Musician: aang001

[aang001]

Oh as a side note: I will be taking out the small part were my producing name is in the game version of "Seduction" if that concerned anyone. And I'm not sure who wrote about using the professional software( it escapes me at this moment so I apologize, but I already use professional software and instruments myself. Not sure if that was to imply I don't or just a helping hand, but I'm covered in that aspect. I don't need any help musically, but I would like to hear the other artist(s) work that's doing the music as well just to know some of the other tracks that might go in the game, since I only know what I was working on. Maybe we can turn this into a musical champloo for the game! LOL ...or not.

later

[cpl_crud]

Eh, fair enough.
I've harped on previously about my job and so forth, so I won't bore you again with the details.

I kinda like the new songs, but I'm trying to place them in the game, and I'm at a loss, especially with "Seduction".

"Move your body" might have use w/out the lyrics, however since you're using a lot of the ultra-synth type stuff, what I'd really like to hear would be something more appropriate on the more "mental" paths, like Hanako's, where you can really trip out.
I'm thinking of something dark, preferably scary as fuck; that kinda thing. If you got reid of the vocals on "move your body" and replaced the main melody with something else... not sure what, but I think it could come good.

Maybe some of that distortion stuff that's in your other tracks.

[Nicol Armarfi]

I'm having a hard time understanding what I just heard.

[aang001]

I know I haven't been on in a while so I'll start by apologizing. Gomen. Life has gotten the best of me but I will be putting a lot better effort to being here. I'm about to move back Phoenix from OH so I been tied up planing etc. I have some tracks that you can hear that can potentially go in the game, so I guess it's up to someone or a group of people to say ye or ney on if it can make it in somehow. My music and "normal" are rarely in the same sentence, but whatever. I got some traditional, some dark, some crazy and others without category.

the music pix are:

http://dark-kage.com/The ceremony.mp3

http://dark-kage.com/Daily Motions.mp3

http://dark-kage.com/Cutscene 1.mp3

http://dark-kage.com/Melancholy of Darkness.mp3

http://dark-kage.com/Enhance your calm.mp3

[Lulz]

http://dark-kage.com/The%20ceremony.mp3

http://dark-kage.com/Daily%20Motions.mp3

http://dark-kage.com/Cutscene%201.mp3

http://dark-kage.com/Melancholy%20of%20Darkness.mp3

http://dark-kage.com/Enhance%20your%20calm.mp3

Fixed your borken links.

[aang001]

comments anyone? Even if music isnt your thing I need input. I believe the music I posted can fit inside the game. If you find it catchy at all or think any of the tracks are good tell me. I need to know if Im part of the team. I got a thread, but no word on if Im in and how many tracks is needed roughly. I have no ideas of the story, but know the basic plot of the game in a nutshell. I need info, If I'm to get anything seriously pumped out for this game. I have a slew of sounds for any environment a character is in so that wont be an issue if you need a door creak or a glass break etc. That needs no real time to do on my part. Creating the tracks will take time and I need to know what Im doing.

Input from team and music guy

[Lulz]

I don't know if my opinion will suffice, but I might as well start, so the big guys can follow through.

It's like listening to the soundtrack of "Saya no Uta". I don't know if that is intentional or not, but it's very much like Saya no Uta's musical score.

The music, besides "the ceremony", is far too intense to be put onto a regular visual dating sim like Katawa Shoujo. Unless there's some horror or fighting scenes (suspense can work though, as Hanako is a bit psycho), I don't think they'll work well. Either tone down the heavy bass and guitars, or make some more tracks like "the ceremony".

Also, speaking of the "mood" for the music in Katawa Shoujo, there's a lot of really light and melodious themes, which is probably the majority of the current soundtrack. There are other types of samples too, but I think that Dohl, crud, or other people delete unnecessary/useless tracks from the game itself, which is why I myself have no sufficient clue as to how the soundtrack is evolving. You'll just have to wait for Nicol Amarfi, TcDohl and crud's input on the music.


Also, Dohl is looking for someone that can play the cello.

[delta]

I think we are also still interested in more pop song-like tracks for the opening and endings... right?

[silentkyon]

For the most part I think these are pretty good, especially 'The ceremony.' They may not be perfect, but i wouldn't go as far as call them 'fight scene' tracks like lulz. Personally, I think you are on the right track. The first tracks you first posted were your own style, and not really suited for a dating sim, but these are definitely closer and show some potential.

Like the others said we'll have to wait for the people who decide this stuff to come through and comment, but i think everyone needs to keep in mind...aang001 has been making music pretty blindly. All you guys pretty much said was 'make some music' and left it at that. All he's had to go on is the demo, which i think used one temporary track that was from another anime.

Speaking from an artist perspective, it's hard to draw the characters and try to capture their personalities without a lot of reference material (i did a lot of reading up on segments of the girls' stories that you guys wrote for the game). I'm pretty sure aang001 won't be able to get any closer to what you guys want with his music unless you pass him some more materials to read or some music that nicol has done that he can compare his stuff to.

[aang001]

I don't know if my opinion will suffice, but I might as well start, so the big guys can follow through.

It's like listening to the soundtrack of "Saya no Uta". I don't know if that is intentional or not, but it's very much like Saya no Uta's musical score.

The music, besides "the ceremony", is far too intense to be put onto a regular visual dating sim like Katawa Shoujo. Unless there's some horror or fighting scenes (suspense can work though, as Hanako is a bit psycho), I don't think they'll work well. Either tone down the heavy bass and guitars, or make some more tracks like "the ceremony".

