A Slew of music from Macar

Mr. Sorry of Balmora · Thu Jan 26, 2006 9:06 pm

once agian Macar you talent drums through, pun intended, if i was your pet I'd..... nevermind

anyway, these are really wonderful, though, The Desolation seems too... desolate. it needs some kind of air rush every now and then... but thats just my opinion

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 5:40 pm

Yay I'm on the second page! Thanks to the 2 people who give me feedback. Here's an attempted remake of Pirates. I dont think it's an improvement, so I dont plan to continue. What do you think.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 9:22 pm

Here's somthing old I dug out and dusted off. Kind of aimless but I like it.

http://media.putfile.com/Wander_Macar

Orix · Post by **Orix** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:19 pm

The Lonely Road

Mainly because it sounds like a lonely and slightly mysterious explore tune, the hero merely travelling from A to B, without incident hopefully.

Nice piece! Kinda reminds be of the relaxing explore music from Morrowind, and Daggerfall if it were properly orchestrated. Could be used in the Cyrodil or High Rock border areas of Hammerfell.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:07 am

Thanks Orix. I want to thank the people that do give me feedback, especialy Orix and Mr. Sorry.

I'm planning to start a new thread with all my music at the top so it's easier.

Mr. Sorry of Balmora · Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:23 pm

you can just edit you first post with one big rar of all you files if you have a high speed connection if you dont go to a free lab or one of your computer lab clases at school and load it there i've did it alot when i was in High School and the teacher didnt care that i brought a cd in evryday jus as lon as it wasn't music luckey for me they were all in rar form.

Edit: in response to Untitled i think it shold be called

The Calm Before the War

as the end of this song is quick enough to transfer into Frontline.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 1:04 am

Good point Mr. Sorry. That would be way easier. But, on second thought, that would be a big download... I think few enough poeple listen to my stuff as it is!

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 8:48 pm

Here's my latest WIP

Raincatcher · Post by **Raincatcher** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 9:33 pm

Macar wrote:Here's my latest WIP

Nice, but short. I like it!
In the middle there is something which sounds like
quint circle down - this can be changed.

And why rar and wave file and not an mp3? 8( )

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 10:24 pm

Sadly my program only exports wav and I havent gotten around to DLing a converter.

Thanks for the comment, What do you mean by quint circle down?

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 3:55 am

I have loaded all my music to Putfile. Here is the whole list. I still have a few to upload.
http://www.putfile.com/dalzay

Orix · Post by **Orix** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 9:07 am

GoldWave does conversions I think, quite useful programme, and easy to google for.

I like the new track Macar

it feels very lighthearted, quite soothing too, a little bit like Fable's score.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 12:40 am

http://media.putfile.com/Set-out--Macar

This ones finished. I'm working on a battle track now. It's a varriation on one of the second theme from "dawn".

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:07 pm

[url=http://media.putfile.com/Bloodshed--WIP]Click here to watch Bloodshed--WIP[/url]

Here's a combat music thing. As mentioned, it is based on the second theme from dawn. I like it. Comments?

CommonsNat · Post by **CommonsNat** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:35 pm

Nice, 10/10, and the right style for TES. It deserves inclusion. Congrats again Macar, and keep up the good work.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 12:41 am

Thanks for the ups Nat. It's not done though, needs to be longer. I'm not sure what to do though.

Raincatcher · Post by **Raincatcher** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:17 pm

Macar wrote:[url=http://media.putfile.com/Bloodshed--WIP]Click here to watch Bloodshed--WIP[/url]

Here's a combat music thing. As mentioned, it is based on the second theme from dawn. I like it. Comments?

Nice,I like it too, but what is with quantizing? Percussion group sounds a bit strange because of that, but brobably it is my player's fault.
Yo!

