Park Music

[Benin]

If Swarm doesn't have a soundtrack to the same level as Raptor or Krake (hell, even Reset at Mirabilandia), then they will have missed a trick...Bring back the old entrance music I say, as I was humming it the other day...

[Marc]

Well, just been to the park today and the fright nights audio is once agan dire, lacking any of the consistecy of 2007/08 when there were distinct area themes, we now have ride specific audio (such as rush announcements which arnt linked to central control)

Thats been the case for ever, before and after project link rides have had individual audio changed and that will play all day, until 4pm when the park area music changes

and everything else is a standard loop, ie: Colossus station plays the same as stealth... terrible, dire lack of effort once again, it really cant be that hard just to assign the tracks used a few years back, which were all royalty free...

They are different, although both being Saw tracks I guess they are quite similar tooIm not sure about audio this year, I'm glad theyve changed more than last year, I also like how every hour on the hour the Fright Nights happy birthday track plays park wide, that sounds pretty funky

[Deleted Users]

In regards to royalty free - does the park not pay a performance rights fee (I presume they do, considering they play whatever chart music they want anywhere they want).Therefore, it shouldn't matter what is played. As long as its been released to cd... so where's the Elfman tracks or anything else equally as epic? As RobD says... dire lack of effort.Music is one of the most important things in creating an atmosphere, yet it is always completely overlooked at thorpe.

If this is true then Thorpe really are missing a huge trick; being able to improve atmosphere at no extra cost apart from time searching for suiting songs. Off the top of my head, Hanz Zimmer, James Horner, Henry Jackman, Alan Silvestri and as you said, Danny Elfman all have brilliant soundtracks that could work very well.

[Benin]

If this is true then Thorpe really are missing a huge trick; being able to improve atmosphere at no extra cost apart from time searching for suiting songs. Off the top of my head, Hans Zimmer, James Horner, Henry Jackman, Alan Silvestri and as you said, Danny Elfman all have brilliant soundtracks that could work very well.

[SkySkream]

May I ask, what was playing on X and if you know can you post a link here. Thanks

[RobD]

Thats been the case for ever, before and after project link rides have had individual audio changed and that will play all day, until 4pm when the park area music changes

I'm aware, for example, that Rush played it's pre recorded announcements all the time, that doesn't bother me, I guess all they could so is assign daytime and night time announcements to different audio buttons, for example, the breakdown ones as a temporary measure. But that would probably be ignored. What I'm referring to, is park wide audio. In 2007/2008, at music changeover at 4pm, particularly in 2008, they played the, basically it's now fright nights jingle, and all the audio swapped, that was pretty epic. Now, it's basically one standard, inconsistent loop, or VERY similar SAW tracks. For example, 2007 saw Colossus with a loop that continued into all ambient areas of lost city; it's the track at the end of Rush's FN offload this year. This was consistent, and worked well. We now have music from a whole host of action scenes in SAW, this does not work. You need ambiance for areas and places without action, ie: Colossus station, lost city area. Action scene music works well for, basically, action scenes; so ride sequence music, Stealth needs intimidating music, etc etc etc.That's basically what I miss, for example, the effort put into Rush. It was consistent and a SOLID but temporary retheme, it was consistently a haunted playground. From the chalkings, to the cob webs, to the test dummies placed in the bushes and on the catch nets, it work VERY well, looked very good, and was a atmospheric, atmosphere creating solid theme. The same can be said for the efforts on Inferno; when Hell froze over. It was relatively solid, (although not as good as Rush Playground) made sense and just worked.This is what fright nights lacks, we now have action tracks (and eurorave on samurai), I site vortex as an example, it's old music/audio ('Let all the powers of earth conspire' etc etc) was great, now it's some mental guitar music from a action/horror movie scene. Just doesn't work. Get the audio consistent, and right, and you can create such an atmosphere with minimal themeing. Lets say, £20 per ride in cobweb/chalk/whatever, plus recycling of old ride spares/test dummies, and the park would look amazing, is this a big ask, well, simply, no. Not for a park which charges £5 per maze fastrack (Especially compared to PortAventura, which can afford to essentially blow up £thousands every night in July/August, and charges less for relatively similar attendance figures). Get it together Thorpe Park. For such a big player in the European amusement industry, you sure know how to look (comparatively) total crap.ALSO, desperately want to know the fright nights track on Samurai, SOMEONE PLEASEE know what it is ahaha!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150332057376604

There is a small sample, now tell please! ahaha (so bad for fn).(edit) FOUND IT FOUND IT FOUND IT!

