Nailing the Sound of Horror: NIN + id | A Quake Documentary

The Quake soundtrack by Nine Inch Nails is an innovative collection of ambient sound design, and industrial music. From the hard hitting “Quake Theme”, with its raging guitars, powerful drums, and insidious synthesizers, to “Life,” a pounding, synthesized, resonant beats with eerie ambient drones, the entire soundtrack captures the essence of id Software’s technical FPS masterpiece: Quake.

The care and attention to detail is evident in the soundtrack’s 10 track commercial release. Prior to 2020, the Quake Soundtrack was only available if you had the disc spinning in your cd rom drive, a detail that frustrated the id Software developers. With Nightdive’s 2021 remaster, and Trent Reznor’s reclaiming of the rights of the soundtrack, modern day Quake players can finally enjoy the game and the music without mods, or cumbersome discs.

What drew me into Quake’s soundtrack development is the fact that I knew nothing about how this distinctive, masterfully crafted recording was created. Doom (2016) introduced me to the idea of expertly crafted industrial metal in the form of a video game soundtrack, and discovering Quake led me into an even deeper pool of inspiration. I was eager to research and dive into the internet’s many resources to find the answers to my many questions - and when the internet left holes in the story, I even dug up a few books at my local Los Angeles county library. I’m glad I made this video - I had a blast researching, reading, bookmarking old forum discussions, even messaging a well known composer to better understand the business of soundtracks and the creative side of sound design - but will save that convo for a separate video.

If you’re at all interested in how this soundtrack was made, and how the team at id Software gelled with the team at Nine Inch Nails, then I think you might enjoy this documentary. As always, if you like the content, please consider subscribing, leaving a comment, or liking the video! You can find The Yetti Den at the links below

The Yetti Den:
Follow The Yetti Den:
Twitter:   / theyettiden  
Instagram:   / theyettiden  
Twitch:   / theyettiden  
Patreon:   / theyettiden  

Chapters:
00:00 For Friendship
00:42 id Software & Nine Inch Nails
01:45 We Especially Like Space Invaders
02:30 Le Pig: Wolfenstein 3D
04:00 The Masters of Doom: John Romero and John Carmack
05:00 The Lovecraftian Antagonist Called Quake
06:55 A Courtship of Freaks and Geeks
08:25 Downward Spirals: The War Room
10:00 Trent "The Ranger" Reznor
11:10 140 MPH, I Have Some Cars
12:00 The Old Funeral Home: Nothing Studios
13:00 McGee and the Nails
13:40 "Ugh, Ugh" - 1,000 Sounds
17:18 1995-1996: Hexen, Ultimate Doom and David Bowie
18:48 The Egos at id
19:40 No MIDI, No Chip Tunes
20:55 Spinning Discs: Nothing's Label Woes
21:27 New Forms of Writing
23:28 The Recording Studio Layout
24:00 Digital Distortion
26:15 I Can Stop At Anytime

Video Sources:
120 Minutes: 1996 Night of Nothing Showcase
A Look at Nothing Studios
Closer - Nine Inch Nails - Director’s Cut
Doom Soundtrack Live at the Game Awards 2016
Eraser - Nine Inch Nails - Sef Destruct 1994 Live
Id Software Documentary - 1993 - Tommy Vercetti
Id Software Interview Quake 1996
John Carmack at QuakeWorld 1996
March of the Pigs (Music Video)
Nine Inch Nails - Head Like a Hole
Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
Nine Inch Nails - New York 1996
Nine Inch Nails and David Bowie
Nine Inch Nails Woodstock ‘94
Quake Change video games forever John Carmack
Tech Train - John Romero Quake Postmotem
The Hand That Feeds - Nine Inch Nails
Trent Reznor and NIN Alt Nation
Trent Reznor Interview 1995
Wolfenstein 3D - id Software and Apogee Interview in 1992 - Neo Gamer

Articles and Interview Sources:
“I dare say it will hurt a little” - Big Man With a BGF
Quantifying Quake: Quantifying Quake: How the dark fantasy FPS changed games forever
Nine Inch Nails Store
Vintage Interview: nine inch nails’ Trent Reznor
Nine Inch Nails founding member, Chris Vrenna, on the making of Quake, 25+ years later
From Keen to Doom: id Software's Founders Talk 30 Years of Gaming History
Tech Train: John Romero Quake Postmortem
Lex Friedman: John Carmack
Quake Expo: John Romero Interview Part 1
YRB Magazine: John Carmack and American Mcgee reflect on the making of Quake and how NIN helped define the modern video game soundtrack
American McGee talks about Quake,Trent Reznor
Far Out Magazine: The Nine Inch Nails connection to the Sharon Tate Murders
Sega Saturn Magazine: The Nine Inch Nails Connection, No. 14, P.7
REAL HORRORSHOW:The Downward Spiral and Trent Reznor’s House of Horrors
WIRED: The Egos at Id
Big Man With a BFG: “I dare say it will hurt a little
Nine Inch Nails Store
From Keen to Doom: Id Software’s Founders Talk 30 years of Gaming History