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A Short Video Game Music Loop

Discussion in 'Critique & Feedback' started by Marko Dvojkovic, Mar 6, 2021.

  1. #1 Marko Dvojkovic, Mar 6, 2021
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2021
    Hi guys! Here is a short and sweet loop I made.
    Here on this forum I feel like I can be open and say that this was the first time that I applied to a job advertisement that I saw of a local new Gamedev company. In short after I have sent them my portfolio that they requested for the application, they invited me to an interview. I already beforehand suggested to make a demo exactly for their project, so after the interview they sent me some art material to make a demo for and then couple more questions occurred to me and for that I didn't get any reply. I already had a premonition that I didn't get the gig even though they didn't yet heard my demo (and I even made it faster than I said I would, it took me basically 3 days for this). So after giving them about 24 hours for a reply that could change my approach for the demo I made the track and yup I didn't get the gig, but I am happy with the demo and some experience.

    But I don't know I feel that it will be very hard to break that enchanted circle of: "In order to get a reference you need to get a job and in order to get a job you need to already have a reference."
    So any feedback for both music and business are welcome :)
    Cheers!

    P.S. I of course can't share the exact art I worked for, it was very hard to find something for pretty specific context, this artwork works kind of okay-ish, it is vector art the same as I worked on but a bit more urban and english countryside design with gardens would be better, there is the harmonica, so we are at the farm but the pizzicatos and celeste give it a bit more refined and stylish feel on the other hand.
     
  2. #2 Mark Wayne, Mar 6, 2021
    Hello Marko!

    This is my first time giving feedback on another piece here. I'm far from an expert in either composing or the industry, but I have a few thoughts that I'd like to share.

    First off, I feel like you were successful in achieving the "vibe" of the piece - that is, a relaxed and friendly farm atmosphere. A piece like this wouldn't be out of place as background music in a game like Stardew Valley.

    As for my critique, my first issue is the beginning of the piece. You established the pattern with the pizzes and celeste in two measures, and then you introduce the harmonica. I feel like it would have been better to repeat those two measures again so that the pattern could be "solidified" better in the listener.

    The bigger issue I see later is at 0:23 where you held that G on the harmonica, and then at the 0:28 you then kind of go back to a rhythm similar to when the harmonica first entered the song. I think it would be better to maintain the rhythm from the first part since it's familiar and the listener will be comfortable with it. If someone is playing a game and they will be hearing this as background music, familiarity/repetition is not a bad thing.

    Hope this made sense! Looking forward to what others have to say about this one.
     
  3. #3 Marko Dvojkovic, Mar 7, 2021
    Hey Mark!

    Thank you for your feedback, I am glad that my post encouraged you to do it for the first time here :).
    I had some doubts about that but in that case it would have been repeated three times and this way it is one time for the short intro and then another time with the harmonica introducing the main motif (and that is the beginning of the actual "chunk" that is looped, if that makes sense). It is true that there needs to be 2 of something to establish a pattern but on the other side it doesn't need to be exactly repeated, copy pasted 2.

    I micro managed every note in the melody so once I found that main motif that works over the whole progression I felt that at that moment it is time for just a little contrast since it is a "tension that resolves to tonic moment" and I prior to that repeated the motif twice identically (but harmonies change) and then twice with some variation and some intervalic movement that then happens again soon after, but it wasn't a moment for some secondary melody/counterpoint (there isn't really any room for that in this piece I think, but a little dynamic swell felt nice). Repetition and variation is everything as Mike says but especially for a loop for a video game I find it a very enjoyable challenge how to make the new cycles of the loop somehow rewarding for the player and making it seem like there is more to it than there really is (if possible making the first new cycle not noticeable as a repeated part) and there is actually no more than only ~40 seconds of material in this piece, at 0:43 begins the new cycle that happens basically as a resolve of a modulation set up at the end of the loop (that is a very nice compositional technique I found for constructing loops, because then the beginning of the new cycle seems fresh).

    All the best,

    Marko
     
  4. #4 Carlos Riesco, Mar 8, 2021
    Hi Marko, I'm my opinion, ending the loop with high dynamics and starting with low dynamics makes the loop more noticeable, I would try to match the dynamics at the end and start of the loop so you can't tell when is looping.
    Cheers!
     
  5. #5 Marko Dvojkovic, Mar 8, 2021
    Hey Carlos, thanks for your feedback! Fair point, it could make the loop point a bit smoother.
    Cheers!
     
  6. #6 Duncan Formosa, Mar 8, 2021
    Hey Marko,

    I agree with Mark, you definitely have the vibe there which is a good start and I can almost visualise the game.

    There's just one part of the melody where it doesn't feel as effective which is 0:012 - 0:28. I've been trying to think of why it doesn't feel effective but I can't quite put my finger on it. It's just a niggling feeling in the back of my head. Maybe play around with that part a little more? Sorry, not sure what advice I could give on that.

    Another thing is if your up for it, might be worth a challenge to try and develop this idea a bit more. Extend the theme, change up the orchestration AND still try to make it loop. I say this because I'm imagining playing the game for a long period of time and I think if this looped over and over during a long session it might get a bit exhausting, especially the celeste. Try see what you can do with it.

    I think Jeremy Soule does a really good job with video game music. His melodies are simple, effective, they develop and loop well. My all time favourite is this theme from the Harry Potter games.



    If you are up for the challenge I look forward to seeing what you come up with. Good work!
     
  7. #7 Carlos Riesco, Mar 8, 2021
    Could it be that the 3rd phrase (0:12-0:15) is not creating enough tension for the resolution that comes after? At least that's what I feel, if it helps.
     
  8. #8 Mark Wayne, Mar 9, 2021
    I actually was thinking it would need to be repeated 4 times instead of 3, though that might just be me - I have a tendency to want to see patterns repeated 4 times for them to be established.

    I'm wondering if it would be better to simplify the melody and make it more similar to the other phrases in that section? The celeste/pizz part is already going downward, so there will still be a feeling of motion even if the melody doesn't change as much. Maybe something a bit like this? https://vocaroo.com/1oygXoR8SUkh
     
  9. #9 Marko Dvojkovic, Mar 9, 2021
    That is true but I don't think that is the issue. At least I have done it on purpose to resolve that A flat major to a second inversion of C major (G in bass to have that descending bass of that common chord progression) and that is not as strong resolution. Unlike that Gmin7 that resolves to C major at 0:23 that is I feel a stronger resolution.

    That one works, nice Mark :). In that case I would most likely develop it differently onward. I felt that starting with G in melody over every harmony change would be enough to start introducing new bits the third time (that e-f-g-g that then happens again at 0:22 and then at 0:28...).
    That is at least what my semi-conscious thought process was.
    Yup it would depend how much time would a player normally spend in an area where this would hypotetically be background game music.
    I know this exact piece from Jeremy Soule, hearing his work for the first time (it was Skyrim in 2015. I think) set a motion in me to do this, so yeah arguably he is one of the most influential composers for me, a lot of others I really like but Skyrim was that ignition spark. But for this exact piece I thought more about Nobuo Uematsu I think because I remember some of his loops that are so effective and addictive and are like 30 seconds long haha, that's amazing.
    All of feedback you guys give here helps for future projects, but I don't think I will be working more on this one xD, at least not in the near future.
    Cheers guys :)
     
    Duncan Formosa likes this.
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