Music in Civ4 is...

[King Jason]

Civ4 definitely has a great soundtrack. I personally like the menu theme and one of the modern tracks (The People are the Heroes Now), but almost all tracks are well chosen and fit in perfectly. I agree with King Jason 100% - the medieval music is indeed truly epic.

That was another favorite of mine too, in the same game (my first one) when I finally progressed to the modern era and had transports and infantry and such, I went to war with another nation that was on another continent across from me. I built up a massive force and was planning a D-day-like assault on their continent. When the turn came up that I was moving my forces on, that music played and it was so awesome. I got very into it.

 

[GrandMatt]

I want to kill the music producer of civ 4 (its sooo sh!t)! After 10 awe inspiring minutes, i quickly came the hate the music and have been playing on mute since, now eagerly awaiting the expansion already, with hopefully a new set of music on it! Till the the ipod is getting a work out

 

[Isildurs Heir]

Well, I like the fact that there is much more variety instead of playing the same songs over and over again, and the musical selection is nice.

However, I still can't understand why they can't make it so that if you are at war that it switches over to warlike music. Right now, the Incans and I are hammering away at each other, and Beethoven is playing in the background. Doesn't fit the mood. I have the sound down now playing Gladiator soundtrack. :thumbdown

 

[Disguise]

I love the music too. Anyone know the language in which the opening in sung? As for people who complain about the music, you do know that you can just put your own songs into the sound folder and rename them right?

 

[King Jason]

It's sung in Swahili, which is an african language.

 

[TheDervish]

I love the music too. Anyone know the language in which the opening in sung? As for people who complain about the music, you do know that you can just put your own songs into the sound folder and rename them right?

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=123680

Check that thread for opening menu song.

 

[Martinus]

Additionally, I think some of the diplo music is good as well. Flamenco when you're interacting with Isabella, US Marine Corp Hymn when you've got FDR (I actually think the American music my switch part way through - it seemed kinda Yankee Doodle-ish in the earlier parts of the game but I may be misremembering), and some Mussorgsky when you have a Russian leader. The Chinese and Japanese music didn't impress me but at least each Civ has its own music. I'm only on my 2nd game so there's still more to discover.

Actually, in all cases, there are three versions of the same tune for each leader - early, medium and late. If you listen to the early FDR music, it is still US Marine Corp Hymn (or rather, a variation of it) but played with primitive instruments. Later it goes fully symphonic.

 

[IATyco]

Btw, anyone know what they are saying? I would be a little disturbed if they were incantations to some demon god or something.

It's the holy prayer of the Random Number Generator God (although some called it a demon ). It's to gain favour with the RNG God so that the imfamous random results from previous Civ games won't occur in this game.

 

[Discoduck76]

The opening track is the only one worth listening to. The other tracks freaks me out.

 

[TheDervish]

One track that I really like (besides Baba Yetu, and the tribal singing for classical period) is "The Chairman Dances". I love it when that plays for my civ.

 

[TyranusBonehead]

Quite frankly, I think some of the tracks in the soundtrack are tiresome at best. The opening track 'Bubba Yettu' drives me nuts. I will replace this with something from Vivaldi, possibly either Spring from the Four Seasons, or Et in Terra Pax from one of his Glorias.

There's some track that sounds very very bad. Something like
'the people are the heroes'. I laugh out loud at how stupid that track sounds. Definitely will replace that one, I can't stand it.

 

[Daboo]

I personally like the Medieval era the best strangely enough. I'm not really religious but that music hit me hard when I first heard it, I actually froze and just kinda glanced around my empire - it was even more 'dramatic' because I had just founded christianity (this was the first game I played btw) and I thought it was due to that.

I was thoroughly impressed.

If you like that music, get this album:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000057CO/qid=1130779907/sr=8-7/ref=pd_bbs_7/103-4564457-6264621?v=glance&s=music&n=507846

I think two of the songs from there are in Civ 4. I'm not religious either, but it really is amazing stuff if you listen to it a few times.

 

[TrevorB]

did anyone else think of the Lion King when listen to the music at the title screen.

