admin
Fri, 10/14/2022 - 16:56
Edited Text
The$Role$of$Music$in$the$Video$Game$$
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Journey(
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By$Daniel$Gadd$
Daniel!Gadd!
1!
Introduction$
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Journey(is!a!video!game!developed!by!thatgamecompany.!It!was!created!for!the!
PlayStation!3!platform!and!was!released!in!March!2012.!Since!its!release,!it!has!
received!enormously!high!praise!from!critics!and!players!worldwide.!What!is!
especially!significant!about!this!game!is!that!it!seeks!to!provide!each!player!with!a!
unique!emotional!experience!equivalent!to!that!of!a!painting,!piece!of!music,!film,!
short!story,!or!poem!and!for!this!reason!it!is!often!cited!as!an!example!of!a!video!
game!functioning!as!a!work!of!art.!The!mission!statement!of!thatgamecompany,!as!
seen!on!their!official!website,!is!to!“create!timeless!interactive!entertainment!that!
makes!positive!change!to!the!human!psyche!worldwide”!and!their!philosophy!shines!
through!in!this!delicately!crafted!game.!!
!
Both!the!visual!art!and!music!were!heavily!lauded!for!their!beauty!and!contribution!
to!the!overall!aesthetic!and!emotional!arc!of!the!game.!American!composer!Austin!
Wintory!composed!the!musical!score,!which!made!history!for!becoming!the!firstL
ever!GrammyLnominated!video!game!score.!!
!
This!paper!will!take!a!close!look!at!the!various!roles!of!the!musical!score!within!
Journey!and!discuss!the!methods!by!which!the!composer!and!the!developers!worked!
together!to!solve!the!problems!inherent!in!making!the!music!flexible!and!adaptable!
to!the!physical!restraints!determined!by!the!unique!gameplay!structure,!while!still!
creating!the!impression!of!a!large,!organic!piece!of!music!serving!to!set!the!tone!for!
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each!shifting!element!of!the!game.!Initially,!key!elements!of!the!storyline,!gameplay!
and!philosophy!of!Journey(will!be!explained!in!order!to!better!understand!the!
musical!instrumentation,!form!and!style!choices!made!by!the!composer.!Following!
this,!there!will!be!a!more!detailed!discussion!of!the!methods!used!by!the!composer!
to!create!interactive!music!that!serves!both!a!psychological!and!narrative!purpose.!
Where!necessary,!techniques!and!terms!specific!to!video!game!scoring!will!be!
defined!and!discussed!within!the!context!of!this!particular!game.!Finally,!the!
primary!musical!theme!will!be!analyzed,!followed!by!several!examples!of!how!this!
theme!is!treated!and!transformed!throughout!the!game.!!!!
!
Story,$Philosophy$and$Gameplay$
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Story$
Journey(is!described!by!its!developers!as!an!“interactive!parable”.!!The!player!takes!
control!of!a!robed!figure!and!begins!alone!upon!a!sand!dune!in!a!vast!desert!with!no!
clear!sense!of!direction,!but!soon!sees!a!mountain!in!the!distance.!This!provides!the!
player!with!a!destination!and!in!an!ingeniously!natural!and!subtle!way,!without!any!
explicit!inLgame!instruction,!the!player!is!given!a!goal.!The!steady!path!to!the!
mountain!is!divided!into!several!game!levels!and!as!the!player!makes!their!way!
through!them,!they!discover!ruins!and!remnants!of!a!lost!civilization.!!
!
The!player!navigates!through!the!desert!and!explores!various!levels!of!the!remains!
of!a!huge!ancient!city,!gradually!learning!more!and!more!about!the!civilization!that!
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once!inhabited!the!place,!until!eventually!reaching!the!foot!of!the!mountain.!They!
then!have!to!begin!ascending!as!the!weather!becomes!cold!and!unforgiving!and!they!
are!faced!with!snow!and!strong!winds.!As!they!desperately!but!determinedly!make!
their!weary!way!to!the!peak!of!the!mountain,!the!player’s!character!collapses!in!the!
snow!and!for!a!moment!it!seems!as!if!the!journey!is!over.!But!figures!in!white!robes!
appear!and!revive!the!player,!providing!them!with!a!magical!energy!and!in!a!final,!
exhilarating!section!of!gameplay,!the!player!flies!to!the!mountain!summit!and!the!
screen!fills!with!white!light.!
!
The!game’s!credits!play!over!a!cinematic!depicting!a!shooting!star!that!rises!from!
the!mountain!peak!and!flies!steadily!back!along!the!traveler’s!path!down!the!
mountain!and!through!the!ruins!and!desert,!passing!other!robed!figures!that!are!
making!their!way!up.!The!star!finally!comes!to!rest!at!the!sand!dune!where!the!game!
began.!
!
Philosophy$
There!is!a!universal!theme!to!the!game!that!is!highly!influenced!by!Joseph!
Campbell’s!“Hero’s!Journey”.!This!theory!describes!the!monomyth,!which!is!a!
narrative!structure!that!is!common!to!mythical,!religious!and!folk!stories!from!all!
over!the!world!and!dates!back!to!mankind’s!earliest!recorded!history.!Put!very!
simply,!this!myth!describes!a!protagonist!who!leaves!home,!overcomes!challenges!
and!ultimately!returns!with!newfound!power.!It!is!a!myth!essentially!about!the!
process!of!life!transformation.!It!is!about!a!pilgrimage!through!the!unknown!and!
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about!what!is!lost!and!gained!through!adversity!and!in!this!way,!it!is!a!theme!that!is!
universally!relatable.1!!
!
It!is!clear!how!the!setting!of!a!lone!character!in!an!empty!desert!journeying!to!a!
distant!mountaintop!elegantly!ties!in!with!this!philosophy.!There!is!another!
interesting!philosophical!approach!taken!by!the!developers!that!is!worth!noting.!
While!most!video!games!are!designed!around!giving!the!player!a!feeling!of!power,!
Journey(subverts!this!idea!and!instead!aims!at!making!the!player!feel!small!and!in!
awe!of!the!huge!world!around!them.!It!seeks!to!instill!in!the!player!a!sense!of!
wonder.!The!developers!wanted!players!to!feel!a!genuine!loneliness!at!the!outset!of!
the!game!and!have!questions!about!who!they!are!in!this!strange!world!–!questions!
that!are!actually!equally!pertinent!to!real!life.2!!
!
Gameplay$
The!game!was!deliberately!and!skillfully!designed!to!contain!no!dialogue!or!
language.!This!means!that!all!storytelling!and!directional!cues!are!provided!either!
by!the!visuals!or!by!the!audio.3!!
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1!L.!Alexander,!‘InLDepth:!Journey’s!rare!and!magical!success’,!
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/163143/InDepth_Journeys_rare_and_magical_success.php,!2012,!!!
(accessed!9!July!2014).!
2!K.!Van!Ord,!‘Journey!impressions’,!http://www.gamespot.com/articles/journeyLimpressions/1100L
6266636/,!2010,!(accessed!9!July!2014).$$
3!Ibid.!
Daniel!Gadd!
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The!gameplay!controls!are!extremely!simple.!The!player!has!the!ability!to!freely!
walk!and!jump!as!well!as!control!the!camera.!One!button!also!causes!the!character!
to!shout,!or!sing,!a!musical!call.!
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A!fascinating!element!of!the!game!is!that!at!certain!points!the!player!may!meet!one!
other!player,!temporarily!connected!to!the!same!inLgame!world!via!an!online!
connection,!who!is!also!heading!towards!the!mountain.!This!player!could!be!any!age,!
from!anywhere!in!the!world!but!there!is!no!way!of!identifying!them!or!
communicating!with!them!at!all!outside!of!the!wordless!interaction!within!the!game.!
This!creates!a!connection!with!another!person!through!exploration!rather!than!
talking!or!fighting.!The!multiplayer!aspect!of!Journey(also!led!to!an!extremely!
interesting!musical!decision!that!will!be!discussed!later.!
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The!entire!game!can!be!completed!in!just!two!to!three!hours.!
!
The$Music$of$Journey$
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Development$and$Production$$
In!2009,!three!years!before!the!game’s!release,!Austin!Wintory!met!with!Jenova!
Chen,!the!lead!game!designer!and!coLfounder!of!thatgamecompany.!They!discussed!
philosophical!and!literary!influences,!particularly!the!work!of!Joseph!Campbell.!
