The problem with the music in ESO...

MyNegation

This is kind of a 'first world problem', and also music is a matter of personal taste,
but this bothers me for some reason.

all the zones in ESO sound the same to me.
I have finished all the EP zone, and started DC zone on my main, and i also have an AD character.
The music in the game is nice and lovely, but it doesn't define the zone I am in.
the music style is the same everywhere. I cant guess by the music style in which zone I am.

just for the sake of an example, lets take WOW.
you could know immediately in which zone you are by the music in the zone, the sound track was very distinctive and it was a major part of the mood of the zone.

for example:
silverpine forest:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxWxkXXJZ4I
you had the chills just listening to the music...

ashenvale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLkuUuXSTs8

howling fjord:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85JLNFc4eT4

etc...

I was expecting something more style/race defined, for example...
Nord maps have some kind of germanic opera music style ( flight of the valkeries etc)
Argonians - central american tribal music style.
Redguard - middle eastern/desert style.
Breton- central European folk music.
Altmer- Italian baroque music style.
Bosmer- lord of the dance music style.
Orcs - african tribal music with tamtams etc or maybe mongolian nomadic music.

but instead we have this neo classical elevator music across all the zones, kinda boring....
it is also sad that Zos probably will not invest to change the music for the zones.

Harlwystyr

I agree, some regional music would certainly add a lot of atmosphere to the game. Quite a shame it isn't so, as it's been a long practice in other MMOs.

WhimsyDragon

I really like the music in the game. I agree though, that it would be nice if the music felt more thematic based on the background of the area. Plus it would be nice if the bards across Tamriel sang a few more songs!

NewBlacksmurf

Well I love the ESO music but I don't think they have Blizzard $$$ to start off this way.
Maybe the future is bright

WhimsyDragon

NewBlacksmurf wrote: »

Well I love the ESO music but I don't think they have Blizzard $$$ to start off this way.
Maybe the future is bright

It's true that comparing any other MMO to WoW when it comes to budget issues is a tough sell. Hiring good composers is actually very costly

kodo

it's not the same, i can tell u that once i finished DC and moved to AD the music changed ,but u are right that the music of the previous zones also plays in the new zones.

drschplatt

I'd just be ok with the bards learning a new song. Seriously, the next time I hear someone singing about a red diamond, I'm just going to murder them.

Gidorick

lol @drschplatt. I totally agree with you, and the same two voices coming out of all the bards across Tamriel kind of irk me as well... hmm... this gives me an idea. Why can't ZOS offer an option where players can submit complete and finished songs to them for inclusion into ESO. Of course, they would have to have a set of standards and they would have to "approve" the songs, but it would be a cool way to add some variety to the bards.

Mortelus

I have my music set low enough that I don't hear it when I am just strolling around, but just enough to hear it when exciting music kicks in. I prefer to hear the sounds of the environments for immersion than music that's all the same.

noobfury

I like about 95 % of the music in the game with the exception of one rather slow emotive piece .

I also think that certain areas should have a change of pace. It's somewhat annoying to hear that slow emotive music when I'm in Cyrodiil as it does not fit the whole aspect of danger or action relative to pvp. I wondered if anyone else thought the same thing.

The symphonic music is really nice imho.

bedlom

Plus i enjoy how most other rpgs have a few minutes without music now and then. I strongly feel adding this few moments of silence to eso along with adding aload of music from previous TES titles.

These two additions would do wonders for eso's soundtrack

Please consider it zos

Saddiq

I agree that ideally there should be zone-specific music.

However, ES music has no history of this at all. In Arena, which also takes place in all of Tamriel, the music wasn't localized. The closest the ES games ever came to a localized piece was the Jerral mountains theme in Oblivion being used in Skyrim as well.

Recording symphonic music--even when done in mastered sessions with solo players looped on top of each other--is extremely expensive. So I wouldn't hold my breath.

On a good note, the composer did mention when he was on ESO Live that he had already composed and--I think--recorded music for Imperial City. That was many months ago.

C0pp3rhead

If you ask me, this iteration of the Elder Scrolls has a rather lackluster soundtrack. Oblivion was pretty good, but Morrowind (whimiscal & mysterious) and Skyrim (energizing and impactful) both had incredible musical scores. Wait... lackluster isn't right. Paltry, derivative, and elevator-esque fit the description.

Real_Hawk

I totaly agree, it would improve the atmosphere alot. The music is nice but all the area's in Tamriel have the same music. Except for Bleakrock, Eastmarch and the Rift, they have different music (PS4).

xylus289_ESO

I really love the music in the game, but agree that Zone Defining tunes would actually be a very great idea. I like this idea a lot. +1

nbksaske

i find that some of the music sounds similer to something out of lord of the rings.....

Real_Hawk

They should get Jeremy Soule from The Elder Scrolls - Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim.

JD2013

Real_Hawk wrote: »

They should get Jeremy Soule from The Elder Scrolls - Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim.

He did the main theme for the game. Nothing else.

CapnPhoton

The music in WoW may be ok, but you are still playing a game that looks like a goofy cartoon.

ESO is a beautiful world. The music is sometimes repetitive and perhaps needs some additions, but it is still good.

Scylos

I agree with OP. Music should be more diverse. Each zone should have its separate soundtrack. I would certainly add more to immersion. I hope we see some new soundtracks in ESO at some point. I turned off the music log ago in game because it got too repetitive for me.

