Why are the links dead / blocked? Because most of this music is getting commercially licensed and released!

Hello fellow sierra fans!  Some of you thought the blog was dead... well, due to my crazy work schedule as a full time composer it sort of was, but now it is being resuscitated in a way.  You may have also noticed that all of the links are now password protected and blocked, the answer to why this is happening is simple.  Most if not all of the tracks contained within this blog have been remastered and are being officially licenesed and released via LOUDR.  In fact, I have already licensed and released full albums based on Goldeneye 007 and Metal Gear Solid via loudr with much success. These guys rock!

What does this mean?  Welp, it simply means that soon you will be able to purchase and download these tunes legally via loudr, amazon, and itunes.  Some of them may even pop up on Pandora!  Pricewise, these will be between .99 cents to $2.99 depending on the amount of music and artists featured.

The first 4 volumes of my Sierra Symphony series are complete and will be released over the course of the next month.  Keep an eye on my loudr page (and itunes):
https://loudr.fm/artist/rich-douglas/whSUq

Many of these will be released by January 1st, 2015!  Check out their album art below and keep checking back for updates as to what I have in store for future Sierra Symphony releases!

Space Quest III - Monolith Burger

Space Quest III - Monolith Burger
You can listen to and download my version of the music here:
Space Quest III - To Monolith

Original Composer: Bob Siebenberg

Released March 24th 1989, this is the 3rd game in Sierras Space Quest series and the first to use their SCI engine.  More about this game can be read HERE

Aside from the main theme to this game (which I'll get to at some point for sure), this is one of my favorites and one of the most memorable!  It's quite a bit lighter than the ReOrchestrations that I've done in the past.  Like some of the other tunes on this blog, it's also not a direct interpretation, rather it has a hint of the main theme at the beginning and then transitions into the monolith theme as Wilco approaches the burger joint.  It's short but very cool and playful homage to the Monolith theme, enjoy!

For reference, you can hear a version of this theme as performed on the Roland MT - 32 here:
Monolith Burger - Original MT-32 Version

All songs and screen captures are Copyright 1986-1998 Vivendi Universal / Sierra On-Line / Dynamix, Inc. All rights reserved

GUEST GAME - Wing Commander 1

GUEST GAME - Wing Commander 1
You can listen to and download my version of the music here:
Wing Commander - Orchestral Suite

Original Composer(s): Dave Govett, George "The Fatman" Sanger

Originally released in 1990, Wing Commander was the game that put Chris Roberts on the map and known as "World War II in space".  WC had a very colorful cast of characters which the player could interact with in between missions... and my favorite part.. when you died, there was actually a full on funeral ceremony in your honor.  Still gives me chills!  This is one of my all time favorite games and something that I just HAD to take a stab at for this blog!

More info can be found HERE

For this ReOrchestration, I went right for the jugular with extremely aggressive arrangements of the Menu March, Scramble!, Spaceflight, and Funeral cues.  When I sat down to orchestrate these themes, I really wanted to approach this as if it were a Jerry Bruckheimer film from the 90s and as if Hans Zimmer had scored it. All of which accounts for the crazy brass / string staccatos and booming male choir throughout!

For reference, you can listen to the original Amiga version of the theme here:
Wing Commander March - Original Version

Police Quest III - Highway Pursuit

Police Quest III - Highway Pursuit (In Pursuit)
You can listen to and download my version of the music here:
Police Quest III - Highway Pursuit

Original Composer: Jan Hammer

Yes, THE Jan Hammer.. as in the composer behind the original Miami Vice television show in the 80s!

Produced by Jim Walls for Sierra and originally released in 1991.  More about this game can be read HERE

Wow, Jan Hammer had some REALLY strong action themes in this score.  The "In Pursuit" cue has an amazingly epic bassline which I've ReOrchestrated for an aggressive string section and have overlayed even more aggressive brass adding to the aggressiveness.  How aggressive.  Anyway, if you're a fan of Mark Mancinas Bad Boys score or any number of Trevor Rabin scores you're bound to really dig this one!

