Reacting to the Tricky Trials soundtrack (read desc + pinned) 

I've come around on the music discs now that I know which ones are discs and which ones are ambient! The lack of understanding about the implementation of these songs is what dictated a lot of my opinion on them, as hearing some of these during ambient gameplay would really take me out of the experience. I've been listening to the soundtrack today and my opinion is now more positive on lots of them - this always happens for me! Some tracks just take a few listens before I really get them. I still very much dislike the Christmas-y bells vibe in Precipice but the overall energy the track brings out is a new flavour of Minecraft that I now need to explore knowing it exists! Also, about your trend message, I fully agree; none of these creators should feel forced to oblige to the norm or cease experimentation or fear displaying their own flair, although I do believe that consistency in dimensions is vitally important, something that is very muddied now as the music has become less player-emergent and more world-focused.

@@ramenllamaminecrafttime lmao I had the same experience. For some reason I can’t understand I didn’t like the soundtrack at all on first listen, I was actively laughing at creator lol. But I listened to it again more openly and I loved it! I’ve listened to the whole album, like, 5 times in full already now haha. I totally get where you’re coming from.

@@ramenllamaminecrafttime Consistency is crucial in a game overall, if not then the game loses it's theme and meaning.

honestly? I think the soundtrack being different and unique but on theme to the whole "tricky trials" theme is a step in the right direction. I'm not saying everything in minecraft should sound completely different now, but I like that they're being more experimental

I think creator is the best new music disk. Ever. Added personally.​@@ramenllamaminecrafttime

I am glad I gave these all a listen in-game since this video, as after playing with them I believe they really fit the aesthetic now. In retrospect I should have considered which biomes these would play in more when factoring my opinion on the tracks, to sort of visualise them better where they'd best be suited. It is short sighted of me to write off music immediately without hearing its application in-game. Your comment about biome-specific music isn't a revelation to me as I know it's a great way for the soundtrack to explore new flavours (and make biomes of their own consistent), though my ocassional dislike towards this approach is because I've had wildly inappropriate songs play in a scenario that directly contrasts the mood. Once that happens it just sort of mars the song for me and that damage is hard to undo. This isn't a new artist problem however as this has happened to me with C418 songs too. About End music: I wonder if the audio team will take the same approach as C418, and make one megasong featuring many of these new artists' motifs, or if they'll make End biome-specific music with new ones. I'd really like them to do both. It'll be really interesting to see what new sounds and visuals Mojang come up with!

Not seen this take before. Minecraft does have a style. Lots of tracks use the same instruments, pacing and melodies, and are meant to play in endless scenarios that support the player's environment. Most Survival Overworld music is similar and cohesive, as are the Nether songs. The discs also have their own style, something that I admit I haven't much studied because I haven't listened to all the discs in over a decade. To claim that there is no set style is just not true. Regarding Creator and Precipice, I'll admit, I was instantly thrown off and disliked it because new = different and different = bad. However after some more listens I really appreciate what they're going for and think the songs are fine as music discs (Creator + MB version + Precipice are all discs). I mentioned in a different comment but my initial dislike of the song was geared more towards not understanding its application in-game - without context of discs, I had thought that Precipice would start playing as I'm wandering around a forest lol.

@@ramenllamaminecrafttime I apologize for the misunderstandings, but as you said, most tracks use the same pacing and melodies. Personally I think it's Daniel's unique style for Minecraft, not Minecraft's only style. It just happens to be associated with Minecraft, because there was no new tracks made by other composers for a long time. Yes, I agree that these would not fit as a randomly playing track, no matter the composer. As I said, my opinion is that Minecraft has, and need multiple musical styles, instead of just one. It's a sandbox after all. :)

