Specifically:-
Originally posted by The Sage
Question time Ed. Yes, another from the Sage. And yes, again based on my obsession with Realms music.
Anyways, I was speculating on my blog earlier about this. Then I thought to come directly to you for a little further inspiration.
The main gist of my mental ramblings:-
I'm thinking about FORGOTTEN REALMS "theme music." You know, the kind of repetitive tune that you'd expect to hear throughout the game and that is purposely designed to help gamers and readers of the Realms identify with their favourite campaign world. We've had some previous examples in many of the CRPGs released for the Realms, I know. Some of the tunes from the two Icewind Dale games immediately come to mind. As does the introductory music to the first Neverwinter Nights game.
What I'd actually like to do, is try my own hand at composing something like this. Nothing too extensive. Just a short piece that I think would reflect the central/core elements of the Realms -- and stuff like characters, places, groups, etc. Obviously, those kinds of elements are wide and often diverse enough in tone and attitude that it would make it difficult for me to properly incorporate them all into a "theme song" for the Realms. But the ideas behind some of the themes inherent in the Realms, along with those supporting some characters and places, are basic enough to be related to other similar examples in many fantasy-worlds. And thus, I've got an effective basis to start from. So I want to try and build on that, all the while making sure there's suitable Realms influence. I don't want to make this too much like generic fantasy music after all.
-Cormyr, for example, is likely to have "more traditional" fantasy/medieval music, with Cormyr being very "traditional" fantasy. Layering Kara-Tur, or Chult, or Dwarves, or anything else that, thematically (and as such, musically) is a far cry from what Cormyr would represent is likely to get you, if anything, mushmash. Take, for example, The Beatles' "I've Got A Feeling", which is, admittedly by McCartney, two different songs that were incomplete put together. While, in the end, it works because the two songs were musically similar, being in the same time signature, and key, and so on, I'd have a lot of trouble thematically linking a musical score alluding to Chultans, Kara-Turans, Dwarves, and so on- that is, I envision music that "depicts" Chultans as very different from that which would "depict" Kara-Turans, Dwarves, and so on.
-Good luck, regardless. Disregarding all of the above, any music would, in my opinion, need to inspire a sense of grandeur (which would probably entail legato, a slowish time signature, mostly major notes), but, at the same time, seem to have hidden melodies beneath it- entailing how, in the setting, no matter how obvious or plain things seem, there is always more than meets the eye.
The opening should grab the listener's ear and then their imagination very quickly. It should cause an "Oh my! What is this?" sort of feeling that lets the listener know on some level that a most amazing thing is on the cusp of revealing itself.
Then, that boxed set of music needs to open up, hinting at the dizzying array of elements and places in the setting (like what Karsus mentioned above) before visiting/describing these areas in some musical detail, just as one might get after opening up the map of the Realms to view it for the first time, before moving on to the Cyclopedia of the Realms in order to learn about all these strange new names and places.
Note that the music must do two things at this point: Each bit of detailed area music must link to the next area, yet also be the core of a whole separate piece of music for that given area, to be made and expanded upon by you or someone else at a later date. ;)
Then the music should turn away from area based to adventure based. The music should change to incorporate the concepts of adventure, of villains, of mystery, monsters, danger and the unknown, and most certainly treasure won after a tumultuous fight, while still hinting at the area music where the adventure that's being musically described "happens" (as the DM's sourcebook of the Realms gave us a close-up look at Myth Drannor and Shadowdale via the adventure Lashan's Fall), before the music brings the listener back into the whole and ultimately the box is put back together and closed up.
The trick will be to leave the listener yearning to hear more; sort of an impression that for all the listener just heard, he or she only really experienced a small part what the box has to offer. This would lead the listener to believe that if they were to open the box up again, there would be new music to listen to and never would the same tune be heard from the box twice.
Tall order, that, and not nearly the sort of short piece you were looking to do.
