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True Light's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Creativity | #58 | 4.029 | 4.029 |
| Composition | #62 | 4.048 | 4.048 |
| Overall | #82 | 3.913 | 3.913 |
| Impression | #102 | 3.837 | 3.837 |
| Quality | #136 | 3.827 | 3.827 |
| Correlation to theme | #148 | 3.827 | 3.827 |
Ranked from 104 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
Judge feedback
Judge feedback is anonymous.
- From the get-go, I was delighted to hear multiple independent lines in your writing-- it is a perfect example of how great production really begins with great, multi-layered writing. The samples used here are obviously limited, but *it doesn't matter* when the material in those lines is strong-- this is the secret to that older RPG sound, which 100% had to rely on great musical material to elevate the music beyond its technical limitations. If you are whistling the melody to yourself later, the music was successful irrespective of the technical sophistication of the samples or MIDI banks used. Listening to this, I think you definitely understand that. I wanted to start with that because I think the approach of constructing a tapestry of beautiful independent lines here is uniquely impressive, so I don't want the following critique to overshadow that or "scare you away" from continuing it in the future: I did sometimes feel that polyphonic sections were a bit too dense to follow on the first listen-- I think thinning these out a little bit might help with the "aural legibility" overall, especially on the first track. Given that we are working in a limited genre (games), legibility is really important, especially considering our music is often having to accompany a dense soundscape of FX and gameplay. I loved how you used pizz strings and harp to keep the textures varied and interesting throughout. The track "Real" had a tremendously haunting quality that I thought showcased your skills quite nicely. Beautiful work, keep writing!
Description
Submission of the OST Composition Jam #7
Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi0-gPNpRb63mNVNhrtP-wuB5kFKCJx93
Runtime: 6:56 / Software: Reaper
[True light] is inspired by indie horror JRPGs (rpgmaker styled games) like Ib, Mad father, The witch's house.
I focused on working from the melody. You can find in all the tracks a 5-note melodic entity that starts hidden among other melodic lines and eventually, It has more presence along the whole OST. This is the way I see the "inside my world" theme in music. Although each track is a stage of different moments of the character, you will find consistency in terms of instrumentation, maintaining the same dark color palette.
A doll, a servant in a mansion, only follows the orders of a voice in her head without resisting. A call prompts her to go to the forbidden zone and it's here where we must accompany her to remember her past and recover her will...
This is her story, that of a world that existed, her world, that still lives confined within herself. With each step she will gain strength and this inner world will be the light that will guide her path and escape from an imposed destiny.
Has she always been a doll?
I decided not to be specific about the story since I don't want to influence the listener's experience.
Take this as a quickly wrapped gift (I didn't have enough time to develop the arrangement and mixing a little more)
Thanks to Lone Rabbit for this space that gives us the opportunity to share and grow with others.
Thanks to Agulachin for the inspirational cover art https://www.instagram.com/agulachinart/
Theme
Link(s) of the submission on streaming services
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi0-gPNpRb63mNVNhrtP-wuB5kFKCJx93
Number of tracks5
Genre
Soundtrack use permission
Any project
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Comments
Really awesome, and fits the spooky horror vibe very well.
Devilmee! Thanks a lot!! I value your support
4s across except quality at 5. Kudos for small tracks that feel connected and unified! Close Your Eyes was my favorite
Thank you EVER so much!! I wanted to be able to tell an entire story and show specific moments of the character.
OOOO I like this. This feels very different to all other submissions & definitely in a good way! I'd love to play a game with this soundtrack on top. It'd be an unnerving experience but slowly as time goes on, it becomes positive & relieving. Fantastic work :D
I really liked reading your comment, it makes me very happy and encourages me♥
One day, if I continue to grow my knowledge and practice, I gonna compose a quality OST and SFX for a good game. Thank you for your comment!!
This is a lovely and mysterious soundtrack. I feel the charm of Ib especially in these tracks. I love horror inspred soundtracks a lot and they will always have a special place in my heart. My favorite track was "Lights Out", it was quite spooky, made me shiver me timbers. The changes in tone and the consistency in composition really make the soundtrack nice and cohesive. Great work!
Thank you very much for your words and it's good that you enjoy those types of soundtracks. For me it is an interesting genre and I want to continue working on it from the orchestration and incorporate sound design.
Nice, soothing, but sometimes spooky soundtrack. I really liked Lights off, you obviously spent a lot of time on it. You really nailed the mood you described with this OST. Great job!
Yes, it was like that, everything took me a long time, I even thought for a moment that I wouldn't make it in time.
