Does anyone have any music suggestions?

As you may know, the game I'm working on, Ice Cream Showdown, combines the themes of ice cream, and the old west.

But I'm having a hard time finding the right music for the game. I've had several people tell me they don't like country, and even my dad who used to do country line dancing said he doesn't like the "hillbilly" music I had him listen to.

Changing the theme of the game is out of the question, so I need to find music that fits a western theme, but which people will like, and which fits the pacing of a game.

Now, I know that people say they hate country music, but the question is do they really hate country, or do they just hate listening to country outside of a western? Because I find it hard to beleive westerns are popular if everyone hates country, and country is a pretty popular form of music anyway. I've had people say that John Devner isn't country. If he's not country what is he? He ain't pop, that's for sure. Michael Jackson is pop. And most people would say he's country.

So what style of music do you think I should use? Got any examples? I can't imagine anyone here hated Back to the Future 3 and that had lots of country western music in it.

Here's the links to the music I sent my dad:

http://www.pbtmlive.com/demos/2306.mp3
http://www.pbtmlive.com/demos/2304.mp3
http://www.pbtmlive.com/demos/2310.mp3
http://www.pbtmlive.com/demos/2302.mp3
http://www.pbtmlive.com/demos/1812.mp3

Now to me, those seem to have a perfect pacing for a game. I'm not entirely sure that dixieland is appropriate for the theme, but the game Tapper used some of the music here, and that was popular and fit the pacing. I'm not sure if this is a case of I should just ignore what people say and do what I think is right or what, because if some of the folks here had their way, I think no wastern on earth would use western music. :-)

But I'm hoping someone here has a suggestion that people can agree on. My dad not liking the above music concerns me because he's the casual gamer type the game is aimed at, and I know he likes country, so that's not a good sign. On the other hand the game might be more appealing to kids who haven't heard those songs to death and would find them catchy. I just don't know what to do. I don't even feel safe at this point having some musician compose custme music for me, because I'd probably ask for the same thing people here are saying they don't like.

So what genre do you reccomend. And do you like the music above, don't mind it, or hate it?

Do you like any of the music here? Most of this seems too calm for a game to me, but this is what most of the country music I find sounds like:
http://www.flyinghands.com/style-mp3+Country.html#results

use queens greatest hits and another one bites the dust

I don't see anything wrong with your choices... seems icecreamy and westerny to me...

Keep in mind that this music would be playing in the background at half volume with the sound feffects on top too.

One guy insisted tapper didn't use this sort of music or he wouldn't have played it, but it does. I think people don't even notice the music unless it's wrong. Take a movie for example. Do you remember the music from any movies? The only movie I rememebr the music from besides catchy stuff like the music ZZ top plays in Back to the Future 3, is the music from Star Trek: Nemesis which was this crappy techno inspired garbage, and that's why I remember it, because it didn't fit the theme.

Steely Dan is cool

It's bluesy like ZZ Top. I can name some specific songs if you like them

I don't generally like ZZtop. They just did a good country song that they play in a cameo in the movie during some sort of party.

Mmmmm... ZZ Top and Steely Dan...
Awesome...

Good, Bad & Ugly?

I don't see anyone except Dampe telling me how they feel about the music I selected above, comeon guys! Does this mean you don't like it or hate it? Cause if people don't hate it, that's good enough for me. I think I won't ever find music everyone likes.

Also I need suggestions for specific songs or genres, and none of this silly crap like zztop. :-) I guess I'll have to listen to some steely dan and I am not familar with their work, but I suspect that you guys are way off your rockers suggesting them.

I'm imagining action in a western ice-cream parlour. People are coming in and lining up, and I'm thinking ahead and planning out the order of things I'm going to be doing to get them on their way happily so I can get to the next level. I pause for a moment in my musings to check out the atmospheric music playing quietly in the background that's urging me to keep up with the sometimes frenetic action and reminding me that I'm in the wild wild west.

And the music I hear is what you've just posted.

