![\"kirbytails7_SevenScreenshot\"](\"http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/screen115-300x230.png\")
<\/p>\n I’ve been trying to improve my music composition, so I think a separate post-mortem for music is in order. Plus, hopefully someone else can learn a bit on writing music, or something.<\/p>\n
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In my experience, the key factor in composing good music is managing contour. You can think of contour as the overall arch of the music – high when the music is loud, rhythmic, or dynamic; and low when the music is more static and predictable. The sections of low contour set expectations that can be pushed or broken in the sections of high contour.<\/p>\n
Think of the structure of a typical pop, rock, or house song: Verse – Chorus – Verse – Chorus – Bridge – Chorus. The verses tend to be less memorable musically, but they also help make the chorus more interesting, and the repetition of them both make the bridge even more interesting.<\/p>\n
I notice this as the primary shortcoming of my\u00a0music in Seven Lightyears<\/a>. With the constant percussion and relatively equal balance of instruments throughout, I think I flattened out the contour too much.<\/p>\n Compare to what probably unconsciously motivated my music (it’s even in the same key!): Phoenix Wright’s Theme<\/a> from Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Notice how the music dies off a bit after the first “chorus” and later has a change in instrumentation to create more interesting contour, and the chorus itself is 6 measures instead of 8, which makes it more exciting.<\/p>","time":"December 9th, 2014 11:15 pm","title":"Postmortem \u2013 Music in Seven Lightyears of Bad Luck"}