TOMB RAIDER LEGEND
SCORING A NEXT-GENERATION SOUNDTRACK
- BY TROELS B. FOLMANN – CRYSTAL DYNAMICS
AGENDA
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INTRODUCTION TO LECTURE
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DIGITAL ORCHESTRATION
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CHAOS, CONVOLUTION, SEQUENCING, BALANCE
MICRO SCORING
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SPEAKER BIO
PERSPECTIVE ON SCORING
HOW TO SCORE, WHY MICROSCORE, EXAMPLES
QUESTIONS
SPEAKER BIO
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NAME: TROELS B. FOLMANN
TITLE: ASSOCIATE PRODUCER / COMPOSER
COMPANY: EIDOS / CRYSTAL DYNAMICS
EMAIL: tfolmann@crystald.com
BLOG: www.deffmute.com/blog/
TOMB RAIDER LEGEND
MAIN THEME
MUSIC STATS
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+180 MIN OF MICRO-SCORED SOUNDTRACK
DIGITAL ORCHESTATION (NATURAL/EPIC)
ELECTRONIC / CONTEMPORARY
SEVEN CULTURAL INFLUENCES
 BOLIVIA, PERU, GHANA, TOKYO
 RUSSIA, HIMALAYA, UK
MAIN THEMES FOR:
 GAME / CINEMATICS
 MAIN CHARACTERS AND DESTINATIONS
DIGITAL ORCHESTRATION
OVERVIEW
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GOOD CHAOS
CONVOLUTION REVERBS
SEQUENCING TECHNIQUES
BALANCING THE MIX
SAMPLE LIBRARIES
TOO CLEAN PHILOSOPHY
CUSTOM RECORDINGS
DIGITAL ORCHESTRATION
GOOD CHAOS
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Chaotic elements
 Conductors baton
 Page turns
 Chair creaks
 Hall noise
 Human breaths / Coughs
 Instrument noises (none-tune based)
 Bow noises (strings)
 Breath noises (brass/woods)
 Skin- and metal noises (percussion)
CHAOSEX
DIGITAL ORCHESTRATION
CONVOLUTION REVERBS
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Reverbs
 Convolution Techonology
 Multiple convolutions
 Simulate natural hall acoustics
 Real hall rooms radiate multiple
reflections
 Chaos is life
 Proper placement of virtual mics
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All main instrument groups got own reverbs
CONVOEX
DIGITAL ORCHESTRATION
FEELFORCE
SEQUENCING TECHNIQUES
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Sequencing
 Think- and play like the instrument
 Think- and play like an orchestra
 Compose like a conductor
 Mistakes are evident and important
 Asynchronous behaviour
 Playing without quantization
 Applying quantization with randomness
 Quantization kills
 Extensive use of volume and faders
DIGITAL ORCHESTRATION
NATURAL
BALANCING THE MIX
EPIC
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Balance
 Balance the orchestral sections
 Retain original ensemble sizes for natural
orchestra
 Expand original ensemble sizes for epic
orchestra (MV sound)
 Place orchestral sections in respective
spots
 Place virtual mics and proper use of reverb
 50% samples / 50% balance
 Fix-in-the-mix
DIGITAL ORCHESTRATION
SAMPLE LIBRARIES
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Orchestral (commercial) sample libraries
 EWQLSO/XP (All orchestral groups)
 EWQLSC (Choirs)
 VSL (All orchestral groups)
 Storm Drums (Percussion)
 Project Sam (Percussion, Brass)
QLSC
DIGITAL ORCHESTRATION
QLSOXP
TOO CLEAN
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Problems in commercial orchestral libraries
 Pitch/Tune corrected
 Noise reduced
 Avoid of “chaos” in samples
 Avoid natural “noises” (breaths, instrument
noise etc)
 Lack of advanced legato features
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Lack of orchestral FX (Ex. Stargate MP soundtrack)
DIGITAL ORCHESTRATION
CUSTOM RECORDINGS
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Custom instrument recordings
 Authenticity / Original sound
 Legato / Phrases
 FX
 Personality / Unique sound
 Dirty is cool
CUSTOM
MICRO SCORING
OVERVIEW
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PERSPECTIVE ON SCORING
HISTORY OF GAME MUSIC COMPLEXITY
INCREASING DEMANDS
WHAT IS MICRO SCORING?
SOUNDSCAPE BIBLES
MICRO SCORES
DIGITAL ORCHESTRATION
PERSPECTIVE ON SCORING
COMPONENTS INFLUENCING THE SCORE
MICRO SCORING
HISTORY OF GAME MUSIC COMPLEXITY
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Pr. Game (70-80´s)
Pr. Level (80-90´s)
Pr. Unit (80-00´s)
Pr. Sub-unit (90-00´s)
Pr. Event (00´s-XX)
Pr. Action (00´s-XX)
Pr. Player reference (00´s-XX)
Pr. Player emotion (00´s-XX)
PASTVSNOW
MICRO SCORING
MSEX
HISTORY OF GAME MUSIC COMPLEXITY
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Pr. Game (70-80´s)
Pr. Level (80-90´s)
Pr. Unit (80-00´s)
Pr. Sub-unit (90-00´s)
Pr. Event (00´s-XX)
Pr. Action (00´s-XX)
Pr. Player reference (00´s-XX)
Pr. Player emotion (00´s-XX)
MICRO-SCORING
FUTURE
MICRO-SCORING
MICRO SCORING
5 LAYER SCORE
MSLAYEREX
MICRO SCORING
INCREASING DEMANDS
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Increasing demand for true adaptive music
Increasing demand for music customization
Increasing demand for better quality in game music
Increasing complexity in large game productions
Increasing complexity in music interactivity
Technological potential for providing adaptive music
MICRO SCORING
WHAT IS MICRO-SCORING?
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A compositional methodology
 Breaking music into smallest components
 Pr. Unit based composition
 Pr. Sub-unit based composition
 Pr. Event-triggered composition
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Acknowledgement of complexity
Empowerment of player emotion
Emotional approach- and feedback
Trigger by player experience, action and interaction
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MICRO SCORING
FURTHER EXAMPLES FROM TOMB RAIDER
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MICRO-SCORING CROFT MANSION
MICRO-SCORING GRAVE
MICRO-SCORING HIMALAYA
MICRO-SCORING VEHICLES
EXAMPLES
THANK YOU
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
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NAME: TROELS B. FOLMANN
TITLE: ASSOCIATE PRODUCER / COMPOSER
COMPANY: EIDOS / CRYSTAL DYNAMICS
EMAIL: tfolmann@crystald.com
BLOG: www.deffmute.com/blog