A Concept OST

Author

Samantha Taylor, University of Maine at Farmington

Date of Award

Spring 2021

Document Type

Creative Project

First Advisor

Dr. Aaron Wyanski

Abstract

A Concept OST was developed during my final year at the University of Maine at Farmington. This collection of original music represents the skills I have learned while studying composition and music theory.

Some of the inspirations that helped me shape the sonic world I created include Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy), Yoko Shimomura (Kingdom Hearts), Junichi Masuda (Pokemon) Jake Kaufman (Shovel Knight), and Toby Fox (Undertale). These composers are known for their narrative-driven compositional work for video games that fit into the Role-Playing-Game playstyle. My primary mode of research was listening to these game tracks and playing the video games each song lives in to see how they function in-game.

My goal was to compose a selection of music that would emphasize characters, plot points, and game mechanics for a conceptual video game. This means rather than illustrating existing characters and stories through music, I composed the soundscape first and will use the soundscape to inspire a potential plot for a future game project.

I’ve come to learn that the most unique thing about video game music is that each track needs to be able to smoothly repeat infinitely. This means that I had to plan how my music would establish a theme, but keep it interesting and engaging enough to be played over and over again. To time my repeats just right, I worked alongside my Faculty Sponsor Aaron Wyanski to find the best way to make my compositions play forever.

In the end, I have developed ten video game songs that each represent different necessities in a video game including the title track, battle music, character music, and more. I have also included the sheet music I used to convert each composition into synthesized music for those who enjoy reading the music while they listen. I am excited to have generated so much material that might just make its way into an entire video game in the future.

Recommended Citation

Taylor, Samantha, "A Concept OST" (2021). HON 499 Honors Thesis or Creative Project. 14.
https://scholarworks.umf.maine.edu/honors_theses/14