So there's this Pokemon fan game for minecraft called Cobalt and Amethyst. I want to help with making music for the game. So far, they like my music, but they asked me to make a battle theme and it's not going very well. Could I get some help?
https://www.dropbox.com/s/rqqrpdphgm4rbhf/Pokemon%20Battle%202.5%285%29.mp3?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/rqqrpdphgm4rbhf/Pokemon%20Battle%202.5%285%29.mp3?dl=0)
Wait, you can make custom music in Minecraft (and I MAY help, it just depends on how quickly my next 3 arrangements come)
Yeah you can make custom music in minecraft, I think it's using a resource pack to do it.
I'll consider helping, then.
So I have to create the battle themes and right now I'm on the Trainer Battle theme. I feel like Phoenix is getting mad at me because I don't know what he wants me to do. He thinks giving the song about 10 measures of drum introduction then having a build up is what it needs. I personally disagree because it's just a trainer battle theme and adding this introduction makes it worse. I don't know what to do, I need help!
Mp3 (http://www.mediafire.com/download/z6y99739oy28ga4/Battle%21_Trainer%282%29.mp3)
Traditionally, standard Pokémon battle themes start with one to two measures of fast arpeggios, then maybe four to eight measures of introductory chords and phrases before launching into the melody. 10 measures of drums and then a build up is far too long for a trainer battle, which are common and need to have a theme which goes straight into the melody without trying to spend minutes being epic. A trainer fight will not last minutes.
Yeah, that's exactly how I had it, but he wants it to be more like the gym leader theme in X and Y.
Tell him to learn how to music or gtfo
He knows a lot more about music than it seems and he's the one who hired me, soo... I can't really say that.
Tell him to learn how to video game or gtfo
Here's how it is:
A 10-measure drum intro will have no chance of sounding conventionally Pokémon. If he's completely deadset on it, I'd suggest trying something like the following:
Pokémon Black/White - Battle! (Ghetsis) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEbLAFHo5Ts) - (Skip to 00:14)
Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver - Battle! (Ho-oh) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyBkdZNT1DE) - (Skip to 00:07)
But both of these cases were done differently specifically to be different. It gave them uniqueness which was desired for each scenario. Nothing considered appropriate for something as common as a Trainer Battle.
You mentioned the Gym Leader Battle from X/Y; but there's far more in there than just drums. And where did the number 10 come from for the length of the intro? 10 is a great round number that every average Joe jumps to but for musicians, the magic number is usually a multiple of 4. I honestly doubt this guy is a musician at all. Maybe he uses programs to make music outside from conventional music theory and methods, but from what I'm gathering it seems like he doesn't really know what's going on at all. Forgive me for being blunt.
Quote from: Dudeman on April 24, 2016, 06:09:10 PMTraditionally, standard Pokémon battle themes start with one to two measures of fast arpeggios, then maybe four to eight measures of introductory chords and phrases before launching into the melody. 10 measures of drums and then a build up is far too long for a trainer battle, which are common and need to have a theme which goes straight into the melody without trying to spend minutes being epic. A trainer fight will not last minutes.
Well said, now I'm going to explain the reasons for each part:
The fast arpeggio/chromatic run - This is more a cinematic effect as the screen does a little cutscene to move from the field into the battle sequence. It can give a slight element of surprise to the player (usually the case in Wild Encounters) when a battle begins. Musically, it provides a great contrast to the proceeding part; that is, the run is supposed to sound like chaos in order to emphasize the sudden order of the often-simple chordal section that follows. (Best example of this contrast I can think of atm is the Gym Leader Battle from the original Red/Blue)
Chords/Syncopations - As I said, this part is the second half of the contrast, designed to provide the ear with a sense of order from chaos. The rhythm is often syncopated, which adds the element of speed and urgency. The bass is often alternating intervals in tremolo style for the same purpose, to give speed. The melodic variety often lies in the Phrygian mode for the purpose of diatonically achieving the minor second from the tonic(mediant). Open 5th/4th intervals keep the ear from detecting either major or minor tonality which provides a bit of mystery, helping the intensity factor.
