RAVEN MIDI Pack project - COMPLETE.

[Jimmy]

 

Greetings, mortal. Are you ready to write?

 

We have another community MIDI Pack project!

 

Downloads:

Download RAVEN MIDI Pack

/idgames Mirror

jamespaddockmusic Mirror

 

Old MIDI Pack project threads:

Plutonia MIDI Pack project thread / Get it from /idgames
Revolution! MIDI Pack project thread / Get it from /idgames
Rebirth MIDI Pack project thread / Get it from /idgames

 

 

This time we're boldly going for one of the original commercial sets - none other than Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders.

 

The full game shipped with five episodes - six if you count the three hidden "E6" levels - for a total of 48 levels. Amazingly, the number of pieces in its original soundtrack amounted to less than half that, with a total of 19 unique level themes and 3 more tracks for the title, intermission and story themes.

 

Kevin Schilder is a masterful composer who has written for a slew of old DOS games. His compositional style for Heretic is characterised by bold blendings of orchestra, synthesizers, traditional rock, and brooding atmosphere. His melodies are often fast and frantic, his harmonies daringly dissonant, and from an emotional standpoint the soundtrack paints a vivid picture of a medieval world up in flames, engulfed in raw chaos, ravaged by the mouth of Hell itself. Overall, Heretic's soundtrack is a crazy blend of disparate elements combining into an almost inimitable style, but certain composers have gone for it and pulled it off with flair - we've heard @Alfonzo's work in "The Realm of Parthoris" and that of @Viscra Maelstrom in "The Wayfarer". So it can be done!

 

Let us once again put our composer hats on, and our skills to the test, and "complete" the soundtrack for Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders!

 

29 tracks will need to be written.

We will be writing new music only for Episodes 2-6.

 

How to join:

• Observe the Completion Report below.
• Claim a slot, or up to three at once - your slot(s) will be listed as "claimed/track unfinished".
• Claiming does not mean you are inextricably bound to that slot - you may drop out or move your claim at any time!
• Start writing!
• Once your piece is finished and submitted I will offer you any critical feedback needed.
• Once your piece is finalised, your slot will be listed as "completed".
• Completed tracks may still move around to form the final order.

 

Guidelines:

• Imitate Kevin Schilder's style as best you can! Closely study it and expose your ears to his compositional tricks and motives.
• Tracks must fit the map you're writing for, and integrate into Heretic's existing soundtrack.
• Track length must fall within 1:00-3:00. Heretic's pieces are NOT epic in length! Heck, the longest ones are still only just above 2:00. Crazy, right?
• Name your tracks. Untitled tracks will not be accepted!
• Collaboration with other composers is encouraged!
• Remixes of the existing tracks are permitted, but not encouraged. Originality is what we're after here.
• Brand-new tracks only this time around! I won't be accepting tracks that have been resting on your hard drive for months beforehand, unused. Let's all be on an even footing going into this project!

 

The final product:

• An "album" of MIDI files in a zipped, instant download.
• A WAD file compilation that will allow the tracks to play in-game.
• A new resource for the community! All tracks will be reusable per the permissions in the text file!

 

Completion Report:

LEGEND:
 [   ] = empty, claimable slot
 [ ~ ] = slot claimed / track unfinished
 [ x ] = completed slot
 [ # ] = unavailable slot - original music already featured here

Overall progress:   29/29   [[ xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ]]

---

Episode 2: Hell's Maw (1/1 done)

 [ # ]  E2M1: Crater                    -- TRACK BY KEVIN SCHILDER
 [ # ]  E2M2: Lava Pits                 -- TRACK BY KEVIN SCHILDER
 [ # ]  E2M3: River of Fire             -- TRACK BY KEVIN SCHILDER
 [ # ]  E2M4: Ice Grotto                -- TRACK BY KEVIN SCHILDER
 [ x ]  E2M5: Catacombs                 -- "Avenger's Spirit" [Viscra Maelstrom]
 [ # ]  E2M6: Labyrinth                 -- TRACK BY KEVIN SCHILDER
 [ # ]  E2M7: Great Hall                -- TRACK BY KEVIN SCHILDER
 [ # ]  E2M8: Portals of Chaos          -- TRACK BY KEVIN SCHILDER
 [ # ]  E2M9: Glacier                   -- TRACK BY KEVIN SCHILDER

Episode 3: The Dome of D'Sparil (7/7 done)