Raincatcher · Post by **Raincatcher** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:25 pm

Macar wrote:Here's somthing old I dug out and dusted off. Kind of aimless but I like it.

http://media.putfile.com/Wander_Macar

This is a good one!
Just a piece of advice from me - some string-notes are to powerfull, try using softer strings (play with attack phase and do not forget release phase, or make it with velocity controller). I think that this track needs some transparence. But it is just my opinion.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:44 pm

Thank you for your usual perceptive feedback Raincatcher. With wander, I know what you mean and I agree that some slower attack strings would help. The porblem is that my program basicaly plays sheet music and makes it sound pretty, but it dosent give you a lot of controll over individual parameters. I can change the values for an instrument, but they continue throughout the piece without changing.

As for bloodshed, I'm not shure what you mean about quantising. However, I just listened to this and realised that my computer was skipping while I was recording it, and that's why the pulse is all screwed up in the first 4 measures or so. That also acounts for the occasional pops. Grrr, I wish I had more RAM. I'll make shure that they are better for the final version though.

Raincatcher · Post by **Raincatcher** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:58 pm

Macar wrote:Thank you for your usual perceptive feedback Raincatcher. With wander, I know what you mean and I agree that some slower attack strings would help. The porblem is that my program basicaly plays sheet music and makes it sound pretty, but it dosent give you a lot of controll over individual parameters. I can change the values for an instrument, but they continue throughout the piece without changing.

As for bloodshed, I'm not shure what you mean about quantising. However, I just listened to this and realised that my computer was skipping while I was recording it, and that's why the pulse is all screwed up in the first 4 measures or so. That also acounts for the occasional pops. Grrr, I wish I had more RAM. I'll make shure that they are better for the final version though.

Yeahh.. RAM is always wanted, I know this problem. I have one gb ddr2, but it is not enough for me either. By the way cubase is a very good program. Try it, and there you can control your strings better. As for bloodshed - if you still have midi file just open it in the editor and see the score in "piano-roll" mode and see how it passes in the grid.

AFFA · Post by **AFFA** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 10:57 pm

I originally had more comments until I saw what kind of software you were using and that this will probably be re-done in a more VST-like program. Most of the complaints I had were with poor samples, all notes sounding alike, etc. A "MIDI to sheet music and back" kind of program has some advantages, but fine-tuning isn't one of them.

Individual Song Comments:

Hero - I like very beginning and the part around 0:45, but the... er... tremolo isn't the right word... The part at the end where the strings play the same note several times. That sounds unusually fake. Probably due to the software or lack of different techniques in the samples, but it might not loop well, either.

Eternity of Sand - I like this one. Also good desert "explore" music.

Set Out - I like one, too. Maybe good "explore" music for the coast or similar.

Toothless Vendor - I like the melody. Whatever comes in at 0:10 and then has a bad portamento slide up should be changed to something else or removed. It sounds more like a theramin than whatever it's supposed to be.

I didn't think the higher tom sounded unrealistically fast unless the song has been updated since that comment. I can play twice that fast one-bare-handed, easy. If anything, I'm surprised that almost all the TR music I've listened to so far is very slow and mostly strings. Of course, you don't want to do anything too distracting for "explore" music.

Calif's Daughter - I like the melody on this one also. Also good explore music.

Mountains - Good majesty.

Removing regular noise is easy. Download the FREE Audacity software (not quite as featured as Goldwave, but it's free):

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Find a noise area with nothing else going on (usually at the beginning), click on Effect -> Noise Removal -> Get Noise Profile. Then select the whole piece, click on Effect -> Noise Removal again. Ignore the preview. It's not accurate for some reason. I usually get the best results by putting the slider all the way to the left. Click Remove Noise and save it.

Of course, this doesn't work all that great with some kinds of noise. It can end up working like a band reject filter at times, taking all your low notes (or whatever) away. And it can make a piece sound funny, too. When removing a recording line hum (i.e. a bad ground or an unshielded cable, etc) it is sometimes better to use a band reject filter, especially if it's very low pitch and not much else is. It depends.

Audacity can save to mp3, too.

I have Reason 1.0, but I haven't used it in years. I was thinking of upgrading to Reason 3 and buying some ethnic samples, since I doubt I could explain what I think Khajiti music should actually sound like. In fact, since I just paid my credit card bill, I think I'll go do that right now. Impulse 4 teh win. Also, I should see if there's a "Reason for Dummies" book... If I said I knew how to use 10% of Reason, I would be lying.

