What Music do you want as Civ Themes in Civ 7?

[Duke William of Normandy]

The question is pretty straightforward, but I'll just explain it anyway. So basically, my question asks what particular music do you want to be in Civ 7 as a Civ theme. As an example, Hard Times Come Again No More is the Civ Theme for America in Civ 6.

I'll be looking forward to your answers.

 

[BuchiTaton]

Xochipitzáhuatl (petite flower) is a nahuatl song that comes from the time of the conquest and is still of common use by nahua peoples.
There are dozens of versions of Youtube, from some using only prehispanic instruments to barroque ensembles, catholic choirs, orchestral, small village bands and contemporary performens.

It is a good reminder that not all "Aztecs" were Mexicas, and that many Mexicas and others "Aztecs" like the Tlaxcaltecas turned to be fervent catholics who applied all kinds of artistic expression in their new religion as they did for their previous beliefs.

 

[sukritact]

I really hope Morghe Sahar comes back from CIv 5 as the main theme for Persia, it was such a nice tune.

If Siam makes it in, I'm holding out hope for Lao Duang Duen

And I quite liked Mo Li Hua as China's theme this time around, made for a nice sing-along.

Not as a main theme, but I'd really like to see Oh Shenandoah as an American Ambient track.

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

No specific music, but some general guidelines for all the music:

1. Use native instrumentation whenever possible
2. Use, whenever possible, instruments appropriate to both the Era and the Civ
3. Don't be afraid to have background music that is tied to some aspect of the Civ instead of the Civ in general: like Gregorian, Buddhist or Orthodox music for the religion the Civ has adopted instead of a 'generic' Civ themed music.
4. If the budget and talent pool does not allow for enough different musical themes for each Civ and Era, have non-Civ-specific but Era-specific music to break up the monotony of the same musical theme playing for hours. This could be implemented by Region rather than specific Civ, just something different: no matter how good a piece is, hearing it over and over again will eventually produce negative reactions up to and including beating ones head against the computer keyboard.

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

1. Use native instrumentation whenever possible

I agree with didgeridoos coming back for Waltzing Matilda.

I'd also like for Ireland to make it in and really don't care as long as it's a great Irish ballad or folk song. There are too many for me to decide on which specific one.

 

[Zaarin]

A few thoughts:

America: I loved "Hard Times"; next time I might propose "Down in the River to Pray" or "Poor Wayfaring Stranger" as nice alternatives.
Babylon: Here's an off-the-wall choice: "Ashir Shirim," a very, very old Jewish wedding song many ethnomusical historians date to the Babylonian captivity.
Bohemia: "Ktož sú boží boží bojovníci," of course.
China: I really like "Mo Li Hua," but I don't love the arrangement, which is rather slow compared to traditional Chinese arrangements. I think I liked "Gao Shan Liu Shui" better. I'm not extremely knowledgeable about the topic, but I think some Chinese opera (xiqu) would be interesting. All I ask is proper instruments this time: erhu, pipa, guqin, guzheng, etc.
Greece: "Epitaph of Seikilos" is not the only melody fragment surviving from Ancient Greece. How about the "First Delphic Hymn to Apollo"?
India: Is a traditional raga too much to ask just for once?
Mongolia: How much would it cost to license The Hu?
Sweden: I loved Norway's "Gjendines Bånlåt" in Civ6; how about Sweden gets "Byssan Lull" in Civ7?

I'd also like for Ireland to make it in and really don't care as long as it's a great Irish ballad or folk song. There are too many for me to decide on which specific one.

My personal choices would be "Siúil, A Rún" (a song about the Wild Geese) or "Óró Sé do Bheatha Bhaile" (a song about Grace O'Malley/Granuaile).

 

[Phrozen]

Japan: Wagakki Band. Just let them do all the period themes since they have a mix of traditional (shamisen, taiko, fue, and koto) and modern (electric bass, guitar, and Western style drum set). Its very Japanese in the mix of the traditional with western modern influences.

 

[Hellenism Salesman]

All I ask is that if we get era-based themes again, please don't use the same instrumentation for every single Medieval theme again. The layered viol/bass viol tracks sound nice and have a cool effect but are often very contradictory for the civs they're paired with (Medieval European instruments for the... Aztec?! ) and have no reason to be omnipresent.

Edit: This choice also frequently steals non-European cultures chances to show off their own instruments. Most civs get one, two, maybe three new traditional instruments in the jump between their Ancient them and Medieval theme, but some civs get no new instruments or just one. Why not make the Medieval theme a full ensemble of that civ's traditional instruments? This could be difficult for certain civs, but it would certainly beat the unwarranted uniformity of Civ VI's Medieval themes.

 

[Hellenism Salesman]

All I ask is proper instruments this time: erhu, pipa, guqin, guzheng, etc.

Well, at least we got the guzheng. Congratulations, China! Out of dozens of unique traditional instruments you get... one.

 

[mitsho]

There's music in the game?

(Yeah, I'm really not qualified to answer the op question this time)

 

[Zaarin]

All I ask is that if we get era-based themes again, please don't use the same instrumentation for every single Medieval theme again. The layered viol/bass viol tracks sound nice and have a cool effect but are often very contradictory for the civs they're paired with (Medieval European instruments for the... Aztec?! ) and have no reason to be omnipresent.

100% this. The viol is a lovely instrument...for the European tracks. But the Chinese Medieval theme should have an erhu; the Middle Eastern Medieval themes should have a kamancheh; etc.