Regardless, I wish you the best of luck Sage. ;)
Is it possible, say, to have specific, unique themes that bring out the slave-drudgery of Thay, the greedy scheming and murderous back-biting of the Zhentarim or the impossible glory and shining light now lost in Myth Drannor (thinking pre-1470s here), yet have it also so these themes can be pitted against each other musically?
I'm thinking along the lines of a piece of music that might feature a musical theme of the Zhentarim and a theme for Cormyr (heh...."For Cormyr" ought to be any such theme's title), where these distinct pieces are musically thrown against each other, so that as they progress back and forth and change over time, one set of music must prevail and the other becomes silent as its rhythm and tempo become untenable.
Sort of like the classic battle of good versus evil, with the music subconsciously queuing the listener to choose which must win out in the end.
It'd have to be like a guessing game where just as you think you know what the music's going to do, it changes just as battle leads to unpredictable results and a turn of events, yet the overall tide inexorably moves in one direction.
I'm beginning to think you'd need a third piece of music to throw in there and for the other two to play off of. That music could be represented by adventurous heroes whose actions turn the tide for one side or the other.
Thus if you had a Knights of Myth Drannor theme you could mix that in with the Zhentish and Cormyrean themes.
Regardless the piece that "wins out" would have to have changed slightly from the original theme by the end of the piece.
Boy Sage...no wonder they make you concentrate on ANSWERING questions on CK...you ask toughies.
-Again, though being as that the Forgotten Realms are so broad and diverse, it's probably easier to, instead of attempting to create one overarching theme that attempts to encapsulate everything, to have different separate movements, alluding to all of the different places/people/things/etc. that the world contains. It'd be difficult to, all in one single theme, combine forms of music that don't mix well- you'd end up with a dizzying mush-mosh laying tunes over tunes, with styles that don't exactly complement each other. Different movements- and, those can be fairly easier broken down into regions, and peoples- as a musical tour of Abeir-Toril, is probably easier on the ear, and easier to actually compose.
John Cougar's "Crumbling Down"?
Barbara Streisand's "memories"?
We get it, you're not happy with the 4E Realms, but the theme could be about just the Realms in general, not specific editions, so give it a rest.
A good source to emulate would be Howard Shore. In my opinion, his compositions for the Lord of the Rings movies surpassed John Williams' music, in the Star Wars movies. Yes, John Williams is a lot more iconic, and those Star Wars tunes are more widely known, but Howard Shore went about composing music for the Lord of the Rings movies in a depth that John Williams did not. For example, when composing themes for the Rivendell, and Lothlorien, he used strings and female chorus in minors, to inject even more mystery and eerie feeling into the Elves, as well as alluding to the pseudofeminine appearance that the Elves had in the movies. With Rohan, some of the exotic string instruments that were used included Celtic (I believe) fiddles that were made with horsehair, alluding to the relationship between the people of Rohan and their horses. That's the right way to go about musical composition- deep levels.
I quite agree.
Bel
sorry, I just can't help myself sometimes
I quite agree.
Bel
-William Shore doesn't get the credit he deserves, I think. Now, mind you, I'm a big Star Wars fan (was), but analyzing what Williams did in the Star Wars score, there isn't as much depth or technical prowess as there are just good themes- an important thing for music, obviously, but...
In light of the changes, I find Kansas appropriate.
Dust in the Wind seems the most obvious, but I prefer Nobody's Home:
It's empty now, no friendly face,
and nothing lives within.
I look around and I find no trace
To tell me what has been
So far I've come to find there's no one here,
no life & fear
I came for nothing, they have gone
And Nobody's Home.
I came to learn, perhaps to teach
But I can tell somehow
The world that I was sent to reach
Has got no future now
Across the galaxy to spread the word,
and no one heard
I came for nothing, I'm alone
And Nobody's Home
A requiem was never sung, no elegy was read
No monument was carved in stone in memory of the dead
For those who made this place do not remain, they feel no pain
A stranger fate was never known
And Nobody's Home...
Of course, on a more up-beat note (sort of), I think the Theme Music from Battlestar Galactica is very appropriate. I can definately see someone doing a very cool FR video to that piece.