Theme Melody - By this point, hopefully the stage has been set, and this is the most normal part of the piece by traditional songwriting methods/techniques. The purpose of this is to be memorable, keep up the intensity, but not be ballstastically boring. Especially if this is a trainer or wild battle theme that will happen many times. X/Y Gym Leader was able to break the rules so effectively because that track only plays 8 times in the game (7 in the case of X/Y). I'm sure people would be getting sick of it though if it was for something as common as a wild encounter or trainer battle.
As Dudeman also said, the intro for a battle theme is never 10 measures (unless it's pure gold that one could listen to for hours) because by this point, most trainers have either won, captured the pokemon, or run. Wild encounters usually aren't very long, so it's in the composer's best interest to have a shorter intro in order to get to the meat of the tune. (Notice how the Xerneas/Yveltal Battle from X/Y has a killer long intro, because it was intended to be a long battle that could afford that much time)
So, hopefully that helps, though I think the best thing to do would be to just put things together, show him, and then let him tweak it after how he wants. You might even just impress him right away enough for him to just adopt it no-questions-asked.
(https://media.giphy.com/media/7rj2ZgttvgomY/giphy.gif)
I've always liked the legendary bird trio theme from D/P/Pt, maybe you could recycle (no pun intended) that music for a theme
Nice composition!
The intro seems fine, but my big issue is the melody. In pretty much all Pokémon battle themes the melody is very clear, you can clearly hear it and follow along it, where's your composition doesn't really have that feel. I think the chords being too strong are a factor in this.
Also, the part after the intro seems unfamiliar. It seems like a long build-up. Usually, in Pokémon battle themes, the melody starts very early, just after a couple of measures of chromatic part and some more measures of chord/stuff part. Here it seems more to be a long build-up to like 0:48.
These tips obviously only concern you if you want the song to sound like an actual pokémon battle theme, which I assumed was the intention, but if not, you can ignore my feedback.
Quote from: JDMEK5 on April 25, 2016, 11:41:46 AMAnd where did the number 10 come from for the length of the intro?
I had the chromatic scales for the first measure and then 8 measures of intro. He said to take out everything except the drums and don't change them.
I'm going to tell him that the way he wants it wouldn't fit for a trainer battle theme.
Quote from: JDMEK5 on April 25, 2016, 11:41:46 AMSo, hopefully that helps, though I think the best thing to do would be to just put things together, show him, and then let him tweak it after how he wants. You might even just impress him right away enough for him to just adopt it no-questions-asked.
He was going to give me an example but he said he didn't want to buy mixcraft. None of the softwares he thinks I'd be using are similar to what I am using: finale notepad.
You could just direct him here. Can't really be said any better than how JDMEK put it.
clapping intensifies
(https://www.ninsheetmusic.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FKF2uCT2.gif&hash=0d02ee0c0daa0ab37832e2a7e2fe4b22fc6e4e19)
He'd probably kick me.
Quote from: cashwarrior1 on April 25, 2016, 01:05:22 PMNone of the softwares he thinks I'd be using are similar to what I am using: finale notepad.
He probably thinks you're using a DAW, not notation software. Few people use notation software it seems just cuz it takes so much knowledge to use and making music is getting easier and easier all the time.
Quote from: cashwarrior1 on April 25, 2016, 01:11:20 PMHe'd probably kick me.
Remember that all you're doing is working for this guy. If you decide that it's not worth the trouble he's giving you then just quit. He can't take your kids or burn your house or shoot your dog. (To greatly exaggerate)
I joined to try to get my music noticed by more people.
Well yeah, for sure, and that makes sense. But I'm saying if this becomes way more of a pain in the neck than it's worth, you can always scrap it. If you're really serious though then you might not want to give up yet.
If he's forcing you to change things, then it isn't your music, is it?
Do what you feel is right.
Thanks, I'll tell him some things and we'll see what happens.
Not those things.
Ultimately it's your call and it all depends on what you're willing to put up with and do. However many hoops that calls you to jump through depends on you. Whatever makes you happy. I'm not trying to say you should quit, because I don't necessarily think you should; I'm just saying you should consider your values. What is it worth to you?