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Discovery - Synlyfe's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Overall | #55 | 3.998 | 3.998 |
| Composition | #57 | 4.062 | 4.062 |
| Impression | #60 | 3.991 | 3.991 |
| Correlation to theme | #69 | 4.018 | 4.018 |
| Creativity | #85 | 3.929 | 3.929 |
| Quality | #96 | 3.991 | 3.991 |
Ranked from 113 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
Judge feedback
Judge feedback is anonymous.
- I'm sorry to hear about your ear injury! Here's hoping that you're recovering well and are going to keep making music. This submission has a lot of promise and some quite interesting textural blending that I think is very effective. The use of sharkuhachi flute I think works in its brief appearance, adding a new, breathy layer to the soundscape that fills it out. In that moment, I really found that everything you had been building to kind of snapped together, which was lovely to hear. I'm sure due to the nature of your shortened preparation time, the track as a whole feels a bit disconnected from itself in that it doesn't seem to quite build toward a target, even as the textures that I do hear are very nicely put together. Structurally I think it just needs more of a sense of direction, where the listener can know that they are being taken on a journey-- told a story-- that's clear and concise. Even though in games we know our music is going to get sliced up and recombined in implementation, having a clear journey from the get go makes a huge difference. Given that you had such a short time to prepare I think the result here is admirable!
Description
Genre: Ambient, electronic.
Purpose: Theme; could function as a title, credits or a lore-driven level theme.
More info available below in "How does it fit the theme"
DAW: FL Studio 21 + Native Instruments, Heavyocity, Serum and stock plugins.
I wanted the track to be driven primarily by piano and strings and then use woodwinds and synths to buff out the composition. Composed in a minor key, but not inherently spending too much time on the defining minor notes - tried to strike a balance between sombre tones and a subtle but progressive hope.
Link to DAW overview on YT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyBn1Zm4Nik
Can be streamed via Audiomack, link below.
Message from the artist
Was super pumped to join this jam but unfortunately sustained an ear injury the night before it kicked off. After a couple of much needed quiet days, I finally got a chance to start on my submission approximately a day before the jam was ending.
There's very little post-work done, and there are a couple of instances of clipping that I missed upon exporting. All in all I'm decently happy with the composition but I would have liked to have taken it much further and developed the concepts within a lot more. I feel as though the chord progressions in particular are lacking, as is a general sense of substance.
Theme
How does it fit the theme?
I wanted to focus more on the spirit the child is speaking to and what it represents, so I opted for a minor key and left some of the child-like visuals, emotion and expression to the instrumentation.
I used short, delay and reverb soaked synths in Massive to represent the bubbles and wrote primarily for piano, strings and woodwind to set the tone; slightly sombre but with hope on the horizon. Marred happiness and fond memories are two keywords I kept in mind while scoring.
Ultimately the child is speaking to a spirit of a (presumed) loved one, manifesting amidst the bubbles and chalk drawings of fish. I let some reverb tails ring out a little longer and soak the ambience to really sell the water and sea creature vibe as best I could. Playful synths to represent bubbles and the occasional use of a shakuhachi flute to pay due respect to the culture.
Link(s) of the submission on streaming services
https://audiomack.com/synlyfe/song/discovery
Number of tracks1
Genre
Soundtrack use permission
Any non-commercial project
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Comments
While only one track in length, I still think that this music encapsulates the overall tone of the picture theme better than most of my tracks. Great work!
The reverb effects are very unique! The ambient is very interesting, especially the rhythms... be careful with the mix because it distorts a bit in the low frequencies. However, the composition is original, great work!
Yeah the (lack of) post-work definitely notches it down a bit, I really should've been more conscious of my levels but I was just anxious to get it out. 😅
Appreciate you taking the time to check it out and leave a comment, thank you!
Don't get me wrong, I believe your composition is actually valid and original. The note about the mix is just a suggestion, but in the end, we all know it's difficult to write a story, compose multiple tracks, and mix them properly in just a week. Even my work has some gaps that I didn't have time to fill. My intention was to offer advice to improve it, even though the contest has already started. As stated in the rules, we are free to continue working on it even after the game jam has begun. ☺️😉
For sure! No offense taken, no worries at all. I wish I'd caught the instances of clipping and had more time to properly do some post-work but unfortunately was on the back-foot. I've been mulling over the idea of continuing to work on it but I'm a little undecided at the moment. Going to take a few days to see how I feel about it! :)
My advice is to keep pushing forward because the initial premises have a lot of potential. Trust me!😉
Appreciate the encouragement, may well revisit it and try to implement some things I didn't quite get a chance to work on the first time around. Thank you again!
Well, what can I say...
Excellent track! A very beautiful, charming and bewitching track that speaks to my soul.
I liked it) Thank you very much for the beautiful work!
Beautiful! I loved the syncopated rhythm to keep thinks a bit more lively (and bubbles popping) and the breathiness of the flute was perfect for the underwater vibe
Very well crafted piece of music, fantastic choice or instruments!
It's a pity you could not do more. I would love to hear that :)
Thank you for checking it out all the same! There's always next jam - we'll see how it goes. :)
Maybe it's just because it's late, but this song connected in a way that has me playing it on repeat. Super expressive and emotional! You really executed well with the tools you had at hand. Sorry to hear that you were unable to participate in the jam more than you did, I just want to hear 4 more of your songs like this one!
Appreciate the kind words and you checking it out. Glad it resonated with you! It has grown on me a little after the initial bout of disappointment for what could have been, but I'm happy to just have something that I was able to submit. Thank you again, and there's always the next jam! :)
Really enjoyed all the different flavors that evolve throughout the track
Really impressed with every section! Think you nailed the underwater/bubbly aspect of the theme really well. I think your processing decisions for the delay and reverb were perfect for setting the scene in the arrangement. Really impressed with the mix too, even with the short amount of time you had due to injury. Great work!
