Bring Mark Seibert on board please!!

[Anakin Skywalker]

Mark Seibert's music is, IMO, a key part to the magic of the Sierra games, especially the KQ games. His simple but beautiful melodies helped define the atmosphere of King's Quests V-VIII, and he's at the height of his talents in King's Quest V and King's Quest VI--arguably two of the most well received games in the series.

I believe a KQ game without Mark Seibert on board would be like a Star Wars film without John Williams, or a Sergio Leone film without Morricone--It just wouldn't be right. There's a beautiful simplicity to Mark's music in the KQ games that really just belies the magic of the series--A beautiful, sweet simplicity.

His songs aren't ten minute epics, but little, atmospheric melodies, and even though they're simple, they lift simple VGA scenes (in V-VII) to emotional heights. I think even some of KQ8's staunchest opponents would be hard pressed to argue that Mark's music in KQ8 wasn't a highlight of that controversial game.

So, please--I know some Telltale people read this--Could you resist the easy path and the temptation to use your own people, and consider giving Mark Seibert a call?

If not Mark Seibert, than at least get any of these guys:

Ken Allen
Chris Brayman
Dan Kehler
Richard Spurgeon
Neil Grandstaff
Jay D. Usher

All of the men listed above helped craft the music of King's Quest V, VI and VII and are just as important to the atmosphere of those games as Mark was. So if Mark isn't available, at least offer the gig to one of those guys.

I think that the addition of Mark or any of those guys to the team would not only would it make TellTale's KQ feel more like the originals, but it would also help recreate that unique King's Quest atmosphere, and most importantly, it would make a lot of KQ fans--even the skeptical ones, I would imagine--happy.

So please consider this.

[MusicallyInspired]

I can't stand Neil Grandstaff's or Dan Kheller's work in KQ7. As far as I'm concerned either Mark Seibert or Ken Allen are the best choice. Chris Brayman did a great job with KQ6 as well. Ken Allen did both KQ5 and KQ1, so he might be great for a new chapter.

However, I'm almost convinced that Jarred can do just as good a job to grasp the style.

[Anakin Skywalker]

Originally Posted by MusicallyInspired

I can't stand Neil Grandstaff's or Dan Kheller's work in KQ7. As far as I'm concerned either Mark Seibert or Ken Allen are the best choice. Chris Brayman did a great job with KQ6 as well. Ken Allen did both KQ5 and KQ1, so he might be great for a new chapter.

However, I'm almost convinced that Jarred can do just as good a job to grasp the style.

I hope you're right, because IMO the music was just as important to the atmosphere of the games as anything else. The music really helped turn a bunch of (beautifully done) VGA scenes into cinematic moments.

I personally think Jarred should listen to the KQ5 soundtrack--that soundtrack for me is the best KQ soundtrack and captures the heart of King's Quest, musically speaking.

I don't want like overdone, epic, vocal songs or bland Kingdom Hearts sort of music (looks over at TSL).

[MusicallyInspired]

The best resource for referencing KQ's musical tone is to check out Quest Studios' digital soundtracks.

[Daventry]

I haven't had the time recently to post much around here, but I feel so strongly about this topic that I just had to log in.

I whole-heartedly agree with the idea of getting Mark Seibert involved (I actually created a topic about this way back in February: http://www.telltalegames.com/forums/...ad.php?t=23032).

If Mark is not available, my second choices would be Ken Allen or Chris Brayman (for reasons that have already been mentioned).

[Daventry]

Also, I agree with Brandon that King's Quest VII's score was the weakest in the series. If Jared Emerson-Johnson has been put on the new KQ project, he should definitely refer to Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder and Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow for inspiration.

[clintondsmith]

Here's another +1 for Mark Seibert. His music stands (IMO) as the best in the Sierra line: KQ5, as previously mentioned, as well as Codename: Iceman, SQ4, QFG1, PQ2, and the outstanding Conquests games. I also loved Chris Brayman's score of KQ6... in fact, it may be even better than Seibert's score of the fifth game.

If you get a chance, head over to Mark Seibert's last.fm page and vote DOWN the slick-haired German guy and vote for the nerdy guy in the litte picture on the left. Click on the pictures to cast your votes! )

http://www.last.fm/music/Mark+Seibert

[MusicallyInspired]

Mark Seibert didn't score SQ4. Ken Allen did. The credit in the game was mislabelled. Also, Aubrey Hodges did the majority of scoring for Longbow.

[clintondsmith]

They really got it wrong in the credit sequence? Hmm...

