Riko's Theme & Variations, draft w baby | cf. Made in Abyss OST
Channel: Marc Plays Piano
Date: 20/02/2024

Blame all errors on baby plz lol thx. (I’m partly kidding! This does need some more practice.)

My thought process when writing this music: “This idea would be funny, let’s see how it sounds.” And then I open my laptop with Sibelius and a piano In front of me and noodle around till I have something decent.

00:00 Theme
00:16 Variation 1 Journey Begins
00:37 Variation 2 Riko (not Molly) on Seashore (H/T Percy Grainger…and the idea to write this one came up when watching Freiren)
01:08 Variation 3 Riko Dazed But Continues Bravely (H/T Debussy)
01:49 Variation 4 Unspeakable Horror Occurs, Funeral March (H/T Schubert)
03:14 Variation 5 Riko Finds Blini, Dances 
03:57 Variation 6 Riko does Scales
03:57 Variation 7 Riko and...Lord of the Rings? H/T Howard Shore

This is an original composition that I wrote during a 4-week intensive course with the esteemed pianist and educator Antonella Di Giulio on ToneBase Piano. Thank you, Dr. Di Giulio, for leading the course! I'd have attempted a piano cover of this one, but writing variations ended up much more interesting for me.

I had 4 weeks to write the piece and then 2ish weeks to practice the piece before final submissions for the ToneBase group. I'm just an amateur, so really, certain sections could use a few additional weeks to get into my fingers. But, I was on a deadline, so this is the best I could do in limited time! Hopefully I'll re-record later when it's in better shape.

Credits
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Composer: Marc McCarthy
Piece, song, or whatever: 7 Variations on Riko's Theme from Made in Abyss for #piano 
Original Theme: Kevin Penkin, for Made in Abyss OST (best soundtrack ever?) メイドインアビス #madeinabyss 

Gear
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Piano: I love my Brodmann CE175 Piano | ピアノ | 钢琴 | Пианино
Mics: 2x Rode NT5 Matched Pair
Mixer: Behringer Xenyx 802S Mixer
Software: CapCut + DaVinci Resolve



GPT 4 summary of Made in Abyss
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"Made in Abyss" is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akihito Tsukushi, first published in 2012. It has since been adapted into an anime television series and movies. The story is set in a fictional world, centered around a massive, mysterious pit known as the Abyss, which holds untold treasures and ancient relics. However, the Abyss is also filled with dangerous creatures and cursed by a phenomenon called the Curse of the Abyss, which affects those who ascend from its depths with severe physical and psychological repercussions.

The narrative follows Riko, a young orphan girl who lives in the town of Orth on the edge of the Abyss. Riko dreams of becoming a Cave Raider, an explorer who descends into the Abyss, like her mother, who was a legendary Cave Raider presumed dead deep within the Abyss. Riko's life takes a dramatic turn when she finds a robot boy named Reg, who has no memories of his past but possesses unique and powerful abilities. Believing that her mother might still be alive at the bottom of the Abyss, Riko, with Reg's help, decides to venture into the Abyss to find her.

As Riko and Reg journey deeper into the Abyss, they encounter various inhabitants, some friendly and others hostile, and uncover the dark truths and hidden secrets of the Abyss. The deeper they go, the more they are affected by the Curse of the Abyss, facing increasingly dangerous challenges and moral dilemmas. The story is renowned for its intricate world-building, deep character development, and the way it blends elements of fantasy, adventure, and dark themes. It explores themes of friendship, the pursuit of knowledge, the cost of ambition, and the meaning of family.