(x-posted from the SMC forums)

 

Hey folks,

 

To celebrate the Two Guys reuniting, and releasing a new game (albeit not a SQ game), I am proud to pledge SMC's support and celebrate by announcing something I've been working on since the start of April, which is..

<drumroll>

.. the Space Quest IV Soundtrack, the 10th anniversary (of the original recording by SMC of the soundtrack in its' entirety)/20th anniversary (of the game and its' music) edition!

 

The original Roland MT-32 score has been edited from the original game MIDI resources, and will be enhanced with Roland Sound Canvas (SC-55/8820/8850) and Yamaha XG (MU-2000) tracks.

 

 

Now for those who remember the 2002 MT-32 MP3 recordings I have over at Roger Wilco's Virtual Broomcloset, you may remember although it's a good effort for what it was, there's a lot of sound effect tracks that have no music, and tracks start/finish rather haphazardly at times.

 

This is a different animal altogether. There will be no sound effect only pieces, such as "Security Droid" and "Programming Chamber" (although some sound effects will be present in the soundtrack recording), and each piece has been carefully edited from the original game resources, not recorded in-game, so as to give proper starts/endings to each piece.

There are a couple of musical-ish pieces that are basic and ambient, such as the Estros and Ulence Flats background music, but that's about it.

 

 

But don't just listen to me. How's this for an endorsement- Ken Allen (original composer) just previewed the SMC beta for Track 1, the title theme, and gave this preliminary feedback: "The music sounds great".

You can listen here: http-~~-//sierramusiccentral.com/assorted/SQ4Track01.mp3

Or direct download here.

 

Regards,

- Spike

Fantastic!

Hey Spikey,

 

Nice to see you rockin' again. :P

Nice! Fixed your download link, you should be able to use the url BBCode as I did above.

This sample does sound brilliant, Alistair. Looking forward to hearing the complete soundtrack. Will you be doing a lossless version as well?

Thanks MI, Pcj, Frans. Appreciate the support.

 

Heh, good question, Olzen. I get asked that a lot.. The short answer is that time and space does not allow for it. If SMC grows sufficiently now that I'm back with some regularity, or gets enough feedback, we'll go down that road. I will be changing my site's policy in the nearish future to explain that SMC will be using the highest VBR MP3 sttings from now on.

 

I'm sure if SQ people like Frans or Jess can either support the project or host it, a lossless version could be released for the SQ community..

 

Thanks for the comment, too. Kinda embarrassing talking to Ken Allen about it, but he was (is) very supportive and is excited to be back in the fold, I think.

Funnily enough, I want to change a couple things about that track I posted, although it is 95% complete as is. Anyway, back to it.

Holy-- er, shit, I've all run out of family-friendly expletives involving Batman and/or logjams.

 

Spikey, quick thought: Don't all these tracks come out the other end as .WAV files? Upload those guys to BandCamp.com; they'll encode them into FLAC, MP3 and whatever lossless format you want, for your users to download.

 

Fair warning: We've been secretly talking about adding a soundtrack section to the new SQN. We really, really (okay; I do) hope you're up for this, because your soundtracks are, pardon the expression, fucking amazing.

 

One thought I wafted around was that we create a "SpaceQuest.net" profile with BandCamp.com and upload your special soundtracks as albums. That way, not only will people be able to stream individual tracks off the site -- AND we can embed the player in the SQN layout -- but they will also be able to download individual tracks or the whole album as a collated ZIP-file.

 

SoundCloud is another option, but it doesn't quite provide the freedom I had in mind. I'm thinking, as you were on sierramusiccentral.com, about FULL FLEDGED SOUNDTRACK ALBUMS.

 

Forgive me for being overly enthusiastic. But this stuff's just too good for me to listen to reason.

Thanks Troels :) Let's continue the SQn stuff in the other thread. :)

X-posted from my website's forums:

 

Second sample track out. Now at 15 out of 41 complete, so just over 33% done.

Here's track 13, "Copy Protection Theme (The UIVPPP)":

[media=]http-~~-//sierramusiccentral.com/assorted/SQ4Track13.mp3[/media]

 

This only plays in the floppy version, although given the song does occur, with extra music at the end, in the CD version's resources, the song was probably meant to show up in the CD version too. Guess they decided they didn't need the protection.

 

Not sure whether I'll change the second loop, or delete it entirely. Thoughts?

 

 

While I'm pondering it, anyone up for helping me with track titles? I have some that are definite, and some I'm definitely not definite on.

I'll help you with track titles. In my more arrogant moments, I like to think I was the one who originated the "Format Countdown" title. (Although that was pretty obvious ...)

So I take it you're not including the music tracks for riding the patrol craft back to the streets of Xenon?

