Music?

[LastLegionare]

Many people don't realize this, but music in civ has been a big part. National anthems in diplomacy. Changing overview music depending on the time you're in. Sadly, music is far below screenshots and gameplay in gradually released preview content , so we know close to nothing. So say what tune you'd like and who, where, or when you'd like it.

 

[cybrxkhan]

They say that the leaders will speak in their native tongue, but I hope the diplomacy music still plays in the background. Diplomacy music is fun.

 

[Dark_Jedi06]

The Civ series has always had wonderful music and I suspect that Civ V will be no different.

 

[ancestral]

Well, Christopher Tin is a friend of Soren Johnson, kind of a big reason we got Tin's Civ IV intro songs.

Now that Soren Johnson is gone, I dunno.

Firaxis hit it so damn well with Civ IV, getting Tin to compose a couple songs and Leonard Nimoy doing voiceover work. I just can't imagine anything better than Nimoy's narration in a Civ game.

 

[Izmir Stinger]

In all likelihood, this decision hasn't even been made yet. Unless a piece of music is going to be produced specifically for Civ V, which is unlikely, there is no reason they need to even pick a soundtrack until they are a few months out from beta testing, with exceptions for any tracks included in advertisements (Baba Yetu was in Civ IV trailers).

 

[AlpsStranger]

Well, Christopher Tin is a friend of Soren Johnson, kind of a big reason we got Tin's Civ IV intro songs.

Now that Soren Johnson is gone, I dunno.

Firaxis hit it so damn well with Civ IV, getting Tin to compose a couple songs and Leonard Nimoy doing voiceover work. I just can't imagine anything better than Nimoy's narration in a Civ game.

I like Soren Johnson. The one thing that makes me nervous about Civ5 is the fact that he is gone.

 

[Camikaze]

The music all round in Civ 4 was good; not just Baba Yetu. I would hope for a similar soundtrack again, but with a greater focus on music of the 19th century, and instead of modern 'classical' music, a move towards modern instrumental music not of the 'classical' variety (symphonic rock, perhaps). It's really up to personal preferences, it's not a matter of them actually failing to tick any boxes with their music in Civ 4. Perhaps they could've had a greater amount of music in the soundtrack, or a separate soundtrack for each leader, or civilization, but that would require a lot of effort put into the music, so it's not something I realistically expect.

 

[Double A]

Maybe the instruments could change over time, like when you start out it's just some rocks bashing together, then when you hid Medieval there's a lute, and when you go modern it's 45 electric guitars with a drum solo.

 

[OscarWildebeest]

I'd like a lot more John Adams (I said that just to annoy the Adams-haters).

 

[Quintillus]

The music is the one area where I think Civ4 undoubtedly improved on Civ3. Whereas I've generally switched to playing my own music during Civ3 games, I still leave the default Civ4 music on when I play it. And I listen to Baba Yetu often even outside of Civ (Vanilla Civ4 still has by far my favorite main page, thanks to both Baba Yetu and the great Earth background). About the only area I'd change is having slightly more variety in the modern era - I'd actually be fine with keeping some of the John Adams, but probably not a monopoly. The tricky thing is that you have to have music that not too many people object to, and not everyone is into rock-n-roll. I wouldn't mind having more Christopher Tin music.

The civ-specific music would be kind of neat, although I'd probably like to have a fallback option to a generic soundtrack as well. I doubt we'll see it due to the effort required and licensing costs, but even if it were just for an era or two per civ, it would be a cool addition.

 

[Panopticon]

The problems with choosing modern-era music:
- Most contemporary music is not appropriate as background soundtrack, due to increased variance of intensity throughout the pieces compared to Western classical music. This is why, for instance, you don't have Beethoven's Fifth on the soundtrack; the changes in emotional intensity are simply too distracting. I think the Civ IV music people mentioned the fact that the Allegro assai from Bach's Violin Concerto no. 1 was not a good "background music" piece, but they liked it too much to leave it out.
- Licensing modern compositions is expensive, based on my experience with orchestras. If you can get a good deal from a music publisher, you'll jump on it. It's likely that Boosey & Hawkes offered a concession on the music of John Adams. Say what you like about minimalism - it's slower in tempo and less obtrusive than whatever sub-genre of American hard rock the Adams critics prefer.

 

[cybrxkhan]

Say what you like about minimalism - it's slower in tempo and less obtrusive than whatever sub-genre of American hard rock the Adams critics prefer.

I don't like Adams and minimalism too much, AND I hate rock too... Just because I hate Adams doesn't mean I automatically like rock.

Frankly I think something along the lines of what they had in Civ3 was good. Actually I liked some of the industrial and modern pieces for Civ4.

 

[Camikaze]

I don't think rock, going by the conventional meaning, would be all that appropriate for the game. It's the completely wrong feel. But that doesn't mean some sub-genres of rock would be inappropriate. The music used should perhaps move towards having a more electronic influence, but it shouldn't be the focus of your attention, but a detail in the background.

 

[Tee Kay]

I don't think rock, going by the conventional meaning, would be all that appropriate for the game. It's the completely wrong feel. But that doesn't mean some sub-genres of rock would be inappropriate. The music used should perhaps move towards having a more electronic influence, but it shouldn't be the focus of your attention, but a detail in the background.

I agree.

When playing Civ4 I usually play the modern era with the sound turned off and listen to my mp3 instead.

 

[Afforess]

The music is the one area where I think Civ4 undoubtedly improved on Civ3. Whereas I've generally switched to playing my own music during Civ3 games, I still leave the default Civ4 music on when I play it.

Funny little detial: Civ4 actually uses some of EXACTLY the same music as Civ3.

I suspect this trend will continue. Baba Yetu will probably be gone, but it would be nice if they still used some of Christopher Tin's other songs. (For the uninformed, Christopher Tin composed the Civ4 theme song, Baba Yetu) For anyone who hasn't bought Christopher Tin's album, you don't know what you are missing.

I would not be surprised to hear the Civ4 Renaissance monks singing again in Civ5.

 

[CheeseWalrus]

I want Beethoven's 7th.

 

[vbraun]

I don't think rock, going by the conventional meaning, would be all that appropriate for the game. It's the completely wrong feel. But that doesn't mean some sub-genres of rock would be inappropriate. The music used should perhaps move towards having a more electronic influence, but it shouldn't be the focus of your attention, but a detail in the background.

Perhaps something similar to BT's stuff (minus the percussion)? Example

The only thing I'd like to see different in Civ5 is there needs to be more of just about everything. Especially from the Romantic Era stuff. There's just too much diversity and good stuff from that era to only include 5 composers.

A cool little side note: I actually saw John Adams' Shaker Loops live a couple nights ago and found it really neat and thought I'd never heard it before. After seeing his name in this thread I did a little research and found out that Shaker Loops is actually in Civ4! :lol Though like others, I used my own music instead of the in game music most of time time.

 

[cybrxkhan]

Speaking of diversity, one thing I hated about Civ4 music was that Medieval onwards, all the music was European. Where was the Asian and Middle Eastern and Native American music like in Civ3? It's kind of Euro-centric, unfortunately, even if they did not intend to, and I hope we can see a more culturally diverse set of music in Civ5.

 

[OscarWildebeest]

I want Beethoven's 7th.

Where was the Asian and Middle Eastern and Native American music like in Civ3?

Good calls, on both counts.

 

[Krzowwh]

The Civilization "tradition" music will probably stay, like Ey Ukhnem for the Russians(probably still Stalin).
I would like some of Johann Ludwig Krebs.