In context, it'll be great. Go with it. Seriously.

[edit] For the love of God, it's an ice-cream parlour.[/edit]

Hate it! Jesus Christ, it's agonising! I like westerns but not because of country music like this. Get some Morricone style music going and it's gonna be good. The Pogues had a Morricone inspired song which could have fit the pacing of a Tapper-like game.

Edit: Well, actually that's a pretty stupid suggestion come to think of it :) But do yourself a favour and don't use those samples above.

"I like westerns but not because of country music like this."

Here let me correct that for you:
"I like westerns DESPITE country music like this."

What you're saying is that you like westerns even though they have music you don't like. That means you tolerate the music when it is wrapped in a movie you enjoy, but might otherwise hate the music when you're listening to it outside the movie.

If nobody here can provide an example of a western which had music which fit the theme which they actually liked, then I have to assume that everyone here likes westerns regardless of what music is played in the background, and why should the same not be true for a western game? Will everyone hate GUN because the music is western?


LineOf7s:
Thanks. :-)

Morricone was good

You guys are crazy!

Here's the music from The Good the Bad and the Ugly, which was composed by this Morricone fellow:

http://www.mp3search.ru/album.html?id=29348&ref=4478

Only the title music is even REMOTELY suitable, and even then, it would only work as a title theme, or maybe during the showdown cinematic sequence.

I'm not sure if you could work the "sound" of the title music into a workable game theme. I'm not sure what kind of guitar is there, but you've got that, and the snare drums that you could work with, and maybe a chorus. I just don't see that working as background music during gameplay. It wouldn't be subtle at all, it'd be right in your face. It would get annoying listening to it 100 times because you'd pay attention to it. Good background music isn't neccessarily good music to listen to on it's own.

I think I'm just gonna have to get a playable version of the game up and running and try some of that music in the background and see how people like it in that context. Unfortunately, doing that costs money since I can't get full length samples of the music otherwise.

Well, I can't listen to any of that music because I get:


Anyway, I probably wouldn't be of much help anyway, as I don't like Country music or Western films - I mean the clean-shaven, American kind. Spaghetti Westerns are cool and so is the music but it really wouldn't be suitable for your game, I don't think.

The only suggestion I would make - and I think I've said it before, but you ignored it :) - is to use Banjo music. I think this would really fit the game, especially as this kind of music can start off quite slow and gradually pick up pace as the action becomes more frantic. It also has a fun, 'comedy' sound to it.

I agree, especially as your mind will be occupied with other things. I think you should just go with the music that you think is suitable, Shawn.

"The only suggestion I would make - and I think I've said it before, but you ignored it :) - is to use Banjo music."

You say Banjo music as if it is a genre. I have nothing against music where a banjo is the main instrument, but I haven't exactly come across a plethora of banjo music.

Licensemusic.com has a crappy interface, so I haven't explored it much, but it does seem to have more music than any other place, and it does allow you to search by instrument, so maybe I'll take a look there for music played with banjo and see if any of it fits.

Well, I thought we were talking about Country/Western music for your game, so, I mean Country/Western music played on a Banjo. :)

I'm talking about the kind of music they (used to) play in Dukes of Hazzard during the 'whacky' police chase scenes - well, for when your game gets frantic, anyway. Maybe a mix of Banjo and Fiddle music like this would be good?

yeah the Morricone music would only work for level start/end or game over or title or something, maybe in bonus mode or when a really BAD customer comes in he haw. The banjo music (DoHaz chase) idea is cool. But maybe in the the you should just have some up beat computery non-offensive music like every other game. Then you'll spend less time worrying about it and just get on with the game!

Actually, the type of music I'm talking about could be known as 'bluegrass' - not sure. :)

"Then you'll spend less time worrying about it and just get on with the game!"

I can't finish the game till the art is done anyway, and the better the game is, the better it will sell. Music, game deisgn, and artwork need to work together to make a successful game!

