Emotions Run High...
One of my best qualities as a composer is being able to connect with a character on an emotional level. It’s very easy for me to empathize and feel like the character would in each situation. Composing from a first-person rather than a third-person perspective creates a much deeper sound and immerses the player further into the game and out of their living room chairs. Knowing exactly when a character changes from timid optimism to absolutely jubilant will help the composer time their transitions and add key emotional triggers to the scene.
In my next sample, I used no visual. I just imagined a main character in some situation where they would be sad or relieved because of the struggle that’s been placed on them is taking its toll or because it’s slowly coming to an end. Not using the actual visual does change the process of composing completely. I have a subject, but the subject’s backstory is absent and not having a visual keeps the listener disconnected from the subject because of it.
I did, however, really enjoy composing this piece. There are a slew of sound profiles going on. Harps, violins, violas, cellos, guitars. They all work together to intensify the emotion. As the solo violin climbs higher, the connection to the theme gets stronger. The use of major chords and minor on-chord notes made the emotion slightly ambiguous as well. Is the subject happy or sad? He may both at the same time.
In a world without visuals, and only a written subject to go on, you’ll have to make that decision yourself!