Chen!had!a!concept!and!he!asked!Wintory!for!a!musical!theme!that!was!able!to!
encapsulate!the!idea!emotionally,!establish!the!game’s!tone!and!help!the!design!
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team!to!creatively!define!the!game.4!Already,!this!is!an!unusual!amount!of!
responsibility!to!give!the!composer!so!early!on!and!an!unusual!understanding!of!the!
power!of!music!on!the!part!of!a!game!designer.!That!same!day,!Wintory!wrote!a!
piece!of!music!that!came!to!serve!as!the!basis!for!the!entire!score!and!helped!to!
define!the!style!of!the!game!itself.!!
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While!the!concept!of!Campbell’s!“Hero’s!Journey”!was!certainly!a!grand!one,!
Wintory!felt!that!the!game!did!not!need!an!epic,!massive!score!to!be!effective!but!
rather!called!for!something!more!intimate!and!personal5!and!this!first!piece!of!music!
came!from!Wintory’s!feeling!that!the!emotional!qualities!Chen!was!looking!for!called!
for!a!solo,!mournful!solo!cello.!He!left!a!voicemail!to!himself!singing!the!theme!that!
he!envisioned!and!quickly!called!his!friends!Tina!Guo!and!Amy!Tatum!to!play!the!
cello!and!bass!flute!respectively.!Together!they!recorded!the!first!version!of!the!
main!theme!that!same!day,!before!the!game!had!even!really!begun!to!be!developed.6$!
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From!this!point!on,!Chen!would!regularly!call!Wintory!and!describe!the!section!of!
game!that!they!were!working!on,!always!taking!care!to!make!clear!exactly!what!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4!B.!Kuchera,!‘Musical!DNA:!how!Austin!Wintory!wrote!the!song!that!helped!create!Journey’,!
http://www.pennyLarcade.com/report/article/musicalLdnaLhowLaustinLwintoryLwroteLtheLsongL
thatLhelpedLcreateLjourney#/entry/signin,!2012,!(accessed!9!July!2014).$$
5!A.!Wintory,!‘A!musical!journey’,!http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/01/05/aLmusicalLjourney/,!
2012!(accessed!9!July!2014).!
6!K.!Stuart,!‘Sound!as!story:!Austin!Wintory!on!Journey!and!the!art!of!game!music’,!
http://www.hookshotinc.com/soundLasLstoryLaustinLwintoryLinterview/,!2012,!(accessed!9!July!
2014).$$
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emotions!he!wanted!the!player!to!be!feeling.!Wintory!would!then!sit!with!a!very!
rough!prototype!of!the!game!and!compose!to!what!he!imagined!the!final!product!
would!look!and!feel!like.!Sometimes!the!music!would!be!different!to!what!the!
developers!were!expecting,!but!often!for!the!better!–!and!they!would!redesign!the!
level!based!on!the!emotional!experience!that!Wintory’s!music!was!providing.!Often!
over!the!course!of!a!scene’s!development,!there!would!be!an!ongoing!process!of!reL
writing!the!music!as!a!scene!was!being!redesigned.!Using!this!reiterative!process!
over!such!an!extended!period!of!time,!the!music!became!truly!integrated!into!each!
and!every!aspect!of!the!game.7!$
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Though!much!of!the!score!makes!use!of!subtle!electronic!synth!sounds!and!
electronically!treated!acoustic!samples,!all!orchestral!sections!and!real!instrumental!
solos!were!recorded!live,!with!real!players.8!The!recording!session!for!the!music!of!
Journey(was!a!great!example!of!teams!working!remotely!from!different!locations!
across!the!world.!The!orchestra!used!was!the!Macedonia!Radio!Symphonic!
Orchestra,!conducted!by!Oleg!Kontradenko!in!Skopje,!Macedonica.!The!composer!
was!based!at!the!mixing!stage!of!Sony’s!San!Diego!Studio,!remotely!linked!with!the!
orchestra.!Simultaneously,!they!were!skyping!with!the!game’s!core!development!
team!in!Los!Angeles,!producer!Kellee!Santiago!in!Virginia!and!lead!designer!Jenova!
Chen!in!Shanghai,!China.9!$
$
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7!Ibid.!
8!Kuchera,!Musical!DNA.!
9!Wintory,!A!musical!journey.!
Daniel!Gadd!
8!
Compositional$Process$
The!medium!of!video!games!is!unique!for!a!composer!in!that!the!music!is!actually!
able!to!drive!the!player’s!experience.!The!music!in!Journey(is!constantly!functioning!
to!provide!a!compelling!emotional!narrative,!while!at!the!same!time!being!highly!
interactive,!almost!to!the!point!of!functioning!as!a!game!mechanic10!and!it!was!
crucial!for!Wintory!to!decide!from!the!beginning!whether!the!player!is!triggering!the!
music!or!whether!the!music!is!functioning!narratively!and!independently!of!the!
player.11!$
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As!a!film!composer,!Wintory’s!process!is!to!watch!the!movie!repeatedly!in!order!to!
fully!feel!the!pacing!and!rhythm!of!the!film.!He!takes!this!same!approach!to!game!
scoring!and!believes!that!the!artistry!of!scoring!for!games!lies!in!the!composer’s!
ability!to!immerse!him!or!herself!in!the!design!process!and!create!something!that!
truly!belongs!to!that!project.12!Also,!if!a!game!composer!is!working!ahead!of!
production,!the!nature!of!the!music!can!end!up!influencing!the!game’s!design.!This!
was!certainly!the!case!with!Journey,!where!certain!parts!of!the!game(were!
practically!designed!around!the!music.13!$$
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
10!P.!Dane,!‘Inside!the!gaming!studio!–!Austin!Wintory,!first!video!game!composer!nominated!for!the!
“best!soundtrack”!Grammy’,!http://whatculture.com/gaming/insideLtheLgamingLstudioLaustinL
wintoryLfirstLvideoLgameLcomposerLnominatedLforLtheLbestLsoundtrackLgrammy.php,!2012,!
(accessed!9!July!2014).!
11!Kuchera,!Musical!DNA.!
12!Stuart,!Sound!as!story.!
13!Dane,!Inside!the!gaming!studio.!
Daniel!Gadd!
9!
Of!course,!unlike!a!film,!the!pacing!and!rhythm!of!a!game!are!variable!from!player!to!
player!and!it!is!important!when!scoring!for!games!to!see!everything!from!a!player’s!
point!of!view!and!to!understand!that!different!players!will!interact!with!the!same!
space!in!different!ways.!When!scoring!Journey,!Wintory!would!try!to!visualize!two!
points!in!a!player’s!progress,!A!and!B.!As!a!composer,!it!was!his!job!to!emotionally!
capture!the!experience!of!moving!from!point!A!to!point!B!and!then!allow!the!music!
to!naturally!change!into!the!next!scene.!!The!challenge!of!this!lies!in!the!fact!that!the!
player!could!do!anything!between!those!two!points.!They!could!run!through!as!
quickly!as!possible,!or!run!around!exploring!and!take!their!time.!Wintory’s!solution!
to!this!was!to!play!through!the!scenes!over!and!over,!timing!himself!with!a!
stopwatch.!In!this!way!he!could!find!out!the!shortest!way!to!get!from!A!to!B!and!use!
the!information!to!make!compositional!decisions.!For!example,!if!an!area!lends!itself!
to!a!player’s!meandering!exploration,!perhaps!the!best!solution!is!to!create!a!
composition!that!loops.!Wintory!is!not!averse!to!using!loops,!but!he!believes!that!
looping!is!simply!a!tool!to!be!used!in!the!right!situation.!In!fact,!there!are!many!areas!
of!the!game!where,!rather!than!looping,!Wintory!simply!uses!a!oneLoff!cue!that!lasts!
for!the!most!likely!approximate!time!that!a!player!will!be!in!the!area.!If!they!stay!
longer,!the!music!simply!runs!out!and!they!play!in!silence.!This!allows!the!cue!to!end!
like!a!real,!organic!piece!of!music.!However,!every!cue!is!treated!according!to!its!
context!and!some!cues!do!loop,!while!others!make!use!of!layering!and!branching!
techniques.14!Often,!a!oneLoff!musical!phrase!will!serve!as!a!beatLsynchronous!
transition!between!two!cues.$$
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
14!Ibid.!
10!
Daniel!Gadd!
$
Many!of!the!openLended!areas!of!the!game,!such!as!the!initial!bridge!level!in!the!
desert,!make!use!of!layering.!As!the!player!progresses!through!stages!of!a!puzzle!and!
reaches!certain!landmarks,!another!instrumental!layer!will!be!added!to!the!music.!