I can't say I'm much of a composer, either. I was a decent drummer, and I can at least make a marginally competent note or three on most wind and string instruments (including all kinds of strange ethnic ones--I have a large drum collection slowly collecting dust and warping permanently out of shape in a closet). But I never learned more music theory than I needed to play.

Edit: Quantizing is something you can do in some programs that will force any notes that's aren't in exactly the right place to line up. Think of it as a kind of "snap to grid" for music. You can "snap" all notes to the nearest 1/8 or 1/32, etc.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 11:31 pm

Thanks Affa, it's always nice to get some feedback. As for "hero" that one was recorded by someone else who is no longer with the project. The ones with the static were all recorded on my midi-keyboard- they are mostly to short and since I dont have my keyboard anymore I'm not planning to ever finish them.

I do know what quantising is, but since my progam now works via sheet music input rather than recording performance, it's all quantized. The reason the beat was off in that one was because my low-RAM computer skiped a few beats when I wasnt paying attention- I'll fix that one eventualy.

I'm wondering what you think about the arabic style I have used in HF tracks. Do you think it fits the culture?

AFFA · Post by **AFFA** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 5:47 pm

I don't really see the Redguards are Arabs, except architecturally (and then more for "convergent evolution" reasons). But the music is fine. I don't want people do change their stuff just because of what I think.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 7:07 pm

Havent dropped anything here in a while. Here is my latest WIP. Trying for a hammerfell sound that isnt too arabic.

http://media.putfile.com/Glorious-Yokuda--WIP

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 3:30 am

Here's my latest. I noticed that the music I hear in oblivion (in video clips) sounds more ambient than MW. So here's an attempt at the style. It's music for an abandoned fort (hint-hint). Sory, Putfile's not working...

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 11:07 pm

There, it works now:

http://media.putfile.com/Greatness-Lost

Sory for the 3 post run. Can I have some coments on this? Does it blend with the OB music? Would it be good for Stirk?

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 4:50 pm

Still no comments. You make me cry

Oh well, life goes on. Here's another piece in the same style. It doesent realy resolve, and a pedal tone throughout creates a slight tension that never realy goes away. Perfect for a place with some political tension (like, between miners and rich people for example

) Enjoy!

http://media.putfile.com/Tension-WIP

Post by **Haplo** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 7:32 pm

Glorious Yokuda was excellent. haven't heard your latest yet.

Orix · Post by **Orix** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:14 pm

I think apart from a start that builds up too quickly, Greatness Lost is good. Certainly reflects it's name as I can imagine our hero walking amongst a run-down or depressive area, rife with despair... perhaps the miner's quarters on Stirk, as you suggested?

Or maybe a place of such desolation in Hammerfell, such as a small town and its people engulfed by the sands?

Tension, a little too upbeat for dungeon music in my mind though, since we have a (limited) choice of where our music goes now, I'd definately put it in explore. Although it would make good music for lonely paths at night time (like in Daggerfall) or the outside of a dungeon being prowled by the usualy dangers.

BTW, sorry I havn't posted comment in a while, I just never really know what to say. I just say whatever comes into my head when I listen to your music, try to think critically and of context, and try to avoid the usual "OMG Macar, that rocks!" mentality I have

. Not as easy as it sounds, hehe.

EDIT: Agree with the Haplo one, Glorious Yokuda is great, has a good arabian influence, being not too overt about it either. Love the way it builds up, I think it would make an excellent provincial main theme for Hammerfell (DragonFly and RainCatcher's theme tunes are great for the TR project theme in general, but not specifically for Hammerfell IMHO). Just wish it lasted longer and had a decent ending, great start though!

Post by **Haplo** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:34 pm

The Tension one is cool as well, I really like your stuff

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:57 pm

Thanks people, it's nice to get a few comments now and then, even if they are just pats on the back

Tension was intended to be explore music, I was thinking of Stirk again. It's supposed to be the music of the political tension. I thought it could play in any part of the village. Greatness Lost was intended for the abandoned fort that now houses the rich district (according to Theo's story).

