This fact was brought to mind by this recent post by Bashiok:
Official Blizzard Quote:
I know most of you aren't into the whole WoW thing but if you visit the below link, which is a pretty awesome promotion in general, and scroll down there's a link to listen to the song 'Invincible' which is used somewhere in Icecrown (Arthas' lair). It's extremely WoW in flavor, but I think maybe gives a good sense of the quality and composition that we're at now.
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/wowan...ary/battlecry/
Hopefully the little snippets on the Diablo III site give a good impression that the Diablo music is in fact Diablo music. And comparing Diablo III, to WoW, to StarCraft II there's an obvious care and attention to each game and the settings and emotion and tone.
When compared, the sample from World of Warcraft (linked to in the above post), and this sample from Diablo III, prove to be incredibly distinct. The sample from World of Warcraft has a much more epic feel, due to the choirs in the background. The instruments themselves also contribute to this feel, listen closely and you will pick up oncellos, violins, trumpets, and other such orchestral instruments. It's this grand orchestra that helps to contribute to the epic atmospheric music of Warcraft, an atmosphere which fits the franchise like a glove.
However, the sample from Diablo III conveys a much creepier, gothic feel through to the listener. It uses odd, perhaps even unconventional sounds to produce a very unique sound. Cellos were the only actual instruments I could pick up, along with a multitude of various percussion, and synthesized sounds. Granted, I don't have a musical ear, so perhaps those of you with musical talent could shed some light on what could have went into making this piece.
To further show the musical distinction of the three franchises, is this theme from Starcraft. At first listen, you can quickly pick up on more modern sounds in the music. Synthesizers, electric guitars, drum kits, and many other more modern sounding instruments make up this piece. Which, of course, makes sense. It would be rather odd for a futuristic game such as Starcraft to use classical instruments such as the violin or trumpet.
Basically, context is key in the music. For Warcraft, which is generally high fantasy, epic sounds and music styles are used. For Diablo, their gothic fantasy franchise, odd, creepy sounds are used to compose the atmospheric music. For Starcraft, their futuristic RTS, it seems that more modern sounding instruments are brought together to form music that conveys a feeling of technological (or biological, in the case of the Zerg) conquest.
Official Blizzard Quote:
That's my feeling anyway. I work here I guess it's hard to take my word as anything but towing the company line but really I've always loved the music in Blizzard games and it just keeps getting better and better.
The truth could not be said any clearer, the music Blizzard produces has definitely evolved over the years, and improved by leaps and bounds.
When you compare music from Diablo I, and the music from Diablo III, it is quickly realized that the quality has improved. More sounds are able to be layered on top of each other, said sounds can be tweaked and modified to better convey atmosphere, and the sounds are made more crisp by improved recording and playback technology.
So, even if we are afraid of a foreign art style encroaching on our beloved franchise, we can rest assured that the music will not only improve, but will stay within the realm of gothic fantasy that we've all come to know and love.
Blizzard has yet to disappoint me, even the WoW music catches my ear. Wish I could have gone to that symphony in Australia.
I think for Diablo III to outdo Diablo II in terms of music, it needs more epic music to accompany major boss battles and more variety in atmospheric music to accompany basic travelling. I also think that splashes of less climatic battle music should randomly come on when you encounter Super Unique monsters or extremely large mobs. My brain starts going dead listening to the same atmospheric music repeating over and over again in Act I, especially when I take on a huge horde of monsters and it doesn't really fit what's happening.
I got the recent "Echoes of War" Blizzard music cd. The sound and recording was obviously fantastic, but the compositions to me fell flat and did not move me. It sounded a little soulless. I've only listened to that cd a couple times, yet I've listened to the Diablo II soundtrack innumerable times.
But that experience has me worried, if that's what I have to look forward to with Diablo 3. More focus on "epic" instruments and huge orchestra than on deeply moving and affecting melodies and moods is what I got from Echoes of War, and that was quite disappointing.
Creating great music is a personal thing; it's entirely dependent on the composer. It doesn't matter how big your orchestra is or how good your recordings are imho.
I wasn't directing that at you, I was just saying it in general. I just couldn't think of a better word for it than you used, when you said "really grabs you."
Diablo II's musical score could be summed up with two emotions: loneliness and dreariness. The only time that changed was in Act V, which only added a epic feel for one act. The music didn't vary much in Act V, though, it basically stayed there.
If I have to endure a redo of Diablo II's music in Diablo III, I'm just going to turn off the music and put on my own, like I find myself doing today with Diablo II. There needs to be variation. You can't just have atmospheric music. It works in some places, but you can't just have it everywhere or it looses its appeal and its specialness. It's like playing elevator music on a loop
I never said every moment needs to be epic. When I fight Duriel, the Prince of Pain, I expect more than atmospheric music. When I fight Diablo, I expect something more than what had been playing throughout the rest of the River of Flame. When I fight Bloodlust the Soul Eater, I expect more, not the passive guitar that has been plinging for the past two hours.
Contrasting lively battle music, epic music, and atmospheric music makes each more special when you hear it, makes each moment of play more unique, and makes the score seem less redundant.
Yea I agree. I barley noticed the music in D2. It did not come to me at all. I mean it just..idk It didnt get to me. Diablo1's music stayed with me everywhere. I mean I heard it all the time and I loved it and It went vary well. I hope D3 can keep my attention like D1 did lol.
Regarding New Tristram music from D3 - I think it's amazing, I love it. But I really hate world of sanctuary track -too epic and orchestral. Orchestra sounds out of place when it comes to Diablo atmosphere.
And if I'd be voting for the best Diablo 1/2/3 track ever - I'd pick Catacombs from D1.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0KSoDKE26o
Apart from this orchestral worldmap track, D3 music is very promising
The New Tristram theme currently on the site has the same problem for me. I love the latter half of the Caldeum theme, though. Some good melody developing there.
D1's music doesn't feel at home in D2 due to the nature of both games. From what we've seen of D3 we're going along the same line as D2 did, so we should find D3's soundtrack to be near to D2.
Cello
Bass (not the guitar version)
Viola
Synthesized Oboe
Synthesized Flute
Electric Guitar
Infinite styles of percussion
God its just so many layers it's hard to pick out specific instruments. And that sample cuts out just as the music starts to crescendo.
As for DI vs DII soundtrack... Hell yeah for DI!!! I mean just listen to the Caves Theme. Friggin awesome!! And when that wailing guitar comes in over the percussion... Then the slides on the string instruments,... Then the moans, ... Fuck that is good music!!
it really doesn't, matt is a genius