A Seiken Densetsu-Like music

[Xouman]

Hi,

I tried to make a track that could match in a Seiken Densetsu game.

https://soundcloud.com/xouman/another-winter

i'm open to all advice.

[Orion]

Hi,

I tried to make a track that could match in a Seiken Densetsu game.

https://soundcloud.com/xouman/another-winter

i'm open to all advice.

Hello Xouman. I am a big fan of Seiken series, particularly for the music. Something that makes the seiken series successful is the work of Kikuta. One of the reasons he is successful is that he's a brilliant man and has a great ear for building intriguing haunting melodies with fantastic rhythmic drive. I know many people who aren't big into rpg music who still remember the soundtrack years later after hearing it only a few times. He's a unique instrumentalist as well. Most of the songs in the game utilize instrument choices that are organic, acoustical nature-based that play together and pair well. Many reeds, bass percussion, acoustical guitars and many wood-borne instruments in general. The music is powerful but the instruments state the music sublimely, they keep it soft and gentle on the ear. Which paradoxically make make it more engaging to the human ear. (with the exception of tracks like "danger", and a few tracks which use more contemporary instruments to create a harsher less organic instrument environment... to mixed results imo.) But far and away it works well.

These elements of song writing and presentation show on Secret of Mana soundtrack and make it much loved. But love also has to be given to the synth operator.

The piece that you've submitted uses instruments that would be favorable for the purposes you've set out to create. But the sound seems harsh. For a start, I would strongly recommend playing the instrument more quietly. Allow the music to speak and breathe in a sublime way, like the sound of a rain drop on a pond.

[Xouman]

I see what you mean,i'm thinking the same thing about Kikuta's music,he got the skills and the ability to mix joyful,tropical,percussive and catchy/rhythmic melodies together that makes his style unique,interesting and delicious to hear,and what makes Secret of Mana and Seiken Densetsu 3 music so special is the "old midi sounding",when we look at Final Fantasy 5,Final Fantasy 6 and Chrono Trigger for example we can see that the instruments in these three games have a different sonority and makes their soundtrack intriguing (maybe also the fact that 8 and 16-Bit music comes exclusively from video games,sometimes a soundfont can change everything even with same notes/instruments).

For the music the vibraphone is a bit loud at the beginning and for atmospheric sounds initially i thought to put a wind sound effect but i decided not to do.