As for Glorious Yokuda, I would be honored if it was adopted as province theme

. I had been working on a different setting of the same tune, but I'm thinking now that I like the one I posted here better. I should finish that one....

Silverwood · Post by **Silverwood** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 12:18 am

Those are all awsome! I'm dissapointed i havn't commented yet on these. Tension has the very same feeling cyrodyl music has in Oblivion. It has the chruch bells in it that work very well for all provinces, not just cyrodyl... I don't remember the names of all the other, but they seemed very good. Maybe you should try more of the battle music, maybe with an Arabic feel to it, Like flutes or something.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 12:31 am

Yeah, I havent done a battle track in a while. I need to listen to some of the fight music in OB. My goal for now is to make music for stirk. Then, I'll think about Hammerfell.

Graff · Post by **Graff** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 7:50 am

Glorious Yokuda: The bass-sound (sounds like a brass instrument of some kind *shrugs*) is a bit farty in places, that's the only criticism I have of this piece, that and it has a tendency to jump very quickly from one section to another, when I feel that each section should be a little longer, and the transition a bit more subtle. Apart from that, good piece of work, once these issues are resolved, I can see this going onto the sample player I'm thinking about creating for the main page.

Greatness Lost: Only worry I have about this one is that it might be a little too ambient, but as it's blatently for explore music, that's not a problem. However, can you switch the piano voice at about 1:30 for a softer instrument?

Tension: I like it, there's something I can't quite put my finger on that I feel needs changing, possibly the strings section towards the end, it just gets a little repetitive, apart from that, good work.

Graff.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 2:57 pm

Thanks for the crits Graff.

I do have some trouble with brass sounding that way- I used to just avoid using it but now I'm trying to figure it out. What you may be hearing though, is a synth choir pitched way too low.

Greatness Lost, I'll try what you suggest. However, I think piano will sound odd, because it is unused in the original soundtrack.

Tension is finished, will post later.

G2 run, late for class!

Graff · Post by **Graff** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 8:35 pm

I think you might have got me a bit confused on that Greatness Lost thing, I meant that that the quick melody around 1:30 is a little too sharp, doesn't really fit in with the rest of it.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 11:03 pm

Oh, I see the part that your talking about now. Did you mean piano as in quieter? Because I am quite attached to the harp there. I was going to make that the ending, that's probably why it stands out (yeah, no planning, I just started making some chords and just followed my fancy). I think if I just score the chords lower it wont be as obtrusive.

Graff · Post by **Graff** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 7:08 am

As long as it's a little softer (is it Harp, jesus, I must be going deaf, it's all this Metal) I don't mind, it's just a bit too stark and obtrusive as it is now.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 11:16 pm

Here is tension finished;
http://media.putfile.com/tension-58

Here's a failed attempt at redgaurd cpmbat music, but I learned a trick or two for the next attempt. Mainly, it's just not tense enough for combat, and it's too arabic;
http://media.putfile.com/nomads

Orix · Post by **Orix** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 11:46 pm

I dunno Macar, Nomads could probabaly be salvaged. If you got rid of the finger-symbol things that come in at 7 seconds it would sound less obviously Arabic. Otherwise I think it would be ok. To me, this sounds kinda like combat music, but in't quite tense or long enough, although I understand that this is just a working length. It would sound more like dungeon, or maybe exploration music without those finger-symbol things.

I listened to Tension, pretty ace, great for dungeon/night exploration music, although there was a bit where the music was kinda abrupt in the middle. On second 55, a oboe instrument rises and disappears a bit abruptly and on 1:23 the rise of the music (that starts in 1:17) suddenly dropping feels wrong too. The ending is good, apart from 2:02 onwards where most of the instruments are dropped, it feels a bit strange when listening to it, I dont quite know how to describe it though. It feels like sound is only going into one ear but is really going into both :/.