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FamiTracker
If you remember from a previous post, I made a soundtrack called Warlord's Realm. This is a sequel to it, using VRC6 & DPCM for mostly snare drums.
I used FamiTracker 0.3.0 (not the latest beta because I have issues with it).
It's not 100% complete, in my opinion (because I haven't added music for major & final boss combat sequences, nor have I added any completed level & game fanfare). Namely because of writer's block. But it's complete enough.
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Technology: the one thing that's hated & cursed at by all engineers, technologists, scientists & technicians!
[quote=KoopaEater] VERY VERY good soundtrack. Will listen again.[/quote]
I'm glad you like it. While you're learning music, why not use this file as a sort of template? Since I already know music theory from piano lessons & band classes in high school, you might want to have a look at how I matched different notes to produce different moods.
You'll notice mostly harmony (where the notes seem to complement each other perfectly,) but you'll also notice some discord (where the notes hardly complement each other). If you have a look in my Settlement Stronghold theme, for example, you'll hear something that sounds like a bell; that's discord because I've tried to match the sounds La, Ti & Do (on the Do Re Mi scale).
[quote=Demick12]These RPG tunes have a dark and eerie feel to them. Apocalyptic-themed/Gargoyle's Quest comes to mind...[/quote]
That was my exact goal, even though I personally haven't even heard of Gargoyle's Quest. And all this with only 6 instruments!
When I used to play Dungeons & Dragons (the actual board game,) I was mostly playing the Ravenloft campaign (which is a version of the game with heavy horror themes). Also, part of my inspiration comes from the Hellsing mangas (for its military & horror themes) & my political views against the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan & elsewhere around the world.
That's why my original theory for the non-existent game was based on military, horror & uprising (which is pretty close to an apocalyptic mood).
On that note, enjoy! :P
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Technology: the one thing that's hated & cursed at by all engineers, technologists, scientists & technicians!
This is pretty good melodic content, here. I like your harmonies. So many good songs in one bundle--that's cool. You must have been working on music a lot lately!
Track 1: Sounds good. Only thing I don't approve of is the vibrato. But maybe it's just me. I think it would be cool if a bass line came in later.
Track 2: Short and good.
Track 3: I like it! Maybe add echoes? Maybe tweak the bass line in a couple parts.
Track 4: A little too dissonant for me at times, otherwise good.
Track 5: Cool. Maybe tweak the lead instrument settings(add decay or echoes at end of notes)? The accompaniment instrument (strings?) might be too quiet?
Track 6: Again, I think the vibrato's a bit excessive. Otherwise, I really like it.
Track 9: Good melody, but the lead instrument kind of pierces my ears.
Track 10: The start is way too high of a pitch for my liking. But then it gets much better. If you added single channel or dual channel echo, it might add a lot of thickness to your sound.
Track 11: I love what you're doing with the pulse channels. Maybe tweak the bass line. Probably my favorite.
Track 12: Love the notes, but the instruments are only OK.
Track 13: My least favorite. Sounds too thin.
I don't know if you're keen on constructive criticism. Sorry if it feels like I tore you to shreds. I wouldn't be commenting like this if I didn't like your music. I just think it would be even more awesome if you learned how to "polish up" your channels.
No worries; I'm perfectly cool with it. It's actually good to see someone who wants to see an improvement on things.
I actually feel that track 17's a bit too weak (mainly because of the first square channel in VRC6). My main problem is trying to get a "hollow" sound.
For track 1, I'm definitely keeping the vibrato (however, I might actually decrease its effect on the notes). However, my intention for this song was to never contain any solid bass.
My main problem with track 3 is that I've used all the VRC6 channels (which I shouldn't have done). Thanks for that suggestion; I would never have thought of echoes in there, but do you think that echoes are a good effect for a shop theme?
I always found track 4 too dissonant, even in my original soundtrack. Mind you, walking around in some random village would also be dissonant if I were an adventurer. :P
Tracks 5 was actually my transcription of Dead Can Dance's version of Saltarello (which I did by ear from YouTube). But I really have no qualms about the sawtooth channel since it's more or less the effect of a hurdy gurdy, I find. Mind you, it does need improvement.
Tracks 6 & 7 were meant to have the vibrato effects as such (considering the intended horror theme). But in track 6, using less (or no) vibrato actually spoils the effect I was going for. But track 7 does sound a bit too loud when the lead instrument comes in (due to the drums & the fact that the lead channel is on the same octave as another channel).
The intention of track 8 was to be a sad, waltz-like theme. Mind you, there are 2 things I really want to change; square channel 1 of the 2A03 & the volume of the introduction (perhaps a fade from 0 would work well).
Track 9 was meant to reflect a similarity with my original soundtrack, yet have some syncopation with the speed change & the decreased octave. But i totally agree with you on track 10; the bass is too weak because of my volume change after the intro.
Can you (or anyone else) suggest to me any decent instrument pattern I could use to achieve a sad, but celestial mood in track 11? That was something I really wanted to get to the bottom of.
I don't mind criticism (even if you tell me I suck at tracking, since this is only my second original track). :P
But if it weren't for criticism, then I wouldn't learn how to improve.
[quote=nicetas_c]Reminder: Zxx do not work on the noise channel, so if you want to achieve that effect, put the ZFFs in the DPCM channel.[/quote]
Thanks for that; it explains why I've noticed only a small amount of change (if any) in my drum effects (otherwise the change would be because of the noise channel's notes themselves).
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Technology: the one thing that's hated & cursed at by all engineers, technologists, scientists & technicians!
Oops... I had some of the track numbers wrong on my comments (fixed now). Sorry. Track 11 was one of my favorites, actually. I like your instruments on that track.