 [ x ]  E3M1: Storehouse                -- "Docked In" [Viscra Maelstrom]
 [ # ]  E3M2: Cesspool                  -- TRACK BY KEVIN SCHILDER
 [ # ]  E3M3: Confluence                -- TRACK BY KEVIN SCHILDER
 [ x ]  E3M4: Azure Fortress            -- "Liquidation" [Viscra Maelstrom]
 [ x ]  E3M5: Ophidian Lair             -- "The Ophidians" [Eris Falling]
 [ x ]  E3M6: Halls of Fear             -- "Legions" [Jimmy]
 [ x ]  E3M7: Chasm                     -- "Tightrope" [AD_79]
 [ x ]  E3M8: D'sparil's Keep           -- "Die for Parthoris" [Dragonfly & Jimmy]
 [ x ]  E3M9: Aquifer                   -- "Cascade" [AD_79]

Episode 4: The Ossuary (9/9 done)

 [ x ]  E4M1: Catafalque                -- "Clustafalque" [mrgrimsdale & Jimmy]
 [ x ]  E4M2: Blockhouse                -- "Fort Rot" [Bimmy]
 [ x ]  E4M3: Ambulatory                -- "Crushed Spirits" [pcorf]
 [ x ]  E4M4: Sepulcher                 -- "Encrypted" [Jimmy]
 [ x ]  E4M5: Great Stair               -- "Blood of the Unworthy" [Eris Falling]
 [ x ]  E4M6: Halls of the Apostate     -- "Crusade of the Mage" [Darman Macray]
 [ x ]  E4M7: Ramparts of Perdition     -- "Gravelord's Lullaby" [AD_79]
 [ x ]  E4M8: Shattered Bridge          -- "Deathwind" [Jimmy]
 [ x ]  E4M9: Mausoleum                 -- "The Cadaver's Waltz" [mrgrimsdale & Jimmy]

Episode 5: The Stagnant Demesne (9/9 done)

 [ x ]  E5M1: Ochre Cliffs              -- "Ravine" [Jimmy]
 [ x ]  E5M2: Rapids                    -- "Turbulence" [Eris Falling]
 [ x ]  E5M3: Quay                      -- "Lighthouse" [Jimmy]
 [ x ]  E5M4: Courtyard                 -- "Death Clause" [mrgrimsdale & Jimmy]
 [ x ]  E5M5: Hydratyr                  -- "Convergent Kingdoms" [AD_79] 
 [ x ]  E5M6: Colonnade                 -- "Saltbringer" [Jimmy]
 [ x ]  E5M7: Foetid Manse              -- "Terror Mansion" [pcorf]
 [ x ]  E5M8: Field of Judgement        -- "The Last Guardians" [Jimmy]
 [ x ]  E5M9: Skein of D'sparil         -- "Schilder's Ladder" [dial-up]

Episode 6: Fate's Path (3/3 done)

 [ x ]  E6M1: Raven's Lair              -- "Sage Fields" [dial-up]
 [ x ]  E6M2: Water Shrine              -- "Dragged from the Pit" [mrgrimsdale & Jimmy]
 [ x ]  E6M3: American's Legacy         -- "Serpentine Pillars" [Mikolah]

Unassigned tracks:

   "Serpentine Wrath" [Viscra Maelstrom]
   "Dee Wars" [Peter]
   "Talons" [mrgrimsdale & Jimmy]
   "Iron Lick" [Eris Falling]
   "Crow's Nest" [Eris Falling, Dragonfly & Jimmy]

Abandoned/unfinished tracks:
(Won't be included in final release.)

   "Moldy Passages" [pcorf]
   "Schism Everlasting" [WolfMcBeard]

 

Full credit to Dwars for the idea behind this project!

Edited February 27, 2021 by Jimmy
Added download link!

[wolfmcbeard]

What's the end date?
I'm quite tempted to take part.

[Tristan]

Sick

I'm not so familiar with Heretic so this time I've picked my slots with an RNG :P

 

E5M2, E3M5, E4M5 please!

[Gez]

Oh yes, this is excellent.

 

This video may be insightful for those wanting to grasp what he was going for in Heretic. There's also a much longer series for Hexen, you can find the links here.

 

[Jimmy]

@wolfmcbeard I've never imposed a deadline for one of these projects, they're always quite slow burns. It takes as long as it takes, really!

[yakfak]

heeee I just booted up Heretic to listen to the music and discovered,

 

A) i only have the shareware version, and
B) i have no idea what the level skip or jukebox cheat is

I am fairly interested in this project, I'll come back when I have refreshed my taste for it. I mean I've always loved Hexen's music and just paid less attention to Heretic for whatever reason so I should be able to find teh mood!

[AD_79]

I'm very much in. E3M9 and E4M7 please.

[Jimmy]

28 minutes ago, yakfak said:

heeee I just booted up Heretic to listen to the music and discovered,

 

A) i only have the shareware version, and
B) i have no idea what the level skip or jukebox cheat is

 

Level skip is "ENGAGE", but annoyingly I don't think there's an IDMUS equivalent.