This!is!often!so!subtle!that!it!goes!unnoticed,!but!it!serves!to!create!a!sense!of!
interest!and!progression!in!the!music!that!unconsciously!contributes!to!the!player’s!
experience.15$The!stems!of!each!instrumental!layer!here!are!also!constantly!
branching.!In!this!particular!level,!the!initial!electronic!pad!is!joined!by!pizzicato!
cello!followed!by!a!bass!flute!layer.!The!cello!and!bass!flute!play!fragmented!
melodies,!often!very!long.!Several!of!these!phrases!were!composed,!and!the!game!
engine!randomly!determines!which!order!they!are!accessed!and!heard!in!game.!This!
musical!branching!means!that!there!are!many!different!interplays!between!different!
layers!that!are!possible!at!any!given!time.!Every!playthrough!will!therefore!yield!
different!musical!results.!The!composition!is!constantly!writing!itself.!When!the!
puzzle!has!been!solved!and!the!bridge!is!completed,!the!player!triggers!a!musical!
change!into!a!faster,!more!energetic!piece.!This!transition!is!seamless!and!
demonstrates!the!ability!of!the!game’s!music!engine!to!synchronize!the!player’s!
actions!and!the!music!with!extreme!accuracy.$
$
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Care!was!taken!to!make!sure!that!each!second!of!every!moment!of!the!game!was!
accompanied!in!an!organic!and!naturalLfeeling!way,!and!whichever!technique!gave!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
15!J.!Broomhall,!‘Heard!about:!Journey’,!http://www.developLonline.net/analysis/heardLaboutL
journey/0117627,!2013,!(accessed!9!July!2014).!
Daniel!Gadd!
11!
the!best!result!was!used.16!The!developers!would!always!provide!Wintory!with!
precise!instructions!regarding!the!implementation!of!each!piece!of!music!and!as!a!
gamer!with!a!programming!background,!communicating!ideas!was!not!problematic.!
Wintory!would!place!mockups!into!the!game!and!then!begin!the!continuous!process!
of!tweaking!and!refining!each!piece!of!music!and!it’s!relationship!to!the!game’s!
system.17$The!three!years!working!on!the!project!gave!him!the!time!needed!to!try!
different!things!and!discover!what!worked!and!what!did!not.!$
$
The!approach!to!the!scoring!of!the!multiplayer!aspect!of!the!game!is!also!amazing!
and!worth!mentioning.!The!harp!and!viola!soloists!only!enter!when!another!player!
is!present!and!serve!to!create!an!emotional!bond!between!players.!However,!there!is!
no!way!to!predict!when!two!players!will!encounter!one!another.!Layers!and!
branches!of!harp!and!viola!parts!therefore!had!to!be!written!over!almost!the!entire!
score,!so!that!they!could!be!accessed!by!the!game’s!engine!when!needed,!if!ever.18!As!
some!players!might!choose!to!play!singleLplayer,!this!is!an!entire!aspect!of!the!
musical!score!that!may!never!even!be!heard!and!while!the!musical!experience!is!still!
just!as!good!in!single!player!mode,!it!is!yet!another!available!variation!that!
demonstrates!the!huge!amount!of!work!that!went!into!creating!a!truly!interactive!
score.!
!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
16!Dane,!Inside!the!gaming!studio.!
17!Nofi,!‘Interview:!Composer!Austin!Wintory!on!Journey’,!
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2012/03/15/interviewLjourneyLcomposerLaustinLwintory/,!2012,!
(accessed!9!July!2014).!
18!J.!Broomhall,!Heard!about:!Journey.!
Daniel!Gadd!
12!
Instrumentation$
With!regards!to!the!instrumentation!choices,!Wintory’s!goal!was!to!make!the!music!
feel!organically!linked!with!exactly!wherever!the!player!is!hearing!it!in!the!game.!
This!may!be!a!completely!subjective!choice,!but!the!most!important!thing!is!that!the!
intention!is!there.!In!the!first!level!of!the!game,!the!player!steps!into!the!desert!and!
sees!the!mountain!and!a!meteor!in!the!sky.!The!music!is!a!gentle!wave!of!electronics!
followed!by!a!bass!flute!solo.!The!bass!flute!has!a!spacious,!open!sound,!with!a!lot!of!
reverb.!Wintory!explains!in!an!interview!how!a!dry,!brittle!sound!could!also!have!
suited!the!desert!landscape,!but!he!chose!the!former!sound!for!its!spiritual,!ringing!
quality.!Although!this!was!just!one!musical!choice!of!many,!it!was!still!of!the!utmost!
importance!to!make!the!sound!seem!as!if!it!belonged.19!It!was!also!always!important!
to!maintain!the!right!tone.!The!music!should!never!be!exactly!sad,!but!always!have!a!
solemn,!lonesome!quality!to!it.!$
$
While!it!certainly!would!have!made!sense!to!make!instrument!choices!based!on!
ancient!civilizations!due!to!the!setting!of!the!game,!Wintory!deliberately!tried!to!
avoid!suggesting!or!referencing!specific!cultures,!but!rather!focused!on!creating!a!
score!that!could!be!universally!appreciated!and!understood.20!$
$
There!are!five!solo!instruments!that!feature!prominently!in!the!game:!cello,!flute,!
viola,!harp!and!serpent!(an!ancient!brass!instrument).!All!of!these!instruments!have!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
19!Dane,!Inside!the!gaming!studio.!
20!Nofi,!Interview:!Composer!Austin!Wintory!on!Journey.!
Daniel!Gadd!
13!
their!own!definite!meaning!within!the!game!and!their!use!in!the!score!is!always!
deliberate.!!!
!
The!cello!is!used!to!symbolize!the!player’s!character!throughout!the!game.!
Essentially!the!game!is!all!about!the!player:!their!interaction!with!the!world,!with!
other!people!and!with!themselves.!This!ideology!is!perfectly!mirrored!by!the!form!of!
the!score,!which!can!be!seen!as!a!huge!cello!concerto.!The!player!is!the!soloist!and!
the!world!and!other!players!around!them!are!the!orchestra.21$The!bass!flute!features!
almost!as!prominently!as!the!cello.!It!has!a!definite!spiritual!symbolism!and!is!often!
heard!in!connection!with!the!whiteLrobed!ancient!people!that!appear!in!visions.!The!
serpent!is!the!only!brassy!sound!in!the!score!and!is!used!very!sparingly.!It!features!
prominently!in!the!underground!cave!level!of!the!game,!where!the!score!becomes!
alien!and!detached!from!the!rest!of!the!music,!mirroring!the!sudden!change!of!
environment!and!disorientation!in!the!game.!Even!the!everLpresent!cello!
disappears.!Here!Wintory!overdubs!the!serpent!into!a!fiveLpart!brass!chorale!to!
beautiful!effect!–!even!when!scary!or!hostile,!the!world!is!still!beautiful.!The!harp!
and!viola!feature!heavily!as!soloists!in!the!multiplayer!aspects!of!the!game,!and!the!
interplay!between!them!serves!to!create!a!subtle,!even!unconscious!connection!
between!the!two!players.!!
$
The!other!instrumentation!used!in!the!score!includes!a!full!string!section!as!well!as!
recorded!percussion!and!gentle!synthesized!pads.!The!instrumentation!of!the!score!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
21!Ibid.!
Daniel!Gadd!
14!
changes!as!the!game!progresses.!!At!the!outset!of!the!game,!a!giant!orchestral!
crescendo!follows!the!solo!cello!theme!and!builds!up!into!nothingness,!wiping!the!
emotional!palette!clean.!The!player!is!left!with!a!blank!canvas.!The!musical!score!
then!begins!with!gentle,!buzzy!electronics!and!some!solo!bass!flute!melodies.!The!
orchestra!is!not!heard!again!until!the!second!half!of!the!game.!Slowly,!more!
instruments!and!layers!are!introduced!as!the!player!makes!their!way!through!the!
world.!The!introduction!of!new!instruments!is!linked!with!the!character’s!growth!
and!transformation.!By!the!time!the!final!level!is!reached,!we!are!hearing!the!theme!
with!the!full!orchestra!behind!it.!!
!
Sound$Design$
One!further!aspect!that!must!be!considered!in!video!game!music,!as!with!film!music,!
is!the!sound!design!and!Wintory!worked!very!closely!with!sound!designer!Steve!
