Thou Shalt Not rely on loops. (#6)
rely on loops when creating your music.
The translation from the Ludus Sonitus Decretum was difficult to pin down for this rule. It was tough to say whether the rule meant “Thou Shalt Not rely on loops” or “Thou Shalt Not use loops”. But, in thinking about it, the more sensible translation is “rely”. Loops have their uses. When used sparingly, they can save some time. They can add some color to percussion tracks or add some interest to background ambient sounds.
The problem arises when someone fires up their copy of Acid or GarageBand and spews out piece after piece of loop-created music. Sure, the music sounds pretty professional. Loops are often created with terrific production values. Anyone can make something that sounds practically radio-worthy. But they really didn’t create anything that a monkey with a good dart board couldn’t have created, did they? And then they call themselves a composer? Picking a key and a tempo and then fitting things together that don’t sound like fingernails on a chalkboard are not the only qualifications for a composer. Composition is about creating an original piece of music out of a limitless palette that enables you to express whatever you want. Loops instantly lock you into an extremely limited toolset. Orchestration, melodic and harmonic progression, freedom of structure and expression… they all go out the window.
Not to mention, your music is going to sound an awful lot like someone else’s music at some point. And what are the chances you are going to have the loops that specifically fit the style and character of the game you are working on? You’re locked into expressing a very limited vocabulary if all you use is loops.
Your development as a musician can only progress as far as the loops will take you. You’ll have to wait until the next pack of loops come out before you get out of that inevitable creative rut. For your own good, and as decreed by the good book, keep your exposure to loops to a minimum! In an industry fueled by creativity and originality (or at least aspiring to that), loops have a very, very minor place.
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This blog is dedicated to topics concerning the creation of music and sound for games. It will deal with issues that come up in the day to day work of The Game Composer as well as thoughts on the industry as a whole. I hope it will be useful for developers and other game audio professionals. Feel free to contact me: thegamecomposer@gmail.com
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You forgot to mention that loops can be chopped up, rearranged, pitch shifted, reversed and completely mangled to sound nothing like the original. You talk as if the only use for loops is painting them in and letting it play. Using loops like that is like using presets on a program and never experimenting what so ever.
Comment by timbreman | April 14, 2011 |
Originality is the goal here. Loops generally work against that goal. If you modify/mangle a loop to the point where it is no longer recognizable, great. Then you’ve created something original.
The way I look at it is to compare it to painting. If I want to make an original visual work that represents something unique that I want to say, I will start with the full palette of colors at my disposal and a brush. I wouldn’t start with the Mona Lisa and cut it up until it’s close to what I want, if even possible.
Don’t get me wrong. Loops have their place. But it’s not in the forefront.
Comment by thegamecomposer | April 14, 2011 |