# The music of Tomb Raider 1 and Tomb Raider Anniversary



## LordBlackudder (Nov 13, 2010)

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The year 1993, a time best known for things like John Major, Teletext and Opal Fruits. But more famous than all of those is Tomb Raider.

Development started back than and it took a small team of six, three years to complete.

A soundtrack was composed by Nathan McCree. Unlike most other games of the time, there was not a musical track playing constantly throughout the game; instead, limited musical cues would play only during specially-selected moments in order to produce a dramatic effect, such as enhancing tension during an action sequence or accompanying the discovery of a hidden secret.






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The majority of the time you hear ambient sounds. This gave it that Doom feeling, this really fits the level design with its ominous 'what's around the corner' feel.

The soundtrack for TR1 uses oboe, chants, strings, harp, marimba. It has an at times dramatic feel, and also a mystical beauty. The game uses a solo oboe melody for the main theme. Variations of this main theme have been used throughout all of the Tomb Raider games.






There's a fantastic sound using a marimba. It is one note getting faster louder than slower and fading. This sting really heightens the tension when you realise you are above a pit of spikes or near a vertical drop.

Another awesome sound is a sort of echoey harp. It's the perfect musical expression of discovery and mystery.

If you were to ever be mauled by a pack of wolfs you would obviously want the wolf theme to be playing. It is an edgy piece comprising of strings and marimba. The intensity builds and builds than releases as the marimba takes over. This is perfect as they don't know what level of intensity the player is creating in the game so it builds in layers and releases but remains tense.






Although at the time they could have had real orchestral recordings, they choose to use synthesizers. The music was created using Roland Corporation's Orchestral Expansion board for their JV series keyboards. I am surprised as I never thought it was electronic music at any point.

The excellent sound effects were created by Martin Iveson. There is one main ambient sound loop. It perfectly captures a forgotten ancient world and is constantly creepy, ominous and edgy. It runs for 2 minutes and then loops seamlessly. The variation in the loop and use of silence manages to avoid noticible repetition.

All the other sound effects sound perfectly fitting. I like the sound when you are underwater swimming with bubbles, thrashing water, a denseness and then a gasp for air and rush of sounds as you surface.

In 2007 a remake was released; Tomb Raider: Anniversary. The score for Tomb Raider: Anniversary was composed by Troels Brun Folmann.

Folmann brings a new experience to this remake. The soundtrack sounds very much like an action movie. This works well and it increases the intensity of action sequences and gameplay.







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However it is a bit boring and forgettable. Ultimately I feel this is due to the games lack of character development and story in the first place. There is no demand for a range of musical emotion.

The original Tomb Raider had to use electronic sound design to produce ambience but this modern remake has real recordings. They really did stick a mic up a T-Rex.

The atmosphere is incredible; cold drafts blowing through ancient corridors. Drips of water, creaking rope bridges. Spent bullet cases hitting the ground.

And the wolf theme makes an appearance.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

I was first introduced to the Tomb Raider franchise with Tomb Raider II, and it was my favourite game throughout childhood. I've been a dedicated fan since, but the recent releases (with the exception of one which I can't remember the title of - it had an interesting level with puzzles based on Greek mythology) have not been as enticing as the earlier games.

I think the technique you described of music as a dramatic tool rather than a backdrop was an inspired choice - although Tomb Raider was never particularly gorey or frightening in plot, the tension created by the sudden interruptions of ominous or mysterious music always had me on the edge of my seat, ready to jump at the slightest event!


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