Johnson!over!the!course!of!Journey’s!development.!While!the!music!is!functioning!as!
a!narrative!device,!good!sound!design!is!crucial!to!making!the!world!feel!real!and!
believable!to!the!player.22$The!snowy!mountain!area!of!the!game!is!a!great!example!
of!the!sound!and!music!working!together.!The!music!is!highly!textural,!with!
aleatoric!string!tremolos,!while!the!sound!of!the!wind!and!thunder!is!rising!and!
dropping!in!level!and!the!sound!and!music!are!in!a!constant!state!of!flux.!In!this!
level,!things!are!becoming!legitimately!threatening!and!the!world!is!threatening!to!
overpower!the!music.!The!singing!and!shouts!of!the!player!character!were!also!very!
carefully!designed.!Wintory!provided!musical!and!vocal!samples,!which!Johnson!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
22!Ibid.!
15!
Daniel!Gadd!
combined!with!processed!bird!chirps.!Variations!of!these!sounds!were!then!used!for!
the!player!character!as!well!as!the!companion!character!in!multiplayer!and!the!
sounds!were!organized!in!pitch!sets!so!that!they!could!harmonize!with!the!score!at!
any!given!time.!The!music!and!sound!always!had!to!compliment!each!other!and!fit!
the!aesthetic!of!the!game.23!!
(
The$Theme$
$
In!Journey,!Wintory!sought!to!create!one!central!theme!that!could!act!as!the!DNA!for!
the!full!score.!In!creating!a!memorable!theme!that!recurs!and!is!transformed!over!
the!course!of!the!game,!he!is!mirroring!the!philosophical!theme!of!the!game!and!
allowing!the!player!to!experience!their!own!sense!of!progression!and!
transformation!as!they!move!forward.24!$
The$main$theme$in$its$purest$form,$as$heard$by$the$solo$cello$at$the$outset$and$end$of$the$game.$
!
This!beautiful!melody!is!heard!throughout!the!entire!game,!and!it!is!only!through!
great!skill!that!the!composer!never!allows!it!to!seem!repetitive!or!boring.!The!
constant!fragmentation!and!variation!of!this!simple!melody!creates!interest!while!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
23!Broomhall,!Heard!about:!Journey.!
24!Dane,!Inside!the!gaming!studio.!
$
16!
Daniel!Gadd!
always!maintaining!a!sense!of!continuity.!It!is!in!4/4!time!and!in!the!key!of!B!natural!
minor.!It!is!always!played!extremely!expressively!and!is!most!often!heard!in!its!
fullest!form!by!the!cello,!bass!flute!and!string!section.!The!theme!takes!on!many!
transformations!and!is!played!by!every!instrument!at!some!point!over!the!course!of!
the!game.!!
!
In!the!cave!level!of!the!game,!the!serpent!and!double!bass!section!play!a!dark,!
foreboding,!chromatic!variation!of!the!theme!that!compliments!the!tense,!hunted!
atmosphere!of!the!level:!
!
Melodic$diminution$of$the$main$theme$transposed,$as$heard$played$by$the$double$basses$and$serpent.$
$
$
In!contrast,!a!lighter,!more!exotic!version!of!the!theme!is!heard!in!the!large!“whale”!
room!of!the!game,!where!the!player!jumps!on!the!back!of!a!ribbon!whale.!In!this!
room,!occasional!cello!solos!can!be!heard!playing!a!rhythmic!variation!of!the!theme:!
Rhythmic$variation$of$the$main$theme$transposed,$played$by$highDregister$solo$cello.$
$
!
!
!
Daniel!Gadd!
17!
The!transcriptions!found!in!Appendix!A!and!B25!represent!the!treatment!of!the!
theme!at!the!outset!of!the!game!and!at!the!end.!They!are!entitled!Nascence(and!
Apotheosis!respectively.!Nascence(states!the!theme!and!introduces!the!character!and!
desert!environment!perfectly,!while!Apotheosis(is!heard!in!the!final!level!of!the!
game,!as!the!hero!is!flying!towards!the!summit!of!the!mountain!and!is!a!variation!of!
the!theme!filled!with!excitement!and!joy.!
!
Conclusion$
$
For!Wintory’s!musical!score!to!be!fully!integrated!into!the!game,!it!had!to!be!able!to!
be!broken!down!into!stems!and!phrases!that!could!be!scripted!to!accompany!player!
decisions!and!lead!to!a!truly!interactive!experience.!At!the!same!time,!it!had!to!
sound!like!a!real,!organic!music!performance!and!function!linearly.!!These!are!two!
seemingly!contradictory!ideas:!modularity!and!linearity.!Wintory!wanted!players!to!
be!able!to!have!the!benefit!of!feeling!real!musicians!giving!a!performance!as!they!
played!the!game,!but!achieving!these!two!goals!is!far!from!easy.26!$
$$
Journey!proves!to!me!that!it!is!most!definitely!achievable,!and!the!effect!is!incredible.!
When!a!game!can!fully!immerse!a!player!in!an!experience!and!that!experience!is!
perfectly!accompanied!by!music,!it!is!a!truly!great!achievement!by!the!composer.!!
!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
25!Audio!files!of!Appendix!A!and!B!are!attached!with!this!document.!
26!Stuart,!Sound!as!story.!
Daniel!Gadd!
18!
Austin!Wintory!spent!three!years!working!on!the!music!for!Journey,!constantly!
revising!and!personalizing!the!music!to!each!new!stage!of!design!over!the!course!of!
the!game’s!development.!$I!honestly!believe!that!the!dedication!and!genuine,!
heartfelt!investment!into!the!integrity!of!the!music!and!the!game!is!what!makes!this!
project!a!work!of!art.!Journey!is!clearly!a!labour!of!intelligence,!skill!and!love!on!the!
part!of!everyone!involved!in!its!development!and!the!results!can!clearly!be!seen!in!
the!reactions!of!those!who!have!played!it!and!been!deeply!affected!by!it.!For!me,!it!is!
inspiring!to!see!that!projects!like!Journey(are!being!created!and!allowing!for!music!
and!art!to!move!forward!in!new,!interesting!and!genuinely!moving!directions.!!
$
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Appendix
A
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Appendix
B
Daniel!Gadd!
19!
References$
$
Alexander,!L.,!‘InLDepth:!Journey’s!rare!and!magical!success’,!
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/163143/InDepth_Journeys_rare_and_magical_su
ccess.php,!2012,!(accessed!9!July!2014).!
$
Broomhall,!J.,!‘Heard!about:!Journey’,!http://www.developL
online.net/analysis/heardLaboutLjourney/0117627,!2013,!(accessed!9!July!2014).$$
$
Dane,!P.,!‘Inside!the!gaming!studio!–!Austin!Wintory,!first!video!game!composer!
nominated!for!the!“best!soundtrack”!Grammy’,!
http://whatculture.com/gaming/insideLtheLgamingLstudioLaustinLwintoryLfirstL
videoLgameLcomposerLnominatedLforLtheLbestLsoundtrackLgrammy.php,!2012,!
(accessed!9!July!2014).!
$
Kuchera,!B.,!‘Musical!DNA:!how!Austin!Wintory!wrote!the!song!that!helped!create!
Journey’,!http://www.pennyLarcade.com/report/article/musicalLdnaLhowLaustinL
wintoryLwroteLtheLsongLthatLhelpedLcreateLjourney#/entry/signin,!2012,!(accessed!
9!July!2014).$$
$
Nofi,!‘Interview:!Composer!Austin!Wintory!on!Journey’,!
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2012/03/15/interviewLjourneyLcomposerLaustinL
wintory/,!2012,!(accessed!9!July!2014).$$
$
Stuart,!K.,!‘Sound!as!story:!Austin!Wintory!on!Journey!and!the!art!of!game!music’,!
http://www.hookshotinc.com/soundLasLstoryLaustinLwintoryLinterview/,!2012,!
(accessed!9!July!2014).$$
$
Van!Ord,!K.,!‘Journey!impressions’,!http://www.gamespot.com/articles/journeyL
impressions/1100L6266636/,!2010,!(accessed!9!July!2014).$$
$
Daniel!Gadd!
Wintory,!A.,!‘A!musical!journey’,!http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/01/05/aL
musicalLjourney/,!2012!(accessed!9!July!2014).$$
$
Wintory,!A.,!‘JOURNEY!–!Complete!score!with!text!commentary’,![online!video],!
2013,!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGcXI_BaR2Y,!(accessed!9!July!2014).$$
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By$Daniel$Gadd$
Daniel!Gadd!
