Personally, I loved the score! Sound-wise, I thought it was spot-on for the franchise. The lack of more "realistic" samples didn't really bother me.
I give HUGE credit to the TTG team for bringing Land aboard -- and to Land, of course, for taking the job and doing such a bang-up job of bringing back the old magic! Bring on the official soundtrack, says I! (Although I concede that'll probably have to wait until all five episodes are out...)
Yeah, I couldn't stop grinning when I heard the music - it's one of the main reasons I loved the other games so much and I think this one nails it perfectly. It retains the vibe of the other games (especially CMI), but at the same time has its own unique feeling.
I love it - top job yet again Mr. Land.
The lack of live instrumentation is odd. Why do it without them? It's certainly a bit of a step down from Sam and Max and Wallace & Gromit.
Correct me if I'm wrong here but I think Aardman handled the soundtrack for W&G? And aren't LucasArts handling the voices and soundtrack for ToMI? Different companies make different calls I guess; Aardman felt that they should splash out for instrumentation, LucasArts didn't.
Correct me if I'm wrong here but I think Aardman handled the soundtrack for W&G? And aren't LucasArts handling the voices and soundtrack for ToMI? Different companies make different calls I guess; Aardman felt that they should splash out for instrumentation, LucasArts didn't.
No, LucasArts has little to do with TMI other than selling Telltale the rights to use the Monkey Island license. They're self-publishing it.
Correct me if I'm wrong here but I think Aardman handled the soundtrack for W&G? And aren't LucasArts handling the voices and soundtrack for ToMI? Different companies make different calls I guess; Aardman felt that they should splash out for instrumentation, LucasArts didn't.
Both the "Wallace & Gromit"-soundtrack and the voice recording for TMI are handled by the fatastico Jared Emerson-Johnson at Bay Area Sound.
But I've gotta add something: It may look like we're bitching about each and every aspect of the game, but that's just because we tend talk less about the things we actually liked (because they were done right, and we don't have anything constructive to say about them ). That being out: The music is great and I LOVE Telltale for bringing Michael Land back for this.
And because of this, I just think that adding live-musicians into the mix would be the icing on the (already delicious) cake.
No memorable songs yet. I somewhat get the feeling that Flotsam Town is too boring to get a good melody. I also agree that the music was very subtle and it was hard to hear all the melodies. What I've always liked with CMI and EMI music is the deep basoons found in a lot of the songs like Scumm Bar, Melee Island and the Barber song. Some more raggae type music like the song from the Sea Cucumber and Mr. Fossey would be awesome too! It just gives that laid back caribbean feeling.
From the 3.5 out of 5 I gave the music in the first episode, I'd say that the second is a 3.7. Two rather memorable riffs, more drums and a little more melody made me think that in TSoSC, Land did a nice enough job.
Still, I'm waiting for improvement. It is of course impossible for Land to live up to some kind of legend - yet he could do better.
Well I really liked the music in this episode.. I turned down the volume of the effectsand had music and voice nice and loud. No complaints on lands work from me.
I love the "happy" LeChuck theme! And did anyone else get a "The Dig" vibe from the Spinner Cay theme? It's a really eerie song.
I played The Dig years ago, but never got a chance to hear the music because of problems running it with Windows at the time. Not sure if I knew about ScummVM at the time. Maybe I should try digging out that CD again. Anyways, the Spinner Cay theme did remind me of "Aquarium" by Saint-Saëns in places: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsD0FDLOKGA
I'm a WiiWare player, so I haven't heard the Spinner Cay compositions yet... However, I love the music in Narwhal. I think the track playing during the first scene on the boats is incredibly catchy, and I fell in love with the Flotsam Island Overview music from the moment I heard it. I'm so glad that it's available in some form over the internet...
Land has succeeded to pick up his Monkey Island vibe directly from where he left off - they all still feel like the same composer and style, rather than an imitation/pastiche of nearly a decade ago.
I also noticed the bad music quality and miss of real instrumentation. I think its because the game is developed for WiiWare also. The game would be to big for WiiWare if it had real music.