 

I forget if there's a port besides GZDoom that allows "allcheats" i.e. the ability to use Doom cheats in Heretic or vice versa. If it came down to it you could grab the MIDIs from the Mirsoft.info page I linked in the OP. (Go to "Heretic: Game rip", then click the yellow download button and select the Norway mirror.)

 

Either way episode 1 of Heretic by itself has a bunch of iconic tracks by Schilder that should give you a good impression of what his style entails. :)

[Jimmy]

I missed E2M5! That's a duplicate that will need replacing - added it to the roster.

[AD_79]

Cascade (1:58)

 

For E3M9.

[Varis Alpha]

i'm definitely interested. i'd like to take a crack at E2M5 and E3M1, mostly because those are two levels that i actually remember from the game looking at the map list. :P

[AD_79]

Posting once more to say that I'd also like to claim E5M3. That should be enough for the moment :P

Edited April 30, 2020 by AD_79

[Not Jabba]

This is amazing. Be still my heart!

[GarrettChan]

This is so great. I was thinking that if Heretic can have not repeated MIDIs, and this happened. Thanks.

[plums]

One thing you might want to consider is to put all the maps up for grabs, and then when a map only has an original MIDI left, take it off the market. Or, let people claim a map but say that their music is going to be for an earlier slot and that the original MIDI is for the map they claimed. It's a bit weird to have the original songs only at the start of the game, and some people might think some music fits better with a later map -- as an example, E3M4's music is perfect for that map IMO.

[Jimmy]

That sounds like it could be a logistical nightmare. I'd have to communicate very clearly with every participant which slots are and aren't claimable - and if they're constantly fluctuating between the two, that means I'd be updating not just a list of tracks that are completed, but a list of the ones that are not completed.

 

I appreciate the suggestion, and I see where you're coming from, but these MIDI Packs have always been about filling in "blank space" where a lack of new and original music was painfully apparent. Re-use of the tracks will be permitted, so folks can always rearrange the full set of tracks to their tastes once it's out! That is a bridge we are a long ways off from crossing, though.

Edited April 30, 2020 by Jimmy

[Jimmy]

@AD_79 Many thanks, this is just awesome - I have nothing else to say!

 

A finished piece within 3 hours of the project thread's opening! That's gotta be a new record.

[wolfmcbeard]

You know what, why not, gives me chance to get better if nothing else, sign me up for e3m7 "Chasm"!

[GarrettChan]

7 hours ago, AD_79 said:

Cascade (1:58)

 

For E3M9.

Love this music, and it fits the title of "the aquifer"!

[pcorf]

I'm in. Have always a fan of the style of Heretic and Hexen music. I would like to create songs for E3M6 an E5M7.

 

 

[Lüt]

16 hours ago, Jimmy said:

 Guidelines:

•  Imitate Kevin Schilder's style as best you can!

Something that may be of use here:

 

A problem I had when importing other composers' MIDIs alongside the original Heretic MIDIs, is that despite the new music fitting the fantasy/medieval theme, it simply didn't sound correct next to the original compositions.

 

As it turns out, a lot of the clash had to do with the instruments used, rather than the actual composition of the music. The new tracks needed "re-orchestration" to fit the original sound.

 

So I went through the original Heretic MIDIs and compiled a list of all the instruments used, along with a tally mark for each track that the patch appeared in:

 

Traditional Symphonic/Acoustic:

• String Ensemble 1 - IIIII IIII
• String Ensemble 2 - I
• SynthStrings 1 - IIIII IIIII IIIII II
• SynthStrings 2 - III
• Synth Brass 1 - II
• Hammond Organ - II
• French Horn - I
• Choir Aahs - IIIII I
• Synth Voice - III
• Lead 6 (Voice) - I
• Voice Oohs - II
• Bottle Blow - I
• Pad 1 (New Age) - I
• Pad 2 (Warm) - II
• Pad 5 (Bowed) - I
• Pad 7 (Halo) - I
• Marimba - IIIII
• Celesta - I
• Vibraphone - II
• Acoustic Grand Piano - IIII
• Pizzicato Strings - I
• Acoustic Bass - II

Modern / Electronic:

• Distortion Guitar - IIIII I
• Electric Guitar (Clean) - I
• Electric Bass (Finger) - IIIII I
• Fretless Bass - III
• Synth Bass 2 - I
• Slap Bass 2 - I

Percussion:

• Acoustic Grand Piano (Drum) - IIIII IIIII IIIII III
• Timpani - IIIII IIIII I
• Tubular Bells - III
• Melodic Tom - II
• Agogo - I
• Synth Drum - I
• Taiko Drum - II
• Reverse Cymbal - IIIII

So if project participants want to mimic the original sound, and need a starting point for instrument selection, there you go.

