Inside the Music of Tiberian Twilight Options

[Sonic]

A brand new blog written by Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight Audio Director, Nick Laviers, has been posted on the Official C&C Site. In this, the first of a series of three blogs, Nick covers the creation the music in Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight and he includes extra info about the work of each of the three composers. Here's a sample.

There is a musical term 'Leitmotif' which basically means a 'recurring tune associated with a person, place, thing, etc...' Tiberian Twilight uses leitmotif extensively. James had the task of coming up with the tunes for the two factions and the main characters in the game. The idea was for the tunes to say something about what they stood for. Then these themes could be orchestrated differently to represent different settings and moods.

GDI Theme
This ended up being the main theme for the game because the graphics in the main menu have a GDI styling. James actually wrote two where the main menu look and sound would differ depending on whether you were playing as GDI or NOD, however, not all great ideas always come to fruition.

The mood of the GDI theme is military and heroic, as you can hear from the big brass melody line. Like all the other GDI tracks, it uses just orchestra. No singing or electronic instruments. Here are some samples: (1) Is the 'basic' GDI theme as it appears in the main menu, (2) as it appears in the first movie of the GDI campaign underscoring the dialogue, (3) in a 'getting down to business' style as heard in the early missions of the game and (4) in a combat setting.

As you can tell by the quoted text above you can listen to samples of all the tracks discussed through out the article. So click here to read it.

[D14810]

It hurts, because especially the music plays a big role in the C&C scene, and it could have taken the game up a notch, but this doesn't. I hate the fact that C&C has succumbed to orchestral.
No hate against the artist, I just think it's the wrong choice for this game.

[sith_wampa]

It hurts, because especially the music plays a big role in the C&C scene, and it could have taken the game up a notch, but this doesn't. I hate the fact that C&C has succumbed to orchestral.
No hate against the artist, I just think it's the wrong choice for this game.

The electronic music of Klepacki fit in much better.

[Nmenth]

The electronic music of Klepacki fit in much better.

It did not 'fit in', it was the original. The original defines the standard, not the other way around.
You can say the new stuff is better or worse, but saying the original is more C&C is redundant, because it is C&C.

[sith_wampa]

It did not 'fit in', it was the original. The original defines the standard, not the other way around.
You can say the new stuff is better or worse, but saying the original is more C&C is redundant, because it is C&C.

Ok, then replace the TD soundtrack or better yet, the TS soundtrack with the orchestral and tell me with a straight face its better.

Surely I feel bias to this as Klepacki was the original. Does orchestral fit in with a modern day - near future storyline? I don't think it does, but that's probably just opinion.

[Nmenth]

I think you misunderstood. My point is that you can't say the original piece fits the game's style, because the game's style is created by the original piece.
It's like saying an original Van Gogh is more Van Gogh than a knock off. Well obviously! You can only say the knock off is better or worse than the original.

[sith_wampa]

I think you misunderstood. My point is that you can't say the original piece fits the game's style, because the game's style is created by the original piece.
It's like saying an original Van Gogh is more Van Gogh than a knock off. Well obviously! You can only say the knock off is better or worse than the original.

Yeah I understand that. I think regardless of what the original score was, the electronic seems like the better choice. And since TD, the electronic has become the norm.

In other words, if I were the person who picked the first soundtrack back in 1995, I would have chosen electronic over orchestral. But it's safe to say I am at least a little biased in saying that, because of what the norm has become.

[Mighty BOB!]

I dearly miss the electronic and industrial rock music. Orchestral is just so generic.

[sith_wampa]

Orchestral is just so generic.

It's just is a little bit older than electronic.

And I think Star Wars probably adds to the genericness.

[Luk3us]

I dearly miss the electronic and industrial rock music. Orchestral is just so generic.

Orchestral is quite universal though. Which is what makes it generic, that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

[gben]

I think the music is great as a soundtrack for the FMV's, but by and large doesn't seem to work at in-game music...
The stuff is great, but perhaps not appropriate for the experience/emotion we desire.

[sith_wampa]

The stuff is great, but perhaps not appropriate for the experience/emotion we desire.

Agreed.

[Mighty BOB!]

I think the music is great as a soundtrack for the FMV's, but by and large doesn't seem to work at in-game music...

Yeah that's true.