It's great that you think that music matches the mood. Many thanks!
wow, these tracks really paint a picture in my mind, fantastic work. i think they go perfectly with your description and the cover art. really look forward to any future work you do!
Thank you for your encouraging words and valuing the music and the concept in general!!!
I don't know if you've ever seen the Cartoon Network show Over the Garden Wall, but I immediately thought of that show while listening to your music. Over the Garden Wall is one of my favorite TV shows and the music is fantastic, so that is a huge compliment. The orchestration and arranging is creative and very well done.
The first two tracks are seemingly friendly, but there's something unsettling just beneath the surface. In Lights Off it sounded like you used some non-standard bowing techniques on an upright bass to get those creepy low rumblings and string sounds, and it sound great! Very spooky.
One thing I noticed, especially in the song Crossroads, is that a lot of the instruments stay at the same volume throughout the song. If you change the Velocity on the notes a little bit it will sound more like a live recording than MIDI.
Overall this is a very creative and well made submission. Great work!
ohhh I know the show, it has been recommended to me but I haven't seen it yet. I will definitely watch it.
Thank you very much for the compliments and I will take into account the advice you give me to improve, I appreciate it very much
woah this one has some of the most character of any submission ive listened to. I really feel the connection between the image and the mystery/jauntiness of the OST
Beautiful words, thank you very much! The truth is I'm very grateful to the artist. I think I was able to achieve a good balance between art, story and music. And of course I managed to show in the music the different moments that the character has to go through.
Nice sense of direction! You developed the material well across the tracks and you clearly have a good ear for musical payoff. Some of the VSTs you’re using sound fantastic like those pizzicato strings, and especially the bowed strings in Lights Off where very beautiful. Nice work!
I really appreciate your good comments, they are very motivating. And it's good that you value Light Off, I worked on the track especially. Thanks!!!
Oh! I really like the atmosphere. Your OSTs really transport me into some good old RPG horror games. You did a great job! ❤
Wooow I'm very happy. Thank you for taking the time to listen and for your words.
Love this! Fantastic sonic approach. Compositional choices are fluid and original. I think it could benefit from some emotional swells and declines here and there, but that in no way takes away from the incredible work you've done here. I really appreciate the clarity of your recording as well. The reverb and instrument choices mesh very well together. Nicely done!
Many Thanks!! your comment is very positive. Any type of advice that helps me improve is very important to me, so I especially thank you for your suggestion, I will take it into account!
Really unique OST, I found it really interesting that you went with a horror game. I really liked when in Crossroads at 1:25 the strings fully come in and there's a little choir/vocal sound, it's such a shame that it ends so shortly after it, because I felt that the track would really benefit if you continued that idea, but it was great nonetheless. I also really enjoyed Real (no pun intended). The overall atmosphere was awesome and it was a great listen
I chose the horror genre, but I didn't think of it as the type of horror with constant tension and jumpscares, I wanted specific moments during the story and that is what I have tried to show.
For me this is an adventure with a horror component and the discovery of the character's world
I appreciate your comment about Crossroads and will keep it in mind in case I compose something similar. Thanks a lot!!!!
Oooooh... The mystery... the ATMOSPHERE! Very well done and each song, while their own, continued to reveal the whole picture of the game, whilst staying true to the theme. You also had a very clever use of a leitmotif in hiding it, yet making it (even almost subconsciously) obvious! (which is very good!)
Lights Off was my personal favorite from your submissions, and I was thoroughly SPOOKED!
Great job and so far yours was one of my favorites that I listened to!
It's nice to read that it is one of your favorite OSTs, it's something very encouraging for me♥
Thanks for the review and especially your comment about the use of the leitmotiv.
I really like how you used the motif of 5 throughout your tracks. The strings and guitar complement each other very well. My favorite track is "Crossroads".
Thank you very much for listening to the whole ost and for your review!!
I think you're talking about the harp, I didn't use guitar in the composition, they are similar sounds
Yep it was the harp!
One of a kind when it comes to the submission to this jam, this is so special ! The counterpoint melodies are well done, the arrangement is great and done with taste, your mix is overall very balanced as well with a nice and wide spectrum - congratulations for an amazing piece ! :-)
Thank you for your beautiful words and for appreciating the presentation. You are the first person to mention the use of counterpoint! I thought that this technique would help me create the chaotic environment in which the character is
Great soundtrack !
The tracks all have a very unique style (really liked the mix between childlike wonder and subtle eery atmosphere, reminds me a bit of Little Nightmares), it has a ton of charm along with the instrumentation which was top notch !
