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Shnabubula Presents Ender's Game

Sam Ascher-Weiss

By Sam Ascher-Weiss,
in Post Your Original Music!

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Mr. Fox Newbie

Mr. Fox

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Posted

I never read Ender's Game, but I am completely blown away by the amount of detail, care and sophistication of these songs. It's not a secret that Sam is a composer who crafts his work with a lot of detail, and what we see here is this tendency developed to perfection. Inspirational stuff.

Now go make music for real books.

(Like Terry Pratchett DAMN IT!!!)

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Imagist Newbie

Imagist

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I never read Ender's Game, but I am completely blown away by the amount of detail, care and sophistication of these songs. It's not a secret that Sam is a composer who crafts his work with a lot of detail, and what we see here is this tendency developed to perfection. Inspirational stuff.

Now go make music for real books.

(Like Terry Pratchett DAMN IT!!!)

As someone who highly values Mr. Pratchett and all his works, I find it pretty much retarded that you imply Ender's Game isn't a "real" book.

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The wingless Newbie

The wingless

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It really is a shame this isn't game related (what an ironic statement that is, given the book) because this desperately needs to be posted on the front page of *somewhere*.

I've listened to it every day since it came out because it's so musically dense and intricate I hear something new everytime.

Word. Needs. To. Get. Out.

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LongeBane Newbie

LongeBane

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It really is a shame this isn't game related (what an ironic statement that is, given the book) because this desperately needs to be posted on the front page of *somewhere*.

I've listened to it every day since it came out because it's so musically dense and intricate I hear something new everytime.

Word. Needs. To. Get. Out.

You're totally right! As I've heard from sam, he worked DAMN hard on this suite. He had to work on each movement in segments, like each project file would contain 20 seconds of the movement, and he'd have to work like that, and then merge it all in the end! Imagine trying to finish a whole suite through that process.

Word needs to get out of the accomplishments of this man! I decided to post a digg article on this. Support Shnabubula!

http://digg.com/music/Beautiful_Musical_Retelling_of_novel_Ender_s_Game

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PassivePretentiousness Newbie

PassivePretentiousness

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I've been listening to this for a while since shna linked me to it and it is probably my favorite thing I've heard by any member of this community. as others have said, it's unfortunate that there isn't really a vehicle for this to be better spotlighted than a thread. I've sent it to anyone who I thought might enjoy it irl and I recommend others do the same.

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PassivePretentiousness Newbie

PassivePretentiousness

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Fine I will attempt a real review since everyone else including myself has simply gushed over it so far.

I only read Ender's Game about a month ago after having heard this. A lot. It's hard to get me to read much of anything, especially what ostensibly appeared to be Just Another Self-Glorifying Science Fiction Novel, and when all is said and done Ender's Game, and especially its sequel Speaker for the Dead are just that. However, Shnabubula has captured anything worthwhile in Card's book, carefully selected a handful of effective motifs, and transcribed the pacing and mood of the sections of the wok into each of his movements. The result is something for superior to the story itself.

It opens up with a childish melody that quickly splits into a carefully phrased synth choir, perfectly elucidating Ender's trite early life that was seemingly silly and transient in quarrels with his brother and neighborhood bullies, but in reality dangerous and very real. The choirs sing to his ability to overcome any obstacle, and another melody resolves the chaos into harmony at 1:59. It than flows tactfully into a softer orchestral tone to demonstrate his loving relationship with his sister Valentine, foreshadowing the fourth act. One can trace each explicit section, each motif, and each phrase to a definitive action found in the plot, but for me to do that would take the fun out of it for anyone who has or is willing to read the book.

My favorite track is the third, which is also my favorite part of the book. The synths' complexity and speed increases as the same motifs speaking of Ender's greatness continue to unfold before the listener's ears and the protagonist's juggling struggles of warfare and morality are exquisitely laid out. Shnabubula does not simply equal Card's success in creating a character of raw intelligence and creativity that could save the human race; he surpasses it. Rat-Bonzo is the mind of Ender in music. This is still while, of course, the track still develops the other aspects of the plot and characters.