With the vibrato: Yeah, I just meant maybe tone it down a little, not remove it.
When you don't have a channel to spare, you can still use single channel echo. You would have to run the tune at a faster speed and space your notes out further, to leave room in between the notes to add the echo effects. It's not going to sound like an echo, it's just going to thicken your sound.
On your VRC7 square channel on track 5, I think it sounds way better if you bring the volume down to A on the last row of every note before the next note starts (for the notes that are 4 spaces away from eachother). Then back up to F when each note starts. That's what I mean by adding decay to the end of your notes.
Track 13 is also my least favorite (actually, more like my most hated). I actually tried creating a song during a time where I had writer's block; track 13 was the unlucky result! :P
For track 5, are you suggesting something like this?
B-3 04 F
--- -- -
--- -- A
--- -- -
E-3 04 F
--- -- -
--- -- A
--- -- -
B-3 04 F
--- -- -
--- -- A
--- -- -
E-3 04 F
Or are you suggesting something else? Perhaps a moderate staccato? That actually would work 100%, considering that Saltarellos contain mostly staccatos. Or are you talking about a rapid fade effect?
As for track 11, I could boost the volume of the sawtooth channel from an 8 to an A. As for the triangle channel, I definitely should have more notes & syncopation.
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Technology: the one thing that's hated & cursed at by all engineers, technologists, scientists & technicians!
In FT 3.0 and 3.5 the sawtooth sounds really quiet on almost every track... dunno if this is really intentional.
The vibrato really reminds me of Zelda 2. Here's my thoughts (some are similar to tadpole!)
Track 1: Make the vibrato just a little smaller on lower notes, and a good amount smaller on the higher-pitch notes. Vibrato becomes more pronounced as you get higher pitch.
Track 2: Great song here, like the sound you have. Reminds me of one of the gameboy zeldas.
Track 3: The VRC6 is overall pretty quiet. I almost can't hear it over the 2a03 :( Otherwise I like it.
Track 4: It's a bit dissonant but you can do a couple things to make it better without changing too much. Make dissonant notes shorter (closer to the next note), this will add variety, plus make the Square2 and VRC6 square1 quieter to bring out the triangle a bit more as the lead.
Track 5: This one's pretty good, make sawtooth a little louder and VRC6 square2 a bit louder too, but not a lot... otherwise it sounds good.
Track 6: The entire song is very quiet. Sawtooth is almost invisible... make 2a03 sq1 and sq1 and vrc6 sq2 a bit louder.
Track 7: Everything but noise/dpcm/sq1 should be a bit louder at the beginning. When VRC6's square comes in sq2's vibrato is a bit heavy. The drums are pretty repetitive but it's how it's supposed to be i guess :)
Track 8: Vibrato is pretty heavy here, makes it sound really chirpy... maybe lessen this a bit. Triangle is almost invisible when it does come in because the high pitch squares overpower it, maybe reduce their volume a bit. In Frame 3, triangle is finally high-pitch enough to be heard properly.
Track 9: Sounds like an organ a bit.. maybe have the volume decrease on notes after a set number of frames, right now it just blares at the same volume.
Track 10: Since it's "under the sanctuary" i'd expect it to be lower-pitch but it actually goes up an octave :P It's pretty shrill at the beginning though.
Track 11: This one's pretty good, vibrato could be a bit lighter, VRC6 squares are a bit quiet again.
Track 12: This one's fine, in Notsofatso the VRC sawtooth makes it sounds more distorted than it should. I don't know the fix for this really.
Track 13: This one sounds very empty at the beginning. Again the VRC backing track is pretty quiet.
I like the main theme of it but the instruments are grating at times. It makes me want to cover the theme >:)
Thanks for the feedback; you & tadpole are the only ones who are actually helping me with this (even if it does look like pointing out the flaws for the hell of it). :P
I can see what you're trying to get at with track 7. Maybe I'll set the vibrato to 463 instead of 473 & increase the volumes of the different channels by 2 hex digits.
However, I'm only changing the vibrato depending on the need for certain effects (for example, I feel 463 would work well on track 11 for its bell-like sound, but I'm leaving it for the sanctuary & necropolis themes for its shrill, ghost-like sound). Keeping in mind that this is a military horror that I'm trying to muster up.
My major problem with track 10, though, isn't so much the introduction's shrill sound (which is intended,) as it is the lack of good bass.
But track 13's my worst. It lacks in more ways than what you & tadpole mentioned.
I'll do what I can to improve it (& you're more than welcome to cover this track)! Mind you, I was going more for a waltz-like feel with the Cave theme. I'd actually love to see how far you can take the closing credits theme, though. :P
And I already know this need improvement because it's based off of the cave theme! XD
But it's good to see people covering this. If you find any use for this soundtrack, feel free to modify it or even use it in a homebrew game. I'm releasing it as public domain.
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Technology: the one thing that's hated & cursed at by all engineers, technologists, scientists & technicians!
Yes, for track 5 I'm suggesting something like what you wrote up there. Like rushjet1 said, it's a bit easier on the ears when it's not just blaring at a constant volume.
For vibrato: 463 should go to 462 or 461. The middle digit is speed, and the last digit is the amplitude.
So you're saying that the vibration effect also controls volume to a certain extent?
But I see what you're saying. However, I find that the lower values don't achieve what I'm trying to do, exactly. Mind you, that's probably why you told me to do echo effects as well (since two channels playing at the same volume level will build up the overall volume level of the song).
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Technology: the one thing that's hated & cursed at by all engineers, technologists, scientists & technicians!
