@@pass9786 You're right, but most of the time people who use premade loops lack skill and are looking for shortcuts. I got a love/hate relationship with it. The composer of Silent Hill also relied heavily on sample CDs, but he really made it his own. But there's so much toxic stuff out there today of producers looking for cheats hoping to go viral with trash music. Need a balanced perspective.
"how even if you literally don't compose anything" DJ Shadow's "Endtroducing.....", vaporwave, and plunderphonics in general: 👀 Picking a set of samples, and making them sound good together, is a skill in itself! It's like how photography takes a different skill set than, but has the same artistic dignity as, traditional painting.
nah this is composing. it's not sound design. in 90s there weren't such possibilities in electronic music as there are today. musicians had to use physical synths and samplers and had to be creative. this theme song is actually pretty simple cuz it's just some samples and presets, but that's fairly enough for a game soundtrack imo
@@pejwl_music A nature photographer finding the perfect subject and getting the angles and framing just right, is no less than a photographer who makes everything from scratch and assembles a scene from props and actors.
Thank you so much for including that Google Docs link. I finally found the sources of Disco a Go-Go from TimeSplitters: Future Perfect! I hear fragments of Disco a Go-Go everywhere so it was kinda meaningful to me lol
0:00 This sample was also used in one of GTA V's mission songs, probably used in the jewel heist mission's chase scene or in the gang fight mission with franklin, lamar and scretch. Sounds similar to GTA V tho
This is amazing, I wish there was an analysis of other songs. Btw, in the track “Self Destruction” from Episode 1, used Track 2 sample 5 from the same collection and lowered by one octave.
Gnarly! Never thought I'd see multiple videos that deconstruct what songs were made of. Looking right into the DNA of a track. Awesome video! Thanks man!
I have an MC-303 and had no idea it was used for parts of the HL music. The preset sounds are awful now, but, at the time it was released and when I got mine around 1997 it seemed pretty impressive for the price. Nowadays, it's the drum machine, arp and sequencer that are impressive when used with external gear.
I know it's not technically made from synthesisers (samples I think), but I would very much appreciate a similar video on "Adrenaline Horror" from the original Half-Life. Man, I hear bits of samples used in that from that all over the place and it would be interesting to see how it was built up. Even better, feel free to do the whole soundtrack! As others have said, it is very underrated imo.
you could invert some of the known sources and apply it in phase and in amplitude to the song to help eliminate some of the sounds and thus identify less obvious sounds and also help identify where the vocals come from
@@nikostalk5730 I was making like $4.25/hr back in those days! 😂😂 I just saved up longer for the big boy! Used it for years successfully in the band I was in.
😂 I still own both (both bought bew back then). MC 303 has more punch for live gigs (having a JV 1080 engine inside) but MC 505 has straight production quality outta box, being a XV 3080 inside (which i still have too, also bought new back then) best bread and butter sojnds, has everything from dance music to cinematic soundtracks. I would nonetheless just get a VST now, no need for hardware now, unless you have it already and your an old fart, that's used to 80s-90s old skool DAWless workflow like I am.
@@nikostalk5730yes, you can get a MC 303 for like $200 today, worth every penny. I'd get a MC 909 though, it's like that / mc 505 but with sampling. all in one, you will never need anything else. fullhouse studio. at least for anything dance related. don't think it has multisampling for "real" playing the instruments a.k.a. orchestral cinematic OST composition.
