So, I'd like to try and write an Enorian theme song.

edited December 2020 in Harpy's Head Tavern
I picked up a music composition hobby during the coronavirus lockdowns and have been pleased with how it's been doing.

Since I'm playing Aetolia again, I'd like to try and write some Aetolia-themed music. Naturally I'd start with Enorian since that's where my character is.

My method is to try and draw inspiration from any trait I can, so I wonder if people can explain the following things to me:

1) A general summary of Enorian's history.

2) Anything interesting about Enorian's geography or history in particular that might be related to sound. So far I've got seagulls and water, as apparently Enorian is a coastal city, but there might be some things that I've missed.

3) Any catch phrases or famous quotes from Enorian's history.

4) Any references to music or songs that are represented in the game as having a relationship with Enorian.

5) Anything else you might think could be relevant or inspirational.

Comments

  • RhyotRhyot Bloodloch
    1) General summary of Enorian's history: Blessed be the Light and all who worship it. Also, gets blown up a lot.

    2) Anything interesting about Enorian's history: The Holy Flame that nukes any vampire who goes near it. Also when the Nazedha infiltrated Enorian and summoned a portion of Lanu Du and it blew up the city.

    3) Catch phrases: BLESSED BE THE LIGHT AND ALL WHO REACH FOR IT!

    4) I imagine Enorian as being a moderate tempo type of place. I don't really have any music that reminds me of Enorian.

    5) Inspirational comment: I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT YOU DEVELOP FOR EACH OF THE CITIES!!!


    Drayne
  • Rhyot said:

    1) General summary of Enorian's history: Blessed be the Light and all who worship it. Also, gets blown up a lot.

    2) Anything interesting about Enorian's history: The Holy Flame that nukes any vampire who goes near it. Also when the Nazedha infiltrated Enorian and summoned a portion of Lanu Du and it blew up the city.

    3) Catch phrases: BLESSED BE THE LIGHT AND ALL WHO REACH FOR IT!

    4) I imagine Enorian as being a moderate tempo type of place. I don't really have any music that reminds me of Enorian.

    5) Inspirational comment: I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT YOU DEVELOP FOR EACH OF THE CITIES!!!

    Does this forum have soundcloud or YouTube support? It'd be fun to post my updates in a convenient way, in which case people might actually listen to them...

    Tests:




    OH SNAP it has them. Thank you, default forum software!
  • HavenHaven World Burner Flight School
    What I wish Enorian was:


    How Enorian often plays:
    ¤ Si vis pacem, para bellum. ¤
    Someone powerful says, "We're going to have to delete you."
    havenbanner2
    SaltzDrayneZeheiaMoxieMelantha
  • As someone who created their character to scratch a musical creative itch, it pleases me to see a kindred spirit. When writing music for it myself I looked at my own talents: A constant need to make ditties in my head, and a lack of music theory. I rolled a character in Duiran because forests, trees, primeval culture, all heavily fit the fact that by any means of the word, my music would be considered 'folk' at best.

    So here are a few tips, I use myself, and I'm hoping they're applicable. You didn't mention whether you wanted the creations will be created by your character, but my own personal experience is from doing a character study, so the advice will dip into your character's experience as well.

    • When picking an instrument, a Lute would be universal. Aetolia is its own game, and there isn't a bard class, but the easiest way to trope yourself as a bard is to get yourself a stringed instrument. I have less experience with shadow side, but I imagine string instruments are common enough with semi-industrious settings like the cities of Aetolia.
    • Borrow inspiration from music your focus' culture is based on. While it's hard to sometimes pinpoint what culture a writer or player drew there inspiration from, most areas give some kinds of clues. I know for a fact the Duamvi culture is in part based off of the culture of India, so having some music inspired by sitar or tabla wouldn't be out of the question.
    • Explore the area. Enorian has multiple sections, there's a poor quarter, there's a market district, there's an island with a building dedicated to the light divines and a large flame. There are at least two taverns, the air is filled with the clanking of armor and the chime of bells for the faithful, reminding everyone of the presence of the gods. Tainted seagulls and snakes are constant pests
    • If you catch yourself thinking a ditty in your head, record it if you can. I get constant earworms and it's all I can do to get them to stop, honestly.
    • Learn about the lore through events posts, news posts, poetry posts, library books, or even socializing.
    I rolled a grook in Enorian a few months back, but due to time constraints in real life I never felt like I fully brought him into fruition. His back story was a grook vermin hunter from the dock district, a very simple beginning, but it helped me visualize and grow the character. Here's a song I was writing about Enorian and using a few factors of just experiencing things in game I came up with this. The song can be put to the tune of Age of Aggression/Oppression from Skyrim.

    'Killing vermin's not pretty, but neither am I.'
    Said the young verdant grook with the wink of his eye.
    But gulls lead to gold, and gold leads to drink
    to swig by the Beryl* till our faces turn pink.

    Hark Enor'ian, one day I'll have wealth,
    The Grand Flame will burn with such vigor and health.
    With a flame in my heart, and a lute by my side,
    The agents of Shadow will cower and hide.