[Dodge2002]

I have always wondered what the hell goes on with Thorpe's audio.I know that most big restaurant chains like Pizza Hut, TGI's etc. usually have a system in place, and the way it works is that the more food orders you enter into the system at a given time, the more upbeat the music becomes to create a vibrant busy atmosphere. I'm not saying this is something that would work at a big theme park, but it goes to show music can be dynamically selected on the fly and intelligent sound servers do exsist. For example, a long queue line could switch to a more entertaining and longer track, The more people that pass through an area, the more intense it becomes etc. I think they really need to look at their music source, because they've evidently replaced all their speakers, and the sound quality at the park is top notch, but its so inconsitent and its a waste of all this refurb money.Stealth's music cut out every time a train came to the station, The chart music at the entrance was so quiet I could only hear it at the ticket booth, on Quantum, the guy in the control booth had to ask the queue line if they could hear him because the PA kept cutting out, On the way out, The dome, the bridge, and the ticket booths were all playing completely different songs which confused the hell out of me. (On a side note, if they're allowed to play the saw main them on the bridge at fright nights why the hell couldn't they use it in the saw queuline? It's so epic!)Other than that I really don't have any issue with their actual choice of music. Chart music seems a bit odd, but lets face it, if you're gonna spend 40 mins queuing for a ticket, 90% of the people in the queue would rather be listening to it than a generic Thorpe Park theme. Using Saw music around the park is also a nice addition, because I've heard a lot of people say they recognise it, but so few actually manage to work out that its taken directly from the saw films.

[Daz333]

Sorry for asking a second time but...Could anyone send me a list of commerical songs that are/were played at Thorpe Park recently? I'm still trying without any luck to find out the name of a song I heard there and really would love to know what it is. If anyone would be able to help I would be extremely gratefulThanks

[Fred]

Just look on spotify top lists - they generally play music which is available on here

[Deleted Users]

If this is true then Thorpe really are missing a huge trick; being able to improve atmosphere at no extra cost apart from time searching for suiting songs. Off the top of my head, Hanz Zimmer, James Horner, Henry Jackman, Alan Silvestri and as you said, Danny Elfman all have brilliant soundtracks that could work very well.

The Inception soundtrack is now playing in the Inferno station. Bittersweet though, since the queue has the Saw music booming, while the station music is barely audible.

[th13teen]

Thorpe Park really should only have the top 40 music playing at the entrance if they renovate the entrance to fit in with the concert like theme, in my opinion! Otherwise they should keep the original soundtrack! The flaking and diabolical entrance does not really suit a Rihanna track, lets be honest! (Lets not make any sligh comments about Rihanna!)

[Ricky]

So your saying they should have the o2 Arena at the entrance in order to suit the top playing artists..?

[Sidders]

Would it not be easier, thi13teen (lest we ever say anything to deter from Rihanna's high and mighty omnipotence) to simply remove the Top 40 music? Nobody likes it at a theme park because it's an attachment to reality - theme parks are meant to envelope their guests and make them believe they've escaped for a few hours. Also, we won't need to refurbish the entrance that way.

[Marc]

Would it not be easier, thi13teen (lest we ever say anything to deter from Rihanna's high and mighty omnipotence) to simply remove the Top 40 music? Nobody likes it at a theme park because it's an attachment to reality - theme parks are meant to envelope their guests and make them believe they've escaped for a few hours. Also, we won't need to refurbish the entrance that way.

I think you need to replace Nobody with "The majority of enthusiasts"

[Benin]

I would still imagine that not EVERYONE in Staines and beyond enjoy the so called music that is played at the entrance...

[Dan9]

I think you need to replace Nobody with "The majority of enthusiasts"

True, but you could look at it the other way as well. The normal entrance music pleased enthusiasts, but I didn't hear the GP complain about it either. A lot of the non-enthusiasts I've been with have enjoyed certain ride music as well. Hence why normal theme park music is still a better all rounder.

[Marc]

Dont get me wrong, id like some theme music for the entrance, and maybe once the hotel / new entrance are all done we will see it return who knows, but on the other foot I dont mind the chart music at the entrance either.

[Deleted Users]

I don't mind it at the entrance but last year it stretched all the way to Fish. It will be interesting to see if that is kept seeing as it will kill any atmosphere The Swarm hopes to pull off.