All the tracks were great, although my favourite would be Real (the theremine like instrument works really well).
Overall very nice soundtrack, the only downside for me would be that I wished there were more since I liked it so much !
I liked how you described the general idea of the OST, thank you!!!! You're right, aesthetically it can give an idea of Little Nightmares (one of my favorite games♥)
For Real I tried to evoke a mix of emotions. It is here where the doll realizes something important from her past. And in this track I thought of it as if she were singing about what happened. She is sad but at the same time calm because there is nothing she can do.
Oooh this is very good! It all blends really well into your setting, and the compositions are so pleasant to listen to. Close Your Eyes was my favorite but all of them were very good, I don't think of any downside to them. Great work!
I really appreciate your review. I'm glad that you find it pleasant to listen to, it's one of the things I looked for when I was composing, trying to make it listenable from beginning to end like a story.
Very cool sounds here. The pizzicato strings and the rest of your instrument choices do a great job of creating that sort of curious, but cautious atmosphere. Crossroads was an intriguing journey, beginning with trepidation and leaving with a feeling of being unable to turn back. "Lights Off" was positively unsettling, followed by "Close your eyes" which took an interesting turn into something that gave much more of an air of safety. "Real" goes back to the spooky in a way that feels melancholy, evoking a strange mix of emotions that was a very unique experience. Excellent work!
You are definitely sharing with me how you felt and what your journey was like through the OST. This type of review is one of my favorites and one of the ones I most enjoy reading, I loved it! Thank you so much!!
You wove some interesting textures here. It definitely gives that spooky vibe without going too far.
"too far" was too much for me haha, I wanted to keep all the tracks with the same kind of vibe but different character. It was a challenging search for myself. Thank you for your words!
Super mise en scène ! J'adore toutes ces mélodies qui se croisent dans l'introduction :D
It gives an unsettling feeling, fitting the horror but still "cute" -I guess- setting of your game!
Everything felt quite cinematic and I could clearly see myself exploring daunting places...
And I also like how Close Your Eyes felt comforting after all this sweet dark vibe. And then Real brought me back to a depressed/melancholic reality by coming home with the same musical theme you developped all along.
Very well thought, bravo!
I enjoyed reading your review too much and I repeat: too much!!
You are describing very well the idea that I tried to develop with my music, it's very nice to know that you felt it that way. Merci beaucoup!!!
Can I ask you for advice on an aspect that needs improvement?
En Français ? :)
Alors franchement, après une autre ré écoute, j'ai du mal à trouver de quoi faire une critique constructive. Je dis pas ça pour faire plaisir.
Les thèmes musicaux et l'instrumentation sont là, l'exécution qui donne une bonne identité à l'ensemble, y'a même un passage presque juste sound design et sons creepy avec Lights off.
Non vraiment cette Ost est comme prête à l'emploi pour moi ^^
Si vraiment il fallait chipoter, sur du mixage peut-être ? Et encore, question de goûts, et d'outils aussi (perso je sais pas vraiment faire rn plus). Genre les violons peut-être un poil fort dans Cross Road comparé à Close Your Eyes par exemple? Bien que ça peut se justifier, pour faire sentir plus d'inquiétude dans la 1ere alors que la seconde est supposée véhiculer des émotions moins dark...
Bref, je pense qu'on peut améliorer une œuvre à l'infini, et même si ton ost n'est pas la plus "impressionnante" ou "extraordinaire". Elle a de nombreux atouts, beaucoup de cases sont "cochées". Et ça, c'est une vraie force. C'est tentant de faire "la plus belle compo", mais ici tu as réussi à faire une "vraie bande son de jeu vidéo", ce qui n'est pas forcément le cas de certains projets que j'ai adoré .
Voilà je ne t'ai absolument pas apporté de critique constructive, mais c'est plutôt un retour sur la force ou la pertinence de ton travail sur ce jam sue je met en avant :)
Hâte de voir autre chose :)
I have to say that I expected only a few words, and the truth is that it's a surprise that you took the time to write so much.
You've given me an important reflection and reading you has been very inspiring and encouraging. Your comment is something valuable that I will take away from this Gamejam. I am deeply grateful
The mix is undoubtedly a point that I want to improve for future compositions and in this case I take note of what you told me. I wanted to generate a contrast between the two tracks but I didn't think in depth about how to work the mix of the strings
Ps: I would have liked to answer in French but I'm still learning English haha
Soooo sorry, I assumed you speak French for some reason 😅 my bad :/
Edit : Because of the "mise-en-scène" sentence on your introduction track 😇