Also, speaking of the "mood" for the music in Katawa Shoujo, there's a lot of really light and melodious themes, which is probably the majority of the current soundtrack. There are other types of samples too, but I think that Dohl, crud, or other people delete unnecessary/useless tracks from the game itself, which is why I myself have no sufficient clue as to how the soundtrack is evolving. You'll just have to wait for Nicol Amarfi, TcDohl and crud's input on the music.


Also, Dohl is looking for someone that can play the cello.

Dont take this as a personal attack when I type this, But Even though I know almost nothing about the game since I havent got to read the story or anything and just know the basic Idea, I dont think from the creative stand point the game, that it's being understood by you. Now thats a crazy view I got and forgive me for going out on the limb here, but how is this game a regular visual novel? There are disabled people in this dating sim and that alone means it's not "normal"! If you take a crazy game from left field and stick it in the middle where it goes from a great idea that could shock the world to an average run of the mill game with nothing else shocking or different about the game except the females are disabled, The game will turn out horrible. I think the reason anyone wanted to start this project was because it was different conceptually and broke away from the "regular" visual dating game. I'm not implying that classical music can't possibly work, but classical music is "safe" and not necessarily out of the box. I'm passionate about music and making things that stick out in your mind. I rather have something that breaks a lot of the "regular" rules for a genre and make me go " Wow! They chose that style for this scene and this style for that! I love this game! The art's amazing, the music amazing, the story is amazing! I cant believe the plot twist! That is what I got from the idea of the game and why I thought maybe not only I who am left in the dark on the story and character bios didn't fully understand, but you may not understand. Not saying you dont have the info as well, but I thought if a game with an Idea like this one was being made, that maybe All the ideas where breaking rule and turning the visual novel world around. Sorry for the length and if I offended you.

As a side note. I'm not sure what you mean by heavy bass. I didn't use any heavy bass or drums in these songs due to the game I envisioned it being. I love guitars and think they help set the mood for both activates and characters. I'm not saying I suggest the whole OST is rock, but I thought a few here and there add to the game. Thank you for taking the time to write a response! Hope to hear from the others.

[Lulz]

silentkyon: That is basically the point I was after. It's easier to let him read more about the plot and characters to give him a feel of them, as well as the whole story and more. Despite the part about not giving local people access, I think that aspiring musicians would need a lot of reference to the material if they want to make music that will get the feel of the whole game itself.

aang001: Don't worry, I'm not offended at all. Your points are an interesting take on how a visual novel would be made, seeing as I have never seen a romance/comedy/drama visual novel have dark rock-ish tracks of music to go with them yet. However, despite these views, I think that it would be a better idea to stick to light-hearted tracks, though including maybe several of variety music here and there to show despair, struggle, anger, brooding, and the like. You can obviously add your touch of rock to the emotional tracks to show more depth and emotion though.

I'm not suggesting the whole OST is rock, but I thought a few here and there added to the game.

This is what had me worried until your quoted response, because I thought you were aiming for having the soundtrack consist of mostly rock tracks (which I'm glad you aren't). Like I stated above, you can add your touch of rock to the emotional tracks to show more depth and emotion. I'm not against rock at all, but having the majority of the soundtrack fully rock when it's for the most part light and cheery would make for a bad light visual novel.

Also, forgive me about the bass part. My 12 inch subwoofer got the best out of me (I put the treble on too high), and I totally thought you had a bass guitar in along the fray.

All in all, I don't think you're a bad composer. In fact, you're on a pretty good level, if you ask me. You just need more direction.

[Nicol Armarfi]

Aang, I recall the you previously requested to hear some of the tracks that are currently on the OST to get a good idea of what might fit. If you still want to hear a few I'd be happy to e-mail/upload/whatever them for you.

Getting to the point of the actual tracks, I agree more or less with lulz: the music is very good, but most of it doesn't seem to work well with the game. They would work in perfectly for a fighting game, RPG or a horror VN, but this is a romance VN, so we're leaning more towards softer neo-classical style music (much more in the direction of Ceremony than the other tracks).

[TcDohl]

All right, sorry we haven't really had much for you. I just got around to listening to your stuff. I'll give you access for a little bit, so you can see what kind of stuff we've been doing.

Out of all the tracks, I really enjoyed "The Ceremony" since it's closest to what I have in mind for the game. You also seem to have more creativity than the current music dude does so I'd like to see what you can do.

[Nicol Armarfi]

You also seem to have more creativity than the current music dude does so I'd like to see what you can do.

Thank you Dohl.

[cpl_crud]

Urk, sorry for the delays.

As I mentioned in super-secret sound forum, I like the direction you're taking, however I'd ask that you heed the comments I made in the other thread about roll-off curves and the like (that's more of a technical issue than an artistic one though).

The thing about the bass in the tracks is that this is supposed to be an underscore to the actual text; most of which is light hearted and "fun" (for the time being, at least).

If you watch any film or Opera, you'll know that the lighter moments in life aren't underscroced by a wailing bass and thumping kick drum.
Sure, saying "this isn't a normal game" is all well and good, however you can't go agianst nature and hope that it will work. Light moments need lighter music. I know that in Hanako's path there will definately be times when you need to have the ground shaking, and times when you won't know what the shit is happening.
It also looks like this will happen in a lot of the paths.

Still, between yourself and Nicol, I'm sure there can be some "palming off" of your respective areas...


Eh, I'm jsu kinda ranting now.

tl;dr, I have listened, I like, but I have technical issues that I'd like to see rectified.