There is a lot more music in Chapter 2 compared to Chapter 1, on the PC it sounds like they've upgraded the synth engine to or do better post production on the tracks as they sound better than Chapter 1, I feel sorry for Wii owners getting bogged down versions. Lots of tracks in Chapter 2 sounded great, I thought De Casa's Hut on Roe Island was a brilliant track with the way it combined part of the Voodoo theme along with a sort of Blood Island Hotel vibe. Also the Spoon Isle beach, the abandoned version after the pirates leave, just brilliant to listen to.
I loved the music on the Spinner Cay docks and the overhead island map on the Narwhal!
That said, I wish would've been more live band instruments to get back the jazzy/reggae vibe we had in CMI and EfMI!
They're kind of hard to emulate on Synth and MIDI but yeah, best I'm holding out for is a Soundtrack CD full of Live Instrument versions of the music in the game instead because I'll be honest, out of the two episodes, there have been a lot of good tracks that would sound even better done with proper instruments, currently I'm fixated on the Roe Island Shack theme, it's just brilliantly scored.
From the 3.5 out of 5 I gave the music in the first episode, I'd say that the second is a 3.7. Two rather memorable riffs, more drums and a little more melody made me think that in TSoSC, Land did a nice enough job.
Still, I'm waiting for improvement. It is of course impossible for Land to live up to some kind of legend - yet he could do better.
After I extracted the music and listened to it closely, I have to say that 3.7 wasn't enough for "The Siege of Spinner Cay". Now, I'd say it's a 3.8 or 3.9 out of 5. Individual compositions would be worth more than 4 points; I particularly like the "hardtack-trenchfoot-theme", the fast version of "ship-at-dock", the "ship-map" and the "swordfight" bits.
Unfortunately, I find these samples to be far, far too short. Longer compositions are a must, although they might not go that well with imuse. JEJ has done pieces over five minutes long for Sam&Max, the same must be possible in "Tales of Monkey Island".
In my opinion the best, most beautiful and moving music Michael Land has written
is the Soundtrack for "The Dig"
Some of that music can bring a tear to your eye
I love the soundtrack for The Dig! It's just so atmospheric and makes the game feel alive. Plus I think Robert Patrick's performance as Boston was great too.
I wish there was a sequel so that I could get that same vibe. Isn't there some funny bit where he says "have you seen this boy?"
There are steel drums in the soundtrack.. one instrument I miss is the accordion that was in a lot of MI3 songs. Spinner does sound a bit like The Dig..
I am a big fan of Monkey Island's compositions since I was a little girl. In fact, the first thing I played by copying the sounds I heard in my school flute was the MI theme.
I am also disappointed about the music. The mix and the sounds are ok, but I feel there are no new catchy (I don't know if it's the right word in English...we would say in spanish "sticky") identifiable songs that you will sing when you wake up. I believe every other MI games had those: scuum bar, ship fighting, stan's, voodoo lady's...etc.
I really hope there would be some more in the next chapters.
Please Michael Land, Im a big fan of yours and I would like to change my recent opinion!
the last chapter was weird, music-wise. It's like they forgot to put in the function for seamless transition between music. It was very obvious when talking to people, the music would just cut away for another one, it was hard on the ears. Also, there's too many recycling, the music in the belly was from MI1, and the one in the bottom of the ocean was from 2 (and was recycled already in 3). It's like Land is saying he's given up or something. Then again, there's only so many times a person can reinvent the Le'Chuck theme
the last chapter was weird, music-wise. It's like they forgot to put in the function for seamless transition between music. It was very obvious when talking to people, the music would just cut away for another one, it was hard on the ears.
Oh, I wasn't sure if I was the only one who noticed this. Not that it bothered me much (since the rest of the episode was perfect), but it was still weird and made some scenes feel a bit abrupt.
Episode 3 was lacking Music Wise, I wasn't sure if this was a glitch or a change for the final, but I didn't have the normal paced De Cava's "Eccentric" theme, as soon as I spoke to De Cava it started playing the Roe Island music (which I guess we should just call De Cava's normal theme), which wasn't suppose to kick in until Guybrush handed him the locket (at least going off the preview clip we saw).
