~Nakajo! Soundtrack Discussion/Critique

[Lachez]

Update 9/6: Take Me Back

Hello everyone! I wanted to post this thread to focus on the musical direction of my visual novel Nakajo!

I really want the music to be a strong part of my visual novel, to fill its readers with such emotions that when you hear this certain song they can recall the exact emotions they had in their experience with the story.

We only have a couple of tracks at the moment, but I want to share this with you so you can help lead the direction of the music in Nakajo. Yes, it is my story but I also want feedback from the community to help me lead the soundtrack in the right direction because I feel it can make or break a visual novel apart from the story elements.

Here are the tracks we have so far:
Motoko's Theme Piano
Opening Theme
NEW!
These next ones are from another composer who might also help with soundtrack:
Moonlit Skies
Sirens
Slow Steps

Novascotia This is the band of the second composer. We will mostly be using the instrumentals and possibly one of the full songs listed in the link during gameplay.
NEW Take Me Back(Instrumental)

This is what I'm asking from YOU:
We currently do not have any casual, leisure, or conflict type themes at the moment but I would like to ask that you read over the story and give your opinions on what types of instrumentation, styles, etc on what kind of style should we go for to make this visual novel unique in the musical aspect. Give me examples on other visual novels, anime, games, or any other music you feel would fit Nakajo!

*Do you like more digital instruments such as synths and drums or stick it to more realistic and traditional instruments?
*What are some patterns or instruments should we avoid using?
*Do you like repetitive themes centered around certain characters as opposed to themes that could be universal to the many different situations?

Post some examples in comparison if you could! Thanks!

[Kato]

Wow, I hadn't checked in in some time but your sprites are looking great, and working on a soundtrack too! Congrats on the progress speed!

Anyway, since Nakajo is a nakige you cannot go past chilled piano music (like the recording you have from Jason Walsh) and my all time favourite mood busting instrument the cello :p Anything with a slow, heavy cello track makes me sink straight into that 'oh boy, time for those feels' feeling. Also violin! Besides instruments though, there's not too much I can suggest about the songs. You can't really have them all sad and emotional since one of the best ways, in my opinion, to create grief is building a scene up with music and then completely shattering it so the reader is just as struck by it as the characters. Hopefully I gave you something to think about, even if I wasn't much help XD

Congrats again on your project development, looking forward to seeing more updates!

Edit: This exact moment was the first time I shed manly tears watching an anime... I... That music just gets me every time ;_;

[Mithfalath]

Edit: This exact moment was the first time I shed manly tears watching an anime... I... That music just gets me every time ;_;

Demmet Kato, why'd you have to put that up! I'm getting teary eyed right now again! Thank God Tomoya stopped to meet her on the scene on my avatar.

Anyway, back on topic: Sorry as I'm not familiar yet with Nakajo's story but the Melancholy Draft is actually quite good - can possibly be used on a revelatory (if there is such a word) scene where a tragic/painful truth must be exposed - though I don't see it as a conclusion. If played with the right moment, it will be awesome.

For the Moonlit Skies, do make sure that you are going to use it on a rather lengthy scene as it takes time to build up. And it does have a more refreshing feel to it - so I can imagine this being used to some "moving on", realization portion somewhere towards the end.

[Lachez]

Wow, I hadn't checked in in some time but your sprites are looking great, and working on a soundtrack too! Congrats on the progress speed!

Thanks for all your support, Kato. It means a lot and glad to see a bit more development on your projects as well!

Anyway, since Nakajo is a nakige you cannot go past chilled piano music (like the recording you have from Jason Walsh) and my all time favourite mood busting instrument the cello :p Anything with a slow, heavy cello track makes me sink straight into that 'oh boy, time for those feels' feeling. Also violin!

I'll see if we can make a cello song just for you as well

Besides instruments though, there's not too much I can suggest about the songs. You can't really have them all sad and emotional since one of the best ways, in my opinion, to create grief is building a scene up with music and then completely shattering it so the reader is just as struck by it as the characters. Hopefully I gave you something to think about, even if I wasn't much help XD

Oh of course. The novel won't constantly have moments of stress and emotions, there is in fact as much relaxed leisure as he gets to know his classmates more and more. One of the things that one of them is working is to work on more of those kind of lobby/casual type themes that would occur during casual conversations without it feeling too much out of place which I feel a couple of other visual novels do sometimes. But when it is building up to those kinds of emotional scenes they'll hit like a truck. I wrote a scene earlier last month that just hit so hard for me to write that I literally couldn't write for a week.

