ANATOMY OF A SCENE: YEAKUN YOO ON LIES OF P
In our latest Anatomy of a Scene interview, we chatted with Yeakun Yoo on 'Lies of P.'
PH: Which scene was your favorite to work on in Lies of P?
Yeakun Yoo: My favorite stage in the game is called 'Arche Abbey Entrance'. This is the final stage in the game. Arche Abbey Entrance is one of the locations in Lies of P. Arche Abbey Entrance covers the first half of the final location where P searches for Gepetto. Arche Abbey is known as the Alchemist's Isle. The name of my soundtrack used in Arche Abbey Entrance is 'Isle of Alchemists'. The reason I like this piece the most is that it attempted to express the various emotions felt by 'P,' such as the desire to become human, the passion to find Gepetto, and other emotions through various means.
PH: Describe this scene and the significance it has to the rest of the game.
Yeakun Yoo: Due to being the final stage in Lies of P, the difficulty level for clearing this stage is quite high, constituting the climactic segment. To effectively express P's emotions, I utilized a simple yet memorable melody, presenting this simple melody with various chords and different instruments to emotionally orchestrate the music to reach its climax.
PH: What tools, plugins, or instruments did you use in your production of this scene?
Yeakun Yoo: Due to the game's historical backdrop being in the Belle Époque era, I couldn't freely employ synthesizers or modern sounds. However, in the final stage of the game, I attempted to create a slightly darker and more melancholic atmosphere by applying a distortion effect to a solo violin, achieving a slightly warped and distorted sound.
In addition, it was crucial in this piece to express the main melody with a heartfelt emotion. I aimed to convey P's yearning and desire to become human through the poignant voice of a soprano. Hence, during the recording sessions with the soprano, I provided detailed directions to vividly capture the intense longing and desire to become human. Eventually, the soprano skillfully conveyed those emotions, which greatly enhanced the melody's expressiveness.
PH: What technical challenges did you encounter while working on this scene?
Yeakun Yoo: When recording solo artists, it took much more time than I anticipated. Although the emotions and melodies were clear in my mind, articulating and expressing them verbally during the session was quite challenging. For instance, in the initial part of the piece, there was a violin solo with tremolo and trills. I envisioned a very subtle start that gradually accelerated, leading to a strong conclusion. The exact sound I imagined was challenging for the performers to grasp accurately. Sometimes, I had to play the violin myself to convey the feeling. During the soprano recording session, I often needed to express my emotions with my own voice. After several hours of communication, we eventually managed to accurately implement the musical ideas I had in mind and achieve a satisfying recording of the melody.
PH: What was the dialogue like between you and the rest of the Lies of P team regarding this scene?
Yeakun Yoo: When the Lies of P team initially approached me regarding Arche Abbey, they described it as a currently abandoned castle and emphasized a need for grandeur and nobility, especially considering it was the final stage. Along with the request, they shared a few game images, wishing for a more creative and innovative musical approach based on these visuals. The Lies of P team encouraged us to fully express our creativity, and I endeavored to create a sound design and instrumentation fitting for Arche Abbey in my way.
Fortunately, the sound design and main melody I creatively composed were highly appreciated by the Lies of P team, and remarkably, the piece was approved without any revisions—a rare occurrence in this field. As a composer, I experience immense satisfaction when my musical vision aligns perfectly with the client's, and this piece holds special significance as one of the most meaningful musical compositions I've created.