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Is correct tempo really necessary in all music? Listen my own example


AnalogGuy

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So... I was doing the soundtrack for my friend's "graphical novel" adventure game which got really damn tight schedule so I had to do everything so quickly.

 

After I finished all of my (relatively) hard work, I realized that I didn't keep up the tempo at all... I was so much concentrated for the sounds and atmosphere that I literally forgot the tempo... but yet then again, I never felt that it had been crucial when listening my work.

 

So the question is, besides some people telling always that without tempo, there's no music... is the correct tempo really important part for all type of music?

 

Here's the project:

 

http://www.mikseri.net/artists/?id=141692&displ_lang=en

 

Click "pictures" if you want to see the screenshots from the game.

 

I must point out that I originally intended to create a lot more melodic stuff but because of the lack of "creative time" I had to resort for more ambient and drone stuff. Also, keep in mind that the "Menu theme", as well as most of the music was done entirely in live :thu:

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I bet someone transcribing it would find a way to notate it. :lol:

 

I don't think there's anything missing here given the style of these pieces. Note that even if you weren't consciously thinking about tempo, that doesn't mean that tempo didn't creep into various parts.

 

Folks with credentials may disagree and I defer to their vast knowledge. But on a visceral score, I think you hit your mark very well here despite your deadline.

 

The real test on pieces like this isn't so much how good they sound at first, but how annoying (or not) they are after hearing over and over, as we often do for games. Also important is cohesiveness, and as a rank amateur I give you good marks. Consider me the peanut gallery here.

 

I didn't listen to them all, but some had sounds that seemed vaguely familiar from my SCI 6-trak. I miss that board. :)

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I'm not really sure I understand what you mean by "correct tempo". I would say that rhythm is a much more important than tempo, especially if you are referring to something that is supposed to be constant. I hear plenty of rhythm in the Menu Theme (which is gorgeous, by the way). If you are writing a dance track, a constant tempo is more important. If you are writing an art piece, the correct tempo is whichever one you choose, no matter how steady it is.

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Nice job on the cues, analog guy. They sound excellent.

 

So the question is, besides some people telling always that without tempo, there's no music... is the correct tempo really important part for all type of music?


 

Here's my take: One can break the rules as long as they know how to follow the rules in the first place. In other words, you can play anything at any tempo you wish, unless there is a technical or other reason that is affecting one's ability.

 

Marches are typically very rigid, for obvious reasons. If one can play a march in fairly strict time, their rhythm is probably just fine. If they are dragging, chances are that it's not a musical statement they are making, it's because they suck.:lol: It can't be a technical reason why one is not in time, it has to be a musical one. Ambient music needs no strict tempo on the whole, it can ebb and flow as much as one wants. Lots of classical does too.

 

Bottom line: if a performer chooses not to follow a tempo, that's perfectly fine. If they make that choice only because they can't stick to a tempo, that's not the same thing. If one sets out to stick to a rigid tempo and doesn't, that means it's time to get the metronome out. If they set out to play freeform, that's OK.

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So the question is, besides some people telling always that without tempo, there's no music...

 

 

Those people must have limited musical tastes.

 

There is so much great music (classical and otherwise) out there which is performed "tempo rubato" - that is, without steady tempo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempo_rubato

 

Nice work btw.

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Of course without tempo there's no music. Tempo means "time". It is the speed of a song. Music can't exist without time or speed.

 

Fantastic compositions and sound effects, AnalogGuy:thu:

 

I heard what sounds like clipping in some of them, but I am very sensitive to sound, so no worries:lol:

 

Were these hardware or software synthesizers?

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Of course without tempo there's no music. Tempo means "time". It is the speed of a song. Music can't exist without time or speed.


Fantastic compositions and sound effects, AnalogGuy:thu:


I heard what sounds like clipping in some of them, but I am very sensitive to sound, so no worries:lol:


Were these hardware or software synthesizers?

 

 

So... then I mean that my rhythm sense only sucks :lol:

 

It's not clipping, only noise with a purpose ;)

 

The gear I used is listed in the link!

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wow, aside from a very few instruments [such as that famous Korg M1 sound in the "Menu Theme"], I thought it was all software.

 

Very efficient use of envelopes on the strings. Makes them sound very realistic, especially those crescendos [Vangelis!]

 

About the clipping: I did assume at some point that it was noise recorded on purpose. It gave the recordings that warm vinyl/analog sound. Very nice:)

 

How did you record those crystal-clear footsteps followed by the door opening in "Long Minutes of Desperation"?

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About the clipping: I did assume at some point that it was noise recorded on purpose. It gave the recordings that warm vinyl/analog sound. Very nice:)


How did you record those crystal-clear footsteps followed by the door opening in "Long Minutes of Desperation"?

 

M1 sound? It was a few AI2 sounds from Korg 05r/w (strings as well) I used. The "envelope" was in fact volume foot pedal. All the variety of sounds, mixing and other things are done with my clever "live system" ;)

 

2012_pedals2.jpg

 

 

About the footsteps, it was only free samples plus Lexicon PCM-70 reverb!

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I'm surprised to see you say this, considering your background in middle Eastern music.

 

 

He's correct though. It's merely a matter of semantics: without tempo, there can be no rubato. Tempo indeed is the speed of the song. "No Tempo" can be a speed. He's not suggesting that everything be played in time, he's merely stating that tempo is one element of music, along with pitch, volume and timbre.

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