BOSS BATTLE!!

[Boba_Fettuccini]

There is a funny story behind this song. the piano part came into being when I accidentally set the drum track to channel 1 instead of 10. And it sounded flipping awesome. So I kept it.  

comments and critique please

[MASTA NOHORN]

OH MAH GAWD. That was seriously awsome, probablly the best music I've heard on here. It sounds sorta like the boss would be an underground monster that would pound rocks at you to the beat of the music. It's great ^^

[ZeroKirbyX]

Its... alright. I wouldn't say it's the best here considering that Drenrin and Coasters stuff is floating around, but it was alright.

[Prpl_Mage]

It needs a drum solo or something, It was rather plain for a RPG-styled boss theme in my oppinion.
You need to get utterly hyped during boss battles and this was more like a Sonic boss-battle thingy where it can go on forever and ever.

Just my oppinion though.

[Moosetroop11]

It starts really well... and then it goes on in the same way until the end with no real variation.

It desperately needs a main melody. Something to make it go somewhere. That'd just repeat over and over till you got utterly sick of it.

There was a lot of skill in the playing of the keyboard, though. And if you were looking to emulate that repetitive sort of feel that some old games seem to have, then it did that pretty well.

[Boba_Fettuccini]

I do tend to aim for old-school RPG music, but I do agree it could use something more. Unfortunately, I don't know if I could add onto any more. I mean, the whole thing was sorta an accident, I couldn't possibly write a piano part that thick and layered normally. Maybe that one... I have an idea. Updates soon possibly.

[coasterkrazy]

Yeah, I agree that it needs more of a melody. I know exactly what you mean about the piano being the drums in a different channel, but I personally think it doesn't work that well. I like the little transition thing you have going at around 15 seconds, but it should transition from one part of the melody to the other.

I opened up your midi and took a look at it. Strings are always a good instrument, which I see you've used, but try making a bass line with a bass instead of a piano. Also, the notes don't really blend too well, meaning they aren't in the same key at the same time. Just try to work on these things. You should be able to pick it up pretty quickly from what you've already done!

[Boba_Fettuccini]

Originally posted by coasterkrazy
Yeah, I agree that it needs more of a melody. I know exactly what you mean about the piano being the drums in a different channel, but I personally think it doesn't work that well. I like the little transition thing you have going at around 15 seconds, but it should transition from one part of the melody to the other.

I opened up your midi and took a look at it. Strings are always a good instrument, which I see you've used, but try making a bass line with a bass instead of a piano. Also, the notes don't really blend too well, meaning they aren't in the same key at the same time. Just try to work on these things. You should be able to pick it up pretty quickly from what you've already done!

Thanks for your input! In this next version, I phased out the strings in favor of tubular bells, which I think I like better. In regards to bass, in any other instrument the music slurs together and is no longer distinguishable, it only works in piano, pizzicato strings and orchestral strings.

I attempted to add some melody, taking the melody from another song of mine that I never finished... I think it works, but maybe you guys will feel differently.

Also, about note blending. I am not by any means a master musician, I've been playing clarinet for 3 years and attempting composition for 1... but I feel that the unblending out-of-keyness of it that makes it work as boss music. In removing some of the 'unfitting' notes, its lost the anxious/nerve-racking feel to it, and most of its power.

SO please, tell me what comes to mind.

[Drakiyth]

Originally posted by Prpl_Mage
It needs a drum solo or something, It was rather plain for a RPG-styled boss theme in my oppinion.
You need to get utterly hyped during boss battles and this was more like a Sonic boss-battle thingy where it can go on forever and ever.

Just my oppinion though.

I agree.

[Boba_Fettuccini]

well... um... drums... really aren't something I can do. This was an edited loop I got from a friend, where I changed some of the sounds and stuff. I could maybe have my other friend, a drum player, help me write something.. but I hardly see him anymore.

[coasterkrazy]

Um... To be completely honest, I don't really hear any difference except that it's a little longer with a small bit of melody at the end.

I think what it mostly needs is variety. I didn't mean that the notes needed to go together euphoniously, but to increase that feeling you're talking about, you need to mix things together. One of the best ways of creating tension is to actually mix major and minor scales and chords and use augmented and diminished chords together with them. For example, if you look at a B flat major chord, notice that another two whole steps above F is A, which finishes off a D minor chord. Also, if you look at a note run such as C Eb F# A and quickly continue up the keys in this fashion, it creates that anxious effect while actually being a diminished C minor chord that leads into a diminished F# minor chord and then into a diminished A minor chord. If you then go in a reverse direction to the beginning of the note run, the tension falls, which actually helps bolster the effect because of the variety and change in feeling. I guess what I'm really trying to say is that even if you change the key, if you repeat a pattern so many times, it becomes monotonous and loses the effect that you're trying to create. Sorry for getting a bit carried away, but I have a tough time explaining what I mean about these types of things.

[Boba_Fettuccini]

As i said, I've been playing clarinet for four years. not piano or guitar, i have nooo idea what you just said.

And note, the song is a loop. Its not intended to be a full 3 minute song with opening closing and all that, its intended to just loop over and over...

EDIT: I have an idea for an opening bit that leads into it all... after perusing some of my bass clarinet music, I got some ideas.

[coasterkrazy]

*Sigh*

I know that. It's really not what I'm trying to say. I'm just saying variety is your friend and there is theory involved in any sort of composition, including boss battle loops. I'm not trying to be a terribly harsh critic. Sorry for getting carried away before.

I think you should try looking at one of your favorite boss battle themes that has the effect that you're going for and examine it.
EDIT: Just read your edit. Sounds good! Looking forward to it.

[Boba_Fettuccini]

Also, I will print it out and show it to my piano teacher (I've been taking piano for about 9 months now)  and she might be bale to help me rework some of the mis-matched notes.

[A Forgotten Legend]

I would suggest taking a music theory class in you high school if you are in high school that is.  It can help you a lot in creating music.  A LOT.  (Yay clarinets!  I've been playing for 6 years now! ^^)

You can also try looking around some websites and learn random bits of theory.

(Also: Bass Clarinet=Awesome)

Also, I suck at drum parts too.  lol.  Non-percussion players quite often are.


There's my bit o' advice.