[bLUEbYTE]

Hi, I'd like to take E4M1.

Edited May 1, 2020 by bLUEbYTE

[Jimmy]

Thanks to everyone who's pitched in so far. Very eager to see where this project goes!

[pcorf]

On 5/1/2020 at 6:30 PM, Lüt said:

Something that may be of use here:

 

A problem I had when importing other composers' MIDIs alongside the original Heretic MIDIs, is that despite the new music fitting the fantasy/medieval theme, it simply didn't sound correct next to the original compositions.

 

As it turns out, a lot of the clash had to do with the instruments used, rather than the actual composition of the music. The new tracks needed "re-orchestration" to fit the original sound.

 

So I went through the original Heretic MIDIs and compiled a list of all the instruments used, along with a tally mark for each track that the patch appeared in:

 

Traditional Symphonic/Acoustic:

• String Ensemble 1 - IIIII IIII
• String Ensemble 2 - I
• SynthStrings 1 - IIIII IIIII IIIII II
• SynthStrings 2 - III
• Synth Brass 1 - II
• Hammond Organ - II
• French Horn - I
• Choir Aahs - IIIII I
• Synth Voice - III
• Lead 6 (Voice) - I
• Voice Oohs - II
• Bottle Blow - I
• Pad 1 (New Age) - I
• Pad 2 (Warm) - II
• Pad 5 (Bowed) - I
• Pad 7 (Halo) - I
• Marimba - IIIII
• Celesta - I
• Vibraphone - II
• Acoustic Grand Piano - IIII
• Pizzicato Strings - I
• Acoustic Bass - II

Modern / Electronic:

• Distortion Guitar - IIIII I
• Electric Guitar (Clean) - I
• Electric Bass (Finger) - IIIII I
• Fretless Bass - III
• Synth Bass 2 - I
• Slap Bass 2 - I

Percussion:

• Acoustic Grand Piano (Drum) - IIIII IIIII IIIII III
• Timpani - IIIII IIIII I
• Tubular Bells - III
• Melodic Tom - II
• Agogo - I
• Synth Drum - I
• Taiko Drum - II
• Reverse Cymbal - IIIII

So if project participants want to mimic the original sound, and need a starting point for instrument selection, there you go.

 

Especially Synth Strings 1 (listen to MUS_E2M1 for example). But on the OPL it plays at an octave higher than the standard Roland MIDI sounds. The usage of Bottle Blow in MUS_E2M6 is fantastic.

Edited May 2, 2020 by pcorf

[Hisymak]

This looks great! I always wanted to listen to some more custom music for Heretic.

Heretic has always been my favourite game, especially its soundtrack, which I consider being the best soundtrack among Doom-engine games. Unfortunately, for some reason, I experience that many Heretic WADs are short of any custom music, mostly reusing the vanilla tracks, or in the better case, use some existing MIDIs. It seems like people are not so likely to compose new music for Heretic, as they do for Doom, which is a pity. There are some more great Heretic WADs (Curse of D'Sparil for example) which would definitely deserve some original music.

On 5/1/2020 at 10:30 AM, Lüt said:

SynthStrings 1 - IIIII IIIII IIIII II

 

10 hours ago, pcorf said:

But on the OPL it plays at an octave higher than the standard Roland MIDI sounds.

Oh yes, Synth Strings 1, the most ICONIC instrument for the whole Heretic soundtrack! It plays in almost every Heretic music. I'm personally OPL Synth user, and Synth Strings 1 playing an octave higher, is actually what it makes it sound so distinctive and great! This is one thing what made me love the Heretic soundtrack.

So if the goal there is to imitate Kevin Schilder's style, I'd expect Synth Strings 1 to appear in almost every new track too.

10 hours ago, pcorf said:

The usage of Bottle Blow in MUS_E2M6 is fantastic.

Didn't you mean E2M9?

[Gothic]

Good luck to everyone.

This gives me hope for a Deathkings MIDI pack.

[Not Jabba]

22 minutes ago, Gothic said:

Good luck to everyone.

This gives me hope for a Deathkings MIDI pack.

Heck yeah, I'd love to see that.

[Tristan]

Raven MIDI Pack 2! \m/

[ETTiNGRiNDER]

Yes, please.  I'd love to have a wider selection of tracks for my Heretic maps without having to resort to Doomish rock/metal tracks or rips from Raven's other games.

[ViolentBeetle]

On 4/30/2020 at 10:26 PM, AD_79 said:

Cascade (1:58)

 

For E3M9.

I could've sworn I heard this in Heretic before. Great job imitating style.