Skip to content
Studio Fishbones

Poultry Man Menu Theme

Technical Specifications

SpecificationDetails
SoftwareFL Studio 24
PluginsStock plugins, UVI Workstation
BPM100
Length5:49 minutes
PurposeAmbience, sense of loneliness and desolation

Philosophy

The Poultry Man Menu Theme is composed of several loosely connected musical fragments, all designed to evoke a sense of abandonment and isolation. At its core lies a continuous wind sound, establishing the desolate atmosphere of the underground sewer where the Poultry Man area is set.

Additional ambient tracks are layered on top, at random intervals. These pieces are slow and ethereal, built around gentle chord progressions, which enhance the mood without feeling overly somber. Each segment lasts between 40 and 80 seconds. Once a track finishes, only the wind remains, reinforcing the feeling of emptiness until the next ambient track appears.

Connection to Game Themes

The music’s sparse and minimal design fits with its area:

  1. Abandonment: The persistent wind and minimal instrumentation convey emptiness and neglect.
  2. Mystery: The unpredictability of random intervals mirrors the Poultry Man’s elusive presence. Little is known about the Poultry Man.
  3. Isolation: Long stretches with little to no melody emphasize the solitary atmosphere of the setting.

Musical Parts

The Poultry Man Menu Theme is structured around a layering system:

  1. Base Layer: A continuous wind sound forms the backdrop. Subtle variation in notes ensures the wind sound varies and doesn’t become too tiring.
  2. Ambient Tracks: Currently, three distinct tracks are randomly triggered over the base layer. While they share similar instrumentation, each features unique chord progressions and arrangements to add variety and depth. The ambient tracks are designed to complement the base layer, enhancing the overall atmosphere and emotional impact of the theme.

Instruments and Sound Design

Key Instruments

  • Wind Sound: A synthesized wind sound, combining Wind and Wind 2 from the Flex General Midi Library. Wind plays a continuous note, while Wind 2 is a more dynamic sound that changes slowly throughout the track.
  • Chord Synth: A combination of Kepler Expo, for a warm sound, and UVI Workstation for a more high-pitched ethereal sound.

Mixing and Mastering

Mixer Effects

  • Master
  • Wind Sound:
    • Fruity Stereo Shaper is used to create a slight offset in the stereo field, particularly making the right channel a bit delayed. This makes the sound more dynamic and interesting.
    • Fruity Delay 3, to add additional delay with echoes.
    • Parametric EQ 2, to remove the high frequencies and make the sound more muffled.