Composer and Soundtrack : The Elder Scrolls Series Discussion

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 9:51 am

Krystof Penderecki

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 8:16 am

Quality? In what sense?
I don't get it, that statement is of complete opinion. Are you saying people are wrong for holding that opinion?

Let's put it this way:
I don't like Starcraft II. But hell, that's a quality game right there.
I don't like Metallica. In fact, I usually avoid it like the plague. But damn, that's some damn fine guitar playing.
I like watching Dragonball Z episodes, but it is by no means the best animé out there.
In this way I too find Oblivion very relaxing and great listening music; that's my opinion. But as a soundtrack it's unfortunately not the best.

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 2:28 pm

Howard Blake (the Duellists). Thomas Newman (American Beauty & Road to Perdition). You know the butterfly scene - highlight of Oblivion - in the Shivering Isles? It reminded me of the rose dream, from American Beauty. Or the Family Guy parody, with the chickens. Yep.

By the way, isn't John Williams dead?

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 11:18 am

No, John Williams is not dead

I've always been a massive http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rob+lane&aq=f fan. He did a fantastic job on Merlin, and an even better job on the two recent BBC adaptions of Tess of The D'urbervilles and Jane Eyre. A verry underated composer whose music is beutiful and emotive.

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 11:10 pm

Krystof Penderecki

Another polish guy I feel made some excellent music is Adam Skorupa, who composed music to The Witcher. Much better than the Oblivion soundtrack IMO, and most likely a lot cheaper too

Getting just a minute of music from a wellknown composer is very expensive, and I want lots of music that plays depending on various ingame situations. The MW soundtrack is 45 minutes or something, and that's not by any means enough for a game you play 100+ hours. Oblivion isn't that much better in that regard either, even though it added the much needed dungeon music.

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 4:15 pm

Let's put it this way:
I don't like Starcraft II. But hell, that's a quality game right there.
I don't like Metallica. In fact, I usually avoid it like the plague. But damn, that's some damn fine guitar playing.
I like watching Dragonball Z episodes, but it is by no means the best animé out there.
In this way I too find Oblivion very relaxing and great listening music; that's my opinion. But as a soundtrack it's unfortunately not the best.

Ah I see what your saying now. I never though of it that way with video game music I guess.

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 3:01 pm

Oblivion's soundtrack was a let down for me. I know Jeremy can pump out better music than that. I loved Morrowind's, Secret of Evermore and some of the Guild Wars music.

Eric from the older elder scrolls games would be a blast from the past. If Jeremy does it again, I hope he finds new inspiration to draw from compared to last attempt's. He has such good potential but another drab soundtrack that doesn't create memories for me will be a disappointment. Good luck whoever!

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 6:58 pm

Another polish guy I feel made some excellent music is Adam Skorupa, who composed music to The Witcher. Much better than the Oblivion soundtrack IMO, and most likely a lot cheaper too

Getting just a minute of music from a wellknown composer is very expensive, and I want lots of music that plays depending on various ingame situations. The MW soundtrack is 45 minutes or something, and that's not by any means enough for a game you play 100+ hours. Oblivion isn't that much better in that regard either, even though it added the much needed dungeon music.

Ya, maybe they should try getting a composer wo recently graduated to do it, considering a lot of them are pretty good (and probably would not charge too much).

In the next game I think it would be interesting if they had hints of post-modernism.

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 7:15 pm

... hints of post-modernism.

Do you have an example?

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 3:19 pm

Do you have an example?

As to what I mean by post-modernism?

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 3:01 pm

I want music that people in Tamriel would play. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM8EaL1Zm6w&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P49m6d2VuFs&feature=related

Do you have an example?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnVJrpQahyE&feature=related

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 5:51 pm

I want music that people in Tamriel would play. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM8EaL1Zm6w&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P49m6d2VuFs&feature=related

Well to be fair that's not in the actual game, but just the main menu.

But, I do get your point and I agree. I think certain places should have certain songs played like in Daggerfall. But have actual musicians, or bards that play in taverns and make it so you can talk to them, and pay them to play a different song.

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 2:55 pm

Jeremy Soule. Morrowind music was sweet and all, but he really showed awesomeness with the Oblivion OST. Da best.

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 10:19 pm

I actually don't have much on the composer to say but since it is on the music i think this still fits.

I'd like to see a more adaptive soundtrack, so instead of full music tracks it would mostly consist of shorter clips that then "combine" together into a endless soundtrack that constantly adapts depending on whats going on on screen. FarCry did this and it worked quite well there.
Just imagine the music changed according to the weather, fight music being able to "build up" rather than just cut in and even change depending on how the fight is going (keeping track of your and your opponent condition), change fluently between going into town, houses, caves and such.