I have a similar sound for the vocals. The vocals are from Best Service Vocal Spectral Vol 1, those samples were everywhere in the 90s and early 2000s video games. I maybe wrong about this so dont come at me but there are some in there that sound like from some Half Life 1 songs. As a musician and composer its fun to do stuff like this but if you want ill be happy to send you the folder containing the samples or just a long mp3 or wav file. =}
Hey Avith! Yes I've defs seen your video, prior I've never really considered the science behind SH's soundtracks, makes sense as to why they sound so hypnotic. You really put a lot of effort and material into it and it was a great breakdown! I would want to do a Silent Hill video like this too, but there's a LOT to go through now since the time you made your video, and sadly there's been a lack of interest in the community lately (therefore not many recent finds). I'm still interested however, and sometime I'll really grind one out because it's surprising how much was found for the series
I tend to forget how long Roland's been trying to ride the coattails of the 303 with boxes that aren't 303s Behringer is eating your lunch because you refuse to make analog anymore lmao
I know a bit about it, the samples are mainly from other songs and tracker modules (some reused from previous Epic titles), but also some CDs and synths too. There's research on it here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JJBlHHDc65fhZmKUGLrDTLCm6rfUU83-kbuD8Y0zU0o/edit#gid=1747501736&range=A1060
I think the female vocal sample might be from the same vocals as some of the US soundtrack for Sonic CD. No, I do not mean the song sonic boom which has lyrics, I mean the vocals in the music for certain levels, such as tidal tempest, and quartz quadrant. I could be wrong though. but it might be worth looking into
I feel like people dont talk enough about how good half-life music is
i mean it's made with just stock presets lol
@@smolchungus5647 Oh you sweet summer child
@@smolchungus5647nobody tell him that’s 99.99% of music made after the 70s
@@smolchungus5647just because something is made with presets doesn't mean its not good
@@pass9786 You're right, but most of the time people who use premade loops lack skill and are looking for shortcuts. I got a love/hate relationship with it. The composer of Silent Hill also relied heavily on sample CDs, but he really made it his own. But there's so much toxic stuff out there today of producers looking for cheats hoping to go viral with trash music. Need a balanced perspective.
The snare roll at the start is also from mc303, F-48 preset
Damn, I completely missed that one! nice catch
0:00 MY GOD, THIS SAMPLE FROM THE BEGINNING IS IN TEKKEN 5 TOO, I WAS CRAZY LOOKING FOR THIS (Tekken 5 - Streets)
Or is it VERY similar
same sample :)
lots of stuff by Zero-G was used in games.
What ties Max Payne, POSTAL, Silent Hill 2, and Half Life 2 together?
They all use samples from Zero-G.
In GTA 5 too, in one of the first chase scenes
Man hearing that opening riff gave me chills, this game made such a huge impression on me, and winning felt SO GOOD!
THE HALF-LIFE SOUND TRACK GOES SO HARDDD!!!
Really goes to show how even if you literally don't compose anything, you can still make something better than anyone could have imagined
"how even if you literally don't compose anything"
DJ Shadow's "Endtroducing.....", vaporwave, and plunderphonics in general: 👀
Picking a set of samples, and making them sound good together, is a skill in itself! It's like how photography takes a different skill set than, but has the same artistic dignity as, traditional painting.
nah this is composing. it's not sound design. in 90s there weren't such possibilities in electronic music as there are today. musicians had to use physical synths and samplers and had to be creative. this theme song is actually pretty simple cuz it's just some samples and presets, but that's fairly enough for a game soundtrack imo
@@vlc-cosplayerback in the days yeah. doing such now... I'd say it's kinda lame and cheating. unless you do it authentically with hardware sampler
@@pejwl_music A nature photographer finding the perfect subject and getting the angles and framing just right, is no less than a photographer who makes everything from scratch and assembles a scene from props and actors.
@@steveskeletonneii6336 I wasn't talking about photographing. I don't think it's the best comparison
So expertly deconstructed and explained. Brilliant production of these tracks. Many thanks.
This is an amazing find, well done.
Finally YT algo giving me the GOOD sample breakdowns. All jokes aside thank you for looking back and making this, game music goes unrecognized
Ooooh, so the melody sequence is a Zero-G sample, that explains why i've heard similar sounds in other soundtracks, like Tekken 5
I swear Tekken 3 has this trancy techno 90s sound to it too
That was wonderful, thank you for the breakdown l.
Hainbach on a video about Half-Life music? What an unexpected delight!
Ha, nice to find you here!
Synth multiverse
Guess this means I'll have to make more remakes. You're doing a great service. Sourcing sound samples is one of my favorite parts of the long tail.
Thank you so much for including that Google Docs link. I finally found the sources of Disco a Go-Go from TimeSplitters: Future Perfect! I hear fragments of Disco a Go-Go everywhere so it was kinda meaningful to me lol
0:00
This sample was also used in one of GTA V's mission songs, probably used in the jewel heist mission's chase scene or in the gang fight mission with franklin, lamar and scretch. Sounds similar to GTA V tho
0:27 GODDAMIT, WAHT A DROP
7\
Incredibly well presented and edited. Truly great content
This is amazing, I wish there was an analysis of other songs. Btw, in the track “Self Destruction” from Episode 1, used Track 2 sample 5 from the same collection and lowered by one octave.