    The clank of the steel, the gruff blacksmith's swears.
    The chiming of bells, and the calling to prayer.
    A call to defend, to serve with our skills.
    Should again city fall, with the Light we rebuild.

    Cower, o Shadow, you've numbered your days.
    Vampires and Undead, repent in your ways.
    When the battles are won and history is writ
    We cry 'Blessed be Light and all who reach for it!'


    *Not once have I seen a 'Beryl of Laughs', 'Beryl of Wine', or a 'Beryl of Monkeys' mentioned anywhere, and I feel like this is a squandered opportunity.
    Banner of the Guardians of Dendara
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  • Bruin said:
    As someone who created their character to scratch a musical creative itch, it pleases me to see a kindred spirit. When writing music for it myself I looked at my own talents: A constant need to make ditties in my head, and a lack of music theory. I rolled a character in Duiran because forests, trees, primeval culture, all heavily fit the fact that by any means of the word, my music would be considered 'folk' at best. So here are a few tips, I use myself, and I'm hoping they're applicable. You didn't mention whether you wanted the creations will be created by your character, but my own personal experience is from doing a character study, so the advice will dip into your character's experience as well.
    • When picking an instrument, a Lute would be universal. Aetolia is its own game, and there isn't a bard class, but the easiest way to trope yourself as a bard is to get yourself a stringed instrument. I have less experience with shadow side, but I imagine string instruments are common enough with semi-industrious settings like the cities of Aetolia.
    • Borrow inspiration from music your focus' culture is based on. While it's hard to sometimes pinpoint what culture a writer or player drew there inspiration from, most areas give some kinds of clues. I know for a fact the Duamvi culture is in part based off of the culture of India, so having some music inspired by sitar or tabla wouldn't be out of the question.
    • Explore the area. Enorian has multiple sections, there's a poor quarter, there's a market district, there's an island with a building dedicated to the light divines and a large flame. There are at least two taverns, the air is filled with the clanking of armor and the chime of bells for the faithful, reminding everyone of the presence of the gods. Tainted seagulls and snakes are constant pests
    • If you catch yourself thinking a ditty in your head, record it if you can. I get constant earworms and it's all I can do to get them to stop, honestly.
    • Learn about the lore through events posts, news posts, poetry posts, library books, or even socializing.
    I rolled a grook in Enorian a few months back, but due to time constraints in real life I never felt like I fully brought him into fruition. His back story was a grook vermin hunter from the dock district, a very simple beginning, but it helped me visualize and grow the character. Here's a song I was writing about Enorian and using a few factors of just experiencing things in game I came up with this. The song can be put to the tune of Age of Aggression/Oppression from Skyrim.
    'Killing vermin's not pretty, but neither am I.' Said the young verdant grook with the wink of his eye. But gulls lead to gold, and gold leads to drink to swig by the Beryl* till our faces turn pink. Hark Enor'ian, one day I'll have wealth, The Grand Flame will burn with such vigor and health. With a flame in my heart, and a lute by my side, The agents of Shadow will cower and hide. The clank of the steel, the gruff blacksmith's swears. The chiming of bells, and the calling to prayer. A call to defend, to serve with our skills. Should again city fall, with the Light we rebuild. Cower, o Shadow, you've numbered your days. Vampires and Undead, repent in your ways. When the battles are won and history is writ We cry 'Blessed be Light and all who reach for it!'
    *Not once have I seen a 'Beryl of Laughs', 'Beryl of Wine', or a 'Beryl of Monkeys' mentioned anywhere, and I feel like this is a squandered opportunity.
    Very cool :) My current work is more electronic music oriented.  I am a pretty average guitar player.  I have some basic melodies that I can probably post up soon that I am planning to expand on and try to harmonize, as my actually produced music so far is all instrumental.
    Bruin
  • As an aside, so you're aware in choosing instruments, there exists the Luthier, Tambourier, and Ventier talents, meaning that string, percussion, and wind instruments already exist fully IG in various forms due to these talents. While true, this does not extend to electronic music, it does broaden the availability you may consider if you aim for synthesis.
    DrayneBruin
  • Here's what I've got to start with after a couple days of work in my free time:



    For those of you who know music theory, I try to write with a "four-part harmony" mentality. While this has worked for me pretty well so far, it takes me awhile to get going or to bring disparate ideas together. In this case, Haven wants something metal (and I found a cool "dark chanting monks" sound preset which fits in with that theme) but my attempts to work an "uplifting anthem" theme in there with it is currently pretty awkward.

    Nevertheless, I thought it might be fun to share it in the really early stages, ask for feedback and any other comments or ideas people might have.

    The most obvious thing to do is to just split them up into different parts of the song, although it will take a lot more work on the melodies before that could work. Also, since I'm trying to write a four-part harmony, there's two parts left to go in with this. One would probably be a high-pitched arpeggio (top register) and the other a longer and slower melody (second from the top).
    ArchelausBruinGalilei
  • I haven't forgotten ya'll :) But maybe due to me hearing Christmas music everywhere, my current progress on an Enorian theme has turned into a Christmas song. I think I'm going to just go with it and then give this another stab later, working mostly from scratch.
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