Have you done the code plan yet and if so, have you started the code yet? what about placeholders? I know you probably know this stuff but I figured a kick up your binary arse might help ;-)

Code plan? Any code planning I do in my head before I start programming.

Yeah I should get my ass and start actually coding the damn thing now that I know what I need to do. I was waiting till I had more art and had a better idea of how exactly the gameplay would work, and I've got a pretty damn good idea how the gameplay will be now. Maybe the next thing I have the artist do after finishing the freezer should be seperating all the shop components out so I can start loading and assembling them and get to wor on gameplay.

OK cool (pun), I'm waiting.

sswift, you worry too much.

You're in a classic situation, in that you've asked fans of country music for their opinion of certain pieces of country music. Of course they're gonna slag it!

When one of our fellow Blitzers offered the fantasy medieval pack recently, (being a history buff) I told him that external wood beams were never curved, only internal within the roof.
I'm sure he laughed, silently offered me two fingers, and carried on as he was.

I know this guy who makes fine furniture (really expensive5 figure stuff) and they can bend wood in a steamer with clamps but it takes ages and is really expensive, so yes roofs definitely never had them.

I'd use that country that you just posted right there.

Alien... "roofs definitely never had them" - well actually roofs definitely DID have them; it was part of the style.
But external wall beams didn't.

Anyway, maybe you're missing the point.

I doubt the author of the models really cares about my historical knowledge, in the same way that James Bond films are hardly rooted in reality, but does the Broccoli organisation care?

I'm pointing out that 'enthusiasts' like me are always dogmatic and critical, whether it's wall beams or country music.
So, swifty, the correct answer to the critics is "Oh, it's not 'proper' country music then?- I'm sure I'll lose sleep over that. Not."

But I wasn't asking country music enthusiasts what country music they liked, I was askign random Blitz programmers who probably prefer ... Geez, I don't know what groups arepopular these days. Uh... Nine Inch Nails, how about that.

I just wanted to know if it was music that people who don't normally listen to country would be willing to stand during gameplay. But I guess I'll have to actually put it in the game to see that.

If it's that much of an issue to you, provide alternative music packs. :)

John Blackledge: OK, so I guess I shoulda said *most* roofs, or am I wrong there, did a lot of internal roofs have curved (bent) wood, I wouldn't of thought so due to the expense (and time factor) of the process.

Best western soundtrack outside of a Morricone spaghetti western is the soundtrack Neil Young did for 'Dead Man.' It is awesome - compelling. But not exactly suitable for a video game...

... however, the use of steel guitar may be worth considering. I would also second big10p's 'banjo' suggestion. There is probably a subconscious link to 'duelling banjos' that ties in with your 'duelling' theme.

I tried to find an MP3 of 'dueling banjos' from the film to post as an example to sswift, but gave up looking. Could only find crappy midi versions, and such. :/

I've heard deuling banjos before. But that's not really suitable. That reminds me I have to try licensemusic again for banjo music because last time the website broke after I listened to three songs.

You might be on to something with the banjo and fiddle music there big10... I was watching Mythbusters today and they had a myth about a shotgun, and during the segment they were playing music with a banjo, a fiddle, and drums and it sounded western and might have been suitable for my game.

Of course, whether or not I can go with something like that hinges on whether I can find the right sort of banjo music to license. But there's around 300 banjo songs I think on licensemusic.com to look through so there might be a good chance of finding something.

Well no, only the rich people that could afford the glitz to impress others. But certainly not as wall bracing/external.

sswift: Horray! That type of music was certainly what I could 'hear' playing when I saw your game description and screenies. Sourcing the right music like this for your game may well be a pain, but I think it'll be well worth it.

I only wanted to let you hear 'dueling banjos' for the part where it really gets going. It's kind of a fun/comedy sound that I think would fit with the frantic parts of the gameplay. I thought you'd probably heard it before (who hasn't?) but just wanted to point it out as a 'rough' example of the type of music I was talking about.

Good luck and keep us posted! :)