Finest example of making the most out of what you got.
From music producer like myself, every soundtrack half life is genius.
Yo let's get more like this
i agree!
Man valve was cooking with some good stuff
holy shit! can't believe this video exists! Been obsessed with that track since I first heard it
It's so weird how so much game music back in the day was just off the shelf stuff.
Gnarly! Never thought I'd see multiple videos that deconstruct what songs were made of. Looking right into the DNA of a track.
Awesome video! Thanks man!
Holy shit this is incredible, awesome find
probably the best half life 1 song
I found tons of these sounds before and I was waiting for somebody to make a video as I didn't feel like it. Good work man!
Vocal Sample could be from another Zero-G or from a Spectrasonics sampling CD.
Also sounds like a house sample
There’s definitely another drum track layered under the 909, playing more notes on the kick drum.
This has been buried deep in my mind. Thank you for surfacing the treasured memory and feeling of this song.
Great job finding the samples, please make more videos like this.
I have an MC-303 and had no idea it was used for parts of the HL music. The preset sounds are awful now, but, at the time it was released and when I got mine around 1997 it seemed pretty impressive for the price. Nowadays, it's the drum machine, arp and sequencer that are impressive when used with external gear.
clearly an acid sequence without distortion. perhaps some flanger, too. clearly has delay.
zero-g is almost in every old video game music for some reason.
That House Pattern 4 is best
This song gives me goose bumps. I remember playing this as a kid when everything seemed so easy and innocent...
I love this kind of stuff, thank you!
I know it's not technically made from synthesisers (samples I think), but I would very much appreciate a similar video on "Adrenaline Horror" from the original Half-Life. Man, I hear bits of samples used in that from that all over the place and it would be interesting to see how it was built up. Even better, feel free to do the whole soundtrack! As others have said, it is very underrated imo.
This song was also used in an episode of south park. The super sweet 16 episode with Satan. Couldn’t believe what i was hearing tbh
Leave an empty square on the internet and it shall surely be filled....
thank you for your efforts in researching and collating this information, I'm sure it will be valuable in the future (more than it is now!)
Dance and groove mr freeman
thats so cool never played the game heard loads bout it but owned the mc 303 last year till it broke. an amazing machine it is truly
Check vocal from Zero-G Vocal Lix, phrases female, beautiful eyes. I hope it will help.
YAS THX
you could invert some of the known sources and apply it in phase and in amplitude to the song to help eliminate some of the sounds and thus identify less obvious sounds and also help identify where the vocals come from
This is some Amadeus sort of shit
lol it's crazy that they used an MC-303! I have an MC-505, it's much bigger brother and it's so powerful but the preset stuff can sound so cheezy! 🤣🤣
MC-303 were cheap back in the days. Like - why not to take it and just play around?
@@nikostalk5730 I was making like $4.25/hr back in those days! 😂😂 I just saved up longer for the big boy! Used it for years successfully in the band I was in.
😂 I still own both (both bought bew back then). MC 303 has more punch for live gigs (having a JV 1080 engine inside) but MC 505 has straight production quality outta box, being a XV 3080 inside (which i still have too, also bought new back then) best bread and butter sojnds, has everything from dance music to cinematic soundtracks. I would nonetheless just get a VST now, no need for hardware now, unless you have it already and your an old fart, that's used to 80s-90s old skool DAWless workflow like I am.
@@nikostalk5730yes, you can get a MC 303 for like $200 today, worth every penny. I'd get a MC 909 though, it's like that / mc 505 but with sampling. all in one, you will never need anything else. fullhouse studio. at least for anything dance related. don't think it has multisampling for "real" playing the instruments a.k.a. orchestral cinematic OST composition.
Best ending theme ever. Half Life best game ever
such a cool channel. subbed
I have a 05R/W but never noticed it was that bass patch! 😱
There's cowbells in the Half-Life Closing Theme. Cowbells.