1!
Introduction$
$
Journey(is!a!video!game!developed!by!thatgamecompany.!It!was!created!for!the!
PlayStation!3!platform!and!was!released!in!March!2012.!Since!its!release,!it!has!
received!enormously!high!praise!from!critics!and!players!worldwide.!What!is!
especially!significant!about!this!game!is!that!it!seeks!to!provide!each!player!with!a!
unique!emotional!experience!equivalent!to!that!of!a!painting,!piece!of!music,!film,!
short!story,!or!poem!and!for!this!reason!it!is!often!cited!as!an!example!of!a!video!
game!functioning!as!a!work!of!art.!The!mission!statement!of!thatgamecompany,!as!
seen!on!their!official!website,!is!to!“create!timeless!interactive!entertainment!that!
makes!positive!change!to!the!human!psyche!worldwide”!and!their!philosophy!shines!
through!in!this!delicately!crafted!game.!!
!
Both!the!visual!art!and!music!were!heavily!lauded!for!their!beauty!and!contribution!
to!the!overall!aesthetic!and!emotional!arc!of!the!game.!American!composer!Austin!
Wintory!composed!the!musical!score,!which!made!history!for!becoming!the!firstL
ever!GrammyLnominated!video!game!score.!!
!
This!paper!will!take!a!close!look!at!the!various!roles!of!the!musical!score!within!
Journey!and!discuss!the!methods!by!which!the!composer!and!the!developers!worked!
together!to!solve!the!problems!inherent!in!making!the!music!flexible!and!adaptable!
to!the!physical!restraints!determined!by!the!unique!gameplay!structure,!while!still!
creating!the!impression!of!a!large,!organic!piece!of!music!serving!to!set!the!tone!for!
Daniel!Gadd!
2!
each!shifting!element!of!the!game.!Initially,!key!elements!of!the!storyline,!gameplay!
and!philosophy!of!Journey(will!be!explained!in!order!to!better!understand!the!
musical!instrumentation,!form!and!style!choices!made!by!the!composer.!Following!
this,!there!will!be!a!more!detailed!discussion!of!the!methods!used!by!the!composer!
to!create!interactive!music!that!serves!both!a!psychological!and!narrative!purpose.!
Where!necessary,!techniques!and!terms!specific!to!video!game!scoring!will!be!
defined!and!discussed!within!the!context!of!this!particular!game.!Finally,!the!
primary!musical!theme!will!be!analyzed,!followed!by!several!examples!of!how!this!
theme!is!treated!and!transformed!throughout!the!game.!!!!
!
Story,$Philosophy$and$Gameplay$
$
Story$
Journey(is!described!by!its!developers!as!an!“interactive!parable”.!!The!player!takes!
control!of!a!robed!figure!and!begins!alone!upon!a!sand!dune!in!a!vast!desert!with!no!
clear!sense!of!direction,!but!soon!sees!a!mountain!in!the!distance.!This!provides!the!
player!with!a!destination!and!in!an!ingeniously!natural!and!subtle!way,!without!any!
explicit!inLgame!instruction,!the!player!is!given!a!goal.!The!steady!path!to!the!
mountain!is!divided!into!several!game!levels!and!as!the!player!makes!their!way!
through!them,!they!discover!ruins!and!remnants!of!a!lost!civilization.!!
!
The!player!navigates!through!the!desert!and!explores!various!levels!of!the!remains!
of!a!huge!ancient!city,!gradually!learning!more!and!more!about!the!civilization!that!
Daniel!Gadd!
3!
once!inhabited!the!place,!until!eventually!reaching!the!foot!of!the!mountain.!They!
then!have!to!begin!ascending!as!the!weather!becomes!cold!and!unforgiving!and!they!
are!faced!with!snow!and!strong!winds.!As!they!desperately!but!determinedly!make!
their!weary!way!to!the!peak!of!the!mountain,!the!player’s!character!collapses!in!the!
snow!and!for!a!moment!it!seems!as!if!the!journey!is!over.!But!figures!in!white!robes!
appear!and!revive!the!player,!providing!them!with!a!magical!energy!and!in!a!final,!
exhilarating!section!of!gameplay,!the!player!flies!to!the!mountain!summit!and!the!
screen!fills!with!white!light.!
!
The!game’s!credits!play!over!a!cinematic!depicting!a!shooting!star!that!rises!from!
the!mountain!peak!and!flies!steadily!back!along!the!traveler’s!path!down!the!
mountain!and!through!the!ruins!and!desert,!passing!other!robed!figures!that!are!
making!their!way!up.!The!star!finally!comes!to!rest!at!the!sand!dune!where!the!game!
began.!
!
Philosophy$
There!is!a!universal!theme!to!the!game!that!is!highly!influenced!by!Joseph!
Campbell’s!“Hero’s!Journey”.!This!theory!describes!the!monomyth,!which!is!a!
narrative!structure!that!is!common!to!mythical,!religious!and!folk!stories!from!all!
over!the!world!and!dates!back!to!mankind’s!earliest!recorded!history.!Put!very!
simply,!this!myth!describes!a!protagonist!who!leaves!home,!overcomes!challenges!
and!ultimately!returns!with!newfound!power.!It!is!a!myth!essentially!about!the!
process!of!life!transformation.!It!is!about!a!pilgrimage!through!the!unknown!and!
Daniel!Gadd!
4!
about!what!is!lost!and!gained!through!adversity!and!in!this!way,!it!is!a!theme!that!is!
universally!relatable.1!!
!
It!is!clear!how!the!setting!of!a!lone!character!in!an!empty!desert!journeying!to!a!
distant!mountaintop!elegantly!ties!in!with!this!philosophy.!There!is!another!
interesting!philosophical!approach!taken!by!the!developers!that!is!worth!noting.!
While!most!video!games!are!designed!around!giving!the!player!a!feeling!of!power,!
Journey(subverts!this!idea!and!instead!aims!at!making!the!player!feel!small!and!in!
awe!of!the!huge!world!around!them.!It!seeks!to!instill!in!the!player!a!sense!of!
wonder.!The!developers!wanted!players!to!feel!a!genuine!loneliness!at!the!outset!of!
the!game!and!have!questions!about!who!they!are!in!this!strange!world!–!questions!
that!are!actually!equally!pertinent!to!real!life.2!!
!
Gameplay$
The!game!was!deliberately!and!skillfully!designed!to!contain!no!dialogue!or!
language.!This!means!that!all!storytelling!and!directional!cues!are!provided!either!
by!the!visuals!or!by!the!audio.3!!
!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1!L.!Alexander,!‘InLDepth:!Journey’s!rare!and!magical!success’,!
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/163143/InDepth_Journeys_rare_and_magical_success.php,!2012,!!!
(accessed!9!July!2014).!
2!K.!Van!Ord,!‘Journey!impressions’,!http://www.gamespot.com/articles/journeyLimpressions/1100L
6266636/,!2010,!(accessed!9!July!2014).$$
3!Ibid.!
Daniel!Gadd!
5!
The!gameplay!controls!are!extremely!simple.!The!player!has!the!ability!to!freely!
walk!and!jump!as!well!as!control!the!camera.!One!button!also!causes!the!character!
to!shout,!or!sing,!a!musical!call.!
!
A!fascinating!element!of!the!game!is!that!at!certain!points!the!player!may!meet!one!
other!player,!temporarily!connected!to!the!same!inLgame!world!via!an!online!
connection,!who!is!also!heading!towards!the!mountain.!This!player!could!be!any!age,!
from!anywhere!in!the!world!but!there!is!no!way!of!identifying!them!or!
communicating!with!them!at!all!outside!of!the!wordless!interaction!within!the!game.!
This!creates!a!connection!with!another!person!through!exploration!rather!than!
talking!or!fighting.!The!multiplayer!aspect!of!Journey(also!led!to!an!extremely!
interesting!musical!decision!that!will!be!discussed!later.!
!
The!entire!game!can!be!completed!in!just!two!to!three!hours.!
!
The$Music$of$Journey$
$
Development$and$Production$$
In!2009,!three!years!before!the!game’s!release,!Austin!Wintory!met!with!Jenova!
Chen,!the!lead!game!designer!and!coLfounder!of!thatgamecompany.!They!discussed!
philosophical!and!literary!influences,!particularly!the!work!of!Joseph!Campbell.!
Chen!had!a!concept!and!he!asked!Wintory!for!a!musical!theme!that!was!able!to!
encapsulate!the!idea!emotionally,!establish!the!game’s!tone!and!help!the!design!
