Interview Inon Zur Interview

So these synthesizers and samplers - that sort of explains how they work to match the music with the ongoing situation in the game, because I used wonder how else they mentally conceive the music for the situation and go straight to orchestra.

 

He came across as very genuine. It's nice to see that when so many "interviews" are thinly-veiled excuses to hype the shit out of some project or other. I thought he was informative and personable. Interesting interview.

 

Too bad his soundtracks always suck.

 

Dunno, Fallout 3's soundtrack was pretty impressive.

 

Ahaha, I get it, that's satire isn't it.

 

Nah, just Drog doing his stuff.

 

His music never changes throughout his career. Same epic blah over and over again. It isn't terribly bad and it's just his style, but its a shame that he and Jeremy Soule have to be the only composers around and they sound the same. I wish developers would have in house people do the music again or at least have other folks work on stuff. I love the music from the HoMMs, why not get that guy again?

 

That was actually a couple of guys collaborating, IIRC. And yeah, that was some goodness. HOMM4 had some of the best game music I've ever heard.

 

Are you talking about his shitty exploration tunes or the great jazz? Cuz let me tell ya, Inon Zur had nothing to do with that great jazz, man.

 

Eh, Jeremy Soule's soundtracks are usually pretty good, I really liked Icewind Dale, Guild Wars, and Morrowind (especially the main theme that has the Lorkhan heart beating in the background). Good stuff imo.

Inon Zur, on the other hand...I can't really think of anything good from him, his work just ranges from mediocre to just plain shitty.

 

The only Inon Zur soundtrack I remember enjoying was Throne of Bhaal.

 

Mark Morgan, who did FO1+2's and Torment's music (and mobygames also says descent2), seems like capable of a different style...

 

This, exactly. Soule at least has some memorable themes.

 

Chance Thomas > Hans Zimmer > Jeremy Soule >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Everyone Else But Inon Zur >>>>>>>>>>>>> Inon Zur

 

The same way that a composer writing an original orchestra piece goes straight to orchestra (unless he wrote it on piano first).

Oh, and I thought Fallout 3's soundtrack was good. Did a good job of matching the ambient music of the first two.

 

Yeah that's true. I do like Total Annihilations music so I guess his early stuff was very good. IWD was nice. I never really cared for Morrowinds music. A lot of his newer stuff... I can't say I like

 

Bah, truth to be told, only the main menu theme was any good. Everything else was just 'blah'.

And yeah, Jeremy Soule is a way better composer.

 

To my ears J. Soule always sounded lifeless, like listening to the soundtrack of a budget fairytale movie.

Inon Zun had more character and I can still remember these two themes from Throne of Bhaal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEv4v7uzxWE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg0x6V9mx4A&feature=related

 

lolwut? The main theme was the only one that was "epic" and thus didn't fit the setting.

 

Why not? The game has its fair share of epic large scale battles.

 

Soule is the master of atmospheric, other-worldly ambience, but when forced to do generic fantasy tunes or action scenes he tends to fall down, with stuff ranging from slightly-above-average to flat-out irritating.

I loved Zur's work on IWD2, but F3 just sounded like a downbeat Oblivion track. Then again that's probably what he was instructed to do.

 

I'd say Michael Hoenig was the better of the two when it comes to Baldur's Gate. At any rate, I have trouble naming a good RPG with a decidedly bad and bland soundtrack. Unlike films, games can almost always offer a couple of decent ambient tracks. Michael Hoenig, Inon Zur, Ben Houge, Mark Morgan, Kevin Manthei, Matt Uelmen, Kirill Pokrovsky, M&M people, etc. So much better than ordinary ambient albums.

P.S. I've just discovered that a musician from one of my favourite bands, Clan of Xymox, composed the soundtrack to one of my favourite action-RPGs, Revenant. What a pleasant coincidence.