On Tropes and Triads, with Garry Schyman

Everybody's Talking at Once

ETAO PODCAST, EPISODE 153.

Garry Schyman isekais his way back to the show to forspeak about his work on FORSPOKEN—which is out today—as well as his other recent scores for Torn and Metamorphosis. (If you want to hear about his work on the BioShock trilogy and the Middle-earth duology, we’d direct you to Garry’s previous appearance). Here we talk about the utility of tropes, the evocative power of tonality, and the unique pleasures of emotionally engaging blockbuster spectacles.

FORSPOKEN is out now for PC via Steam, Epic, and Xbox.com, and for Playstation 5.
You can learn more about Garry’s rather large body of work on his website.

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• Viola d’amore is a rad instrument indeed, with an awfully evocative sound to it.

• Here’s a bit more from Garry and Mikolai on the Metamorphosis score.

• When Drew refers to music “theory,” do always hear it in scare quotes. To say that “all theory comes from Bach” is obviously wrong on its face, but just as obviously right if you understand “music theory” as a synonym for the harmonic style of 18th century European musicians.

• Relevant videosmith Adam Neely would, by the way, probably refer to the triadic, sometimes jazz-adjacent dissonances we’re discussing as “spicy” intonation.

• As per Wikipedia, “the game’s writing team includes Gary Whitta, Amy Hennig, Allison Rymer, and Todd Stashwick.”

• To be emphatically, pedantically clear, “nobody knows nothin” is a guiding principle for art, and even a wryly humble aphorism about reality generally—but when it comes to climate change, we actually know sort of a lot. “Nobody knows nothin” is about being suspicious of professed authority and received wisdom, but it shouldn’t curdle into spitefully ignoring genuine expertise.

• Here’s the story of how a cancelled DLC for Final Fantasy XV became Project Athia, which eventually got retitled as (you guessed it) FORSPOKEN.
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“All The People Say (Season 5)” by Carpe Demon.
“Junoon (Junoon World 1)” by Garry Schyman, from the score to FORSPOKEN.
Le Sacre du printemps, I. “Adoration de la Terre,” by Igor Stravinsky, performed by the Walther Straram Concerts Orchestra, conducted by Igor Stravinsky.

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