Blog Post: This Music Writing Thing is Hard

[alabaster]

http://somnovastudios.blogspot.com/2012 ... -hard.html

Everybody, this is kevin. kevin, everybody.

[ILY]

It's awesome to see that this project hasn't just been something to do for everyone involved, but also something that benefits them in different ways. All of these blog posts have been interesting to say the least. Keep up the good work guys and gals, and more importantly... enjoy yourselves!
The current version of Recollections, to me, actually sounds quite nice.

[mindbattery]

I'm a composer on another VN team, so this was an interesting read for me. I agree, I entered my project with next to no music writing experience, just an interest in the field and some music theory and instrument knowhow under my belt, and it's been a learning process throughout. Finding your own way of approaching music writing and how you work on songs is definitely something you can achieve through gradual practise and experience. I hope you and the rest of the music team continue to progress and grow and hopefully the OST will be rather good (Recollections already has my hopes up).

[Zezin]

I like the 2nd draft a lot. Simple and sweet, makes perfect VN music.

[jarek56]

I'm going to say something quite terrible that no one will agree with, and say that all 4 versions together as one song sounded...perfect. Hopeful, clear, evolving...lovely. I loved it.

[ILY]

I'm going to say something quite terrible that no one will agree with, and say that all 4 versions together as one song sounded...perfect. Hopeful, clear, evolving...lovely. I loved it.

I actually thought it was all one draft until I looked at the video.

[Zezin]

I'm going to say something quite terrible that no one will agree with, and say that all 4 versions together as one song sounded...perfect. Hopeful, clear, evolving...lovely. I loved it.

I actually thought it was all one draft until I looked at the video.

I'm not alone then. I just let it play in the background before I noticed it was 4 different songs.

[TheLastMelody]

Give me a hoot if you want an apprentice ^_^

Anyways, sounding good so far, I could talk about the draft but I'm not quite sure if I qualify for it ^_^

[mysterycycle]

"Recollections" is a nice little piece. I've been listening to it a few times to let it grow on me a bit. I think I'm still adjusting to the fact that it doesn't instantly put me in mind of a romantic story the way "Wiosna" does for KS, but at the same time I realize it's not entirely fair to make such comparisons yet (especially since "Wiosna" immediately brings to mind all of my memories of KS's characters and stories, while I have no emotional connections established to MS yet).

I like that the piece does bring to mind an image of a starry night sky, so that's definitely a win. I agree that it benefits from the gradually increasing complexity as it goes. In fact, I think it works very well presented as you have it here, as a single piece. It suggests to me a story about expanding horizons and finding wonder where one might not expect to find it, which seems to me quite apt for the VN (based on what little I know of MS, not being a voracious reader of the forums here - I want to come into the game cold, like I did with KS, and let it surprise me).

I think my only criticism is that it doesn't necessarily have a whole lot of warmth to it - it speaks of new experiences and wonder, as I said before, but I don't necessarily get a romantic vibe from it, if that makes sense. The guitar strings in the current revision kinda help push it in that direction. Obviously as a member of the dev team you know more than I about what kind of feeling you're trying to get across, so for all I know this is the vibe you're aiming for. I think it could make a fine title page theme, too. Perhaps once I play through the VN I'll be able to make the emotional connection to "Recollections" that I do now to "Wiosna."

Take all of this with a grain of salt, of course - I listen to movie and game soundtracks almost exclusively, but I'm by no stretch a musician!

[enagemegane]

Ah, the frustrations of song writing.
I know that feel, very much so.

The song is wonderful by the way. I frisson all up in this.

[Brasse]

The first dozen seconds sounds a bit like a horror game. Still, the 3rd and 4th drafts are breathtaking, a combo of those two interwoven with each other would make a great chapter finisher, as Erik's final thoughts before the scene cut linger along with the last notes of the final draft.

[Exbo]

More music?!
*dies*
Anyway, I like it. It's really calming :3. One of those songs that I would love to learn on the piano.

[keviniskool]

For all of you thinking that the song meshes really well together despite being different drafts, that's because the order I presented the drafts in follows the complexity of the music. As in, the final song has the same progression of the drafts, just with different instrumentation. This is the current revision without any other drafts intruding. You may notice it follows the same general pattern as all of the drafts blended together. I probably didn't make that clear, but it was easiest to transition between drafts at changes in feeling. To be honest, most of the first and second draft was part of the third draft. Only the current revision is really different.

[Zezin]

This is the current revision without any other drafts intruding.

I love it except for that strumming of the guitar every two seconds. It feels out of place. But I let my friend listen to it. He says he doesn't hear anything is out of place. So maybe it's just me. Felt like giving feedback.

[Kidynamo]

Hey keviniscool,
I'm a (busy) high school student who explores piano when I find time between school activities and I do piano covers from time to time and post them to my YouTube account, Kidynamo123. Would you be ok with me performing the sheet music you posted for Recollections and uploading the video to my channel? And if so, what recognition should I give?

Thanks

[Likhos]

I'll make my little bitch here.

personally, for a game based on romance there can be two solution for the menu music.

One is personally not my favourite is by using a cheerful music.
this is the case of the Mamono Musume-Tachi serie who has cheerfull title themes and tend to do it right (exception of Sei Monmusu Gakuen whose title theme make my ears bleed), same for the Hanabira serie which actully does it wrong by having the same fucking title theme between each episode.
one good example is Kurukuru fanatic, one of my favourite title theme of this style ever since it's FUCKING CATCHY.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzZMKCC_qRY


But there is one downpoint, these title theme kill the emotional side of the game, for Missing stars I don't recommend this style.


Second style is a calm music, most of my favorite VN title themes are of this style. Because they actually have a feeling of nostalgia the more you listen to them.
I have some examples:
Wiosna from Katawa Shoujo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOo55jYJlV8 (I actually can't listen to it because I promised I would wait the release of the french translation to replay the game again)
Sabbath from Saya No uta: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuiRY_pmAw4 (among the most beautiful music in the whole game)
To the World of Dreams from Yume Miru Kusuri: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCw8xbAsJZ0

Those themes are more emotional and tend to be really memorable. If you happen to forget them and get to ear it you have all the memories of the game flowing back in your head.
Such theme make the soul of the very game and that's why I like them.
Compared to the other kind of title themes, those just say "this is serious business, I hope you are prepared for feel"

Now to "Recollection": the theme is fine, actually I like the style. However the piano at 0:13 somehow feel off to me, a bit aggressive to introduce a new instrument (but this is my opinion). the 2nd draft strike me as good even if the main beat get repetitive (the 3rd is awesome but I consider to be more worthy of a credit theme),

The current revision now. I like acoustic guitar, but some things bug me:
first as zezin says "I love it except for that strumming of the guitar every two seconds." it's pretty "aggressive" in a rather calm music.
two, some awkward notes with the acoustic guitar compared to the piano version. But that's easily fixed.
the strumming actually bother me for some reason, Wiosna doesn't have this kind of thing while having a guitar, and it added to the awesomeness.

But you know, my opinion is only mine.

[Snuffkin]

Second style is a calm music, most of my favorite VN title themes are of this style. Because they actually have a feeling of nostalgia the more you listen to them.
I have some examples:
Wiosna from Katawa Shoujo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOo55jYJlV8 (I actually can't listen to it because I promised I would wait the release of the french translation to replay the game again)
Sabbath from Saya No uta: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuiRY_pmAw4 (among the most beautiful music in the whole game)
To the World of Dreams from Yume Miru Kusuri: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCw8xbAsJZ0

You have good taste; I too share this preference.