Music making for video games is a daunting task. It involves the process of composing the notes to complement, enhance and drive the emotional investment of players in a media experience. Never mind the Herculean effort of scoring an original piece that can stand on its own merits. Add the pressure of composing the soundtrack of the first video game in the world with a Native protagonist and you need a muse of the highest order.
But Lorne Balfe is just that. He is the gifted Scottish composer behind Assassin's Creed III, having composed the main theme of the video game and several other musical pieces that figure deeply in the player's experience of fighting for justice and liberty against the British forces in the American colonial landscapes of New England.
Balfe answered some questions via email on the musical background of the game, sharing with me who some of his musical influences have been, and the process of working a composition into a finished masterpiece.
Venables: Where did you draw your inspiration for the musical themes of the game?
Balfe: I got my inspiration from the game itself! Assassin's Creed III is totally different from the rest of the franchise. The characters and the historical period of time lent itself to have an interesting though uncommon style that we were able to take advantage of musically. Having a lead character that was of Native American descent let me delve into an original world of traditional instruments as well as percussive chanting, helping to create a new layer of storytelling within the game.
Venables: Most of the music seems to be created around Western musical tropes as far as symphonic soundtracks go. Was there any consideration towards using native Mohawk music and chants or was that beyond your scope?
Balfe: Of course there was consideration! The score is full of influences from Native American culture and "Through the Frontier" is a good example. The game takes place during the American Revolution and this meant musically we could showcase some of the cultures that were rooting in America. There are English influences in the scene from The Beggar's Opera which adds a classicism to the score as well. Each major region of the game was given a distinct musical style that varied based on locale and culture. When the player finds his or herself in the Homestead, we added Celtic musical tropes to create a distinguished sonic landscape. A game as complex as Assassin's Creed begs for stylistic variation. If I was to have purely written in a period-based musical style then for a player it would have not have been as exciting. This game is epic, and we wanted to give the score the same feel whenever possible.
Venables: What composers do you feel have the most significant influence on your work?
Balfe: This Assassin's Creed is as visually enthralling as any Hollywood film and because of that, I wanted to created a big sound. I wanted to create a contemporary score but not rely on electronic instruments too heavily. "Wild Instincts" is very modern, harmonically-wise but with an organic arrangement. I have always admired the music of Vaughn Williams and The Lark Ascending is genius. With regards to the cinematic world of composers, scores by Hans Zimmer, Stewart Copeland and Bernard Hermann have been influential for me.
Venables: How do you feel music contributes to the game, beyond a mood piece. How is it a part of the branding of the Assassin's Creed franchise?
Balfe: It's been really wonderful to see the way players have taken to the music of Assassin's Creed. It's become a large part of the franchise itself and the level of excitement towards the new music preceding the game's release is great. We've been able to create and use such amazing sounds that, when paired with the game's unbelievable visuals, make Assassin's Creed far more than a video game. Jesper Kyd did a fantastic job on the prior Assassin's Creed games. Assassin's Creed III is technically part of the franchise, but it is a completely different playing experience with new surroundings and characters. The developers wanted a new theme for the game and so, though we used elements of the previous Knights Templar and Labored and Lost themes, I didn't really approach the game thinking that it had to musically relate to the rest of the franchise.
Venables: What is your favorite piece in the game's soundtrack that you feel defines the essence of the game's themes in terms of "fighting for justice" and "liberation from oppression"?
Balfe: "Through the Frontier" is one of my favourite cues. It has all of the color of the Native Indian culture with chants and instruments as well as a Celtic riff. It was a great journey working with talented musicians and very exciting to have been able to experiment with traditional structure and make it more contemporary.
Balfe has joined the select few who have penned the notes to the most popular video game franchises of our time. Check out his music For Assassin's Creed III on iTunes or Amazon MP3 Store.
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