Daniel!Gadd!
6!
team!to!creatively!define!the!game.4!Already,!this!is!an!unusual!amount!of!
responsibility!to!give!the!composer!so!early!on!and!an!unusual!understanding!of!the!
power!of!music!on!the!part!of!a!game!designer.!That!same!day,!Wintory!wrote!a!
piece!of!music!that!came!to!serve!as!the!basis!for!the!entire!score!and!helped!to!
define!the!style!of!the!game!itself.!!
!
While!the!concept!of!Campbell’s!“Hero’s!Journey”!was!certainly!a!grand!one,!
Wintory!felt!that!the!game!did!not!need!an!epic,!massive!score!to!be!effective!but!
rather!called!for!something!more!intimate!and!personal5!and!this!first!piece!of!music!
came!from!Wintory’s!feeling!that!the!emotional!qualities!Chen!was!looking!for!called!
for!a!solo,!mournful!solo!cello.!He!left!a!voicemail!to!himself!singing!the!theme!that!
he!envisioned!and!quickly!called!his!friends!Tina!Guo!and!Amy!Tatum!to!play!the!
cello!and!bass!flute!respectively.!Together!they!recorded!the!first!version!of!the!
main!theme!that!same!day,!before!the!game!had!even!really!begun!to!be!developed.6$!
$
From!this!point!on,!Chen!would!regularly!call!Wintory!and!describe!the!section!of!
game!that!they!were!working!on,!always!taking!care!to!make!clear!exactly!what!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4!B.!Kuchera,!‘Musical!DNA:!how!Austin!Wintory!wrote!the!song!that!helped!create!Journey’,!
http://www.pennyLarcade.com/report/article/musicalLdnaLhowLaustinLwintoryLwroteLtheLsongL
thatLhelpedLcreateLjourney#/entry/signin,!2012,!(accessed!9!July!2014).$$
5!A.!Wintory,!‘A!musical!journey’,!http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/01/05/aLmusicalLjourney/,!
2012!(accessed!9!July!2014).!
6!K.!Stuart,!‘Sound!as!story:!Austin!Wintory!on!Journey!and!the!art!of!game!music’,!
http://www.hookshotinc.com/soundLasLstoryLaustinLwintoryLinterview/,!2012,!(accessed!9!July!
2014).$$
!
Daniel!Gadd!
7!
emotions!he!wanted!the!player!to!be!feeling.!Wintory!would!then!sit!with!a!very!
rough!prototype!of!the!game!and!compose!to!what!he!imagined!the!final!product!
would!look!and!feel!like.!Sometimes!the!music!would!be!different!to!what!the!
developers!were!expecting,!but!often!for!the!better!–!and!they!would!redesign!the!
level!based!on!the!emotional!experience!that!Wintory’s!music!was!providing.!Often!
over!the!course!of!a!scene’s!development,!there!would!be!an!ongoing!process!of!reL
writing!the!music!as!a!scene!was!being!redesigned.!Using!this!reiterative!process!
over!such!an!extended!period!of!time,!the!music!became!truly!integrated!into!each!
and!every!aspect!of!the!game.7!$
$
Though!much!of!the!score!makes!use!of!subtle!electronic!synth!sounds!and!
electronically!treated!acoustic!samples,!all!orchestral!sections!and!real!instrumental!
solos!were!recorded!live,!with!real!players.8!The!recording!session!for!the!music!of!
Journey(was!a!great!example!of!teams!working!remotely!from!different!locations!
across!the!world.!The!orchestra!used!was!the!Macedonia!Radio!Symphonic!
Orchestra,!conducted!by!Oleg!Kontradenko!in!Skopje,!Macedonica.!The!composer!
was!based!at!the!mixing!stage!of!Sony’s!San!Diego!Studio,!remotely!linked!with!the!
orchestra.!Simultaneously,!they!were!skyping!with!the!game’s!core!development!
team!in!Los!Angeles,!producer!Kellee!Santiago!in!Virginia!and!lead!designer!Jenova!
Chen!in!Shanghai,!China.9!$
$
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7!Ibid.!
8!Kuchera,!Musical!DNA.!
9!Wintory,!A!musical!journey.!
Daniel!Gadd!
8!
Compositional$Process$
The!medium!of!video!games!is!unique!for!a!composer!in!that!the!music!is!actually!
able!to!drive!the!player’s!experience.!The!music!in!Journey(is!constantly!functioning!
to!provide!a!compelling!emotional!narrative,!while!at!the!same!time!being!highly!
interactive,!almost!to!the!point!of!functioning!as!a!game!mechanic10!and!it!was!
crucial!for!Wintory!to!decide!from!the!beginning!whether!the!player!is!triggering!the!
music!or!whether!the!music!is!functioning!narratively!and!independently!of!the!
player.11!$
$
As!a!film!composer,!Wintory’s!process!is!to!watch!the!movie!repeatedly!in!order!to!
fully!feel!the!pacing!and!rhythm!of!the!film.!He!takes!this!same!approach!to!game!
scoring!and!believes!that!the!artistry!of!scoring!for!games!lies!in!the!composer’s!
ability!to!immerse!him!or!herself!in!the!design!process!and!create!something!that!
truly!belongs!to!that!project.12!Also,!if!a!game!composer!is!working!ahead!of!
production,!the!nature!of!the!music!can!end!up!influencing!the!game’s!design.!This!
was!certainly!the!case!with!Journey,!where!certain!parts!of!the!game(were!
practically!designed!around!the!music.13!$$
!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
10!P.!Dane,!‘Inside!the!gaming!studio!–!Austin!Wintory,!first!video!game!composer!nominated!for!the!
“best!soundtrack”!Grammy’,!http://whatculture.com/gaming/insideLtheLgamingLstudioLaustinL
wintoryLfirstLvideoLgameLcomposerLnominatedLforLtheLbestLsoundtrackLgrammy.php,!2012,!
(accessed!9!July!2014).!
11!Kuchera,!Musical!DNA.!
12!Stuart,!Sound!as!story.!
13!Dane,!Inside!the!gaming!studio.!
Daniel!Gadd!
9!
Of!course,!unlike!a!film,!the!pacing!and!rhythm!of!a!game!are!variable!from!player!to!
player!and!it!is!important!when!scoring!for!games!to!see!everything!from!a!player’s!
point!of!view!and!to!understand!that!different!players!will!interact!with!the!same!
space!in!different!ways.!When!scoring!Journey,!Wintory!would!try!to!visualize!two!
points!in!a!player’s!progress,!A!and!B.!As!a!composer,!it!was!his!job!to!emotionally!
capture!the!experience!of!moving!from!point!A!to!point!B!and!then!allow!the!music!
to!naturally!change!into!the!next!scene.!!The!challenge!of!this!lies!in!the!fact!that!the!
player!could!do!anything!between!those!two!points.!They!could!run!through!as!
quickly!as!possible,!or!run!around!exploring!and!take!their!time.!Wintory’s!solution!
to!this!was!to!play!through!the!scenes!over!and!over,!timing!himself!with!a!
stopwatch.!In!this!way!he!could!find!out!the!shortest!way!to!get!from!A!to!B!and!use!
the!information!to!make!compositional!decisions.!For!example,!if!an!area!lends!itself!
to!a!player’s!meandering!exploration,!perhaps!the!best!solution!is!to!create!a!
composition!that!loops.!Wintory!is!not!averse!to!using!loops,!but!he!believes!that!
looping!is!simply!a!tool!to!be!used!in!the!right!situation.!In!fact,!there!are!many!areas!
of!the!game!where,!rather!than!looping,!Wintory!simply!uses!a!oneLoff!cue!that!lasts!
for!the!most!likely!approximate!time!that!a!player!will!be!in!the!area.!If!they!stay!
longer,!the!music!simply!runs!out!and!they!play!in!silence.!This!allows!the!cue!to!end!
like!a!real,!organic!piece!of!music.!However,!every!cue!is!treated!according!to!its!
context!and!some!cues!do!loop,!while!others!make!use!of!layering!and!branching!
techniques.14!Often,!a!oneLoff!musical!phrase!will!serve!as!a!beatLsynchronous!
transition!between!two!cues.$$
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
14!Ibid.!
10!
Daniel!Gadd!
$
Many!of!the!openLended!areas!of!the!game,!such!as!the!initial!bridge!level!in!the!
desert,!make!use!of!layering.!As!the!player!progresses!through!stages!of!a!puzzle!and!
reaches!certain!landmarks,!another!instrumental!layer!will!be!added!to!the!music.!