Between the lack of variety and some of the increasingly questionable choices for the Medieval, Industrial, and Atomic themes, I'd prefer not to see era-based themes again. Give each civ a really nice theme or two and then provide more regional ambient tracks (since licensed tracks are unlikely to return thanks to YouTube copyright issues). And let's have narrower regions than Civ5 did--no lumping India in with East Asia again. Then again, the Humankind base game has something like ten hours of music so...your move, Firaxis. Composed civ themes and a dynamic ambient soundtrack would be another option to increase the variety of in-game music.

Well, at least we got the guzheng. Congratulations, China! Out of dozens of unique traditional instruments you get... one.

Not having an erhu was an absolute crime. (I mean, I love the guzheng, but...erhu!)

 

[Naokaukodem]

Original musics, but that fits the ambiance of the civ country. Example : the Zulus music in Civ3. The Roman music in Civ3 Conquest Roman Empire scenario.
Or more generally, early and "sweat" musics that gives a feeling of tribes. Obviously, the same can be done for modern but it's harder. I think of some heady music a la Civ3 for modern times, eventhough it hit my nerves by the past, but with taking a step back it was cool and even comical. A little like the war theme in Civ2. Make war themes, too !

 

[Hellenism Salesman]

I'll probably make theme suggestions at a later date, but for now I have another thing that Civ VII should not repeat.

If we're keeping the Greece/Macedon split (which I... think I like), then please, Geoff Knorr- USE GREEK MUSIC. In Civ VI, Macedon uses North Macedonian (a Slavic country) music, which did absolutely nothing to help the nationalist naming dispute and actually convinced some people that the Macedon civ was claiming Alex was from North Macedonia.

In a supposed historical 4X, I see that as a cardinal sin so great we can never let that happen again.

So, instead of using unrelated Slavic music, why not use Greek Macedonian music? According to Knorr, the reason he chose North Macedonian music for Macedon's themes was because ancient Greek music was already represented in-game. Personally, I find that a flimsy excuse that does not justify something so ahistorical and controversial. Even if he didn't want to use ancient Greek music for Macedon, he could have at least used modern, anachronistic music for them. It wouldn't be anything unique when the OST already had Mo Li Hua for China and Arirang for Korea.

I even know a Macedonian Kalamatianos (an upbeat Greek dance in 7/8- Tino Mori's time signature) that fits Tino Mori's mood. It also wouldn't be hard to find a replacement for Buvcansko Oro, the dark middle section of Macedon's theme. I actually made an arrangement for Macedon's theme using my two authentic replacements for Macedon's songs, and as it turns out, you can do it while keeping the EXACT SAME mood as Macedon's actual theme. This means there was basically no reason to use North Macedonian music, because Greek Macedonian music could have fit just as well.

But, music geek rambling aside, my point is that if Civ ever tries to represent Macedon again, the composers need to make a music choice that will dispute the Macedonia naming dispute rather than fuel it.

(And, don't get me wrong- I love Macedon's theme in Civ VI and I'm so glad that I know Tino Mori and Buvcansko Oro. I find both of them extremely catchy melodies and find them endlessly replayable. I just don't think they should have been chosen for Macedon's theme.)

 

[Zaarin]

So, instead of using unrelated Slavic music, why not use Greek Macedonian music? According to Knorr, the reason he chose North Macedonian music for Macedon's themes was because ancient Greek music was already represented in-game. Personally, I find that a flimsy excuse that does not justify something so ahistorical and controversial. Even if he didn't want to use ancient Greek music for Macedon, he could have at least used modern, anachronistic music for them.

I agree, and there are several surviving melodies from the Hellenistic period that, though postdating Alexander, would have been very appropriate.

 

[SirMediocrity]

I'd also like for Ireland to make it in and really don't care as long as it's a great Irish ballad or folk song. There are too many for me to decide on which specific one.

Ngl I really hope we get Ireland in Civ 7 if for no other reason than the fact that they have some amazing folk music, both in Gaelic and English. Some of my first choices would be Wild Rover, Whiskey in the Jar (very popular and recognizable), and the Black Velvet Band.

 

[Zaarin]

Ngl I really hope we get Ireland in Civ 7 if for no other reason than the fact that they have some amazing folk music, both in Gaelic and English. Some of my first choices would be Wild Rover, Whiskey in the Jar (very popular and recognizable), and the Black Velvet Band.

*Irish. Unqualified, Gaelic means Scottish Gaelic.

 

[SirMediocrity]

*Irish. Unqualified, Gaelic means Scottish Gaelic.

Yep, my original comment actually said Irish, but I switched it to Gaelic because I more usually hear it referred to as Gaelic, even if that technically is a more vague and unhelpful term.

 

[BuchiTaton]

By the way "minor civs" like city-states and barbarians are a great excuse to add many more interesting music that otherwise would be difficult to add.

 

[SirMediocrity]

By the way "minor civs" like city-states and barbarians are a great excuse to add many more interesting music that otherwise would be difficult to add.

Agreed, it would be nice if city-states and historical tribes got some kind of tune based on a song from their culture when meeting them or opening their diplomacy tab. Full-fledged ambient tracks might be a bit ambitious but I certainly wouldn't mind seeing that.

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

Agreed, it would be nice if city-states and historical tribes got some kind of tune based on a song from their culture when meeting them or opening their diplomacy tab. Full-fledged ambient tracks might be a bit ambitious but I certainly wouldn't mind seeing that.

I wonder how archaeology cultures, such as the Harappan and Olmec, would work when it comes to music? I guess you could use generic South Asian and Mesoamerican music when it comes to those?