Description
LINKS TO SUBMISSION
Full OST Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zycyS4-uVk
Separate OST videos - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zycyS4-uVk&list=PLGMfhHxcd_oM

Title: Of Humans, Harpies, and Hybrids
Genre: Orchestral
Runtime: 17:32
Software: Fl Studio
SWAM:
Violin, Bass, Piccolo, English Horn, Oboe
Session:
Strings, Horns
Pianoteq:
Harpsichord, Celtic Harp, Church Bell, Xylophone
Organteq, Ample Ethno Ukulele, Nucleus Choir, LABS Choir, Chromatic Pan Flute, Accordion, Ibiskus, Bongos
Samples:
Tambourine, Wind Chimes, Sony CS World Percussion

Inspirations: My music history class and what I learned from Medieval music, Gregorian chants, and renaissance music. In particular, one of the oldest written pieces of music ever found called “Seikilos Epitaph”

Process: I put all of my instruments down at the start and decided which ones would represent what parts of my story. I used a lot of instruments so I could mix and match them and have variety throughout the OST by using some and not others in any given song.

I started with the plan for 6 songs but expanded it to 8 when I had time and to improve the overall pacing of the OST.

I have an extensive story and details on how it fits the theme so please read it. The videos will also visually represent what is happening in the story as it goes.
Basically, what you need to know is what instruments represent which characters and why they play when they do.

STORY:
Long ago, the world was as one
Separation between beasts and man was unheard of
All was peaceful

Until the citadel rang.

Man began to fight against beast, beast began to rage against man.
And those in the middle, the hybrids, were cast aside by both as “unclean”

200 years have passed since the Citadels call, man and beast still war with each other, and no generations are left that remember the old days.

Hybrids have reached near extinction, save for the few born of those who wish to see the world as it once was.

United, and at peace.

Of these hybrids, our tale follows Alyxia. Born of a human Father, and harpy Mother, as she journeys to find her sisters Melian and Ferra, in hopes of being able to be seen not as a monster, but as family.

It will be a long journey. Melian was taken to be raised with the other harpies by her mother, and Ferra was taken to (human village) to be raised by her father.

Though separated at birth, all 3 sisters feel that something is missing in their lives, and they are determined to change their world to see the world that once was.

Alyxia, Melian, and Ferra manage to meet early on in the story and begin their quest to change the world so that they can live together in peace.

In doing so, they not only anger the denizens of the world, as all they’ve known is war, but also the citadel itself.

The citadel and those inside did not like the world where monsters and humans lived together, and so by using the Bells of the citadel, they caused war to break out as the bells had powers that stimulated aggressive and territorial behaviors in all who heard it.
Though some could resist the temptation of the bell, many were under its influence.
Its constant ringing is the cause of the calamity, and it is up to Alyxia, Melian, and Ferra to bring a stop to it.


HOW IT FITS THE THEME:
GENERAL THEMING:
Very renaissance inspired sound and instruments.
Violin represents humans, Lute represents Hybrids, Voice and choir represent Monsters, Bells and Organ represent the Citadel.
I intentionally avoided instruments such as synths, pianos, and certain percussive sounds to make the music fit a more renaissance vibe by using more woodwinds and world percussion.

INDIVIDUAL SONGS THEMING:
A World Of Old
This song represents the world as it was once connected, and how it came to be divided by the toll of the Citadel
Humans, represented by Violin, Monsters represented by Choir, and hybrids represented by Lute, and the citadel represented by the bells toll.
The violin, lute, and choir play at the same time to represent that they lived in harmony, and when the bells rang, war began and split them apart, never to be played together again.
This story is of 3 specific characters. Sisters named Alyxia the Hybrid, Ferra the Human, and Melian the Harpy, and their quest to return the world to how it once was after 200 years of war and separation.
This song would play as an opening cutscene

Human Township
This song represents Ferra the Human, one of our 3 protagonists. As the human of the group, she is the only one allowed in human villages, so Violin is the only representative instrument to be played. Ferra is also the most social of the group in terms of personability, which makes her ideal for gathering info and supplies from towns and villages.

Moment Of Respite
This song represents Alyxia the Hybrid. She is not allowed in any towns on either side of the conflict. Despite this, she remains cheerful and jubilant. Having found her sisters and traveling with them makes her incredibly happy. The lute is the only representative instrument used here as the group exists because of Alixia’s efforts.

The Bells of Battle
This song represents Melian the Harpy. Raised in the harpy village, she learned mostly about combat, so she is represented by the general battle theme of the game. As harpies have no fingers, her representative instrument is voice or choir. The bells of the citadel also play in this song as they signify the start of battle.

Take Stock
This song holds no representative instruments and acts as the menu theme for shopping or item management. It is simple and short.

As A Bell Tolls…
This song represents the Citadel or the big bad of the game. It uses the bells as well as organ and harpsichord to make it feel regal, sacred, and intimidating. It is meant to sound more hymnal in nature as this is the song that plays as the lead up to the final confrontation with those in the citadel.

…The Citadel Beckons
The final boss theme of the game and it has every representational instrument, though importantly, they do not overlap almost at all besides the citadels. Humans, Monsters, and Hybrids are still separated by the citadel, but they are working together to bring a stop to it. This song includes every single instrument used throughout the entire OST as a representation of all our protagonists have gone through on their journey.

A World Renewed
The world has forever changed after the citadel was taken down and the instruments representing humans, monsters, and hybrids can finally play together just as they did in the world of old. This song would play as the ending cutscene of the game.

Message from the artist
I really hope you like my work! I wanted to go hard into the theming this time around since that has historically been my weakest category. I put a lot of effort into making the songs flow in a natural way that feels like it’s telling a story.

I wanted the music itself to work as a storytelling medium through its sound and instruments, but it is still important to know what they represent to get the full story.

I have laid out the story here as well as what individual songs represent though they are not strictly required in order to get an understanding of how the story plays out thanks to the music. They exist as supplement to deepen your understanding and provide insight into the characters.

They will also be shown during the videos of each song.

Theme

Songs of a Forgotten World

Picture theme

How does it fit the theme?
How it fits the theme is explained in the description section but TLDR, it uses old instruments to matche ht renaissance vibes, specific instruments represent specific characters and are only together during the first and last songs as those are the only points in the story when those characters are allowed to be together in society's eyes. The characters of course being the 3 pictured in the theme. It is also songs of a forgotten world because the combination of those instruments represents how they were allowed to be together long ago before the world changed and those times were forgotten.

Link(s) of the submission on streaming services
FULL OST VIDEO - https://youtu.be/4zycyS4-uVk?si=K24PGNii12faqx9-

SEPARATE OST VIDEOS - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zycyS4-uVk&list=PLGMfhHxcd_oM

Number of tracks
8

Genre

Soundtrack use permission

Yes (CC BY)

Any project