This!is!often!so!subtle!that!it!goes!unnoticed,!but!it!serves!to!create!a!sense!of!
interest!and!progression!in!the!music!that!unconsciously!contributes!to!the!player’s!
experience.15$The!stems!of!each!instrumental!layer!here!are!also!constantly!
branching.!In!this!particular!level,!the!initial!electronic!pad!is!joined!by!pizzicato!
cello!followed!by!a!bass!flute!layer.!The!cello!and!bass!flute!play!fragmented!
melodies,!often!very!long.!Several!of!these!phrases!were!composed,!and!the!game!
engine!randomly!determines!which!order!they!are!accessed!and!heard!in!game.!This!
musical!branching!means!that!there!are!many!different!interplays!between!different!
layers!that!are!possible!at!any!given!time.!Every!playthrough!will!therefore!yield!
different!musical!results.!The!composition!is!constantly!writing!itself.!When!the!
puzzle!has!been!solved!and!the!bridge!is!completed,!the!player!triggers!a!musical!
change!into!a!faster,!more!energetic!piece.!This!transition!is!seamless!and!
demonstrates!the!ability!of!the!game’s!music!engine!to!synchronize!the!player’s!
actions!and!the!music!with!extreme!accuracy.$
$
$
$
Care!was!taken!to!make!sure!that!each!second!of!every!moment!of!the!game!was!
accompanied!in!an!organic!and!naturalLfeeling!way,!and!whichever!technique!gave!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
15!J.!Broomhall,!‘Heard!about:!Journey’,!http://www.developLonline.net/analysis/heardLaboutL
journey/0117627,!2013,!(accessed!9!July!2014).!
Daniel!Gadd!
11!
the!best!result!was!used.16!The!developers!would!always!provide!Wintory!with!
precise!instructions!regarding!the!implementation!of!each!piece!of!music!and!as!a!
gamer!with!a!programming!background,!communicating!ideas!was!not!problematic.!
Wintory!would!place!mockups!into!the!game!and!then!begin!the!continuous!process!
of!tweaking!and!refining!each!piece!of!music!and!it’s!relationship!to!the!game’s!
system.17$The!three!years!working!on!the!project!gave!him!the!time!needed!to!try!
different!things!and!discover!what!worked!and!what!did!not.!$
$
The!approach!to!the!scoring!of!the!multiplayer!aspect!of!the!game!is!also!amazing!
and!worth!mentioning.!The!harp!and!viola!soloists!only!enter!when!another!player!
is!present!and!serve!to!create!an!emotional!bond!between!players.!However,!there!is!
no!way!to!predict!when!two!players!will!encounter!one!another.!Layers!and!
branches!of!harp!and!viola!parts!therefore!had!to!be!written!over!almost!the!entire!
score,!so!that!they!could!be!accessed!by!the!game’s!engine!when!needed,!if!ever.18!As!
some!players!might!choose!to!play!singleLplayer,!this!is!an!entire!aspect!of!the!
musical!score!that!may!never!even!be!heard!and!while!the!musical!experience!is!still!
just!as!good!in!single!player!mode,!it!is!yet!another!available!variation!that!
demonstrates!the!huge!amount!of!work!that!went!into!creating!a!truly!interactive!
score.!
!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
16!Dane,!Inside!the!gaming!studio.!
17!Nofi,!‘Interview:!Composer!Austin!Wintory!on!Journey’,!
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2012/03/15/interviewLjourneyLcomposerLaustinLwintory/,!2012,!
(accessed!9!July!2014).!
18!J.!Broomhall,!Heard!about:!Journey.!
Daniel!Gadd!
12!
Instrumentation$
With!regards!to!the!instrumentation!choices,!Wintory’s!goal!was!to!make!the!music!
feel!organically!linked!with!exactly!wherever!the!player!is!hearing!it!in!the!game.!
This!may!be!a!completely!subjective!choice,!but!the!most!important!thing!is!that!the!
intention!is!there.!In!the!first!level!of!the!game,!the!player!steps!into!the!desert!and!
sees!the!mountain!and!a!meteor!in!the!sky.!The!music!is!a!gentle!wave!of!electronics!
followed!by!a!bass!flute!solo.!The!bass!flute!has!a!spacious,!open!sound,!with!a!lot!of!
reverb.!Wintory!explains!in!an!interview!how!a!dry,!brittle!sound!could!also!have!
suited!the!desert!landscape,!but!he!chose!the!former!sound!for!its!spiritual,!ringing!
quality.!Although!this!was!just!one!musical!choice!of!many,!it!was!still!of!the!utmost!
importance!to!make!the!sound!seem!as!if!it!belonged.19!It!was!also!always!important!
to!maintain!the!right!tone.!The!music!should!never!be!exactly!sad,!but!always!have!a!
solemn,!lonesome!quality!to!it.!$
$
While!it!certainly!would!have!made!sense!to!make!instrument!choices!based!on!
ancient!civilizations!due!to!the!setting!of!the!game,!Wintory!deliberately!tried!to!
avoid!suggesting!or!referencing!specific!cultures,!but!rather!focused!on!creating!a!
score!that!could!be!universally!appreciated!and!understood.20!$
$
There!are!five!solo!instruments!that!feature!prominently!in!the!game:!cello,!flute,!
viola,!harp!and!serpent!(an!ancient!brass!instrument).!All!of!these!instruments!have!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
19!Dane,!Inside!the!gaming!studio.!
20!Nofi,!Interview:!Composer!Austin!Wintory!on!Journey.!
Daniel!Gadd!
13!
their!own!definite!meaning!within!the!game!and!their!use!in!the!score!is!always!
deliberate.!!!
!
The!cello!is!used!to!symbolize!the!player’s!character!throughout!the!game.!
Essentially!the!game!is!all!about!the!player:!their!interaction!with!the!world,!with!
other!people!and!with!themselves.!This!ideology!is!perfectly!mirrored!by!the!form!of!
the!score,!which!can!be!seen!as!a!huge!cello!concerto.!The!player!is!the!soloist!and!
the!world!and!other!players!around!them!are!the!orchestra.21$The!bass!flute!features!
almost!as!prominently!as!the!cello.!It!has!a!definite!spiritual!symbolism!and!is!often!
heard!in!connection!with!the!whiteLrobed!ancient!people!that!appear!in!visions.!The!
serpent!is!the!only!brassy!sound!in!the!score!and!is!used!very!sparingly.!It!features!
prominently!in!the!underground!cave!level!of!the!game,!where!the!score!becomes!
alien!and!detached!from!the!rest!of!the!music,!mirroring!the!sudden!change!of!
environment!and!disorientation!in!the!game.!Even!the!everLpresent!cello!
disappears.!Here!Wintory!overdubs!the!serpent!into!a!fiveLpart!brass!chorale!to!
beautiful!effect!–!even!when!scary!or!hostile,!the!world!is!still!beautiful.!The!harp!
and!viola!feature!heavily!as!soloists!in!the!multiplayer!aspects!of!the!game,!and!the!
interplay!between!them!serves!to!create!a!subtle,!even!unconscious!connection!
between!the!two!players.!!
$
The!other!instrumentation!used!in!the!score!includes!a!full!string!section!as!well!as!
recorded!percussion!and!gentle!synthesized!pads.!The!instrumentation!of!the!score!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
21!Ibid.!
Daniel!Gadd!
14!
changes!as!the!game!progresses.!!At!the!outset!of!the!game,!a!giant!orchestral!
crescendo!follows!the!solo!cello!theme!and!builds!up!into!nothingness,!wiping!the!
emotional!palette!clean.!The!player!is!left!with!a!blank!canvas.!The!musical!score!
then!begins!with!gentle,!buzzy!electronics!and!some!solo!bass!flute!melodies.!The!
orchestra!is!not!heard!again!until!the!second!half!of!the!game.!Slowly,!more!
instruments!and!layers!are!introduced!as!the!player!makes!their!way!through!the!
world.!The!introduction!of!new!instruments!is!linked!with!the!character’s!growth!
and!transformation.!By!the!time!the!final!level!is!reached,!we!are!hearing!the!theme!
with!the!full!orchestra!behind!it.!!
!
Sound$Design$
One!further!aspect!that!must!be!considered!in!video!game!music,!as!with!film!music,!
is!the!sound!design!and!Wintory!worked!very!closely!with!sound!designer!Steve!
