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Topic: Does this sound like a native american-y song? (Read 3740 times) previous topic - next topic

Does this sound like a native american-y song?

http://www.cuznersoft.com/download/promised_land.mid

This is for a Book of Mormon-based game that I'm making and I want to know what you think of this song.

It has 3 main melodies: The Lamanites (the one thats supposed to sound native american-y), The Nephites (it sounds kinda like the Lamanites except a bit more epic-y), and the battle (it sounds like a really fast mix between the other two melodies.)
 

Re: Does this sound like a native american-y song?

Reply #1 –
My son says it sounds Marilyn Manson-y.
Kinda Techno-Goth.

Re: Does this sound like a native american-y song?

Reply #2 –
I think it sounds more techno-minimalist than anything else, but the intervals have an almost native american feel. EDIT: On second listening, the organ seems like it doesn't fit the native american vibe. Don't crucify me, though, just trying to give some helpful feedback. :)
-DAVID COOPER

Re: Does this sound like a native american-y song?

Reply #3 –
In a word, no. Depends on how authentic you're trying to be, of course: but the drumming patterns are wrong, and so are the intervals. Native American music uses the pentatonic scale, with microtonal inflections. Translation: the black keys of the piano (or the equivalent intervals on the white keys), with ornaments that bend away from those notes by less than half a step. Drumming patterns tend to start slow and then speed up, rather than drive straight through, and the music is unmetrical (not 3/4, 4/4, or the like, but with free accents).

That's a quick summary. I suggest going to Wikipedia and typing in "Native American music." I haven't read the article, so I can't comment on its accuracy, but the table of contents looks adequate, and there is a section of samples so you can listen to some of the real stuff.

Again, it depends on how accurate you're trying to be. If you want something that's basically a rock tune that can accompany Native American characters in a production that is otherwise rock-based, this will probably fill the bill. If you want to make it sound reasonably close to what Native American music sounded like, it won't.

Re: Does this sound like a native american-y song?

Reply #4 –
Quote from: William Ashworth –
In a word, no. Depends on how authentic you're trying to be, of course: but the drumming patterns are wrong, and so are the intervals. Native American music uses the pentatonic scale, with microtonal inflections. Translation: the black keys of the piano (or the equivalent intervals on the white keys), with ornaments that bend away from those notes by less than half a step. Drumming patterns tend to start slow and then speed up, rather than drive straight through, and the music is unmetrical (not 3/4, 4/4, or the like, but with free accents).

That's a quick summary. I suggest going to Wikipedia and typing in "Native American music." I haven't read the article, so I can't comment on its accuracy, but the table of contents looks adequate, and there is a section of samples so you can listen to some of the real stuff.

Again, it depends on how accurate you're trying to be. If you want something that's basically a rock tune that can accompany Native American characters in a production that is otherwise rock-based, this will probably fill the bill. If you want to make it sound reasonably close to what Native American music sounded like, it won't.

Well, it is supposed to kind of have a jazz-rock-techno feel to it, and the game it is going to be in is not completely generic native americans, there are also some other characters, so I guess by your definition this song would be "something that's basically a rock tune that can accompany Native American characters in a production that is otherwise rock-based."