This is absolutely amazing
The vocals sound like someone wheezing
i havent seen a better comparison than this
I have a similar sound for the vocals. The vocals are from Best Service Vocal Spectral Vol 1, those samples were everywhere in the 90s and early 2000s video games. I maybe wrong about this so dont come at me but there are some in there that sound like from some Half Life 1 songs. As a musician and composer its fun to do stuff like this but if you want ill be happy to send you the folder containing the samples or just a long mp3 or wav file. =}
great work dude
Don’t wake me until triage at dawn has been looked over.
This is probably one of the most triumphant endings to a videogame in all of videogame history
This is so specific (and special) hahah
very interesting to be honest, retro games have fire OSTs and interesting productions in between
The 303 so important in culture
this is just awesome, great work with this video
Zero-G is life.
nice video! I did something similar for Silent Hill, so is great to see a video like this for another one of my favorite videogame franchises
Hey Avith! Yes I've defs seen your video, prior I've never really considered the science behind SH's soundtracks, makes sense as to why they sound so hypnotic. You really put a lot of effort and material into it and it was a great breakdown! I would want to do a Silent Hill video like this too, but there's a LOT to go through now since the time you made your video, and sadly there's been a lack of interest in the community lately (therefore not many recent finds). I'm still interested however, and sometime I'll really grind one out because it's surprising how much was found for the series
The very moment I got my first polyphonic cell phone I downloaded "Tracking Device" and set it as my ringtone.
I know I'm obviously biased by nostalgia but man I really miss how "trancey" everything used to sound in the late 90s/early 2000s
i recently got all 3 datafile from zerog and now i just learned theres more.. i need them
Brings back memories, loved Half-Life back in the days & Counter Strike, 90's was fun times.
This is the most 90s thing I’ve ever heard, and it came from valve!
vocals = Gabe Newell
Kinda makes me sad that the whole thing is just made of samples
my dad owns an mc-303 and i was so shocked when i heard half-life ost drums coming from the factory presets lmao
Great founding
I tend to forget how long Roland's been trying to ride the coattails of the 303 with boxes that aren't 303s
Behringer is eating your lunch because you refuse to make analog anymore lmao
Great work
i feel like this song would sometimes play when you were loading into a new map on sven coop or something.
That's pretty cool actually
Holy shit how did i not know this!
Absolute BANGER.
Also used in tekken 5 - streets and street wise asura remix
you should try to find out how the synth in lab practicum was made
we actually did! that's coming soon
@@therealburneraccount5466 THANK YOU SO MUCH
Deus Ex needs one badly I feel like. where did the samples in the tracker music come from?
I know a bit about it, the samples are mainly from other songs and tracker modules (some reused from previous Epic titles), but also some CDs and synths too. There's research on it here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JJBlHHDc65fhZmKUGLrDTLCm6rfUU83-kbuD8Y0zU0o/edit#gid=1747501736&range=A1060
Thanks I knew I heard some EM-U samples in there, I'm not going crazy. @@therealburneraccount5466
even listening to the instruments i still vibe to it lol
amazing work ! Thank you
where can i find these samples
This sounds like Tekken
Nice work! Subscribed
Have you done a video for the synth patches used in "Klaxon Beat"? I'm curious because right as the song fades out, it changes to a different beat.
yea the rhythms are from the MC-303 as well, that will be covered in a new video
@@therealburneraccount5466 Would love to see more videos of this subject!
@@therealburneraccount5466notifications on 🔔 😂
DAMN it's right there
the vocals remind me of something from sonic adventure 2 for dreamcast
it was from a sample pack THE WHOLE TIME??
TIL Half-Life had a soundtrack.
I think the female vocal sample might be from the same vocals as some of the US soundtrack for Sonic CD. No, I do not mean the song sonic boom which has lyrics, I mean the vocals in the music for certain levels, such as tidal tempest, and quartz quadrant. I could be wrong though. but it might be worth looking into
this is a nice find but i wonder who could be the vocalist in the song?
pretty interesting! nice work
I want to thank Tommy Tallarico for being the first half person.
this is def me while driving
Same synth was used in Tekken V. Video on my channel
Wait wait wait is synth music just literally exactly like the Club Penguin DJ minigame??
Please do hazardous environments
The unknown half-rack up there most probably is Mackie otto-1604 midi automation control module
hey it was! good catch
Great work!! :D