March 6, 2009

Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. Composer Tom Salta on Writing an Adrenalized and Emotionally-Charged Score
By Louis Bedigian

“The music for H.A.W.X ranges the full spectrum from pure orchestra and choir to synth-driven electronic music.”

Few flight/combat games had as much hype surrounding them as Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. First there's the license: when Tom Clancy's name is attached, gamers expect a certain level of quality. Second, the publisher: Ubisoft has a great track record with action games, increasing our anticipation. Third, H.A.W.X. has to compete with the genre's existing leaders, such as Ace Combat.

Thus far, it appears that no detail has been overlooked. In addition to the impressive graphics and gameplay perspectives showcased in every screenshot, the developers gave H.A.W.X. an aural boost by hiring Tom Salta to compose the music. "H.A.W.X is the first Tom Clancy title to be completely based around High Altitude Warfare," said the composer, whose previous work includes another Tom Clancy property: the Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter series. "It’s connected to the GRAW series but goes in an entirely new direction, literally…up in the skies. To support this new experience, the music had to sustain all the feelings associated with epic modern warfare, flying, cutting edge military aircrafts and speed."

The score is said to be adrenalized and emotionally-charged. How do you balance these two elements so that each prevails at the proper moment?

Tom Salta: As far as the proper moment goes, that’s completely up to the designers who implement the music. My job as a composer was to provide the H.A.W.X team with all the “musical building blocks” they would need to support all the various aspects of the game. This means every Mission Briefing, Battle cue, Tension cue, Win, Lose cues, etc. It’s a tall order for a game as ambitious as Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X, but the audio director and the entire H.A.W.X team did a fantastic job of planning ahead and explaining everything to me that they would need for the game, and almost a year before the game would even be released.

Can a song be adrenalized and emotionally-charged at the exact same time?

TS: Sure, why not! I think that music can express lots of complex emotions, often better than words. As a composer, I use a “musical vocabulary” to express various emotions with music. For example, “adrenalin” can be created by a powerful, fast rhythm, perhaps driven by electric guitar, bass, etc. Whereas, the “emotion” aspect can come from an ascending string part, or French horns playing a powerful melody all simultaneously. That’s just one simple instance.

ArtemisAscendance.mp3

What kinds of songs are you composing to achieve the adrenalized aspect? Or perhaps a better question would be: what sounds are you utilizing to create an exciting score?

TS: I’m very comfortable creating high-adrenaline modern music. It’s a style I’ve done many times before, like on my solo album Atlas Plug, “2 Days or Die” or even some of my earlier scores like Need For Speed Underground 2. It’s not always about the sounds, but rather how you use them. I can create an “adrenalized” score by just using traditional orchestra, or perhaps only electronic sounds, or even just percussion. It’s all about the approach and how they are used.

In the case of H.A.W.X, the development team encouraged me to combine orchestral and electronic together because they felt it would represent the epic military and modern aspects the best. Orchestral/Electronic, or what I call “Orchestronic”, is usually my favorite combination because it allows me to use whatever sounds and textures that best suit the job. H.A.W.X is probably one of the most evenly balanced scores I’ve ever done in terms of orchestra, choir and electronica.

How will the emotional aspect come into play? Does it have something to do with the story, or might the aerial battles have a bit of it as well?

TS: Just like the other Tom Clancy titles, there is indeed a powerful storyline, so emotion was an important aspect in the music. The H.A.W.X team asked me to provide them with a wide range of cues containing various emotions, all based on the needs of the game. No matter whether it’s a Battle Cue, a Mission Intro, a Briefing or a Victory Cue, there’s always some specific emotion being expressed. For example, if it was a Victory Cue, they might say it should feel like a Pyrrhic victory, so even though you won, it was at a devastating cost. These are the kind of musical challenges I enjoy because it really allows me to dig deeper into the music and add more emotional dimension, which makes it a richer experience for the gamer.

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Other games have blended the two before, but what made the orchestral/electronic mix appropriate for H.A.W.X?

TS: I think this blend was appropriate for H.A.W.X because the development team wanted to give H.A.W.X an epic, militaristic feel with an environment surrounded by cutting-edge military aircraft soaring at incredibly fast speeds. Orchestral music can certainly support the epic nature, and the electronic textures do a great job of making it sound more contemporary and high-tech.

Are there times in the music when the orchestral or electronic element prevails over the other?

TS: Yes, absolutely; the music for H.A.W.X ranges the full spectrum from pure orchestra and choir to synth-driven electronic music. I used whatever instruments and textures I felt supported the goal of each cue, always keeping in mind how they might interconnect during the game. Even though there’s a huge variety of music in the score, it all works together seamlessly.

The Unthinkable.mp3

Tell us about your experience recording the soundtrack at Legacy Studios in New York with musicians from the New York Philharmonic and Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.

TS: I’ve recorded in many places before, including Hollywood for GRAW 2. But I’m a native New Yorker and this time around I wanted to try out the east coast experience. Manhattan is also a great source with a high caliber of musicianship, and I felt like the H.A.W.X score would be the perfect opportunity to try them out. The New York players were simply amazing. On a more personal note, being so close to home also allowed me the luxury of having my wife and kids there to witness a real live orchestral recording session. It was a thrill for them.

More and more game composers are getting into live performances, thanks to events like Video Games Live and various Square Enix-sponsored shows. Is this something you'd like to pursue -- conduct/perform your music for a live audience?

TS: I’m good friends with the people who created the VGL concert and I’ve been involved in many of their shows. Of course, it would be great to hear the H.A.W.X music performed in front of an audience. It’s always so rewarding to connect with the people who play the games you work on, and truly inspiring to see the enthusiasm they have for the games. I think it’s one of the few times where a composer, who usually works behind the scenes, can feel like a rock star.

Any final thoughts regarding your music in H.A.W.X?

TS: I think the H.A.W.X score was a big success and I’m proud to have been a part of such a great team. I hope that everyone enjoys playing the game and that the music makes the experience even more enjoyable. Thanks for reading this and have fun!

Thank you for your time.

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