Johnson!over!the!course!of!Journey’s!development.!While!the!music!is!functioning!as!
a!narrative!device,!good!sound!design!is!crucial!to!making!the!world!feel!real!and!
believable!to!the!player.22$The!snowy!mountain!area!of!the!game!is!a!great!example!
of!the!sound!and!music!working!together.!The!music!is!highly!textural,!with!
aleatoric!string!tremolos,!while!the!sound!of!the!wind!and!thunder!is!rising!and!
dropping!in!level!and!the!sound!and!music!are!in!a!constant!state!of!flux.!In!this!
level,!things!are!becoming!legitimately!threatening!and!the!world!is!threatening!to!
overpower!the!music.!The!singing!and!shouts!of!the!player!character!were!also!very!
carefully!designed.!Wintory!provided!musical!and!vocal!samples,!which!Johnson!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
22!Ibid.!
15!
Daniel!Gadd!
combined!with!processed!bird!chirps.!Variations!of!these!sounds!were!then!used!for!
the!player!character!as!well!as!the!companion!character!in!multiplayer!and!the!
sounds!were!organized!in!pitch!sets!so!that!they!could!harmonize!with!the!score!at!
any!given!time.!The!music!and!sound!always!had!to!compliment!each!other!and!fit!
the!aesthetic!of!the!game.23!!
(
The$Theme$
$
In!Journey,!Wintory!sought!to!create!one!central!theme!that!could!act!as!the!DNA!for!
the!full!score.!In!creating!a!memorable!theme!that!recurs!and!is!transformed!over!
the!course!of!the!game,!he!is!mirroring!the!philosophical!theme!of!the!game!and!
allowing!the!player!to!experience!their!own!sense!of!progression!and!
transformation!as!they!move!forward.24!$
The$main$theme$in$its$purest$form,$as$heard$by$the$solo$cello$at$the$outset$and$end$of$the$game.$
!
This!beautiful!melody!is!heard!throughout!the!entire!game,!and!it!is!only!through!
great!skill!that!the!composer!never!allows!it!to!seem!repetitive!or!boring.!The!
constant!fragmentation!and!variation!of!this!simple!melody!creates!interest!while!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
23!Broomhall,!Heard!about:!Journey.!
24!Dane,!Inside!the!gaming!studio.!
$
16!
Daniel!Gadd!
always!maintaining!a!sense!of!continuity.!It!is!in!4/4!time!and!in!the!key!of!B!natural!
minor.!It!is!always!played!extremely!expressively!and!is!most!often!heard!in!its!
fullest!form!by!the!cello,!bass!flute!and!string!section.!The!theme!takes!on!many!
transformations!and!is!played!by!every!instrument!at!some!point!over!the!course!of!
the!game.!!
!
In!the!cave!level!of!the!game,!the!serpent!and!double!bass!section!play!a!dark,!
foreboding,!chromatic!variation!of!the!theme!that!compliments!the!tense,!hunted!
atmosphere!of!the!level:!
!
Melodic$diminution$of$the$main$theme$transposed,$as$heard$played$by$the$double$basses$and$serpent.$
$
$
In!contrast,!a!lighter,!more!exotic!version!of!the!theme!is!heard!in!the!large!“whale”!
room!of!the!game,!where!the!player!jumps!on!the!back!of!a!ribbon!whale.!In!this!
room,!occasional!cello!solos!can!be!heard!playing!a!rhythmic!variation!of!the!theme:!
Rhythmic$variation$of$the$main$theme$transposed,$played$by$highDregister$solo$cello.$
$
!
!
!
Daniel!Gadd!
17!
The!transcriptions!found!in!Appendix!A!and!B25!represent!the!treatment!of!the!
theme!at!the!outset!of!the!game!and!at!the!end.!They!are!entitled!Nascence(and!
Apotheosis!respectively.!Nascence(states!the!theme!and!introduces!the!character!and!
desert!environment!perfectly,!while!Apotheosis(is!heard!in!the!final!level!of!the!
game,!as!the!hero!is!flying!towards!the!summit!of!the!mountain!and!is!a!variation!of!
the!theme!filled!with!excitement!and!joy.!
!
Conclusion$
$
For!Wintory’s!musical!score!to!be!fully!integrated!into!the!game,!it!had!to!be!able!to!
be!broken!down!into!stems!and!phrases!that!could!be!scripted!to!accompany!player!
decisions!and!lead!to!a!truly!interactive!experience.!At!the!same!time,!it!had!to!
sound!like!a!real,!organic!music!performance!and!function!linearly.!!These!are!two!
seemingly!contradictory!ideas:!modularity!and!linearity.!Wintory!wanted!players!to!
be!able!to!have!the!benefit!of!feeling!real!musicians!giving!a!performance!as!they!
played!the!game,!but!achieving!these!two!goals!is!far!from!easy.26!$
$$
Journey!proves!to!me!that!it!is!most!definitely!achievable,!and!the!effect!is!incredible.!
When!a!game!can!fully!immerse!a!player!in!an!experience!and!that!experience!is!
perfectly!accompanied!by!music,!it!is!a!truly!great!achievement!by!the!composer.!!
!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
25!Audio!files!of!Appendix!A!and!B!are!attached!with!this!document.!
26!Stuart,!Sound!as!story.!
Daniel!Gadd!
18!
Austin!Wintory!spent!three!years!working!on!the!music!for!Journey,!constantly!
revising!and!personalizing!the!music!to!each!new!stage!of!design!over!the!course!of!
the!game’s!development.!$I!honestly!believe!that!the!dedication!and!genuine,!
heartfelt!investment!into!the!integrity!of!the!music!and!the!game!is!what!makes!this!
project!a!work!of!art.!Journey!is!clearly!a!labour!of!intelligence,!skill!and!love!on!the!
part!of!everyone!involved!in!its!development!and!the!results!can!clearly!be!seen!in!
the!reactions!of!those!who!have!played!it!and!been!deeply!affected!by!it.!For!me,!it!is!
inspiring!to!see!that!projects!like!Journey(are!being!created!and!allowing!for!music!
and!art!to!move!forward!in!new,!interesting!and!genuinely!moving!directions.!!
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Appendix
B
Daniel!Gadd!
19!
References$
$
Alexander,!L.,!‘InLDepth:!Journey’s!rare!and!magical!success’,!
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/163143/InDepth_Journeys_rare_and_magical_su
ccess.php,!2012,!(accessed!9!July!2014).!
$
Broomhall,!J.,!‘Heard!about:!Journey’,!http://www.developL
online.net/analysis/heardLaboutLjourney/0117627,!2013,!(accessed!9!July!2014).$$
$
Dane,!P.,!‘Inside!the!gaming!studio!–!Austin!Wintory,!first!video!game!composer!
nominated!for!the!“best!soundtrack”!Grammy’,!
http://whatculture.com/gaming/insideLtheLgamingLstudioLaustinLwintoryLfirstL
videoLgameLcomposerLnominatedLforLtheLbestLsoundtrackLgrammy.php,!2012,!
(accessed!9!July!2014).!
$
Kuchera,!B.,!‘Musical!DNA:!how!Austin!Wintory!wrote!the!song!that!helped!create!
Journey’,!http://www.pennyLarcade.com/report/article/musicalLdnaLhowLaustinL
wintoryLwroteLtheLsongLthatLhelpedLcreateLjourney#/entry/signin,!2012,!(accessed!
9!July!2014).$$
$
Nofi,!‘Interview:!Composer!Austin!Wintory!on!Journey’,!
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2012/03/15/interviewLjourneyLcomposerLaustinL
wintory/,!2012,!(accessed!9!July!2014).$$
$
Stuart,!K.,!‘Sound!as!story:!Austin!Wintory!on!Journey!and!the!art!of!game!music’,!
http://www.hookshotinc.com/soundLasLstoryLaustinLwintoryLinterview/,!2012,!
(accessed!9!July!2014).$$
$
Van!Ord,!K.,!‘Journey!impressions’,!http://www.gamespot.com/articles/journeyL
impressions/1100L6266636/,!2010,!(accessed!9!July!2014).$$
$
Daniel!Gadd!
Wintory,!A.,!‘A!musical!journey’,!http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/01/05/aL
musicalLjourney/,!2012!(accessed!9!July!2014).$$
$
Wintory,!A.,!‘JOURNEY!–!Complete!score!with!text!commentary’,![online!video],!
2013,!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGcXI_BaR2Y,!(accessed!9!July!2014).$$
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20!