If it's a change then fair do's but in the preview, the music blended quite well from Eccentric, to normal, and then back to an angrier Eccentric theme during the convo.
Other than that, the music was mainly low key in this episode, more brooding and ambient instead. I did like the re-worked Flotsam Town theme for The Screaming Narwhal above the Mating Grounds though. As well as the throwback to Monkey Island 2 for the diving.
How has no one mentioned the sword fight theme from Spinner Cay?
I mean seriously that was a fantastic theme. I extracted that JUST to loop it over and over.
Michael Land is one fantastic composer, and I prefer the Tales theme a lot more than the Special Edition one...something sounded so off about the MI:SE's main theme.
Monkey Island 3 definitely had some of the best music I've ever heard in a game. Then again, so did Grim and so did Throttle and Sam and Max: Hit the Road. I originally listed ONLY MI3 and concluded the sentence with "hands down," but it looks like I'll need a few more of those after adding to the list.
How has no one mentioned the sword fight theme from Spinner Cay?
Oh yes I have.
"LotL" took a clear step back concerning catchy tunes. It was more background-music this time. There were some themes I liked, though. Still, it's a 3.2 this time. The level might raise after I extracted and examined the music more closely. I doubt that any loops are longer than 34 seconds, though.
Actually, the music that played around De Cava wasn't exactly the same as the Roe Island music, it was a slightly different arrangement. And it's his theme. The faster version comes in when he's more excited.
I find it perplexing that someone up there is complaining about themes being used from old games. Personally one of my favourite moments of the game was hearing that underwater music and I would have been disappointed if it wasn't there. Also, the music in the belly did seem like a throwback to the lookout scene in MI1, but the arrangement itself was very different - so different that some people didn't even notice until I pointed it out, and even then still weren't sure it was a reference.
Anyway, I've been very happy with the music. It reminds me a lot of a cross between the second and third games - kind of like the visuals.
OOOH, I just extracted the music from episode 3 and had a listen and it appears the normal Eccentric theme isn't in the game at all, but was used in the preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9ikJQaPuCw
In that clip, the music from 16 to 29 seconds is not in the final game, wonder why it was changed?
edit: Disregard that, I'm an idiot, it's actually the music used for the caged questions, I guess it was just moved around.
Comments
I give HUGE credit to the TTG team for bringing Land aboard -- and to Land, of course, for taking the job and doing such a bang-up job of bringing back the old magic! Bring on the official soundtrack, says I! (Although I concede that'll probably have to wait until all five episodes are out...)
I love it - top job yet again Mr. Land.
Correct me if I'm wrong here but I think Aardman handled the soundtrack for W&G? And aren't LucasArts handling the voices and soundtrack for ToMI? Different companies make different calls I guess; Aardman felt that they should splash out for instrumentation, LucasArts didn't.
No, LucasArts has little to do with TMI other than selling Telltale the rights to use the Monkey Island license. They're self-publishing it.
I thought I remembered watching an interview about Sam & Max that the live jazz musicians that were recorded for the soundtrack worked for free.
But I've gotta add something: It may look like we're bitching about each and every aspect of the game, but that's just because we tend talk less about the things we actually liked (because they were done right, and we don't have anything constructive to say about them
And because of this, I just think that adding live-musicians into the mix would be the icing on the (already delicious) cake.
Taking it live in TMI isn't exactly a small thing to ask, though...
BUT DO IT ANYWAY!
From the 3.5 out of 5 I gave the music in the first episode, I'd say that the second is a 3.7. Two rather memorable riffs, more drums and a little more melody made me think that in TSoSC, Land did a nice enough job.
Still, I'm waiting for improvement. It is of course impossible for Land to live up to some kind of legend - yet he could do better.
1) That a new song will be catchy enough to get stuck in my head.
2) A song based puzzle (eg. Food related love or A pirate I was meant to be)
Loved the toy manatee.