There are the usual embellishments throughout, but this new version still retains the main vibe of the original while totally ditching the "happier" motif that comes in later on in the original.

For reference, you can hear a version of this theme as performed on the Roland MT - 32 here:
In Pursuit - Original MT-32 version


All songs and screen captures are Copyright 1986-1998 Vivendi Universal / Sierra On-Line / Dynamix, Inc. All rights reserved

GUEST GAME - Pitfall 2 - The Lost Caverns
You can listen to and download my version of the music here:
Pitfall 2 - The Lost Caverns - March

Original Composer(s): David Crane

Originally released in 1984, Pitfall 2 is the sequel to the original Pitfall.  This was one of the first large scale platforming games ever released on a home console and extremely unique in that you could actually backtrack and the game itself was fairly open (though remaining linear in fashion).  Pitfall 2 also sported a handy checkpoint system... which most likely saved many atari controllers from being slammed into the wall.  More about this game can be read HERE

Yup, David Crane, the game's programmer, composed this highly hummable tune!  No offense to all of my coder pals and other code monkeys out there.. but usually most of them aren't exactly musically gifted.  This is an extremely strong theme from the grandaddy of all adventure games ... Pitfall 2 - The Lost Caverns.  For Guest Game #2, I have chosen to ReOrchestrate one of my all time favorite video game themes... which surprisingly is really never remixed or orchestrated.  You've all heard it, you've all wondered what it would sound like orchestrated... well here ya go!

For reference, you can listen to the original Atari 2600 tune here:
Pitfall 2 Theme - Original Version

Heart of China - Rough Takeoff

Heart of China - Rough Takeoff
You can listen to and download my version of the music here:
Heart of China - Rough Takeoff

Original Composer(s): Christopher Stevens and Don Latarski

(taken from abandonia) Heart of China was released in 1991 by Dynamix, which was an subsidiary of Sierra and usually developed the company's action oriented games. Therefore you get some nice action sequences within the game, which can fortunately be skipped. A big achivement for all hardcore adventurers among us. The game also contains Sierra-typical elements. So you should better save often...  

You can read more about this awesome underrated game (and even DOWNLOAD IT legally) HERE

This ReOrchestration showcases the very purpose of this blog.  Taking a handful of classic in-game motifs and themes to create something wholly different... a piece which which serves to rescore an embellished sequence in the game.  For the purpose of this piece, the main characters Jake "Lucky" Masters and his Ninja friend Chi are stopped by immigration at the airfield in Hong Kong and then make a break for the plane.  Traditional chinese instruments are peppered throughout accompanying a large orchestra and several extremely memorable themes / motifs from the game are utilized.  In this cue, you'll hear a rousing version of the main title theme, a reworking of the original "Immigration" cue heard at the start, and the bassline from "Flight to Chengdu".


For reference, you can listen to the themes referenced in this cue via Quest Studios here:
Main Title Theme

Immigration

Flight to Chengdu

Red Baron - Intro March

Red Baron - Intro March
You can listen to and download my version of the music here:
Red Baron - Intro March

Original Composer: Cayanie Music

Created by Damon Slyle and released in 1990, Red Baron was a WW I flight simulator and extremely ambitious for its time.  More about this game can be read HERE

For this ReOrchestration, I wanted to do something which was a complete about face from the very Zimmerish Police Quest material I've been doing.  The march from Red Baron is some amazingly thematic material and very much deserved an update and reworking.  The main theme is now performed by a large trombone section.. which sounded very german and villainous to me.  Given the actual red barons track record during the war... this very much seemed appropriate.  If you're a fan of Jerry Goldsmith film scores from the 1980s, you're bound to enjoy this one!


For reference, you can listen to a version of this theme as it was originally heard in the game via youtube:
Red Baron - Intro March - Original Version