Why is the soundtrack so bad compared to DS3?

[BEOWULF]

Even made by the same person... DS3 had so many memorable ones. I'm disappointed

[DIRTY DEEDS DONE DIRT CHEAP]

Originalmente postado por Ponyeater:

Originalmente postado por DIRTY DEEDS DONE DIRT CHEAP:

Are we talking about Boss OSTs or normal ambient music? Cuz most of the music for each zone is quite fitting and obviously doesn't need to be a banger, it's music you have under while exploring

Yes, the ambience music specifically. I should have been specific.

Even for the feeling of betrayal the music is there to convey, it just gets too grating way too fast.

Now don't get me wrong, having the bravery to create pauses in music just like to leave empty space on a canvas is a good thing. But it's the combination and frequency.
Very heavy strings, nothing else, looping in and out with the ever same rhythm and intonation around 15 seconds for the music and a few seconds of pause.

It gives you a headache. And a lot of the ambient music here is like that.
It's a shame, because ambience music can be one of the greatest types of music but it takes a lot of skill to elevate it meaningfully.

Take for example a classic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC_EF7j4g-Q

The soundtrack for the entire game is like that. You get some background noises with a melodic rhythm that does change, occasionally shifts in and out. But still it is a 4 minute and a half song, with lots of variation.
It just has so much done with it that it doesn't feel distracting or impacts you negatively, in fact it makes you focus better.
What's more the sound absolutely converses to you where you are be.
Just by listening to this piece, you KNOW you are in an underground cave that is located in a jungle.

Elden Ring sadly fumbles this aspect often enough. Many ambience titles in Elden Ring are feel repetitive because they have too little variation, are too short and loop for too much time.
A 15 second violine string for a few minutes is alright. But that same string for hours (you will be in that dungeon a looooong time) is terrible. When a short rhythm plays for such a long time it becomes desorienting and exhausting, tiring you as the player on the receiving end. It's not a good feeling.
So they needed a lot more tracks for a lot more situations -or- the tracks had to be more convoluted and longer with more variation.
Compare that one song from Worms that has character with this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wCt0WIX1FI

This song absolutely drove me nuts, I couldn't believe the team behind over 10 years of amazing games put such a soundtrack out. It reminded me of their earliest work, Evergrace. That also had a soundtrack that made you go to the option setting and turn it off.

This is the same development studio, that made this following atmospheric masterpiece, so we know they can be much better at it when they want to. The music in King's Field was almost part of the story telling it was so essential...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I34io5wf5kk


Funnily enough, other tracks in Elden Ring totally are on point. Here are a few examples where I believe they absolutely nailed it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHhMF3muQFU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGW4GEOMAts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJl82cJslrk

Maybe it's really then down to length, but Limgrave and Stormveil Castle are the best examples that stick out to me where the soundtrack falls apart and gets disturbing over longer periods rather than nailing the background ambience.

I think Stormveil castle isn't bad at all, it's not a song you wanna hear like if it was a boss theme, it's pretty standard, but it's actually very good for exploring such castle, I never felt like it was annoying, what people mostly refer to are boss soundtracks, they complain about them, Stormveil castle reminds me of the "Create your character" from DS3 which is perfect at least for a sense of familiarity (it being the first zone) and later on you reach Altus that has such a good music

[♔V3RD1CT]

Originalmente postado por Slayer of Demons:

Even made by the same person... DS3 had so many memorable ones. I'm disappointed

This game just lacks. It lacks heavily when you look into all the fine details. Music is agreed by money as completely forgettable. Truth is you gen will not notice it less turning everything else down. Others have claimed it as 'headache inducing,' which I have to agree is really bad.

[Revalopod]

The Godskin and Radahn soundtracks are awesome

[Tander]

Originalmente postado por Slayer of Demons:

Even made by the same person... DS3 had so many memorable ones. I'm disappointed

The amazing themes I can think of are: Godskin OST, Mohg OST, Radagon/Elden Beast OST, and Godfrey's OST.

Those are the only themes I can think of that stood out to me.

[Yard-Dog®]

I love the music in Elden Ring, but I admittedly tend to hear music differently than most, as a fellow composer myself.

[Tander]

Originalmente postado por Za'Muro:

i liked only godskin soundtrack and i dont even remember the rest. very ♥♥♥♥ soundtrack overall. ds3 superior game

I suggest listening to Mohg, Lord of Blood's theme again, it's ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ amazing and it really captures the pure evil that Mohg is.

Though I will say it's much more impactful when you're actually fighting him.

[balmora pete]

Only song I can remember that also sounded awesome is the Godskin apostles theme.

[Revalopod]

Originalmente postado por mega mungis:

Only song I can remember that also sounded awesome is the Godskin apostles theme.

I sometimes deliberately not kill the boss too quickly just so I can hear the awesome tune.

[Inflammatus]

Because Kitamura wasn't in charge

[Eunostos]

The only music i even get to notice in this series is the ambient stuff. How do you all even register it when engaging with the combat itself? I'm too focused to enjoy it until i play it later on youtube. xD

Anyway, it seems fine on that youtube. Much of a muchness with the previous games' air fillers.

Actually i lie a little now that i think about it, Ornstein and Smough, Gwyn and Vorsht all stuck with me, though Orns may just be the trauma of how long i was stuck there. But i can't remember any others from demons through to this.