Music Compo - Dec 30 - Jan 9

Oz · Thu 30/12/2004 14:57:25

Okay, the theme for this compo is psychological horror. Compose a theme or a soundtrack piece for a survival horror game. Key words are tension, dynamics, subliminal effect, etc. All you can think of that will make the player anxious and nervy. Think of a game like Silent Hill or Alone in the Dark, where the player moves around a hostile environment full of paranormal activity. Make it creepy!

Sinitrena · Fri 31/12/2004 01:25:25

This is my second attempt ever to make music. Enjoy!
http://people.freenet.de/Sinitrena/scary.mid
(It's 1 min 30 sec long)

falconmusic · Fri 31/12/2004 02:25:15

http://www.geocities.com/kole_mcrae/dark.mp3 - enjoy

Gregjazz · Fri 31/12/2004 09:56:49

http://herculeaneffort.adventuredevelopers.com/tiptoe.mp3

Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens · Fri 31/12/2004 20:26:29

Might as well enter my Darkmoor Manor theme!

http://members.cox.net/veradin/Darkmoorday1a.rar

Could use the feedback anyway ;>

SpacePirateCaine · Fri 31/12/2004 22:11:35

Here's my entry - Hope you like it, or are at least vaguely creeped out by it.

Voices(2mb)

I find that it sounds best listened to with earphones, with the volume up a bit.

Oz · Sun 02/01/2005 02:02:34

Really good entries so far. Keep 'em coming!

falconmusic · Fri 07/01/2005 06:15:53

i dont think anyone else will be posting music...

Nick Dangerous · Fri 07/01/2005 08:14:14

I started working on an entry. Would be cool to leave this compo open till 9th.
Thanks
Nicky D.

Oz · Fri 07/01/2005 13:13:46

It's still open.

qptain Nemo · Sat 08/01/2005 01:15:11

Here is my humble entry!

I'll Scream But Solve
dedicated to all brave adventurers who wonder into dangerous and scary places to rescue their friends

http://www.captain-nemo.nm.ru/AGS/I'll_Scream_But_Solve.mp3

Neil Dnuma · Sun 09/01/2005 05:45:25

http://www.geocities.com/the61rap/1B.mp3

falconmusic · Sun 09/01/2005 06:08:00

yay! time for voting!!!

Gregjazz · Sun 09/01/2005 07:28:52

Quote from: falconmusic on Sun 09/01/2005 06:08:00
yay! time for voting!!!

Errr... hate to break it to you... It's more like, "time for the judging." (unless the rules have been changed behind my back, of course)

Oz · Sun 09/01/2005 12:24:54

Nicky D! Last minute call! Tick, tack, tick, tack...
I'll go through the entries, write some feedback/comments and present a winner later today (CET). Nice to see so many entries.

Oz · Mon 10/01/2005 01:06:19

Sinitrena:

I like the tension in this one. Dramatic, but I think it would have been a bit more effective with a wider dynamic range. A calmer part perhaps to balance the intensity of the main theme. The dissonance in the organ(?) line is a creepy touch. This is very old school, which is cool. I can imagine this playing during an encounter with a paranormal phenomenon. Good work, especially for being your second attempt ever at composing music. You should continue doing it.

falconmusic:

Dark and brooding. Nice build-up (perhaps it could have been a little longer?)! The whisper sample is creepy. Good use of the violin too, a bit avant garde I would say.

The sample synthesis comes through a bit as the tempo picks up, which I imagine is an effect you were trying to achieve. Good suspense. Gabriel Knight? Hmmm. Something like that.

Geoffkhan

A very effective build-up. I like how the piano works flawlessly here to build up the tension and the classical ending is not only a very nice piano piece, but also old school to boot (1920s silent horror film anyone?), a touch of drama and romance. I would have wanted it to be longer! Good scope. I like this.

ProgZmax

A different approach. Good pulse. I could imagine this playing in a cutscene or in an intro sequence. Nice use of panning on the lead melody. I like the fact that there is a solid bass line all throughout the track. Not that creepy, but a very nice composition! Good to see XM still being used.

SpacePirateCaine

Whoa. This is creepy. Excellent use of those stereo whispers. This reminds me alot of Silent Hill. Brooding ambience that crawls into your head. Nice little overture-like piano piece. I like the tremolo strings too. Like most of the others entries I wish it would have been a bit longer, taking the piano part further. Very nice! Spooky.

captain Nemo

A stray and quite "innocent" piano line working over a brooding set of pads. The whole lead melody pattern feels a little random and chaotic, which might be the effect you are after, but I think a little more order and a wider dynamic range would have made this track more striking. There is a bit too much going on a times, but the arrangement is pretty good. Good variety and a fair bit of drama.

Neil Dnuma

This is very good. Subliminal. Some panning and on the background effect would have been very cool. The piano line is perfect, not obtrusive in any way. I also like how the background noise fades in and converge with the piano and finally takes over. This is a bit more ambient than the rest. Good for background music.

And when the dust has settled...

Gah. Tough decision. I like Dnuma's track as an ambient background track while Geoffkhan's track serves it's purpose as a more melodic soundtrack piece with great dynamics and a brilliant ending. SpacePirateCaine perhaps comes out with the most successful track when it comes to suspense and subliminal effect. All of you did really good, and the winner is:

SpacePirateCaine

Great suspense, creepiness, and a very nice lead melody which could have been taken further.

Thanks for all the good entries!