Quick announcement before the results are revealed: we finally got around to creating a Tune Jam Discord server. Going forward, this will be the best way to receive updates on future Tune Jams, in addition to providing a place to connect with fellow musicians/composers/coaches.
If this were actually boss fight music, that would be the grooviest boss ever!
If I had to guess, since the low bass guitar is played throughout the composition, I guess that this represents the “inner demons”. I thought it was interesting how anytime the brass was heard, it signaled the end for the bass/inner demons.
Neat! I enjoyed the section at 0:34. The way the melody repeats but descends with the chords is quite nice. The rhythm stays the same the 1st and 2nd time, but the 3rd time it changes up and adds an interesting variation to the melody.
I’m interested in hearing how this tune would sound with a C major chord at 0:43 (instead of G). That’s probably up to personal taste, but either way, thanks for sharing this tune!
Love the high energy of this tune! As others have noted, the drums could be more structured. Or you could probably achieve structure through a solid bass guitar/synth part (and keep the drums as is because they really bring the intensity)
Perhaps you could experiment with accompaniment parts (strings, upbeat chords, saw wave) to complement the melody.
Nice! Sounds like “Danny Elfman” meets “Banjo Kazooie”. There’s plenty of variation between the melody, harmonized melody, and C Major bridge sections to keep the composition fresh.
Nice composition! I genuinely enjoyed the section at 1:08 with those epic chord changes. Also there was a section in the middle (~0:44) with some really cool “boss fight”-y syncopated guitar hits.
Truly beautiful composition. The descending arpeggiated Halloween chords above the sustained organ chords create an impressively powerful emotion. Amazing work!
I enjoyed the way you layered harmonies ~0:18 and again at 0:55 with the descending xylophone pattern. All those chromatic, descending, xylophone sounds make me picture a skeleton stumbling around.
Wow! I really enjoyed how this piece develops (with the 3 movement structure). The cello motif in section 2 and 3 adds some interesting dramatic contrast to the otherwise evil sounding accompaniment.
If this were in a real video game, it would be cool if that cello line had actual significance to the player. Making it’s appearance in the boss fight that much more emotional.
Also I love how well the first section with the percussion/piano hits captures that impending death aesthetic!
Interesting composition! Something I noticed: there is a theremin-ish synth (heard at 0:20) which is heard again at 0:49 to establish the main melody. I believe this represents the “shadowy figure” revealing itself as the “twisted demon”, and if so that’s some impeccable compositional theming!
Wow what a tune! This has a very unique way of creating tension through a mixture of major and minor note choices. The dissonance in this captures what it (probably) sounds like to be called on by Death.
Cool! Just curious: was this improvised live? I’m not familiar with BandLab.
I liked the chromatic motif at 0:57. This added to the “boss fight” tension. I’m interested in hearing this developed furthur (perhaps walking bass lines, maybe more hi-hat)
Very strong melodic composition. (In the lead and the bass line) Not only is the melody memorable, the way it dances within the key and across chords is executed masterfully.
It should go without saying, but the production is top shelf! I hear either a highly synthesized harpsichord or a layering of a harpsichord and some kind of saw. Either way, it’s an interesting blend of Halloween and electronic!
Wow this has some real impression production value! The drums getting progressively more intense reflects the amount of damage the boss has sustained throughout the fight.
If I’m not mistaken, the real guitarwork adds a sense of aggression on top of the soft, delicate choir. (By the way, the palm muted section at 2:21 kicks ass!)
Aside from being very catchy, this would definitely work as boss fight music!
That whole middle section that switches between Db and C and finally resolves at 1:44 is the kind of tense cadence I want to experience in a boss fight!
The various sections/phases make for a very dynamic boss fight soundtrack. What really stands out to me is how the all the tracks change at different speeds. (I think even the strings parts play triplets against mostly straight eighths). This is the kind of rhythmic dissonance I like in a boss fight tune!
I admire that you embraced the machinery/electronic aspect. The combination of ghosts, glitches, and machinery is executed masterfully and is a refreshing take on the Halloween themed boss.
I can picture this soundtrack playing while a massive boss stumbles around trying to attack the player! The complexity across the variety of instruments/tracks creates a unique sonic experience.
I feel that chromaticism is usually a hard thing to get right, but it’s used here masterfully! The chromatic organ run 0:43 is a powerful lesson on how to add intensity to a piece.
Personally I really want this tune make it into a real video game boss fight. Thanks for sharing!
It’s impressive how much mileage you were able to get out of the lead melody. I enjoyed listening to how it gets progressively more layered and more varied over time.
Nice! I was hoping to hear some Halloween waltzes this jam!
Smart move to establish the melody during the “music box” introduction. The full orchestra joining in at 0:10 create a sense of grandiose perfect for a boss fight. Also the accelerando towards the end was the perfect way for the player to end their waltz with the boss!
Those octave leaps in the main guitar riff really sell the frantic/unhinged intensity of a boss fight (that combined with the gallopy drums). There’s a cool ascending chromatic idea at 0:35 to represent (in my mind) the growing intensity of the boss fight.
Awesome interpretation of the theme! The concept of a boss with psychological attacks is with worth exploring on it’s own!
The production tricks used here really sell the “insanity” element. I particularly liked how you panned the synths as a way to play with user’s perception of left/right.
In my mind, this tune has all the charm of an N64-era boss fight music with the production value/tricks of modern day music. (maybe because the section at 1:06 with the laughing reminds me of the “Mad Jack” fight from Donkey Kong 64).
Either way, this was a treat to listen to. Thanks for joining our Tune Jam!
Really good Halloween atmosphere/instrumentation! The reverb on the guitar track makes me think “final boss room”. That dirty, raw drum track adds to the intensity also. Nice job!
This tune combines so many musical techniques so effectively to create the Halloween boss fight aesthetic: dissonance, irregular time signatures, ascending modulations, etc. With every consecutive listen of this tune, you discover something new.
Being able to see the score while listening to this was insanely useful!
This was composed beautifully. Throughout the piece you’ve got this simple piano melody leading the charge. Then more and more accompaniment/counterpoint lines are layered in to build tension (in a boss fight sense). Those rising arpeggiated synths worked really well, thematically speaking.
Wow. First reaction: the production on this is incredibly punchy!
The heroic guitar sections contrasting with the more synthesized/symphonic/organ sections was a genius musical move (makes sense for a tune titled “Storming Dracula’s Castle”).
