The Black Company *Avaronald*

[Avaronald]

Composers have through the ages reused their older material and so did I.

The Phantoms of the Past: Listen here
Now it's also at SibeliusMusic.com: Score
 and MP3


To be honest, this piece isn't new. Actually, it is the first piece I wrote when I first became interested in game music. And that is completely thanks to Melda   I was browsing the SibeliusMusic website one day and by accident I came across with Melda's webpage there and I listened to the Return to Quel'Thalas songs Melda has written and I was so inspirated by them that I wanted to start compose them too; after that I found this website and StarAlliance forums and started really composing for games. That's why this piece is dedicated to Melda!  :mrgreen:

The piece is quite calm and it doesn't have the same rhytmic foundation than the other pieces for this mod have, but that's why it suits as background music to the game.

[Avaronald]

A battle theme for the mod:

Score  and MP3

This is quite fiery and furious battle theme, with a little calmer section in the middle.

[Steven]

Nice going with Phantoms of the Past! I really like its ambient atmosphere, and the sounds are good as well. The cymbal work and other percussive sounds are very effective =). This piece is a nice change, after so often hearing the battle type music that features in so many games. Parts of it sound a bit like just a wash of sound, which can be effective for this kind of piece.

The battle theme is also good, obviously in a very different way. The chord sequence at the beginning and the rythem to it works really well. The only thing I might say is that keeping that rythem throughout the entire piece means that if a person is just listening to it, it may lack variety and sound a bit similar all the way through. Ingame, however, I think it would work. The build up in the more quiet section was good. And that gong at the end was a nice finishing touch. ^^

Overall, a good selection I think. =)

[Avaronald]

Nice going with Phantoms of the Past! I really like its ambient atmosphere, and the sounds are good as well. The cymbal work and other percussive sounds are very effective =). This piece is a nice change, after so often hearing the battle type music that features in so many games. Parts of it sound a bit like just a wash of sound, which can be effective for this kind of piece.

I think if the whole game is just intensive 'battle music' it's going to start irritating the player at some point. That's why I'm now trying to concentrate in composing more atmospheric music to the mod (and it's an excellent way to lengthen the playing time of the whole soundtrack :wink: ).

Btw, the soundtrack is ca. 38 minutes now and I'm aiming at 60 mins, so I'm starting to get closer to the objective...

The battle theme is also good, obviously in a very different way. The chord sequence at the beginning and the rythem to it works really well. The only thing I might say is that keeping that rythem throughout the entire piece means that if a person is just listening to it, it may lack variety and sound a bit similar all the way through. Ingame, however, I think it would work. The build up in the more quiet section was good. And that gong at the end was a nice finishing touch. ^^

Actually I think the same. The rhytm is perhaps too repetitive, but in the same time it gives consistency to the piece. And the final gong clash is meant to wake the drowsing players...  

[Melda]

The Phantoms of the Past

Whoa . . . that's my impression of the opening chord: whoa!

This was your first piece? I'm not sure I recognise it . . . I'm guessing you may not have shown it when you finished it.

I am honoured to have such a velvety and darkly mysterious piece dedicated to me. Thank-you very much!

I like the descending chromatic lines, and the dark and slow atmosphere it evokes.

Reminds me of what I would think of as Russian music, for some reason.

I like.


Battle of Battles

Is this is a major or minor battle? I cannot fully determine which (other than the title, and the epic elements, which lend themselves to 'major battle').

By this stage you've definitely defined a sound world for the soundtrack, and the opening of this track really communicates that it's from The Black Company soundtrack.

Okay, as I get further through the piece it communicate more and more that it's something major, but I couldn't tell at the beginning.

Yeah, this track doesn't really do it for me as much as some of your other work -- not that this is poor at all, just that I prefer other tracks.

[Avaronald]

Yeah, this track doesn't really do it for me as much as some of your other work -- not that this is poor at all, just that I prefer other tracks.

I know what you mean. I don't personaly like this piece as much as the others. This is one those piece you have to try to compose even if you don't feel even a bit you liked to write it, if you understand what you mean.

Yes, this piece is meant for a major battle, I have a minor (and less intensive) minor battle theme coming. But some atmospheric music is under construction first

And about the previous Tom-Tom's death: I'm stocking it for the time being. And you won't be able to hear it in the mod, because it doesn't suit the mod very well. But fear not: I'm not going to throw it away. My intentions are to finish the music to the mod by August (when I have - if I'm lucky - a place in college) and then start working on another mod...and who know what kind of music I'll start composing there... :wink:

Btw, Melda, where have you been? I haven't seen you around for some time?

[Avaronald]

:!: To my great sorrow, I must tell that I'll stop composing more music for the Black Company Mod  

I've been having difficulties in composing lately and now that I've started my studies (I'll gradute as a chef in two years) I don't have time or inspiration to compose - I haven't even had time to wathc this forum.

BadThrall may use all the music composed for the mod this far as he wishes (if the mod is even alive anymore?).

[Melda]

This is a sad day, indeed.

When I saw the forum notification, I was hoping for some new Avaronald music.

But this can happen to any of us (i.e. just ask me when the last time I wrote something was).

I have a feeling that campaign will not be actually completed, due to BadThrall being absorbed by the mod-killing monster that is World of WarCraft.

I could be wrong, but I believe that's what I read somewhere.

*sighs*

Well, best of luck with your studies, and if you ever wish to write again, you know you'll have an eager audience here waiting for you.

":)

[Avaronald]

Well, best of luck with your studies, and if you ever wish to write again, you know you'll have an eager audience here waiting for you.

":)

I'm not completely going to abandon composing, just this mod - as it seems not to be in progress...
In matter of fact, I'm already planning a new work, The Mass for the Fallen, which is a mass based on John Milton's Lost Paradise. It tells the story of angel Lucifer and how he was cast out of Heaven due envy. I am at the moment writing the text for it, but it has some difficulties as I'm not good at Latin and I especially want it to be in Latin...  :?

[Melda]

Sounds great.

I'll be sure to have a listen when you're ready to post excerpts. =)

[AltaSilvaPuer]

Yes, Latin can be very tricky to use sometimes, especially the pronunciation.  I've just started year two of it about a month ago.  If you need help, I can try where I can, but I don't know much.  Just send me a PM or something.

-asp