@@dryft7906 I suppose I didn't make it clear enough that I understand there are in fact multiple styles present in Minecraft, and that each one has its own characteristics defined and distinguished by its own gamemode, not just in the base game but in each of the other Minecraft properties also. My thoughts throughout this entire video are strictly discussing the application of this album's music into the specific gamemode of Survival. Yes, each composer brings their own ideas to the table, and they do a very good job at exploring new themes while honoring past work, all without being stuck in its shadow or bound by the foundation it set. But they all still adhere to one overall style for each gamemode. I have not once said the new composers' work is C418's style, which it looks like you've implied I believe in both your responses: it is Minecraft's style, through and through. Homely and calm, varied and expressive, versatile and recognisable; Minecraft is piano, it's strings, it's synths, it's orchestra, it's tiny twinkles that put a smile on your face, it's weird key changes and strange sound effects, it's that trademark little synth chirp with its bouncing stereo delay; THAT is Minecraft's style, fully and wholly, and that style has been largely consistent so far, which is welcome! I think we both just have different definitions of "style", or maybe I should instead be using the word "atmosphere" in its place.

@@ramenllamaminecrafttime I do not hear any similarities in Daniel's and the new composers' music, especially in Creator. In my opinion, this singular track is the polar opposite of his style. I could not put these tracks under the same style, because i cannot hear any of the instruments from his music, aside from maybe the synth :/

Yes sir, sorry sir. Nah you're right, it was a very unnecessary comment for me to make, I apologise. Also which ones do you like the most? My favourites are Deeper, Puzzlebox, Watcher and Komorebi.

@@ramenllamaminecrafttime well honestly my favourite is precipice (which is funny because thats probably your least favourite lol)

Yeah, I definitely threw in some unnecessary comments out of pure gut reaction. I should have structured some thoughts better, I apologise. Aye I don't think the tracks need to mimic C418's style, but I do believe the style must stay consistent across gameplay, which for the very most part it has. My gripes with tracks like Precipice and Creator were largely due to not knowing if they'd be discs or if they'd play ambiently. (A dev mentioned on Twitter he was glad the music was going in a new direction so I didn't think discs were the obvious assumption.) I also do believe that the worst tracks from this new batch of composers are the ones that tread ground too similar to C418. I definitely prefer when they have their own distinct personality with some familiarity thrown in. Coming from my newfound appreciation for the 1.21 music, I disagree with many of the thoughts I initially had in this video lol. Thank you btw for being constructive and discussing your thoughts, rather than calling mine a waste of time just because you disagree. I'm glad you like the new songs and personally I can't wait to be hearing some of these in-game.

@ramenllamaminecrafttime I like how thoughtful you are! Taking your time to respond to each point and staying collected while also adding more opinions and views on it~ And I'm glad you found new appreciation for this soundtrack after more listens, had any of the previously not really liked tracks jumped to your favs? Also the comment I made about the soundtrack sounding uninteresting overtime if it followed older minecraft style wasn't supposed to be like a critique or something or taking a jab at it, just more so a poorly worded way of the music approach changing and how I think the experimentation helped me personally be more into minecraft and it's world than before 😅.

I don't want to tear other people down for their opinion of course - there is still place online for open discussion! I almost want to take this video down because I received a few nasty comments that I didn't post, and if I respond to any more here then I'll just repeating myself from other comments (which some of those who disagree with me/new people who disagree aren't reading in the first place lol). To answer your question, Deeper, Creator and pokopoko are ones I turned around on. My favourites are Deeper, komorebi, Puzzlebox and Watcher!

@ramenllamaminecrafttime that's true, and I encourage you to keep it and not delete it. Yes, people will have some comments that are unnecessary to tell to another being, but that's internet unfortunately, afraid there's no escaping from that. It's obvious you didn't mean some comments that harshly and that opinions are just that, opinions and you're willing to hear different perspectives. With that view on it, your reactions can only improve, so don't let them get to you too much~ Also, I love your track selection from it! I'm happy you got around the Creator one since that one is my fav music disc out of the three~

"i can't BELIEVE someone would disagree with me" isn't a great look If you makes you feel any better, the tracks grew on me after I played the game with them in the background. They all work in their own way!

