I write classical music for various instruments for about 6 years and I find myself quite good at it.
However, when I try to create music for my games it doesn't fit the game. It doesn't sound very background-music-theme.
Does anyone know any tips when writing music for games? Examples in midi or mod/xm/it formats? It could be very helpful!
Most of my recent are located on the computer in the conservatory and I didn't transfer them to my PC yet.
I should put the files on a disk on key next time I go there so I can post here!
I'm not a composer or anything (Hell I can't even read music), but I find it's better to make a game that suits the mood of the music (even if it's not your final music). It makes it easier to gauge what you'd want your final music to sound like.
If you can write music worth salt, you can write music to suit a pissing video game!
But really, just write outside of whatever you think of as a "classical" paradigm, because it's neither big nor clever in the context of your average pseudo 8-bit platformer.
I learned the piano and (classic) guitar growing up but it took a long time to actually be able to make game music, always found it hard to add drums. Even in real life I can't manage to play them
Liji! All I can suggest is build the song around a looping drum beat, then add fills and all that kind of stuff. Classical doesn't tend to loop often unless you throw a coda in but game music does. So do that. Loop stuffs but change instrument, add flourishes and an additional extra melody in parts. I say.
Notes:
Level1F - It's originally a MIDI and later I've MOD-ified it (Yay, Pun!)
Also includes too much samples (I'll reduce it later!) and insane key changes. (First one is B Minor to F Minor, which are quite distant)
Level2 - Most normal players will not loop it correctly without setting tweaks. If you can't get your player to loop it try playing it in ModPlug tracker.
Jon, those are great good job! You a musician? I noticed the power chords on the guitar for the 3rd song and your arrangements are interesting.
The midis I've done that I'm most proud of are off of Necropolis Rising. I tried using the same types of intstruments for each song and for the most part nixed the hi-hat and only used it for accentuation. I think it made a difference, too bad the actual game wasn't better.
--
"Del Duio has received 0 trophies. Click here to see them all."
"To be a true ninja you must first pick the most stealthy of our assorted combat suits. Might I suggest the bright neon orange?"
DXF Games, coming next: Hasslevania 2- This Space for Rent!
Notes:
Level1F - It's originally a MIDI and later I've MOD-ified it (Yay, Pun!)
Also includes too much samples (I'll reduce it later!) and insane key changes. (First one is B Minor to F Minor, which are quite distant)
Level2 - Most normal players will not loop it correctly without setting tweaks. If you can't get your player to loop it try playing it in ModPlug tracker.
I've tried importing existing midi files to the modplug tracker and usually it dumps some of my instruments and substitutes them with another bass drum (!!). Other than that it'd be a great way to extend the length of my midis, since Midimaker only gives you a little over a minute or so before it hits some sort of out of array space error.
What a good way to spend $20 /sarcasm
--
"Del Duio has received 0 trophies. Click here to see them all."
"To be a true ninja you must first pick the most stealthy of our assorted combat suits. Might I suggest the bright neon orange?"
DXF Games, coming next: Hasslevania 2- This Space for Rent!