Thank you very much! Appreciate you giving it a listen and leaving a comment. There's always the next jam!
wooowss this is so well put together, fantastic job, cant wait to hear more from you!!
Hey Synlyfe, how are you? Hopefully you're doing well! This composition... this composition is what I WANTED mine to be! Just a PERFECT blend of beautiful orchestral elements, rich synthesizers, and super cool electronic rhythms and percussions!
First and foremost, you immediately captured me with the opening Piano Sound, it's just so rich and full! The Solo Violin plays such a heartfelt, moving melody and I'm loving this! I'm feeling INCREDIBLE at 0:55, I absolutely love these Bass and Percussion sounds, they're so moody and fit the soundscape so perfectly! I also love the Flute that you introduce at 1:12, and the increased intensity in the kick (I think it's a kick?) also helps this moment really shine! All of the sounds introduced at 2:15 are just majestic and otherworldly... I really do feel that I'm being lost inside someone's world, or perhaps lost inside my own dreams or imagination.
This composition is just so immersive, it truly has a sense of place and when I listen to this piece, I really do feel that I'm being transported somewhere. That's something that's very difficult to accomplish and the fact that you were able to give me that experience through your music is INCREDIBLE and a sign that you are a highly thoughtful and talented Composer (in my opinion). If this was on Spotify, I would definitely add this to my playlist and if this was in a game I was playing, I would definitely stop just to listen! I really love this Composition and knowing that you made all of this in just one day... you are beyond impressive!
Anyways, I really love your music and I'm glad you chose to participate despite your ear injury. I hope that you're feeling better and that your ear recovers soon! I can't wait to hear more of your music in the future and I wish you the best of luck for this Jam, Synlyfe!
Thank you for the detailed comment! Was not expecting such praise, honestly. Appreciate you taking the time to get your thoughts down and share them with me. I'm really glad you enjoyed the piece and that it was able to stir such a variety of feelings in you. I think a lot of people were caught off-guard by the middle section, so hearing that it was well received is both a relief, and a delight! The part from 2:15 onwards was my last ditch effort to fill out the remaining minute so I could submit it so I feel a little iffy about it myself, however reading your comment has made me feel a lot more appreciative of it, so thank you again. :)
Major respect taking the time to detail your thoughts so thoroughly and share the love. I wish you all the best in this competition, also. Take care!
I feel your pain on being short of time to come up with something since that's the situation I also found myself in, haha. But what you've created is so beautiful :3 I can definitely feel everything you described in the track & more! Your use of the shakuhachi was also a really nice touch that I enjoyed very much.
For a track where you spent less than a day working on this, this is a very cohesive track and I can definitely see this implemented straight into a chill type game. Great job!
I certainly get the imagery of bubbles. The bouncing harmonic choices feel floaty which further elevate the theme. The beat underlying the flute and piano was not something I expected, but it was certainly a pleasant surprise! At about 1:45 is my favorite part. This is such a unique sound that really intrigued me and would really make me want to explore a game in which this was playing! I’m impressed by the time frame you were able to complete this track! Thank you for sharing!
You're too kind! I think a lot of people were caught off-guard by that section but thankfully it seems to resonate with most. Had I more time, I would've liked to expand upon that section and maybe vary things up a little bit more. Thank you for giving it a listen and taking the time to comment. :)
I am really digging the vibe that you translated in your composition. The expressions of the violin melody is very life like. While listening, it gave me a fantasy style rpg feel. Like being in a small city like in Final Fantasy or something. Awesome work. I like the chord structure too.
Appreciate you taking the time to listen and comment. I'm glad the violin melody worked - I was adamant that I'd have a solo section for it! Recorded about three or four ideas before having to settle on one. Thank you again!
You pulled off a lot for one day, nicely done! I like the chill atmosphere, and how in depth you thought about correlating your sounds to the theme. Hope your ear is ok!
Hey, appreciate it! Always more work to do but I'm decently happy with the end result. Ear is on the mend thankfully, no permanent damage! :)
Your piece is beautiful! It absolutely captures the tone of both the image and the conceptual text. The flute part and the synths especially immersed me in the spirit of the piece. If this how it sounds with a late start via ear injury, I'd love to hear the whole thing! :)
You're too kind, thank you very much! I would've loved to have more time, but there's always the next jam!
Oh my this is just heavenly to listen toooo!!!!
The percussion is very noisy, kinda like the ocean, really like that. Violin just oozes "finding your parent as a spirit after their death" sorta vibe. Those tiny embellishments reallly add to the feeling. And those synthssssss. Oh my I loveeee themmmm. This song feels like its actually underwater and I love that!
Absolutely beautiful. (Sorry about your ear though. Hope its fine.)
Appreciate the comment and insight! I thought the violin would bring just enough oomph to make that connection and I'm glad that I wasn't alone in that line of thinking. Figuring out melodies was the tricky part, ended up resorting to doing a couple of improv takes and running with whatever sounded decent. My ear's doing a lot better after the quiet days, thank you!
I enjoyed the ambience of your track! Instruments fit together nicely as well.
Cool trip hop vibe with nice developments. I enjoyed the bouncy acid bass groove towards the middle and it all blends together with the flute and strings very well!
Sounds awesome! I love the sound and instrument choices you made. Those choices (aswell as the dynamical changes) really create that sombre but hopeful feeling you wanted to go for. I hope everything is and will be fine regarding that ear injury and I wish you luck! :)
Thank you very much, hopefully in the clear with my ear now! Appreciate you taking the time to listen and comment. :)