Epic Audio Track Inspired by Wing Commander (October 9, 2011)

ChrisReid

ChrisReid

Super Soaker Collector / Administrator


Rich Douglas has posted a beautiful reorchestration of music from Wing Commander. Several WC1 tunes inspired the new rendition, and it's certainly a grand tribute to the original. Even TheFatMan is a fan! Check out a cool YouTube video that syncs the music to scenes from the game, or download the mp3 here (5.3 megs). Find more of his work at RichDouglas.net.

My name is Rich Douglas and I've been a pro freelance composer in the video game industry for 7 years now... Wing Commander is one of the main reasons I got into the industry to begin with! In my spare time I'm also very active over at Overclocked Remix under the handle Beckett007. All of my current 6 mixes over there are essentially chiptunes made epic with an orchestra. I re-orchestrated several key themes from Wing Commander 1 and have put together a suite of music...

Themes included in the suite are as follows (in this order):

Fanfare / The Main Theme

Briefing

Scramble

Flying to Combat

Heroes Funeral
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Original update published on October 9, 2011
 
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I really don't mean to sound overly critical... but I found it hard to appreciate this particular arrangement. Between the intermittently booming bass and the high-frequencies of the synthetic orchestra, it sounded like there was a lot missing in the aural spectrum. And maybe it's because I only listened to the music and didn't watch the video, but the transitions between the different source tunes were quite jarring (and often in combination with that jarring bass). Seamless medleys are hard to create, I know, but I felt it could have been managed a bit better here.

That said, it's always welcome to have more Wing Commander music put out there, given how very few pieces of Wing Commander arrangements there are. And while OC ReMix can seem elitist to some, with its submission processes and judging panel, etc, there is clearly talent here for the arranger to have had his work posted on it and to be a professional composer on top of that.
 
It doesnt sound like its a 100% recreation, more like a spiritual piece bringing it to the modern era. It does sound Epic in most places. It would be great if this was taken on as a project to recreate the sounds and music of WC1 and then be able to replace the originals in the GOG release. Instead of just using your brain to enhance the originals in your fond memories.
 
I really don't mean to sound overly critical...
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You are NOT going to like the next Fatman-approved remix we report on... :) (it's a crazy dubstep electro-whatever thing.)

It would be great if this was taken on as a project to recreate the sounds and music of WC1 and then be able to replace the originals in the GOG release.
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Replacing music in the GOG release would probably be a pain, since you'd need to update the game to play something other than MIDIs. Replacing it in the Kilrathi Saga release should be pretty simple...
 
I fear I have to agree with Wedge here. The guy clearly knows his stuff, and it's great to hear someones hard work, especially Wing Commander related. But I have to throw in my music credentials and say orchestrationaly I couldn't help but feel it was lacking, particularly in the upper range. Where are the upper woodwinds? upper strings? upper brass? , If you want really big you have to go in both directions not just bass. But there was so much he could have done and I'm just not feeling it. Like the "Flying to Battle" bit, could stand to have been a lot more subtle and menacing. There could have had a lot more character with dynamics all around. Also there is a lack of instrumentation changes from movement to movement. There are other instruments. It all just sounded stagnent by the funeral movement, so for me was lacking any emotional impact despite the choir. Also wouldn't have been my choice for instrumentation.

On a personal rant I can't help but say, again with the nonsense choir. ;) Even though it's only midi. (I'll save the rant on terrible imitations of the human voice through midi) Speaking as a composer, I always hated that use of the choral sound. If you have a choir give it a role. Otherwise the brass choir is more then capable of beefing up the sound. (Not to mention blast any human choir out of the hall.) At one point it was an interesting alternative. Now it has become cliche. Not to mention have some nasty balance problems if attempted live.

If I were to attempt this I think I would focus on the militaristic intentions of the original composer. More brass, more percussion, more Woodwinds. Strings if I had them, filling out the chords.
 
Actually, I listened to the piece a few times, but what I noticed most, was that he probably ripped the MIDI files out, and forgot to re-arrange the strings and fagot/trumpet tracks... They are hit like a percussion instruments, and do not fade in or out.

When WC was created, it was precisely, very, very much aimed at the hardware and synths of the time, I never autopiloted during escort missions, because I just liked to listen to the track and if it took for over 20 minutes to reach the nav-point, that's okay... same goes for the "victorious return" theme, and the debriefing theme...
 
I too have listened to the piece a few times, and I have mixed feelings about it. First and foremost, this is the closest thing to a modern arrangement/rendering of the original tunes I have ever heard, and it is entertaining, so that's great !

Then there are flaws. The overuse of choirs have been mentioned already. I actually like background choirs, but when the mood calls for it (the funeral tune, for example). I read in previous comments that WC1 and WC2 tunes were military marches, and this piece doesn't respect that. It bugged me at first too - but then I thought: this is an arrangement, by definition the author can make it into the style he wants, no ? I can make a Pop-rock arrangement of The Four Seasons, and who'll blame me ? Having decided that it wouldn't bother me, my subsequent play through the tune were much more enjoyable :p

I'd like this piece to be a first version, and the author to continue making variations of it. When the piece starts you can hear some hints of a techno arrangement (I first thought it'd sound like Daft Punk's Tron Legacy soundtrack (which I liked very much), but it didn't end up like that; then the march style, then LOTR-style choirs, then a techno-buzz-transition in the battle tune... perhaps settling on a style and keeping it would do ?

So you wingnut music composers, can you do better ? I'd love to hear that ! :)

Really, I'ld love to !
 
Oh, now I have a bit of a guilty conscience, because I didn't "report" this video earlier. I already was aware of it more than two weeks ago...
 
Man, tough crowd. I can't wait for everyone else's tracks to show this up. :)

Prometheus said:
Oh, now I have a bit of a guilty conscience, because I didn't "report" this video earlier. I already was aware of it more than two weeks ago...
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He sent it in a couple weeks ago and we didn't get around to posting it until this week.
 
PopsiclePete said:
So you wingnut music composers, can you do better ? I'd love to hear that ! :)

Really, I'ld love to !
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What ? No wingnut is up to the challenge ? I am sure many wingnuts have the talent and equipement to render their own arrangements of WC tunes, and it'd be really neat to hear more !
 
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