The only track I intend to not include is the "Return to Xenon Streets", yes. But in keeping with my completist attitude, it will likely be included as a bonus track after the closing theme. I may find a way to incorporate it into the soundtrack, but I think it would just detract from the flow, e.g. putting it between "The Stowaway" and "The Landing Bay". And I can't think of anywhere else to put it, and I'm trying very hard to not have optional tracks like in the vein of "Track 11- The Stowaway", "Track 11(a)- Return to Xenon Streets", "Track 12- The Landing Bay". But maybe that would work, thoughts please.

 

I definitely want help wth SOME track titles, the example on the SMC thread right now is the Pterodactyl track, see http://forum.sierramusiccentral.com/index.php?topic=950 for more comments.

You could squeeze the track in between Monochrome Boys and Vohaul's Fortress, Part II, since the player would have a logical reason to go back to the streets by that point (forgot the PocketPal or the jar of acid maybe?) before trying to enter the laser tunnel.

 

I've just never heard the track in anything other than AdLib, hence my dogged insistence. I apologize. :P

I'm sure I can accomodate your insistence ;) It will just likely be a bonus track.

 

As for the soundtrack, working on finishing "Zondra and Thoreen" ala the QuestStudios' version, which was superb. Hard to live up to, but I will try.

Puts us about 18/41 tracks so far.

OK, more than overdue for an update.. x-posted from the SMC forums:

 

OK, updates. I'm working on a few things as far as messing with earlier tracks in the score, but on face value, I'm about 33 out of 41 done as far as the soundtrack's beta goes.

Since percentage is my latest buzzword, I'm about 80% done with the soundtrack beta. SMC's 10th anniversary is drawing ever closer, 31st August for those who've forgotten, so I definitely need it done this month!

 

I have mixed feelings about the project. Some tracks are very strong, some not so strong. My goal was to take Tom of QS's SQ4CD and improve upon it, I think some will be better, some worse. most will be like that anyway, but I had big expectations. Unfortunately the MT-32 soundtrack for this game does not always translate so easily to other modules, and I'm having problems getting the exact sound I want without spending DAYS on a single track, like I used to before I worked, which isn't feasible now.

 

Anyway. It will be done soon, and I want you guys to help me with beta testing as always :)

(Above line aimed at SMC regulars, but people here are welcome to help me too!)

We can beta test music? How does that work?

 

I know... just asking that means I was not aimed at... but I'm still curious!

Not so, asking doesn't mean that at all! You're welcome to be a part.

 

Beta test means beta test the 'first draft' of my enhanced SQ4 soundtrack, before I enter round 2 and chop and change things a little. Now 95% of what I make will be the same, but I may need to tweak bass up or down a little, drumkits, or anything else. I may decide I hate what I did to a piece and start over. I may think it's OK but responses from beta testers are bad for a certain piece or whatever.

 

It's just always good to look twice at it and gets folks' opinions before you release a soundtrack for the masses, you know? :)

 

Let me know, happy to have you onboard.

X-posted from SMC a week ago:

 

(Fan feedback not required, but always appreciated. I am trying to move this project on out though, so nothing TOO detailed or nitpicky please!!)

 

Beta soundtrack posted.

http://www.sierramusiccentral.com/archives/assorted/SQ4BetaCD.zip (188 MB)

It's rough, I have done some more versions since for some of these, but I wanted for you guys to listen to the score as I originally recorded, before making 'fine tuning', and give feedback.

 

Tracks that will fade out or link together are not faded or linked, so some will end abruptly. Some have alternate versions, like SQ4Track01a and SQ4Track01b, later versions mean I usually did something alternate but wanted to keep both for the beta.

Tracks are in 48kHz and are not normalized, so will be quiet.

 

Thanks for bearing with me and let me know what you think. Hopefully I can get this out by the first week of November.

I'm downloading this right now, as we speak! and putting it on my girly pink iPod. I shall return vengefully with comments! yes, comments!

Holy smokes Ali, it feels like forever since I checked in over at SMC, and I apologize for that. School and work have pretty much put a damper on any recreational activities lately, and the impending holiday season's only going to intensify that...I'll grab this and send you some feedback ASAP though!

Thanks to the Two Guys who replied.. I mean, Troels and Vroom.

 

Another fan made me realise the beta CD doesn't include track 7, which in the beta recording phase I wasn't happy with, so here's the round 2 version:

http://www.sierramusiccentral.com/assorted/SQ4Track07.mp3

Hey Alistair are you also planning on including the music that plays when riding the moving walkway around the Galaxy Galleria? I know it's nothing more than the various "Store themes" but it's atmospheric in it's own way.

Sir I am not. :) All themes contained therein will be recorded as its' own theme.

 

Of course, for Alan I may be able to do a favour if requested..

I'd only request if it wouldn't be too much of a hassle of course good sir! :)

I am finally getting round to listening to this. It's in my ears right now as I write this, and I'm only up to the Xenon sewers, but ... Man, WOW.

 

Can't wait to hear Prof. Lloyd's theme. This is really good stuff.

 

Could perhaps use some higher levels in mastering, but that's next stage, I realize that.

 

Ooh, Lloyd's up! Aw, sweet ...