Monkey Island 2 Complete Re-Recorded Music

[Daveproyoyoyo]

Hi all,

 

I posted a thread on this forum some time ago now letting people know about my final university project which was to record all the music to Monkey Island 2 in full using only live instruments. This was a nice idea in theory but didnt work out too well in practise as finding a talented marimba player or a steel pan band that would work for free was next to impossible.

 

However all is not lost, I have just completed the project in which most of the instruments are real and have been recorded by me in my bedroom. The other instruments are high quality samples.

 

In the videos not all the tracks are played in the right place as my time restraints didnt let me record every track so some tracks are played in place of others but the majority are good.

 

Hope you guys enjoy listening to it all and tell me what you think.

 

Thanks Guys

 

Dave

 

Part One:

 

Part 2

[Aububuh]

Sounds great, I especially love Largo's theme. The one problem I have with it is on LeChuck's theme. It sounds like you're playing an E when you should be playing an F, and it throws the whole song off. Other than that though, it sounds fantastic.

[Laserschwert]

I was looking forward to this since you've first announced it, and WOW, it sounds REALLY cool... tough competition for the SE

 

I especially like both the Main Theme and Woodtick's theme. Great work!!

[Daveproyoyoyo]

Thanks a lot guys, I'm hoping to get a pretty good mark for it all. Yeah with Lechucks theme unfortunately I realized after the trombonist had gone home, I tried pitch shifting it up a semi tone but it just changed the sound of the trombone and was far too obvious. Its a shame but other than that I think it generally sounds pretty good, I still have one more video to post onto youtube which includes governor phatts theme tun and the skeleton dancing song thing. I will post that later today

[Laserschwert]

You forgot to put up the link to your third video (LeChuck, Stan, Kate...)

[Daveproyoyoyo]

Ooopss sorry about that here is the 3rd video,

 

 

I will have the final video put up later on

[Thrik]

I approve.

[Daveproyoyoyo]

Here is the fourth and final video

 

 

Hope you all enjoy and I guess we shall hear the difference when the real special edition comes out.

[Aububuh]

Ooh man, the Phatt Island music rocks.

[Benny]

Great stuff, well done!

[Gabez]

I love these tracks!

 

My favourite part is probably the start of the theme, which sounds very otherworldly and mysterious, as if everything is the beginning of a hallucination -- very appropiate given the ending.

 

I imagine (but I might be wrong) that the SE will go for a more natural route, but I really like the mix of natural, live instruments, with some more unusual sounds as well.

 

The drum beats are also very good (e.g. in the part XX music) -- it captured the original quality of the MIDIs very well.

 

I also quite like the way that the LeChuck theme is slightly out from what it should be... sort of feels very strained, and even more sinister. It's like the song has rotted away slightly in unision with LeChuck's body.

[elTee]

My favourite part is probably the start of the theme, which sounds very otherworldly and mysterious, as if everything is the beginning of a hallucination -- very appropiate given the ending.

 

Do you mean the cue that plays over the LucasArts logo? Because I also have a fetish/elaborate conspiracy theories about that. It's very weird, and as you say, it sets the tone for things to come. I nearly made a post about it a few weeks ago, because it didn't seem to play in that leaked video of the SE. I really, really hope it is there when I get the game proper.

 

Anyway, nice work Dave! The Phatt Island stuff is really good

[Icebox]

I love, love, love the steel drum in the intro. MI music can never get enough steel drum, in this one's opinion. Completes the natty Jamaican vibes.

 

And the opening LA theme is downright spooky. You've done a killer job of setting the mood, with what sounds like a sitar, though I can't be sure. Very ethereal.

 

May I inquire as to why you chose sax for Largo's theme? It suits him well, but I'm interested in hearing the thought process that went into that arrangement. Never would have expected it.

[Daveproyoyoyo]

Hey,

 

Thanks for all your comments, I worked for over 300 hours trying to fit it all in and I'm pretty happy with the result, think gonna apply for an audio internship with Lucasarts, see what they think of this.

 

Icebox, my reasons for choosing a sax for that part, thats a tricky question. I guess its because when ive played the game i have always imagined the character of Largo to be a little sleezey gangster and no instrument can pull of sleeze quite like a sax, especially a Bari Sax like the one I used.

 

Gabez, I think you are probably right in the directors will probably go for a complete natural route as in they will record all the instruments live. I think the reason I didnt do it like that is that the original midi was obviously never intended to be played so Micheal Land messed around with the sounds to make them a bit weird and that's the whole nostalgia of the game for me is the weird and spooky synth sounds. After spending 8 Months on this project i am very intrigued to see what the SE sounds will be like.

 

Dave