Suggested listening?

[West]

I've been struggling for over a week now, writing little passages and then discarding them again. To be honest I don't really know where I'm going, if anywhere, and it seems I'm not happy with anything I try. All I get is short snippets of music that I can't seem to string together. I have one piece that's taking shape though - if painfully slowly -- and I hope it'll turn out at least passable. We'll see, maybe I'll be able to post a very crude preview of it this weekend.

Anyhow, I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on what to listen to for inspiration? I have a lot of game and movie soundtracks but nothing seems able to spark my inspiration. Partly because it's stuff that I've had for a long time and listened to a lot, and partly becase much of it is way too advanced for me to absorb. It doesn't matter how much I listen to Shore's LotR music for example, my skill and equipment still prohibits me from doing something similar.

I feel I need an angle, something fresh and new to get into. Suggestions, anyone?

[Aleksi]

You want to learn orchestral compositions? Before you listen to Shore's music… go for the great ones:

Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, Malher, Ravel, Debussy, Stravinsky, Holst, And so many more…
Listen to the symphonies. You will get many ideas…!

John Williams for movie scores. He is one of the only composers to follow the tradition of "classical" music.

Sorry, i made it short, i got to go! I hope it helps a bit!

Aleksi.

[vonHalenbach]

Hi West ! Nice to hear from you again. (Many were proposing music before, but disappeared into nothing after their first post)

Maybe a strange advice, but i want you to listen to mother nature.
Please take a walk in the park and hear what you can hear there. Rain falling, waves on the shore, wind howling. I belive, that "the great ones" got their inspiration there.

[Woodwizzle]

There is this great program called last.fm that tracks what you listen to and then builds custom radio stations based on your listening habits. You can also create custom stations based on keywords like "game music" or "Chopin". Its a great way to expose yourself to lots of new music. Its also has a great community website. There is even a group of Wesnoth players on there. Click on my signature to check it out.

[West]

You want to learn orchestral compositions? Before you listen to Shore's music… go for the great ones:

Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, Malher, Ravel, Debussy, Stravinsky, Holst, And so many more…
Listen to the symphonies. You will get many ideas…!

Actually I've been listening a bit to Wagner lately, trying to get in the right dramatic mood. But you're probably right, I should listen more to classical music.

John Williams for movie scores. He is one of the only composers to follow the tradition of "classical" music.

Oh, I know. I love John Williams. But I'm sort of trying to move away from Williams-esqe thinking... i.e. the Star Warsy "wall of sound" type of orchestrations. I'm looking for something with... I dunno, less dense arrangements. It's hard to explain.

Hi West ! Nice to hear from you again. (Many were proposing music before, but disappeared into nothing after their first post)

Oh, I haven't disappeared. I pop in here every day. The problem is just that I have a hard time writing anything right now, hence no new posts :/

Maybe a strange advice, but i want you to listen to mother nature.
Please take a walk in the park and hear what you can hear there. Rain falling, waves on the shore, wind howling. I belive, that "the great ones" got their inspiration there.

You know, that's not a bad idea. Most often I get more (and better) ideas for music when I'm nowhere near an instrument than when I'm at the computer trying to write something. I think I'm gonna take a long walk tomorrow. Hopefully I'll hear more than just my teeth chattering

There is this great program called last.fm that tracks what you listen to and then builds custom radio stations based on your listening habits. You can also create custom stations based on keywords like "game music" or "Chopin". Its a great way to expose yourself to lots of new music. Its also has a great community website. There is even a group of Wesnoth players on there. Click on my signature to check it out.

Thanks, I'll check it out.

[vonHalenbach]

please read this:
http://web.archive.org/web/199705160418 ... linak.html

You know, that's not a bad idea. Most often I get more (and better) ideas for music when I'm nowhere near an instrument than when I'm at the computer trying to write something. I think I'm gonna take a long walk tomorrow. Hopefully I'll hear more than just my teeth chattering Wink

Then be sure to write down the rhythm.

[Aleksi]

John Williams for movie scores. He is one of the only composers to follow the tradition of "classical" music.

Oh, I know. I love John Williams. But I'm sort of trying to move away from Williams-esqe thinking... i.e. the Star Warsy "wall of sound" type of orchestrations. I'm looking for something with... I dunno, less dense arrangements. It's hard to explain.

Listen to "Memoires of a Geisha". You'll find a John Williams with 60 years of experience in music. Small arrangements, minimum notes, just what is necessary… especially the Chairman's Waltz… ah………

[Jetrel]

Listen to "Memoires of a Geisha". You'll find a John Williams with 60 years of experience in music. Small arrangements, minimum notes, just what is necessary… especially the Chairman's Waltz… ah………

I really liked both that song, and the larger work it was a part of.

(Especially its slightly altered reprise in "The Garden Meeting".)