Some New Age stuff might be cool, like Enya (I think she did the theme to The X-Files, if I'm not mistaken). Or was it Braveheart? Or Gladiator?
Whatever... those were cool too...
How about theme songs for each group/nation/people?
"Carbon" by Vnv Nation
Show
a million points of light ascending to the sky
monuments in darkness
standing watch until the sun will rise
screaming to an emptiness
of how we deified ourselves
with our hands over our eyes
claiming all of creation
what inspires in us this madness
that out existence should be defined
by a light that can't be seen by anyone
what inspires in us this madness
that out existence should be defined
by a light that we can't see
by a light that can't be seen
a million points of light ascending to the sky
monuments in darkness
standing watch until the sun will rise
I can't, I can't see this all as progress
how did we come this far?
when we see ourselves as deities
claim nature for ourselves
by our actions we betray the instincts in our race
by our blindness and stupidity we kill everything
we kill everything
can someone see our self destruction?
are we reminding ourselves that our existence is so delicate
that without this light we are no more
that without this light we've made we are no more
a million points of light
ascending to the sky
monuments in darkness
standing watch
until the sun will rise
we torch the earth until it bleeds
rain ashes from the sky
just to make a light that no one can see
we cut the earth until it bleeds
rain ashes from the sky
just to make a light that no one can see
just to make a light
just to make a light
we kill everything
by our blindness and stupidity
we kill everything
and in a thousand years what will be our legacy
a million lights that no one can see?
a million points of light
monuments in darkness
standing watch until the sun will rise
screaming to an emptiness
of how we deified ourselves
with our hands over our eyes
claiming all of creation
what inspires in us this madness
that out existence should be defined
by a light that can't be seen by anyone
what inspires in us this madness
that out existence should be defined
by a light that we can't see
by a light that can't be seen
a million points of light ascending to the sky
monuments in darkness
standing watch until the sun will rise
I can't, I can't see this all as progress
how did we come this far?
when we see ourselves as deities
claim nature for ourselves
by our actions we betray the instincts in our race
by our blindness and stupidity we kill everything
we kill everything
can someone see our self destruction?
are we reminding ourselves that our existence is so delicate
that without this light we are no more
that without this light we've made we are no more
a million points of light
ascending to the sky
monuments in darkness
standing watch
until the sun will rise
we torch the earth until it bleeds
rain ashes from the sky
just to make a light that no one can see
we cut the earth until it bleeds
rain ashes from the sky
just to make a light that no one can see
just to make a light
just to make a light
we kill everything
by our blindness and stupidity
we kill everything
and in a thousand years what will be our legacy
a million lights that no one can see?
a million points of light
set to the tune of Rammsteins "America"
(oh, and the XXX part is a word that rhymes with stitches, heh heh)
"We're all XXX to Elminster, to Elminster, to Elminster!"
roflmao
but honestly, maybe half the stuff from Rhapsody of Fire. Manowar is too heavy for FR, and frankly i feel the band would be insulted (unless of course whats her name silverhands decided to pose half-nekkid on thier next album cover ;))
Appropriate for the current winds of change.
Thats probably how the kids just learning about the Realms feel now.
I give you, a Song For the Realms!! :D
Travelling on a flying earth mote!
I flew from the Realms down Under!
I met a sstrange drow, he made me nervous!
He took me to Bruenor, who made me breakfast!
And the dwarf said,
"Do you come from the Realms down Under?
Where women glow and drow plunder?
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover."
Bying Bread from a Man in Baldurs Gate.
Half-orc, six foot four and full of muscles
I said, "Do you speak-a my language?"
He just smiled and gave me a deep rothe sandwich
And he said,
"I come from the Realms of Wonder
Where beer does flow and men chunder
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover."
Lying in a den in Skull Port
With a slack jaw, and not much to say
I said to Halaster, "Are you trying to tempt me
Because I come from the land of plenty?"
And he said,
"Oh! Do you come from the Realm of Faerun? (oh yeah yeah)
Where women glow and drow plunder?
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover."