Making HL-style ambient music

[MNKYband]

Hello,
I was just wondering if anyone knew how I could make good music in the style of the Half-Life/Half-Life 2 ambient. I ran some Google searches, and found some programs, but I don't really want to pay for anything, as I am not sure if I will even continue making music. If anyone has any recommendations, please let me know.

Thanks,
MNKYband

 

[Vegeta897]

While you're at it, does anyone know how I can make good art in the style of Half-Life/Half-Life 2 concept art? I don't want to pay for anything or become an artist, I just want to easily make some good art.


If you don't get where I'm going with this, let me spell it out. Music is an art form like any other and there isn't some secret program that lets anyone make good music. If you want to make music, show a little respect to the art form beyond "oh I just want to make some good songs and then be done with it, this is just my spur of the moment interest!"
Making music, especially software-based music involving sound synthesis, requires learning a lot. Do you know anything about music theory, like harmony, scales, and chords? Do you know what a resonant filter is?

If you have no interest in becoming a musician, don't treat the art form like you can just casually make good music and be done with it. If you want to play with synthesizers, that's fine. If you have a smart phone there are a lot of apps out there that let you do just that. On the PC you can download VSTs and play with those.

Otherwise, I would just recommend listening to some ambient music.

I recommend the album Pale Blue Dot by Benn Jordan.