and the sort of solo at about 43 seconds in. In garageband that synthesizer is literally called 'cheerful trance'. I did a lot of listening to music from other games that had environments like this, and i was quite inspired by the music for bowser's castle and grumble volcano, from mario kart wii.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-TWzxFUOMU

this is where i got the idea to add a sitar to my song (i'm not sure if you an hear it).

I also love the Super Meat Boy! Soundtrack, and I thought something even remotely similar to this song would fit perfectly:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlAQ8fdqoFA

I freaking love that music and Danny Baranowsky is a God.

I thought it was sort of stereotypical to put a 'spooky organ' in with this kind of environment, so I did, and I was just messing around when I had the idea to put the choir in at 1:14. I think it is important with an 'evil' sounding song to have prominent drums and a deep bass, so i added them as well.

Krobonil {l Wrote}:But I'm missing the track, the opponents. Where are they? - They also should take place in the music.

I'm not sure what you mean?

Also, here is a newer version of Star Track (you may or may not hear a difference).
The main things are that it has been sped up, i have worked on the drums a bit, and I added another synthesizer at about 1:12 in.

Hello everybody, thank you for being patient.

Here is a new version of Fort Magma. Most of the differences are very small, the 3 main differences are:
- Added ambience in background to thicken the song's texture and to add a creepy feeling
- Added more percussion, like Krobonil suggested (may need tweaking)
- Edited the ending/loop sequence (at about 1:35 seconds through) to make it sound more interesting

I want to replace the melody at 0:14 - 0:29 but I can't seem to be able to think up another melody. If someone else with musical talent wants to help think up a short 4-bar melody (in A major), that would be awesome.

I also had an idea that sometimes when you race on Fort Magma it will play Kalsan's music, and other times ill will play mine? That way we can keep both songs.

Personally, I think worrying about what the frequencies in your composition looks like is a waste of time. Make the composition good, and then you can think about the downmix later.

0zone0ne {l Wrote}:I want to replace the melody at 0:14 - 0:29 but I can't seem to be able to think up another melody. If someone else with musical talent wants to help think up a short 4-bar melody (in A major), that would be awesome.

Help requested is help given. Here is my suggestion (as far as my talents go), attached below. What the song needs is a break in tempo, like all great rock songs have. I'm suggesting inserting a staccato piece with loud-soft changes, almost like request-reply. For fun, I have some chromatic shifts in there, to spice things up.

P.S. OzoneOne, in the attached sample I didn't get the tempo quite right, please play with that.

asciimonster {l Wrote}:Help requested is help given. Here is my suggestion (as far as my talents go), attached below. What the song needs is a break in tempo, like all great rock songs have. I'm suggesting inserting a staccato piece with loud-soft changes, almost like request-reply. For fun, I have some chromatic shifts in there, to spice things up.

P.S. OzoneOne, in the attached sample I didn't get the tempo quite right, please play with that.

Thanks for the help! With my amazing yet limited knowledge in musical theory I have attempted to recreate your tune. I just need to know if I got each note right. I will put a variation of your tune into my finished music, probably replacing the melody at 0:14 - 0:29.

EDIT: Whoops, just noticed that my song is in E major, not A major. Your tune should still sound fine in a different key, though.

Krobonil, I think I understand what you're saying, but I don't think the frequency of the music is as important as how it sounds to the ear. I would rather finish the music so it sounds complete and polished before I worry about the frequency. I will still attempt to raise the middle frequencies by editing the sound of the instruments, though.

Here is again another version of Fort Magma. The only real difference this time is the melody. Asciimonster, I'm sorry I didn't get your melody in there, by I did make my current melody from messing around with the notes in yours, so it did help.

Is there going to be a way to tell if the music is actually complete, like some sort of criteria? Or am I just going to have to keep making changes until it sounds absolutely perfect? I want to know almost exactly what it's going to have to sound like for it to be in the game.

0zone0ne {l Wrote}:Here is again another version of Fort Magma. The only real difference this time is the melody. Asciimonster, I'm sorry I didn't get your melody in there, by I did make my current melody from messing around with the notes in yours, so it did help.

That's quite all right. I am glad I could be of service.

This version is much better! The song broke free of the musical scales... makes it much more interesting!

Very minor update with Fort Magma.
I will also share my progress so far on Snow Peak (because it currently shares music with Around the Lighthouse), but I wont work on it again until Fort Magma is completed.

I got the wind sound effect at the start of Snow Peak from http://www.sounddogs.com/sound-effects.asp

0zone0ne {l Wrote}:I will also share my progress so far on Snow Peak (because it currently shares music with Around the Lighthouse), but I wont work on it again until Fort Magma is completed.

Man, you are so much better at this than I am. I love the way en snowtux peak you subtly shift form major to minor scales... It's already quite good for a work in progress.

0zone0ne {l Wrote}:I got the wind sound effect at the start of Snow Peak from http://www.sounddogs.com/sound-effects.asp

i don't think that's legal even though it sounds nice http://www.sounddogs.com/htm/legal.htm

I was worrying about it not being legal, I can just remove the sound effect if that is the case.

You could always contact them and ask politely for an exception (i.e. explain it is part of a non-profit game).

charlie {l Wrote}:You could always contact them and ask politely for an exception

We can certainly try ...

(i.e. explain it is part of a non-profit game).

... but we can't say this. A non-commercial clause is not accepted e.g. by Debian. Also their license forbid modifications etc.

Cheers,
Joerg

I just won't use the sound effect. It's not a big deal.

Also, will Black Mansion need new music as well?

Slightly off-topic:
This is what I have been up to these days, music wise that is... It's not STK material, but I am getting better at it.

Yes, I think mansion needs music much more than fort magma does actually and the overworld too would need something (as I stated previously I think your jungle song is the closest to that, but I think something is missing, not sure what unfortunately)

In the up coming story mode, will there be a big 'boss race' with nolok at the very end? Because if there is, i could easily adapt my Fort Magma song to fit with that instead.