I played The Dig years ago, but never got a chance to hear the music because of problems running it with Windows at the time. Not sure if I knew about ScummVM at the time. Maybe I should try digging out that CD again. Anyways, the Spinner Cay theme did remind me of "Aquarium" by Saint-Saëns in places: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsD0FDLOKGA
Land has succeeded to pick up his Monkey Island vibe directly from where he left off - they all still feel like the same composer and style, rather than an imitation/pastiche of nearly a decade ago.
That said, I wish would've been more live band instruments to get back the jazzy/reggae vibe we had in CMI and EfMI!
Btw! What is the name of the eerie instrument they used in the Plunder Island overhead map theme in CMI?
Steel Drums and, I forgot the name of them, but small bongo drums.
Yes, that's it! Thanks!
Wish they had those in ToMI..
They're kind of hard to emulate on Synth and MIDI
is the Soundtrack for "The Dig"
Some of that music can bring a tear to your eye
agreed!
After I extracted the music and listened to it closely, I have to say that 3.7 wasn't enough for "The Siege of Spinner Cay". Now, I'd say it's a 3.8 or 3.9 out of 5. Individual compositions would be worth more than 4 points; I particularly like the "hardtack-trenchfoot-theme", the fast version of "ship-at-dock", the "ship-map" and the "swordfight" bits.
Unfortunately, I find these samples to be far, far too short. Longer compositions are a must, although they might not go that well with imuse. JEJ has done pieces over five minutes long for Sam&Max, the same must be possible in "Tales of Monkey Island".
I love the soundtrack for The Dig! It's just so atmospheric and makes the game feel alive. Plus I think Robert Patrick's performance as Boston was great too.
I wish there was a sequel so that I could get that same vibe. Isn't there some funny bit where he says "have you seen this boy?"
I am also disappointed about the music. The mix and the sounds are ok, but I feel there are no new catchy (I don't know if it's the right word in English...we would say in spanish "sticky") identifiable songs that you will sing when you wake up. I believe every other MI games had those: scuum bar, ship fighting, stan's, voodoo lady's...etc.
I really hope there would be some more in the next chapters.
Please Michael Land, Im a big fan of yours and I would like to change my recent opinion!
If it's a change then fair do's but in the preview, the music blended quite well from Eccentric, to normal, and then back to an angrier Eccentric theme during the convo.
Other than that, the music was mainly low key in this episode, more brooding and ambient instead. I did like the re-worked Flotsam Town theme for The Screaming Narwhal above the Mating Grounds though. As well as the throwback to Monkey Island 2 for the diving.
I mean seriously that was a fantastic theme. I extracted that JUST to loop it over and over.
Michael Land is one fantastic composer, and I prefer the Tales theme a lot more than the Special Edition one...something sounded so off about the MI:SE's main theme.
Monkey Island 3 definitely had some of the best music I've ever heard in a game. Then again, so did Grim and so did Throttle and Sam and Max: Hit the Road. I originally listed ONLY MI3 and concluded the sentence with "hands down," but it looks like I'll need a few more of those after adding to the list.
Oh yes I have.
"LotL" took a clear step back concerning catchy tunes. It was more background-music this time. There were some themes I liked, though. Still, it's a 3.2 this time. The level might raise after I extracted and examined the music more closely. I doubt that any loops are longer than 34 seconds, though.
I find it perplexing that someone up there is complaining about themes being used from old games. Personally one of my favourite moments of the game was hearing that underwater music and I would have been disappointed if it wasn't there. Also, the music in the belly did seem like a throwback to the lookout scene in MI1, but the arrangement itself was very different - so different that some people didn't even notice until I pointed it out, and even then still weren't sure it was a reference.
Anyway, I've been very happy with the music. It reminds me a lot of a cross between the second and third games - kind of like the visuals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9ikJQaPuCw
In that clip, the music from 16 to 29 seconds is not in the final game, wonder why it was changed?
edit: Disregard that, I'm an idiot, it's actually the music used for the caged questions, I guess it was just moved around.