Interesting point. I did mention in the video that Minecraft is its own brand now, and is more than just the main base game. I should have elaborated on that more, but the general line of thought regarding this is understanding that all of the music made for Minecraft IS Minecraft and should be accepted as such. Other Minecraft games have music that is different to the main game. There are multiple branches now, each expressing their own feelings and instruments and motifs, and it's all part of the same package. It makes me interested to go and listen to the wealth of other Minecraft music I've been missing out on from these new games.

Undertale account, opinion invalid

@@ramenllamaminecrafttime This is not an opinion, and messing with my content only shows how hurt you are and how much my comment directly affects you, also, you have no arguments lol.

"Hurt" isn't the right word. I just get curious to see who leaves comments, so I click on many profiles - sometimes people make some really cool stuff that deserves support! I interpreted your comment as a little jab at me (I honestly don't know what being "stuck in 80" means) so I figured I'd poke a light jab back.

I trust Lena. Most of their Minecraft work is breathtaking. Couple tracks feel a bit too Celeste but otherwise they're more than capable of hitting that signature Minecraft feel while still having their own unique take on the atmosphere.

Thank you for your valuable input, jack irish 4 numbers. Fence taken. You could just say you disagree. Cheers for being curious though and watching the follow-up video to see how my thoughts changed!

@@ramenllamaminecrafttime I did subscribe. And I'm glad your opinion changed on it.

I do appreciate it, but only subscribe if you believe you'll watch the content!

it's a bop i like it now. i also do think it is minecrafty

averag marcer amoeba

Of course it's fine if you like Precipice! I do think it's a good song after hearing it a couple more times, but it's just a new flavour of Minecraft I'm not familiar with yet. In time I will find a place for it and I'm sure it will mean something to me like most of the others songs do. Minecraft music works best when you have memories to pair it with. "not all songs need to be Minecrafty" is an argument I can't get behind tbh. Game is literally Minecraft. Obviously I don't want every aspect the game to stay the same, but I also have concerns that its consistency and atmosphere is being endangered. This largely hasn't happened much during the Microsoft cycle but it's just a small worry sometimes.

Funny how that's always the argument when someone says they dislike the game. No, I grew up on difficult platformers, and did beat Celeste. The music and visuals are great, but the writing is terrible and the gameplay just wasn't fun. Majorly overrated game imo.

@@ramenllamaminecrafttime nah its fine dw, I was mostly joking cause ik a lot of people are like that when it comes to celeste, ur opinion is valid

Not entirely. I love so many songs from these new arists, from 1.16 to 1.21; many of them capture the feel of the game wonderfully while having their own personality. However there is something to be said about consistency: to have a 40 second C418 song play one moment that's barely even audible, to hearing a 5 minute booming adventure-heavy track like Firebugs, can make me feel misplaced as a player. The emphasis of old Minecraft music - and new tracks like Kumi's Overworld music and the Nether songs - is placed onto the player, and is the perfect backing track for almost any activity they could be doing at the time, complimenting the gameplay in a natural and unintrusive way. So to have lots of Overworld tracks be these huge sweeping complex pieces (very much akin to Creative mode music) creates a dynamic shift that can be very noticeably different to whatever emotions the player is feeling, and what they're currently doing. In this instance, the quality of the music, and whether I like it or not, doesn't even matter - this is coming from a purely analytical perspective. The 1.21 music IS Minecraft music through and through, but it's not Survival mode Overworld music: it's Creative mode music. Both types of song; the quiet, subdued and subtle ambient of the Overworld, and the complex inspirational high-energy music of Creative, are both essential for their own reasons, and help to differentiate the game modes to accompany the action of the player on-screen. To blur the lines between these two distinct sonic characteristics creates a sharp contrast to player-emergent activity.

I disagree. To me I think the songs were less authentic when the artists weren't being themselves (that is to say I prefer when they're not mimicking C418 directly). But to counter that I also think that each composer has a wildly different style, and the songs' in-game application is now incredibly inconsistent because of it. Loads of the post-C418 tracks are awesome but the tonal clash is insane; one moment you'll get an incredibly complex layered piano medley from Cherof, followed by two minutes of soft woodwinds from Kumi.

Oh wooow, so we should have music that sounds insecure and comformist then sure

3 of these songs are music discs just to let you know