You want to avoid that if you're looking to create harmonic space.Ī secondary factor (and maybe a more important one) is the time, or rhythm it needs to be very diluted if you want to create openness. Thirds really are the ones lending definition to the chord. This approach lends a subconscious anchor to the tonality. This is a common tool amongst composers, I however like to think of it as avoiding the thirds.
#The vanishing of ethan carter ost plus#
Harmonically speaking, I focused on using intervals fourths and fifths, plus chord structures built within those intervals. MS: Excellent question! I was thinking both in terms of time and in terms of harmony, using both those tools to achieve this. As it turned out, The Astronauts loved it so much they didn't want anything added to the (.according to them!) perfect piano piece.ĮR: You created a very deep sound-scape for the game - your music sounds very open and round. The actual reason the Ethan theme is played on solo piano is that I was improvising a theme on piano, and was planning on orchestrating it once approved. The piano is the instrument most embedded in my DNA because I am a pianist, having studied it for many years. I like a technique that leaves the listener wondering, "Wait a minute- was that flute that I just heard?" I call it the uncertainty of the unexpected. I adjusted it further to better serve that purpose. (I think this might derive from The Afternoon of the Faun by Claude Debussy.) There is a natural solitude in the flute, a certain hollowness that helps build a creepy atmosphere. The flute comes naturally to mind when exploring the beauty of nature. The symphonic palette is very close to my heart, and so are strings. They were interested in what I would come up with.
#The vanishing of ethan carter ost full#
MS: The Astronauts gave me full creative freedom. Or at least do a walk-around! While doing my walkthrough and pretending to be solving mysteries, I fine-tuned the music's pacing to fit the flow of the game, making sure the score was not too intense, and not too docile.ĮR: How did you choose what types of instruments to highlight, like piano and strings? Did the developer ask you to write in this style? After a while I received a working copy of Ethan Carter and was able to play it.