TennesseeNord

I'm curious, have there been any music changes in the game? It just seems like some of the music that was originally plugged in is gone

CherryCake

Well...soon Skyrim is coming, so I get to listen to the streets of whiterun while exploring again and I cannot wait Zos is there a way to insert that in?
Eso music is not bad either but...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo3VAltxlr8

Bonzodog01

TennesseeNord wrote: »

I'm curious, have there been any music changes in the game? It just seems like some of the music that was originally plugged in is gone

Yeah, some of the in-zone music has somehow been screwed up by the DLC soundtracks.

I have noticed that most of the DC zones still play the correct music with the exception of Rivenspire, which now plays the Gold Coast DLC music. Oh, and the Alik'r now plays the music from Wrothgar....

In EP, its far worse. Stonefalls, Deshaan and Shadowfen now all play the same 5 music tracks looped - the big problem is that they are the music from Abah's Landing/Thieves Guild. Prior to TG release, they were playing Wrothgar music!

In AD, the music is OK with the exception of Malabal Tor, which now also plays the Abah's Landing Music!

The music in game is definitely bugged right now, I just suspect it's not very high priority.

itehache

Although I agree with your point, I love the music from this game so much...
But yeah, it would be nice to have different regional music

Mandragora

It is interesting, how many players can be sensitive to music - even between WoW players, which I know only as a bunch of aggressive arrogant players, who want to destroy the other games, so WoW would keep priority, and they were giving really bad advices to developers, and they always were opposing any good changes, and they have the feeling, that everyone has to love WoW, and another bunch of ex WoW players, who sound pretty the same, only with the exception, that they hate all RPG players generally, because they have the feeling that RPG player = casual, and they hate them because they blame them for Cataclysm. So I would like to hear more about WoW RPG players - some actually nice not fanatical players, so I could change my opinion and don't feel sick everytime anyone mentions WoW...

About the music - I had similar problem with LOTRO I used to play - it had this kind of high quality music - different for every zone and it was really cool - I've got used to it, but then like 1-2 year ago some new manager (I guess) decided, that it is not needed anymore, that it is boring, repetitive and that music in zones should be mixed... I think that anyone, for whom it is boring, can easily listen to youtube, but the player, who wanted immersive music, couldn't do anything about it. Or maybe it was money issue, but still, they could keep the old zones as they were... maybe they fixed that already, I don't know,but it was horrible.

But I have to say, I do like the music in ESO, it is very good background music, because still it is better, than my previous experience. Maybe if they wouldn't want the music to be really different, they could create 1 theme for different reaces and put that on play list for the zones, where they live, or forest/sandy/winter zones, that could be different - but I think they do keep some themes for some zones.

Clarkieson

MyNegation wrote: »

This is kind of a 'first world problem', and also music is a matter of personal taste,
but this bothers me for some reason.

all the zones in ESO sound the same to me.
I have finished all the EP zone, and started DC zone on my main, and i also have an AD character.
The music in the game is nice and lovely, but it doesn't define the zone I am in.
the music style is the same everywhere. I cant guess by the music style in which zone I am.

just for the sake of an example, lets take WOW.
you could know immediately in which zone you are by the music in the zone, the sound track was very distinctive and it was a major part of the mood of the zone.

for example:
silverpine forest:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxWxkXXJZ4I
you had the chills just listening to the music...

ashenvale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLkuUuXSTs8

howling fjord:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85JLNFc4eT4

etc...

I was expecting something more style/race defined, for example...
Nord maps have some kind of germanic opera music style ( flight of the valkeries etc)
Argonians - central american tribal music style.
Redguard - middle eastern/desert style.
Breton- central European folk music.
Altmer- Italian baroque music style.
Bosmer- lord of the dance music style.
Orcs - african tribal music with tamtams etc or maybe mongolian nomadic music.

but instead we have this neo classical elevator music across all the zones, kinda boring....
it is also sad that Zos probably will not invest to change the music for the zones.

turn the music off?

first thing i did in the options menu

sshawboys1_ESO

I totally agree, I thought I was the only one.

I know I may be considered a traitor, but I mute ESO's music and play other game's music in its place. This ranges from GW2, WOW, and even Skyrim. I've been playing ESO since release and I'm so tired of the same sounding music. Even while using other game's music, the diversity adds to the feel and atmosphere of ESO. I hope ZOS can redo their soundtrack and add unique music for each zone sometime in the future. However, that most likely will never happen.

Tobius

The music of the zones don't bother me so much, but if I have to hear one more bard sing '... the plainmeld is neigh...' PLEASE add more bard songs so they aren't so repetitive.

Rastoide

I agree with those of you that think that music is nice, but there should be more variety. Altho, I feel like the Bards should have priority over this.

And i believe this aspect of the game is quite important. ZOS should keep an eye on this..

MasterSpatula

I find this post ironic, since music was what got me back into the game. Hadn't played in almost a year when my YouTube suggestions popped up with "ESO Complete Soundtrack." I listened to the whole thing and suddenly couldn't wait to get home and re-install the game!

Lara1701

I adore the music, but if you're really craving something different, shut the music off and play soundtracks from your other games. Even I do it sometimes. I love turning on the LotRO inn music in a tavern. WoW's Tanaris (classic) is perfect for the Alik'r. Pretty much the entire scores to Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim. Mix and match. Have fun. No reason to be bored with the music (which is awesome and I still play 99% of the time).