As to everything else... well let's just say he couldn't have done any better in portraying these themes with the instruments he had. The transfused synth and orchestral is a style I haven't seen elsewhere, even in Sam's own work. If it exists, let me know because I'd love to hear it, but could there really be any better way of portraying the ideas of the book? The chaos, the greatness of Ender; the ultimate irony of the plot, the warmth of Valentine and darkness of Peter, the fast action, and the consistency of voice throughout. Sure, you knit-pick a tiny bit, but not a bloody lot. It would be nice if there was a real chorus, I guess. That's of course too much to ask from anyone but those with real financial clout, which is too much to ask for. This is far above in terms of production values anything he has offered overclocked remix, which as a baseline is hardly poor.

Please, listen to this in its entirety. If you have, do it again and concentrate more. Seemingly each time I've heard this, I feel like I understand more what both Shnabubula AND Orson Scott Card were getting at. If you haven't read the book, um, listen to this while you are reading the book. There is very little I will endorse without reservation, but this is an exception. Please, listen to this, enjoy it, and shove it others' faces as I have tried to do yours.

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herograw Newbie

herograw

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Fine I will attempt a real review since everyone else including myself has simply gushed over it so far.

I only read Ender's Game about a month ago after having heard this. A lot. It's hard to get me to read much of anything, especially what ostensibly appeared to be Just Another Self-Glorifying Science Fiction Novel, and when all is said and done Ender's Game, and especially its sequel Speaker for the Dead are just that. However, Shnabubula has captured anything worthwhile in Card's book, carefully selected a handful of effective motifs, and transcribed the pacing and mood of the sections of the wok into each of his movements. The result is something for superior to the story itself.

It opens up with a childish melody that quickly splits into a carefully phrased synth choir, perfectly elucidating Ender's trite early life that was seemingly silly and transient in quarrels with his brother and neighborhood bullies, but in reality dangerous and very real. The choirs sing to his ability to overcome any obstacle, and another melody resolves the chaos into harmony at 1:59. It than flows tactfully into a softer orchestral tone to demonstrate his loving relationship with his sister Valentine, foreshadowing the fourth act. One can trace each explicit section, each motif, and each phrase to a definitive action found in the plot, but for me to do that would take the fun out of it for anyone who has or is willing to read the book.

My favorite track is the third, which is also my favorite part of the book. The synths' complexity and speed increases as the same motifs speaking of Ender's greatness continue to unfold before the listener's ears and the protagonist's juggling struggles of warfare and morality are exquisitely laid out. Shnabubula does not simply equal Card's success in creating a character of raw intelligence and creativity that could save the human race; he surpasses it. Rat-Bonzo is the mind of Ender in music. This is still while, of course, the track still develops the other aspects of the plot and characters.

As to everything else... well let's just say he couldn't have done any better in portraying these themes with the instruments he had. The transfused synth and orchestral is a style I haven't seen elsewhere, even in Sam's own work. If it exists, let me know because I'd love to hear it, but could there really be any better way of portraying the ideas of the book? The chaos, the greatness of Ender; the ultimate irony of the plot, the warmth of Valentine and darkness of Peter, the fast action, and the consistency of voice throughout. Sure, you knit-pick a tiny bit, but not a bloody lot. It would be nice if there was a real chorus, I guess. That's of course too much to ask from anyone but those with real financial clout, which is too much to ask for. This is far above in terms of production values anything he has offered overclocked remix, which as a baseline is hardly poor.

Please, listen to this in its entirety. If you have, do it again and concentrate more. Seemingly each time I've heard this, I feel like I understand more what both Shnabubula AND Orson Scott Card were getting at. If you haven't read the book, um, listen to this while you are reading the book. There is very little I will endorse without reservation, but this is an exception. Please, listen to this, enjoy it, and shove it others' faces as I have tried to do yours.

FOR SUPERIOR~!!

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