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 2:35 pm

I actually don't have much on the composer to say but since it is on the music i think this still fits.

I'd like to see a more adaptive soundtrack, so instead of full music tracks it would mostly consist of shorter clips that then "combine" together into a endless soundtrack that constantly adapts depending on whats going on on screen. FarCry did this and it worked quite well there.
Just imagine the music changed according to the weather, fight music being able to "build up" rather than just cut in and even change depending on how the fight is going (keeping track of your and your opponent condition), change fluently between going into town, houses, caves and such.

Yeah that would actually be pretty cool. I'm listening to my gf playing Zelda: the Wind Waker right now, and I just noticed that when your in battle a certain music plays, but every time you swing your weapon (and hit the enemy I think), it plays a sort of orchestral hit. I really would like to see music be more dynamic in the next game.

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 7:52 am

Jeremy Soule is my pick cause he's already done an incredible job with the previous games and thus also has experience with the franchise.
If I had to pick someone else then Hans Zimmer probably although I can't imagine what it would sound like.

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 9:58 am

Glad I started this thread. It boggles my mind how many people on here seem incapable of considering someone else, a different style of music, as better. "Multiple of the highest awards a composer can get in the modern age doesn't mean they'll do well FOR US!" Ohwell, at the very least conversation was created. Hopefully the good folks at Bethesda will stick with their own experience and choose whoever they can get that they think is the best. I just hope it's something with a live orchestra, someone with ambition who will say "Well what if we did music in this entirely new and very cool way!"

At the very least the rest of us can always turn the music off.

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 8:21 pm

Glad I started this thread. It boggles my mind how many people on here seem incapable of considering someone else, a different style of music, as better. "Multiple of the highest awards a composer can get in the modern age doesn't mean they'll do well FOR US!" Ohwell, at the very least conversation was created. Hopefully the good folks at Bethesda will stick with their own experience and choose whoever they can get that they think is the best. I just hope it's something with a live orchestra, someone with ambition who will say "Well what if we did music in this entirely new and very cool way!"

At the very least the rest of us can always turn the music off.

Well to be fair you didn't really do the options that well. If you would've just added Jeremy Soule and Eric Heberling AND a "somebody I've not listed" sections you might be surprised on what you would get. But instead now you have three separate groups lumped into one.

And just because somebody didn't choose those composers doesn't mean they weren't considered.

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 1:32 pm

Well to be fair you didn't really do the options that well. If you would've just added Jeremy Soule and Eric Heberling AND a "somebody I've not listed" sections you might be surprised on what you would get. But instead now you have three separate groups lumped into one.

And just because somebody didn't choose those composers doesn't mean they weren't considered.

Hiberling doesn't work on video games anymore, and Soule is generally acknowledged to svck everywhere BUT here, when he's discussed at all. I had no idea anyone even liked him.

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 10:18 pm

Hiberling doesn't work on video games anymore, and Soule is generally acknowledged to svck everywhere BUT here, when he's discussed at all. I had no idea anyone even liked him.

Everything is liked somewhere by someone. Honestly, I had no idea he was so widely disliked. I think his soundtracks are great.

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 9:13 pm

Everything is liked somewhere by someone. Honestly, I had no idea he was so widely disliked. I think his soundtracks are great.

Learn something new everyday I guess. But yeah he hasn't gotten a prestigious award since Morrowind (which as I acknowledged I liked somewhat), or any award since 2006. He's generally acknowledged as a has been in the video game development community.

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 9:41 am

I didn't know most people hated his music. I choose not to listen to it, but I wouldn't call it bad. More proof that I am not the only one with opinions.

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 12:11 pm

Honestly, I had no idea he was so widely disliked.

I didn't either. It's a shock to me, reading this thread. I can't think of a game soundtrack composer I like better.

The list of games he has scored on his web site is the same as my personal list of games that have the best music.

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 11:31 am

I would be perfectly fine with Jeremy Soule. I didn't much care for Oblivion's soundtrack, but I loved Morrowind's. I don't know many video game composers, but I also really love what Matt Uelmen did with the first 2 Diablo games (sad that he isn't working on the third). Not sure if his style would fit TES though.
One of my favorite composers is Tuomas Holopainen of the Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, to which there was a reference in Shivering Isles. I'm not saying I want metal in my Elder Scrolls, but he is an absolute genius and deals with a ton of fantasy elements. His keyboard skills are pretty spectacular as well.

» Sun Dec 05, 2010 3:26 pm

I want music that people in Tamriel would play. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM8EaL1Zm6w&feature=related

I see your Daggerfall music, and raise you http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6kx4u0gLNw

Then again, all of the music in Ocarina of Time are perfect and timeless tracks.