Music Theory Question - What, if anything, do these three songs have in common?

[Broker]

So a guy I vaguely know is offering to write people music. I could do with something for a project I’m working on and he’s doing it very cheaply, but I don’t really know what I’m asking for.

 

I’m aware that I could expose my absolute ignorance of music theory here and go “here’s 3 YouTube links, I want something that sounds a bit like these” but I know that he plays piano and has studied music theory and for both a reduced level of embarrassment and my own reference, I’d ideally like some point of reference about what to research in terms of music theory so I could say “I like it when….” or whatever.

 

So, here’s the three things I would like it to sound a bit like. Do they have anything in common in terms of composition? Can you identify what the things I like have in common so I can do some reading and actually have something intelligent to say? Am I insane and these three pieces of music have nothing in common?

 

 

 

 

 

[ZOK]

Hmm…I think if anyone here could have anything helpful to say on this, as a guess it’s going to be @CS2x.

[SeanR]

It’s the intervals, a lot perfect 4ths and their use of scales, and pedal notes (the repeating bass in the root).

 

I reckon.

 

a lot of medieval music uses the same.

 

no thirds, no passing notes it’s big because the intervals (between the notes) are big, and the notes are either long and ponderous in the bass creating gravitas, or short and flighty creating movement 

[acidbearboy]

I’d say all three pieces have a similar tone and feel - grandiose, epic, triumphant etc. I also think giving a professional composer three examples of music you like and asking for something similar should be in no way embarrassing- surely they should be able to extract the qualities you are looking for?

[CS2x]

10 hours ago, ZOK said:

Hmm…I think if anyone here could have anything helpful to say on this, as a guess it’s going to be @CS2x.

Thanks for flagging this, ZOK! 🙂 @SeanR already said it well, and all of them share similar harmonic language during certain stretches, as well as the bombast and romantic tonality. But @acidbearboy is right; there's nothing embarrassing about sharing examples and even using non-musical language to articulate what you want. I've done about 10 soundtracks now, and only on two of them did the directors/producers/editors know anything about music. In fact, sometimes when a temp hadn't been put in they were decidedly confusing and contradictory about what they wanted (in terms of description), but I still had to make sense of what it should be lol. I'm sure you'll do a much better job than they did, @Broker! :-D 

PS I forgot how much I liked the MGS2 theme. But it's so similar to this!
 

 

[SeanR]

 

[Jamie John]

11 hours ago, Broker said:

 

 

I haven't got anything to contribute to this thread, except to say that these two videos are awesome and I'm so fucking envious of anyone who can play a musical instrument like that. Thanks for sharing. I will be checking this guy's videos out.