I began by choosing a Free open source piece of software called Bosca Ceoil. It has limited funtion in terms of you cant import your own sounds, but there is a large library of instruments ready to pick from. Its typically used for 8 bit style games, however different sounding tracks can be created in it too.
Bosca allowed me to experiment with different sounds and melodies, however the 8-bit style was very limiting and the software itself made it hard to edit any sounds. So I looked at using another piece of software instead.
I then managed to get a hold of “music maker” through a Humble Bundle. This audio interface allows you to easily create loops from a library of pre-recorded sounds, as well as giving you the option to create your own sounds too.
Note: Due to coronavirus I am obviously limited in terms of what sounds and functions are available to me because I don’t have access to a midi controller, microphone or any other piece of equipment to be able to input my own playing/recording.
At the start I began listening to all the sounds available to me a placing them down to create a looping track. In particular, I liked the feel of a bongo loop which reminded me of a happy street festival, this is because the bongo’s were created in cuba to be used in performance bands.
As the beat was slowed down to 100BPM, the repetitive “clip clop” style sound represented that of a donkey travelling slowly along a path. This fits well with the main character Aurora as she is a slow sea slug that struggles to move around rough terrain.
Having a deep bass loop to underline the track created the feeling of depth within the ocean. I also added a soothing acoustic guitar loop which for me emanates the idea of sitting round a campfire listening to songs. There is a shomewhat wholesome and comforting sound to the acoustic guitar loop.
Below is an example of the first looping Demo I had.
Once the solid looping track was in place I added a string based loop that could lead into a nice orchestral medley.
I wanted the track to be quite sporadic while maintaining a solid underlying loop, this will match the curiosity of the player looking around the world and finding new things. The intention with the music is to create the same “what did I just hear” effect.
I began adding some sound effects to create the sound of the ocean. These were layered ‘noise’ effects that were placed in areas where loops faded into a transition.
Once all these elements were in place and I was happy with each sound, I created a slow buildup introduction to the soundtrack which lead into a busy section in the center and then a slower more interesting section towards the end.
Here is the final track:
Although the track is short, it is perfect for a vertical slice as it shows what mood the game has and loops well enough for test players to enjoy the feeling of being absorbed in a world.
Stretch goal: Once all the music is in place, I want to add some atmospheric sounds. These are going to be added in the background in unity, that way I can play around with where the sound is coming from.
SketchbookMegan 