[BagginsKQ]

http://www.markseibert.com/credits.htm

He was the Music Director on SQ4. Not the composer. That's not to say he didn't do any compositions in the game, he might have. But Ken Allen did most of the material as far as we know?

But ya directors and composers are two very different things.

The complete Music and Sound Effects credits are;

Ken Allen, Rob Atesalp, Mark Seibert, Rick Spurgeon, Orpheus Hanley, Aubrey Hodges and Veronica Oldfield

[MusicallyInspired]

Ken Allen wrote the soundtrack. Mark Seibert did nothing more than probably arrange and edit some MIDI pieces and maybe write transitions and sound effects or something. As I understand it, it wasn't that they got it wrong, but that Mark intentionally credited himself that way....or somebody did. I'm hearing this all third-hand, though. But what's for sure is the soundtrack as a whole is due to Ken Allen. Which makes sense because it doesn't really sound like Seibert's style anyway. It sounds more like SQ1VGA, which correctly credited Ken Allen as sole composer.

[clintondsmith]

10-4... I'd better go get things cleaned up in iTunes! You guys rock.

[BagginsKQ]

Directors don't usually compose in music. They 'direct' compositions and scores made by other people.

A few composers also direct.

In the cases of games, this may mean they head the music and sound team, and do the final finishing edits and touches. But it rarely is anything as grand as the work of the Composer itself.

By the way Mark Seibert is a nice guy, he answers emails. If you want to know more about his involvement in SQ4 you should ask him yourself! His email is on his site.

Also, another thing to look out for. Ken Williams often gets top billing in many of the Sierra games, as a game producer. But his actual game involvement was pretty slim!

Same goes for Sierra's mid-90's "Creative Director", Bill Davis who often got third highest billing many of the Adventure games of the 90's. Again, his actual role on each game was next to nothing!

http://sierra.wikia.com/wiki/Bill_Davis

[MusicallyInspired]

Mark Seibert was music director for Sierra but he still composed early on when he first took the position. I've talked to Mark before as well. Traded a few emails. Really nice guy.

[jonasaa]

Sorry if I'm throwing a wrench into it all, but how about William Goldstein, the composer for KQ4? I think his soundtrack maybe one of the most memorable of them all.

[BagginsKQ]

Actually I think KQ4 has the highest quality soundtrack of the entire series. Infact it earned the most rewards IIRC, even Sierra always said it was there best KQ soundtrack.

So you aren't alone.

There are individual pieces of music that I love more in the later games, but for overall mood and thematic quality of the entire soundtrack, KQ4 is my favorite. Probably followed by KQ6.

[MusicallyInspired]

KQ4 barely has a soundtrack. Just a handful of short themes. The only one of any significant length is the intro/outro which are both mostly the same. It was nice work, but it's tough to call it a soundtrack. And because of that alone it can't really compete in the same vein as later King's Quest titles.

[BagginsKQ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19r6RnReAf4

It has still 30 minutes or so of music total, and sounded glorious on an MT-32. Probably why it won so many awards for music.


From The Royal Scribe;

King's Quest IV's soundtrack was composed by William Goldstein. He is best known for his work on the film Hello Again and the television show Fame. Goldstein used a Roland MT-32 to compose over seventy-five pieces of music for King's Quest IV. Each piece of music is associated with a particular scene or character.

The music and the graphics are so superior to anything previously seen in an adventure game that some people are actually moved to tears during the opening cartoon. King Graham has a sudden heart attack and falls to the ground. As Princess Rosella, the player must journey to a distant land, destroy the evil witch Lolotte, free the Queen of the Fairies, and retrieve a sacred talisman before returning with the magic fruit that is King Graham's only hope.

King's Quest IV features a day and night cycle that allows the player to meet characters at night that will not appear during the day.

But ya most of the music is only short, in that its intended to repeat several times, its got alot of cool ambiant feel to it.

Considering Goldstein composed for films and movies, he certainly would know how to compose for modern games. But since he's a holywood professional he's probably outside of Talltale's league even. That is is even Goldstein hasn't retired. I don't know what his last work was.

[Hero1]

I'm sure Jared could do a great score based on past material. He's proven himself in every Telltale game he has worked on.

[Milkdud71]

Originally Posted by MusicallyInspired

Mark Seibert didn't score SQ4. Ken Allen did. The credit in the game was mislabelled. Also, Aubrey Hodges did the majority of scoring for Longbow.

Correct. That score was Ken Allen.

In fact, Ken Allen is scoring a new geek / video game movie:

http://chaosngn.com/ken-allen-composer-pwnage-pwned/