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FREQ//DRIFT: The Ghost Chord, end credits theme's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Production quality | #7 | 4.083 | 4.083 |
| Memorability | #9 | 3.583 | 3.583 |
| Overall | #13 | 3.567 | 3.567 |
| Match to the brief | #15 | 3.500 | 3.500 |
| Overall enjoyment | #15 | 3.333 | 3.333 |
| Composition quality | #17 | 3.333 | 3.333 |
Ranked from 12 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
Description
I'm doing Precision Level 3 for my entry. My fictional game is FREQ//DRIFT: The Ghost Chord
Imagine a megacity where a corporate algorithm has banned unauthorized music. Literally scrubbing the "F natural" frequency from existence. In FREQ//DRIFT you play as RELAY, an underground Signal Runner using a rigged pocket synth to rebuild that banned, euphoric anthem. And this isn't just lore. The game's literal soundtrack is engineered around this exact idea.
The track remains at 174 BPM from beginning to end. For the first 72 bars, a bare, melancholic half-time feel disguises that speed. At bar 73, the full liquid drum and bass breakbeat arrives, shifting the emotional weight from nostalgia to pure energy without changing the tempo.
The entire composition is built on a strict, trackable leitmotif that can be verified purely by ear:
The theme uses only A, B, C, D, E, and G. It contains no F of either kind in any of its appearances.
Sequence, Retrograde, and Inversion: Bars 5, 6, and 7 repeat the same falling three-note shape, moved up one musical degree each time: C-B-A, D-C-B, then E-D-C. That final E-D-C figure is also the same three notes from bar 3's rising C-D-E figure played in reverse (a retrograde) and it inverts the figure's direction. Bar 7 therefore completes the rising sequence and mirrors bar 3 at the same time.
Section D (Bars 105-120): The augmented theme runs throughout all sixteen bars, while fragmented pieces of the melody begin stacking over it in the second half at bar 113.
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Comments
I like the general idea of a forbidden note making its way into a soundtrack. I'm certainly going to steal that idea for a future project ;)
The harsh synth is kinda messing with the idea of a sentimental/nostalgic opening, a different istrument choice (or blending into the synth over time) might have carried that part of the prompt better (like the softer/further away synth you are using around 2/3 through the piece - I believe bar 105?).
I have never gotten a speeding ticket in my life, but if I am ever in a chase, fleeing from the music police, I'll be sure to put this on the stereo!
Hey, I've just listened to your track!
I really liked the beat and the instrumentation. I also loved the melody and the cyberpunk atmosphere you've created.
The two points I would mention are that, at the beginning, the synth felt a little aggressive to my ears and could perhaps benefit from some dynamic EQ or softer high frequencies. I also think the accompaniment could be more present beyond the beat itself, with additional chords, pads, or bass to help support the melody and fill out the texture.
Overall, though, I enjoyed listening to it.
Good luck with the rest of the voting period!
(Submission 16/29 - "FREQ//DRIFT: The Ghost Chord, end credits theme" by clutch taco)
Really good work :D
I really enjoyed the creativity of the track, especially with your own personal limitations (no F natural). The vibe is immaculate and really energetic!
I have some advice that you could improve on.
When I first started off the song, I felt as though the song was directly attacking me with the main lead, so I would just take it out of the intro and replace it with something more delicate and softer to buildup to the energetic choruses. Because the melody gets repeated so many times, I just wish there was something complimenting it like a harmony in later sections to reintroduce something new, although adding back the F natural helped a little, but not enough to fully satiate my brain. Another thing I want to point out is the lack of the pad in the choruses. I don't know if this was intentional to make it seem empty, but it was incredibly quiet and lessened the impact of the high-octane sections.
Nevertheless, you created something really cool :D
Thanks clutchtaco!
This track really suits the brief, perfect for a credits scene. It sounds very well produced as well. If it was for anything else I'd say it was quite repetitive but it works for what you are trying to do.
The quality of the sound, instruments is really good, it's neat, it's not saturated, it's enjoyable. I find the cyber theme really well done, the sounds you've picked are good choices. The constraint you've put yourself (no F) is fun to hear, I like ideas like these. You use the panning very well, I like the bass wave on the left ear and some percussions that are played at the center and the final notes in the right ear, it uses the full capacity of the space.
Maybe one thing that I could've been even better is if it had a crescendo that hypes us up into a big final, without necessarily removing all the credits vibe it has. For example, my favourite part is from 2:22 to 2:45. Before this part, we have this nice repetitive leitmotiv and it's the center of the attention and is played in staccato but when we come to my favourite part, it plays in legato and I find it very satisfying, the transition is well done and with the addition of the leitmotiv at 2:34 that is not played in full, therefore we expect more and more power into the music and we want the follow-up of the music. But I wished that this method (playing melody 1 in the first half of the bar, playing melody 2 in the second half of the bar behind) would have been used in the ending, I think it would have added more power.
But this is really high quality work, I took pleasure to listen to it !