So, I was originally planning to mostly use some existing public domain music, But it is an area I have thought a lot about but not completely decided.
I was originally thinking of trying to mostly use public domain Jazz recordings from the 1910s. along with some public domain classical pieces. I actually found some really cool classical pieces which also have jazz pieces, so I actually considered trying to use both the classical and jazz form of things but have been wobbling. As the project idea evolved.
I might not end up needing any though.
I already added a simple music system to one of my earlier test projects built on the tutorial. (An unfinished port/remake of another Jam game of mine from several years back.) So the basic technical part should be there.
I am actually a musician and occasional composer myself. But I doubt I would have time to do much in that way myself with the other stuff. actually writing vocals is pretty hard for me.
But I can sing in baritone with a fairly wide range(Did collegiate choir awhile) if you had a lyric idea.. And I have an old piano, a melodica(Which sounds pretty jazzy, like halfway between a trumpet and a harmonica, essentially 1-handed piano in terms of what it can play.), kazoo, and a cajon drum. So if you had an existing track and some sort of melody or such in music that isn't too complex I wouldn't mind recording something if time allows? Still, I figure just getting a straight digital daw recording would be best if we did do something.
My game idea is essentially a horror western game set in Lousianna. with some Lovecraftian elements.
Has like a swamp level, a big canyon, a mine, and some elemental caves. (ice or fire.) And then maybe like the corrupted cult/monster pit section.
(Already have the map gen for the canyon, caves, and swamps more generally from a previous project, and a clear idea of what to do for the mine and pits. but I do of course have tweaking.)
Game will have a torch system. (possibly day night timer when outside not sure. for earlier levels?)
So I have considered maybe doing a varient off music based on the presence of enemies or changing the track at night.
(So far I have considered just using hall of the mountain king and swapping to a jazz version of the same song when enemies are spotted.)
I found a couple other pieces that worked that way, but most of the others don't quite have the horror vibe.
But as a possible option, I could send you some other existing classical(or technically romantic era) pieces with a good vibe for the type of game I want that I might look into making a jazz version as an option? I looked into trying to learn some of them myself from sheet music more generally, but they were a bit much and I got a bit busy.
A significant part of the original idea came from listening to existing jazz pieces. (Why I originally put it into lousianna.) However when I came up with an amazing idea to pivot it to horror based on how the gameplay ideas developed.
So, some of it might work, but practically it seems like if I did want too do jazz horror it would probably have to be original because I can't really find existing stuff like that? So I had been thinking I might just use jazz for only a couple things, and then just go back into some of the really cool, drammatic, and scary classical pieces.
I wouldn't be opposed to more of a horror/western direction musically. since that does sort of fit with the genre.
(Although I felt jazz might be a great fit to the lousianna part.)
Do you have expereince using a DAW/digital audio workstation. Or you most likely record a drum and actual guitar line for the music probably?
I might link to some more existing public domain recordings and sheet music I have considered using if you are interested. Still if someone else is likely to have a cool music setup or a better musical fit, they might need a musician more?
I actually found one french composer who was actually writing in the era of the west whose works were somewhat popular in lousianna.
One song set I particularly like is the following three, which are together. Although, considering the insturmentation, I have no idea how it might convert. Might not actually be needed. I actually considered using the "grave" section either as a main menu theme or possible a death or major element theme?
https://musopen.org/music/29096-concerto-for-violin-piano-and-string-quartet-in-...
He has a lot of others that would be well suited to it.
I actually originally started my game design using music as inspiration.
I do already have some pretty cool swampy music I found, which I considered as an alternate direction. but isn't quite jazzy really. But if I end up cutting the jazz element I might use. (Although, I wouldn't be opposed to seeing your take on something.)