WHEN THE CROW SINGS
CHECK OUT ON STEAM
Composer | Safe Haven Studios | 18 Members
ENGINE
Unity
GENRE
Adventure
ALBUM RELEASE
May 2, 2025
PLATFORM
Steam
DURATION
Jan. 2025 - May 2025
GAME RELEASE
April 24, 2025
When the Crow Sings Trailer
OVERVIEW
Demo Sound Effects
Demo Sound Effects
When the Crow Sings captures the essence of the 22nd century apocalyptic south. It represents the "what if" of tomorrow and how these survivors must band together to live.
This album features twenty-one tracks, with fifteen main tracks and additional pieces for the boombox and ending variations. I served as the composer of nine of the fifteen main tracks. My intentions for these compositions were to use folk and country inspirations while writing my music to capture this distorted world. These are made in DAW, SoundTrap, and mastered in Audacity. The following compositions represent early demos of the four exterior "zones" the player can visit. The latter track "WTCS Prototype" is the first demo track written in early January capturing the essence of what the team and I thought the game would sound like in its entirety.
When the Crow Sings Poster
ALBUM
When the Crow Sings Album Art on Apple Music
When the Crow Sings on Spotify
Released on May 2, 2025, When the Crow Sings Original Soundtrack features works from milophone, Jose Cuevas, and yours truly. Collaborating with other artists allowed for creative ideas to shape and impact the overall soundscape of this album. This project is classified as free-folk and progressive country, capturing the overall southern, distorted vibe When the Crow Sings possesses. Album art was created by Basil Fandino Jimenez.
I composed nine original tracks including the Intro Cutscene, Night Cutscene, The Clinic, The Recreational Center, The Chase, and four exterior areas. My primary goal during this project's production was to expand on my musical understanding with collaboration and to diversify my knowledge in other genres. This album is out on all streaming platforms.
When the Crow Sings on YouTube and YouTube Music
COMPOSITION PROCESS
Focusing on folk and country elements was vital when composing music for this project. I researched a variety of country styles and instrumentation and landed on this game encompassing the genres of free folk and progressive country. Acoustic guitar, banjo, and a variety of other string instruments encapsulate When the Crow Sings and its various levels. My compositions were written, mixed, and mastered in Soundtrap.
Zone 2 "The Quarry" Process
SoundTrap Zone 2 First Demo Piano Roll
SoundTrap Zone 2 Finalized Piano Roll
Zone 2 represents a desolate, cave-like area where the player is trying to find the hope within the apocalyptic world. In the original demo, using the key of D flat major represented the hope the player is searching for. The steel drums represent the cave element this area demonstrates. In this demo, I experimented with tubular bells to give the player a sense of isolation within the cave. I'd like to incorporate elements that isolate specific instruments to give the cave a more hollow feel as the player travels through. The xalam uses minor third intervals up and down the scale as it represents the southern charm the game is going for. The dusty rhodes instrument is a synthesizer that mimics water dripping with reverb effects. This process was the original production behind the first demo for Zone 2, The Quarry. I ultimately reworked this piece completely with different instrumentation and effects. Starting with a baritone choir, double bass, and cello, these elements combine to give the player a distrust to the environment they are entering. I kept a toned-down version of the steel drums to match the cave-like elements in Zone 2. This piece loops matching the player's pacing. Featured here is a gameplay video with the following track.
Gameplay of Zone 2 The Quarry with finalized music
Intro Cutscene "Welcome to Westend" Process
SoundTrap Intro Cutscene First Demo Piano Roll
SoundTrap Intro Cutscene Shortened Finalized Demo Piano Roll
The Intro Cutscene "Welcome to Westend" showcases the panel sequence of Chance, the main protagonist, as he enters the town of Westend and encounters a mysterious creature he has yet to learn about. These panels showcase new characters and Chance's journey into the unknown. The original demo uses only classical guitar to capture a sense of vulnerability as it escalates using minor chords and cadences. Written in E flat harmonic minor, an arpeggio is used as the rhythmic line layered with melodic notes as the piece is left unresolved. The finalized composition was written with the intention of it being in an interactive cutscene. The finalized track, written in B minor, uses an electric grand piano and a classical guitar to emphasize the uncertainty the world of Westend holds. The electric grand piano uses a similar rhythmic line to the demo and adds a layer of melodies and harmonies with the classical guitar. The extended version of this track is featured on the album.​
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Gameplay of the interactive Intro Cutscene with finalized music
FMOD
Once added to the project, FMOD allowed for live time updating while in engine. After making sure the loop points were in time as well as audio balancing, the team assigned various banks for the audio files depending on where the composition was made for. FMOD allowed for an easier experience when incorporating audio levels, implemented by Ricky Elia and myself, including master volume, sound effects, music, and dialogue.
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FMOD Zone 3 Audio Test
Audio Stemming
Chase Theme Soundtrap Piano Roll
Chase Theme Audio Stem Break Example
Using FMOD allowed for stemming and patches within each piece. For example, if the enemy walked into frame or closer to the player, specific instrumentation would be triggered. The Chase Theme thematically uses heavier percussion and staccato if the enemy gets within close proximity of the player. There were four instruments to stem including the acoustic guitar, fire guitar, timpani, and French horn. Breaking the stems allowed for more concrete gameplay with immersive audio that transports the players into Westend Falls. The timpani and French horn were stemmed further only if the enemy was close to the player or if the player was close to being defeated.
REFLECTION
Creating music for When the Crow Sings allowed me to grasp folk and country genres in compositions. Collaborating with other artists gave me a new perspective when aligning our instrumentation styles as well as combining elements to create the finalized compositions for the project. Utilizing middleware helped me understand the importance of balancing all audio assets, stemming, and audio priority. Overall, this project taught me how to incorporate new instrumentation that has helped me hone my craft.