Edit: This exact moment was the first time I shed manly tears watching an anime... I... That music just gets me every time ;_;

I literally watched this last week as well and still have manly tears now matter how many times I watch it. ;-;

[Lachez]

Anyway, back on topic: Sorry as I'm not familiar yet with Nakajo's story but the Melancholy Draft is actually quite good - can possibly be used on a revelatory (if there is such a word) scene where a tragic/painful truth must be exposed - though I don't see it as a conclusion. If played with the right moment, it will be awesome. [\quote]

Oh yes, this was the first song that was written that actually got me to really get going on writing the script. Jason, my composer was the one who really urged me to go through with this project. The theme will revolve around the main love interest, Motoko with her melancholic personality.

For the Moonlit Skies, do make sure that you are going to use it on a rather lengthy scene as it takes time to build up. And it does have a more refreshing feel to it - so I can imagine this being used to some "moving on", realization portion somewhere towards the end.

The types of instances I plan on using Moonlit for are sort of those scenes where it occurs near the end day, sort of after a very productive day, but I could also use it for those types of "moving on" scenes as well. Thanks for your input, it means a lot!

[ViRiX Dreamcore]

Hm, Nakige isn't a term I've heard before but after looking it up I understand now.

Hm doesn't sound like too bad of a story either.

The songs you've posted are nice. I really enjoy Motoko's theme as well as the Moonlit one as well. But yeah Moonlit skies does take a while to build up.

I personally enjoy electronic music and don't see a problem with it being in the more light hearted areas of the story. Think of Clanad or something. There are electronic songs in there on the more upbeat and comical parts of the story.

[ViRiX Dreamcore]

Sorry for the double post, but although these are ringtones, they remind me a lot of songs that could be in visual novels.

http://www.loungetracks.com/wp-content/ ... .php?id=15

[Lachez]

Hm, Nakige isn't a term I've heard before but after looking it up I understand now.

Hm doesn't sound like too bad of a story either.

The songs you've posted are nice. I really enjoy Motoko's theme as well as the Moonlit one as well. But yeah Moonlit skies does take a while to build up.

I personally enjoy electronic music and don't see a problem with it being in the more light hearted areas of the story. Think of Clanad or something. There are electronic songs in there on the more upbeat and comical parts of the story.

My composer is trying to make an electronic type theme without it sounding too out of place and too generic, we're not trying to come up with something completely different but you get what I mean.

And i do like some of those tracks you posted though, I'll send them to him so he can get a better idea on electronic tracks.

[ViRiX Dreamcore]

Cool. I enjoy them too and even made up a bunch of places off of them.

The thing about the electronic music is that it doesn't have to sound super techno or anything. It's just like... a mix of electronic and more realistic sounds (like a flute or piano)

Idol m@ster does this too.

It's something that's quick and upbeat (the more electronic drums and base line) mixed with something with character (a piano, string, and/or flute melody) anda nice synth or string pad for chord progression.

Hope that makes sense.

[Lachez]

Update 5/16: Added tracks, Sirens and Slow Steps

[canyouseeitnow]

I like it. I love the honest piano songs. I'm a big fan of simple and honest songs.

[inhalance]

I love the piano soundtracks! They're very soothing and gentle. I also really like Motoko's Theme. Great tracks

[DaveMeister34]

Good Morning. My name is David Obaniyi. I'm a composer as well as an orchestrator. I was wondering if I could apply my services to write music in any style for your needs.

Here are some samples of my works:

http://www.soundclick.com/ bands/default.cfm?bandID= 1273590

https://soundcloud.com/davemeister34

http://www.reverbnation.com/control_roo ... 2731/songs

Thank you very much and hope to hear from you very soon.

[ViRiX Dreamcore]

I enjoy Siren. It is quite soothing. I like the synth hum in the background as well.

I like slowstep. It has a soft rock/asian feel to it and that's pretty awesome. Love those guitars.

I'd love to contribute a song or two if you wish. I'd make sure to keep it within feel of the game. Just PM me and let me know what you'd like.

[Lachez]

I enjoy Siren. It is quite soothing. I like the synth hum in the background as well.

I like slowstep. It has a soft rock/asian feel to it and that's pretty awesome. Love those guitars.

I'd love to contribute a song or two if you wish. I'd make sure to keep it within feel of the game. Just PM me and let me know what you'd like.

That'd be great
Oh and about Siren, it's actually not a synth. It is the recording of actual tornado sirens going off in the city that the composer put into key with the song.