Shadow Sneaker's Compositions

[ShadowSneaker 0]

Hey, I can't upload my tracks directly to the server right now so I will have to post links here for the time being.

Here's something I wrote today :

 

 

 

It's pretty short and quite minimal. I think it would suit an industrial environment.

I'm happy with it the way it is but if anyone has any criticisms or suggestions I can redo it.

 

Thanks,

 

SS

[greebo 102]

Just listened to it once - my first impression is very good. I could imagine how this fits into my map.

 

You said, you'd like to hear suggestions, so here you are:

 

- I'd tone down the "zooming" sound effects considerably, as they are more suitable in actual "effects" than in an ambient track. The effects are very strong right now, I'd imagine them being merged in the background. They are a tad too distracting.

- Maybe add some distant hammer sounds? Like a memory of the work in the factories abandoned long ago.

 

Keep it up!

[ShadowSneaker 0]

Thanks Greebo. I've turned down the fading-in sounds a bit and reduced the cutoff point so they are not as prominent and added some hammer on anvil sounds also :

 

https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?acti...0bThCSWZIRGc9PQ

 

 

If the fade-in sounds are still too loud I can turn them down more.

 

Thanks,

SS

[greebo 102]

Perfect! Thank you - this will make a prominent appearance in The Dead Gathers map.

 

I'll upload this to our repository, if you permit.

[ShadowSneaker 0]

Ok I added another drum hit after the hammers and also added a tremolo violin :

 

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?acti...0UnFmVGJ2Wmc9PQ

 

If you don't like the violins I can remove them. If you want to stick this in the repository then that's cool. I just wasn't totally happy with that last version.

 

Here's a variation on that track :

 

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?acti...nNDRveE5jR0E9PQ

 

You could use it in a different area in the same mission just so it doesn't get too repetitive, musically.

 

SS

[ShadowSneaker 0]

Here's a rar of three tracks intended for the Plague Ward area of the city :

 

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?acti...1Z2puSlN4dnc9PQ

 

I sent 2 and 3 to New Horizon before as wavs but these versions are oggs and altered slightly.

Each track is supposed to be for a different area but obviously how they are used is up to whoever is making the mission. They are numbered according to the order they were written in but that is not how I would use them in-game. Part 2 was meant to play first in a barren/ruined/deserted location, 3 is getting deeper into the mission and 1 is meant to be right in the heart of it; overrun with zombies or whatever creatures the mission contains.

 

I'm pretty happy with part 2 but I wouldn't mind some criticisms about the others.

 

SS

[Komag 20]

I'm no good as a sound/music critic really, but...

 

02 is great, a tension there that doesn't ever let go, but not too overbearing, and there is a sense of curiosity to see what is in this lonely place, what's around the next area, etc.

 

03 I think the track does a good job of intensifying the feelings of 02, more palpable, more ominous. Right in the very middle of the track there is almost a pause that I think is too "complete".

 

01 sounds good for the mood I think. It's very long though and sounds all the same (which is fine) - if we are going to use it for looping anyway, maybe it should be only 30 seconds or so and looped, for a smaller file size? But if it's for a "one-off", then it's probably a good length.

 

 

I think you are making very good ambients and would hope you will continue to make a bunch more, they are great!

 

Can you do some lighter stuff too? Such as:

 

- Sneaking around in a tavern, not ominous at all, but still tricky and challenging perhaps.

- The mood of a bawdy brothel, irreverent and playful, but still not quite happy.

- The feel of a busy market, selling wares here and there, foreigners around, politics in the square going on, some suspicious characters talking behind a stall, nearby jugglers trying to con the audience.

 

Just some random ideas there, no worries if you don't feel like it

[ShadowSneaker 0]

Hey Komag, thanks for the feedback and compliments. I agree with you totally on part 2. The tension and curiosity are something I really feel from it.

Do you mean the pause in 03 is too long or do you think it shouldn't be there at all?

The idea for 01 (and all of them) was for it to be looped. It does change all the way through but it is quite subtle. I can cut it down if you think that would be better.

 

I can try doing some lighter stuff. I think I am better at darker, threatening ambients but I can give it a go. I sent two tracks to New Horizon a few months ago; two variations on the same piece called "City Sleeps" which weren't exactly upbeat but were not so heavy as those tracks posted above. They might be in the repository that Greebo mentioned if you want to check them out (not that they would be suitable for the locations you listed).

