Howdy all
OK, i have decided to make this thread as a means to connect with the people, discuss the music, post updates and answer questions.
About The Soundtrack
Well, to be honest, i don't even know where to begin. But i will start with clarifications.
1: creating music for middle-earth has always been a dream for me, i would have eventually set upon doing it, for myself if nothing else, but, i am forever grateful for the guys in gifting me with this opportunity. I truly hope i have done this game justice, and provide the players with the enjoyment desired.
2: I am aware (since quite a few muso friends have made it quite clear) that i am not all together sane in attempting this. I am well aware of the brilliance of Howard Shore's work in the films, i have studied it, and listen to it religiously. And i know my work will be compared with his, fair or not. While i attempted as best as i could, given my means, to preserve the films very recognisable tonal pallet, i did not set out to recreate the films music, but rather my own version of middle earth using the elements of Mr Shore's work that i felt was now set in middle-earth music stone. Did i achieve in reality what i heard in my head, to be blunt, NO, for many reasons, but the main thing is, i came as close as i believe i could and in the end i am proud of it. I do feel that i have achieved something, if only a personal goal. It makes me very happy to have done so.
3:My main focus was on ambience. The music is meant to be part of the game, the 3rd tier part as i often say. first is the game play, the direct character and his actions, 2nd teir is the sound fx, be they character sounds, or the sounds of the city, village, battle, then comes the soundtrack, filling in the gaps, bringing it all together. My reasoning here was, that because TLD is a very long game, constant bombast would grow very annoying after a time. Thus the music has 3 levels of bombast. lowest and least is on the map. then towns in 2nd place. and third in battle where it is appropriate. However even this is still slightly ambient as i chose to keep its level low. There is still the odd "look at me" map music to break it up, as well as low key battle music. Basically there is method to my madness. If only my shrink would listen.
Brief Overview of Soundtrack
There are moments very reminiscent of the films, and others completely different. I have written music for factions that were not even mentioned in the films let alone had a musical theme. Factions like Bardings, Beornings, Haradim, Rhun and Khand and so on. Naturally with all things TLD, we looked to Tolkien words, and to our own interpretation of those words. But for me on a personal level, i used Merlkirs Concept art, and in game design, the look and feel.
Some examples of musical direction
Example 1: Elves - An example of following Mr Shore and the films cues would be for the elven factions. The exotic, Eastern Euro, Middle-East melodic mix painted a very lovely picture that i felt fit perfectly. Thus i didn't wish to reinvent the wheel, but used it to make a wagon. Nothing more needs be said.
Example 2: Dwarves - An example of using the films and yet coming from another direction is with the Dwarves, in particular Erebor. In the films, Moria was a dreadfull place, underscored by a grim all male choir. Erebor is not grim however, it is glorious, it is a symbol of true dwarven staying power and beauty. Thus i stuck with the all male choir, however, i used melodic direction from the exotic elves. Since this music is Representative of the ancient and wise, songs from a time before man, the same should be true also for the Dwarves, Thus, an all male choir, Tenors, singing a powerful lament, that would not feel out of place in lothlorien were females to sing it.
Example 3: Harad - The music for Harad is inspired purely from the writing of Tolkien and nothing from the films. There is a passage where Sam speaks of the Haradrim, if you have read the books you will know it, the direct quote eludes me word for word. But it is a very honest look at the enemy. Thus i wished to give them a human feel. A sorrowful duduk tells the tale of how these proud warriors have found themselves so far from home, fighting along side the inhuman Orc.
Thus you can see that the broad spectrum of film music to nothing like film music was used to create the TLD Soundtrack. I hope this clears some confusion up, if not now, then once the music is heard in game.
Feel free to comment or ask questions regarding music once released, be they the methods or why We or I chose a specific style or route in the broad or faction specific scope of the music. I'll most likely use the reserved post to paste the questions and answers there for others to find them easily.
Thanks again.
Vlad (Pagan) Zivanovic
