Hi,
Syrim is the best RPG ever made. No question. I love J. Soule's music from past products I've played and had high hopes the soundtrack to Skyrim would be memorable.
Sadly, it is not. Rather, its a drab atmospheric elevator music often not fitting the environment you are in. In fact, I hardly notice the music.

I was hoping for something dynamic and varied to the setting and action, but its so generic. Many of his great works from other titles linger in my head,
but Skyrim's soundtrack has no "identifiable" theme or title song that one can remember. Which is a shame.

Anyway, just my two cents about it.
S

You're in the minority

Really? Even if you think really hard....you can't identify Skyrim's theme? Wow...

Serious? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z9TdDCWN7g is the beloved Main Theme.

I think its some of his best work, though I would say GWEN was all around a little better. Though this may change with GW2 (hoping for another signed soundtrack there! )

i love the level up jingle and the tune that sounds like the bit from the raiders of the lost ark either when Indy's in the room with the staff and discovers the site where the ark is buried or its the bit at the end when they are about to open the ark and melt all there faces. but you normally hear this tune when your in a dungeon/cave.

You like past products huh? You do realize that one of the tracks is a direct rip from Morrowind and remastered? You need to take the cotton out of your ears and listen a bit closer I think, because this is one of the best video game soundtracks ever created.

You've just emerged from a dungeon and you dont know what time of day it is. You peer off in the distance and see the sun rising over the moutains. The reflection off the lake blinds your eyes as you realize it is morning. This music is playing while all of this is happening:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCmluqCd-vs

I honestly feel bad for you if that doesnt move you. it must take a freight train to get your emotions stirred.

The Morrowind Theme sung in the dragon tongue by nords is rather epic in my opinion.

I agree. The music is one of the few good things about Skyrim.

Music in an RPG doesn't need to have tempo, or a discernable melody to be fantastic. My opinion is that it should not require active listening, it should serve as a back drop. Set the stage and incite emotion but do not steal focus. Give the scene ambience.

Ultima Underworld was the first game I played that got it right (for my preferences). Very atmospheric and sooo very memorable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg9Miiq5yVc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLAK9TcCRYk&feature=related

I actually liked Oblivions music more than Skyrims... It had some of the best songs in games IMO.

Probably yes, but I share this opinion somehow. Apart from the main theme which has always the same melody but played differently, the rest of the soundtrack does not alter very much. For sure, it creates some feeling that fits into the game but you can see that there is less development in it. That becomes more clear when you think of the fact that they took some tracks from Morrowind without changing it.

I don't know his past work but I'm pretty happy with the soundtrack. My only problem with the music is that the game fails very often fails to recognize when to change it. It happens a lot, being in an epic fight with that soft, happy background music, more fitting when you're strolling around looking at flowers and stuff. This is a problem with the logic in the game though, not the musical content.

The music needs to be generic in order to be less repetitive. If you have a a super-familar tune playing in the background playing 500 times. You really notice it when it comes on, and it takes away from the experience.

I'm happier with this than with it in Morrowind and Oblivion. It was too intrusive in those. I would head out on a road and suddenly wonder "Where's that symphony orchestra? Behind that hill? Hiding in that cave?" Not only that, but now when I am in an inn, it sounds like an inn, not like somebody has the radio on too loud on the classic music station.

I sang the main theme at least once every day since December of last year waiting for the game

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMI01Af-UTs

you didn't recognize silt sunrise? What kind of beth fan are you?

I think the Skyrim theme is good, and the music in general is good, but somewhat forgettable. For me it's totally overshadowed by the Game of Thrones theme, which I inevitably end up humming when I think of Skyrim. Lately the main theme has also become drowned out by the magnificent rendition of the Dragonborn song which can be found on youtube.

So even though it's good, it's not great, unfortunately. I barely notice it in-game anymore. Maybe I need to crank the volume a bit.

I'll never forget the title theme, either of the Dragon battle themes, or the first generic battle theme.

In my opinion, Skyrim has the best music of any Elder Scrolls game that I've played (though there may be a hidden gem in Arena, Battlespire, or Redguard that I simply don't know about).

Yeah, I agree.

I didn't say Skyrim music was bad. Its not. Its really good. But just that when I walk away from the game I don't remember any of the tunes like the way I did Oblivion.
In Oblivion, each town had its own tune with different jingle, instruments, etc. In Skyrim it all just "blends together". Its enjoyable when I'm playing, just not memorable or stands out among his past works.

I think GWF was his best music.

The sound effects are nice, I agree there too.

I worship the title track, and the Sovngarde one, but the rest are relatively bland.
Oblivion had better 'stroll around in the wilderness'-music.

That's a good point. Ambient music is ok. Really, it is. But I was hoping for one really "stand out" tune that I want to hum to myself. And its not there for me.

But I AM a Beth fan, really!!

LESS development? Are you serious?

Skyrim's soundtrack is vastly larger than the previous titles, and just as varied. Try looking up "Unbroken Road", "Streets of Whiterun", "Sovngarde", "Standing Stones" and I could go on and on. The soundtrack is fantastic. It may not be Guild Wars or Neverwinter Nights, but it isn't supposed to be. Skyrim's OST holds its own very well.

You're entitled to your opinion and I respect that, but saying less development went into it than previous titles is... incorrect.

I am glad they put the Morrowind music in. Made me remember those adventuring days on that Dumner Isle. I think the audio is excellent. I was watching my brother play and heard something come up behind him and attack.

i like the suddle soundtrack. Its almost like the wind in the mountains.

i would hate if it was some catchy tune that got stuck in my head. My ears and brain would become fatigued from hearing a catchy tune for 50+ hrs or 3-4 hrs straight a day