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Merlin Sharing their music?

S

saxineno

TS Member
Apologies if this isn't the best place to post this...

I was at Birmingham Sea Life Centre today, and in the gift shop they were playing a slightly funkier version of the Katanga Canyon music.

I just found it rather strange that something I associate so strongly with AT was playing at another attraction. Is this standard practice?

David

(Edit - Spelling of Katanga corrected)
 
Yep, standard practice, saves costs.

Depth Charge at Thorpe Park uses the Flume's jazzy theme music. :)
 
Merlin do this quite a lot, Colossos at Heide Park plays the Colossus music and Detonator used Scream's music until late last season. Heide also 'borrowed' the Mutiny Bay audio and features old music from Chessington and Legoland
 
Detonator has old black hole music.
Chopper squadron at LL uses the flume. Until recently the pirate music at LL was the same as mutiny bay at AT.
And the sea life at chessington uses the nemmy inferno dispatch music.
It's a common occurrence across merlin parks
 
I've not noticed this anywhere yet, but the Detonator/Black Hole one is cool to know - I never clicked!
 
saxineno said:
Apologies if this isn't the best place to post this...

I was at Birmingham Sea Life Centre today, and in the gift shop they were playing a slightly funkier version of the Catanga Canyon music.

I just found it rather strange that something I associate so strongly with AT was playing at another attraction. Is this standard practice?

David
Click to expand...

I'm sorry but I have to do this *Katanga
 
Fixed, thank you!

(Also you're missing a word in your pedantry there!)

I admit I found the music slightly out of place, particularly as the Sea Life Centre have their own music (Basically "Under The Sea" but with enough chord changes so that Disney don't sue).

I wish Merlin would do something cleverer with their music. For example some of the Disney ride music is iconic (Small world, Pirate's life for me etc.) I think it would be good if Merlin managed a similar effect and then produced the CD...
 
Recently when I went to the Chessington Sea Life, they were playing the air music as well! Perhaps they just have a cycle of music which they run through?
 
Yep, I believe they do.

Seems silly really. It can't be over expensive and music/sound effects add such depth to a ride or attraction. Merlin can do compositions, it's just a matter of laziness. Tut.
 
I imagine its a matter of cost. Creating music is not cheap, espeically if you want it to sound nice. So its easior for them to just use the same music in other parks. Im surprised they dont do it more often in the UK parks.
 
It's usually only the small attractions, or where music was added as an afterthought, which leads to the music being the same in the UK..

Otherwise, they're pretty good. Look at seadragons/griffins at chessie - composed for those tiny little rides!
 
Some of (what is now) Merlin's music is iconic.

Examples are:

Vampire
Hex
Colossus


I was once commissioned to write music (with no pay) for the London Dungeon entrance area (just so I could break into the industry) - which I did but they didn't like it, sadly. I can provide a link if any of you wish to hear it.

Rides nowadays in the Merlin parks seem to be concentrating more on Soundscapes. SAW and SWARM spring to mind. I am glad that annoying tweenie rock band is not playing in the Swarm queue. Well done, Merlin!
 
nickhutson said:
Some of (what is now) Merlin's music is iconic.

Examples are:

Vampire
Hex
Colossus


I was once commissioned to write music (with no pay) for the London Dungeon entrance area (just so I could break into the industry) - which I did but they didn't like it, sadly. I can provide a link if any of you wish to hear it.

Rides nowadays in the Merlin parks seem to be concentrating more on Soundscapes. SAW and SWARM spring to mind. I am glad that annoying tweenie rock band is not playing in the Swarm queue. Well done, Merlin!
Click to expand...

I'd like to hear it! :)

I was also going to say I'm pretty sure Duel's theme was once used on the Rumba Rapids at Fright Night at Thorpe as well - just to add to the list.
 
Anyone know if they share music with other companies too? I could have sworn I heard the X No Way Out music playing in the Astronaut Hall of Fame at the Kennedy Space Centre! :p
 
I know the old Katanga music was used in a Disney advert, probably was a licensed track.


Merlin allow a horrifically small budget for music these days, it's rather an afterthought.
I doubt we'd ever see the likes of Hex with a real orchestra or epic sweeping scores because they won't pay it.
 
nickhutson said:
As stated - this is merely a demo - and more a sound scape than a piece of music.

London Dungeon management thought it wasn't appropriate as it wouldn't compete with 1000 screaming school children in the entrance queue... because chanting monks do, apparently. I also wrote this about 3/4 years ago

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/26314745/London ... 20Demo.mp3

Enjoy!
Click to expand...

It's pretty good, nice thick timbre and very similar to the Thirteen theme. Love the interspersing of the gong, reversed piano noises and timpani rolls. I could definitely imagine this at a place like the London Dungeons!
 
waffa said:
I know the old Katanga music was used in a Disney advert, probably was a licensed track.


Merlin allow a horrifically small budget for music these days, it's rather an afterthought.
I doubt we'd ever see the likes of Hex with a real orchestra or epic sweeping scores because they won't pay it.
Click to expand...

I also remember hearing it in a Simpsons Promo.
 
The Psychoaster said:
nickhutson said:
As stated - this is merely a demo - and more a sound scape than a piece of music.

London Dungeon management thought it wasn't appropriate as it wouldn't compete with 1000 screaming school children in the entrance queue... because chanting monks do, apparently. I also wrote this about 3/4 years ago

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/26314745/London ... 20Demo.mp3

Enjoy!
Click to expand...

It's pretty good, nice thick timbre and very similar to the Thirteen theme. Love the interspersing of the gong, reversed piano noises and timpani rolls. I could definitely imagine this at a place like the London Dungeons!
Click to expand...

Thanks! Ailsa, over at The Dungeon, actually enjoyed it too (she liked the melody of it and how eerie it was) but above management didn't. I could probably do a lot better job these days, as I am much better at the software!
 
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