That with a dash of the new "Battlestar Galactica".

The music is fitting, though it highlights the lack of more African civs apart from the Malinese. The game starts with the dawn of civilization out of its cradle in Africa. (Let's not start an "Egyptians are Africans and not Middle Eastern" flame war here though...

One of the really cool things here is that Sid has taken us back a step. Civ's 1,2, and 3 all started out with Roads, Mining and Irrigation. Civ 4 actually takes us slighly before the dawn of civilization, with Hunting, Mining, Farming, etc, all having to be developed. We don't hear music at all until we move up into the second age of the civilization. Actually the game could very well start at 5000 or 6000 BC taking this into account.

Technically speaking, it's slightly cheating, because these kinds of techs existed before villiages or towns did, and I'd wager that music pre-dates 4000BC. But it's still a neat effect.

 

[PSXfile]

Awesome, awesome music. I hope it wins an award, it deserves it.

 

[byrdie]

I'm very upset that the music can be heard only up close. I zoom in on cities only on accident. I would like to have music even in the clouds.

 

[TyranusBonehead]

I'm very upset that the music can be heard only up close. I zoom in on cities only on accident. I would like to have music even in the clouds.

Mod the game. You can even change it so it plays 'Somewhere over the rainbow' when you zoom up high enough.

 

[byrdie]

Ah, so this is something easily changed in the worldbuilder?

Why isn't it simply an option from options screen.

 

[byrdie]

Ah, so this is something easily changed in the worldbuilder?

Why isn't it simply an option from options screen.

 

[TrevorB]

OK, someone in another thread has more knowledge than we.

The opening menu theme (Baba Yetu) is indeed Swahili, and is in fact an adaption of the Lord's Prayer "Our Father, who art in heaven..". The singers are "Talisman A Capella".

The intro movie theme (Coronation) is sung by the same group.

Both pieces were composed by Christopher Tin (christophertin.com) and downloads of each song are available on his site. I presently prefer the Civ4 versions of each of these songs.

More info on Talisman A Capella:

Talisman A Cappella was founded by Stanford University students to research and perform culturally substantive music. From its inception in October 1989, Talisman has been committed to the belief that harmoniously blending cultures of diverse origins creates the richest and most beautiful experience both in music and in life. Thus the group embraces varied musical genres and traditions, celebrating cultures not ordinarily represented by vocal ensembles.

To challenge social and political injustice with both its music and its message has been an ambition central to Talisman since the group's founding. In its fourth and fifth seasons, not only was Talisman asked to sing for Nelson Mandela during his visit to Stanford University, the group also perfomed at a memorial service for Amy Biehl, a Stanford student slain while in South Africa promoting women's rights. The music from that service was later featured on the ABC news magazine program Turning Point. During March of this past year, the group continued to share its music as it journeyed east to colleges and universities throughout the New York, Boston, and Providence areas. Talisman then finished the season on the air for National Public Radio: Representatives from the weekly radio program West Coast Live invited Talisman to perform for their listeners throughout California and around the country.

Although such exposure has placed Talisman in extreme demand both on and off campus, the group continues to share its music with those who would otherwise be unable to experience it. Thus Talisman often gives either free or benefit performances in hospitals, elementary schools, retirement homes, and community outreach centers throughout the San Franciscio Bay area.

 

[TrevorB]

Quite frankly, I think some of the tracks in the soundtrack are tiresome at best. The opening track 'Bubba Yettu' drives me nuts. I will replace this with something from Vivaldi, possibly either Spring from the Four Seasons, or Et in Terra Pax from one of his Glorias.

There's some track that sounds very very bad. Something like
'the people are the heroes'. I laugh out loud at how stupid that track sounds. Definitely will replace that one, I can't stand it.

You've actually picked out two of my favorite tracks.

The People Are The Heroes is cooler when you realize that it's an operatic version of the Chinese Communist Doctorine, and that it plays over the credits (Cool choice there by Sid et al). I agree somewhat that it doesn't quite fit in the Modern area music, and would be sufficient in the Credits alone.

But yes, if you dislike any of the songs, and you can mod the game to replace them, all the more power to you.