 

Thanks,

 

SS

[Komag 20]

I meant it feels like the end of the track and the start of a new one, or the end of the loop and the start again, or something like that, instead of just continuing in the middle.

 

I don't know if 01 needs to be shorter, or if sound files eat up memory while playing, or if sound file size matters at all in the overall mod package (that one I don't think so). I don't mind it long at all, I was only thinking of memory/file size, and I'm not the one who actually knows if that matters.

[ShadowSneaker 0]

I meant it feels like the end of the track and the start of a new one, or the end of the loop and the start again, or something like that, instead of just continuing in the middle.

 

You are correct. The loop does end and then repeats again with some slight changes.

I think in one of the stickied threads it says ambients should be 2-3 minutes long so I could trim 01 a bit.

 

Thanks,

 

SS

[greebo 102]

I like the ambient variations you posted very much.

 

I can try doing some lighter stuff. I think I am better at darker, threatening ambients but I can give it a go. I sent two tracks to New Horizon a few months ago; two variations on the same piece called "City Sleeps" which weren't exactly upbeat but were not so heavy as those tracks posted above. They might be in the repository that Greebo mentioned if you want to check them out (not that they would be suitable for the locations you listed).

I haven't added these files to SVN yet - can you post them again here for rehearsal?

 

One more thing before I upload any files - just to make sure: are you fine with us distributing these ambient tracks along with TDM? We haven't fully nailed down which license we will be publishing under, but we are aiming for an creative-commons or GPL-like license, where anybody can use our assets to create their stuff, which might even include stuff that might be non-TDM-related.

 

If you're fine with that, I'm happy to upload these things to the repository.

[ShadowSneaker 0]

Thanks Greebo. Yeah that is cool with me.

Here are those 'City Sleeps' tracks :

 

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?acti...qY1NCMTd2Wmc9PQ

 

They're the first two ambients I wrote for TDM. Both quite long, maybe too long. The strings in the first track are more major and the second is more minor. There are some other smaller differences between them aswell.

 

SS

[Tels 279]

Thanks Greebo. Yeah that is cool with me.

 

Could you send me (per PM if you wish) an usable email (and optional) a real name so I can include you in our AUTHORS.txt file? Thanx!

[ShadowSneaker 0]

Here's another track :

 

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?acti...xZy9vQUkwTVE9PQ

 

I'm liking it so far but wonder if I could add more to it.

What do you think, people?

 

SS

[greebo 102]

What do you think, people?

I'm totally loving it - I don't think you need to add more, for true ambient music I feel that less is more.

[SneaksieDave 40]

They're all good, but my favorites are: #2 from the package in post #6 and the city sleeps ones (subwoofer luv ). Great stuff. I lean toward the quieter more subdued ones I think.

[ShadowSneaker 0]

Hurray . Thanks.

Keeping things minimal is something I can find quite hard. I don't want it to sound too bare but adding too much is just going to be intrusive. It's a fine line sometimes.

 

Thanks,

 

SS

[ShadowSneaker 0]

Thanks SneaksieDave. I like that Plague Ward part 2 best out of those 3 also.

 

(subwoofer luv )

Bass is best

 

Thanks,

SS

[ShadowSneaker 0]

New tracks :

 

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?acti...PZ2pVbTljR0E9PQ

 

Two variations on the same theme. They were written with a crypt/catacombs/ancient forgotten city environment in mind.

 

SS

[SneaksieDave 40]

Very cool. Especially like the second slower tempo one.

[ShadowSneaker 0]

Thanks. They are both at the same tempo, though. I lowered the filter cutoff on the second track and spaced some of the sounds further apart so that might be why one sounded faster than the other.

 

SS

[greebo 102]

Great stuff.

 

I still haven't had the time to upload your tracks to SVN, sorry for that. I'll try to do that during this week.

[ShadowSneaker 0]

Ok, thanks. Did you think those 'City Sleeps' ambients were ready for upload then?

 

SS

[ShadowSneaker 0]

Here's another variation on that 'derelict' track :

 

https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?acti...xeFhwM2xjR0E9PQ

 

 

SS

[saxmeister 9]

Greetings ShadowSneaker!

 

Any way you could repost your work? All of the links seem to have expired.

 

Thanks!

 

-Sax