[Marc]

I don't mind it at the entrance but last year it stretched all the way to Fish. It will be interesting to see if that is kept seeing as it will kill any atmosphere The Swarm hopes to pull off.

I doubt The Swarm will make much change to this, Neptunes Beach music will hardly help any atmosphere at The Swarm either

[Saz]

I think the chart music at the entrance/dome is great, but it shouldn't be played any further into the park than that. I really hope that an executive decision isn't made for the park to play chart music everywhere, especially around Stealth, Saw, Swarm where the specialised music is crucial for the atmosphere.

[AdamY]

I listened to the old entrance music for the first time in years today; have to say I miss it.

[th13teen]

As for the O2 arena entrance...Yes, that is always what I have felt should be at Thorpe Park. Its a shame because the current music (top 40) has no purpose apart from screaming out songs to guests that may have no wish to listen to the inaugural Rihanna. I would like it if the park were to convert areas into permanent concert type venues/DJ areas around the park, but they don't, its a shame Thorpe Park are doing everything humanly possible to make their park a funfair. I do like the music in the morning, it does get the early guests in the spirit but it really could do with an Entrance to match the anticipation, I hope you understand what I mean by it. If Thorpe want to go for the latest hits, why do they not have ‘beach’ parties in the summer to match or similar things like that, it all helps to build Thorpe reputation and could eventually be considered the night club with rollercoaster’s…I joke of course! I agree it should go no further than the dome, but if they are to have the music they may as well make it as close to a concert as possible, it may be just me, but listening to the music just before going in makes me have the anticipation of the expereince that lays just beyond the gates!

[JoshC.]

When it comes to the entrance, I'd prefer it if they had there own music as opposed to chart music; something which can 'define' the park if you will. In saying that, I'm not that fussed about the chart music, as I pretty much can ignore it, but that - in a way - is besides the point. The trouble with the chart music is that it can isolate people who don't know / like the music being played. As chart music is down so much to opinion, even popular songs will be hated by people, and that is not the best of starts to a day - you go to an amusement park, go for a little bit of escapism, and are greeted by something which you can hear in day-to-day life, and for many, could well be on their own phone / iPod / whatever. Doesn't really give the feel of 'escapism' now, does it? Thorpe have probably put thought and research into it, and I wouldn't be surprised if what they've got now is better received to what they had before. However, there needs to be a point when Thorpe should decide to have it's own defining centre piece of music, and hopefully can decide on that soon. For the time being though, I just hope it stays at the bridge and dome; no playing it at Fish, Depth Charge of Lost City flats please.

[pluk]

Don't mind the chart music outside, but once you are through them turnstiles it's just not right. You are supposed to be stepping out of reality into a magical place, not into a branch of TopShop.Surely it costs to pay chart music? That's why all music is usually either parked owned or over 50 years old when royalty payments stop. In this year of cuts I hope they won't throw money out just for a few pop songs when they have perfectly good free theme sitting there, instead of paying out to actually open their attractions.

[StevenVig]

... apart from screaming out songs to guests that may have no wish to listen to the inaugural Rihanna.

Actually, I'm pretty darn sure 98% of guests would rather listen to Rihanna than the General Entrance Theme

I would like it if the park were to convert areas into permanent concert type venues/DJ areas around the park, but they don't

We have a huge 900 Seater Arena, located in Ranger County. Surprised you've missed it.

I do like the music in the morning, it does get the early guests in the spirit but it really could do with an Entrance to match the anticipation.

I think the view of the rides that you see at the turnstiles, gives an ample amount of anticipation.

If Thorpe want to go for the latest hits, why do they not have ‘beach’ parties in the summer to match or similar things like that, it all helps to build Thorpe reputation and could eventually be considered the night club with rollercoaster’s

Thorpe Park hold an annual event called Sun Scream, which has been running since 2009. This is focused on a range of live music, shows and activities.The Park also launched Reload last year, the nightclub for under-18's, where selected rides are open and music is played in the Lakeview Marquee.

I agree it should go no further than the dome, but if they are to have the music they may as well make it as close to a concert as possible, it may be just me, but listening to the music just before going in makes me have the anticipation of the expereince that lays just beyond the gates!

Your a fanboy, you want to hear the classic stuff. Well I'm sorry marketing just doesn't work like that I'm afraid.Brush up on your facts before you post please