In Final Fantasy XIV, players can play various songs using instruments. Over time, real bands have formed that perform concerts on different servers. We at MeinMMO spoke with the Songbirds, arguably the most well-known of such bands.
What is this feature? The composition feature was released at the very beginning of the Stormblood expansion in 2017. It can be unlocked when players reach level 30 with the Bard job.
This gives them access to a long list of various instruments with which they can play different songs and melodies. MMORPGs like Guild Wars 2 and Black Desert Online have similar features.
Over time, the feature has been further expanded and improved. Many new instruments have been added, the synchronization between multiple performers has been enhanced, and there is a sort of tutorial for players who are not familiar with musical notation.
Right at the release, the feature encouraged many FFXIV players to play various songs from all conceivable genres themselves. Real bands have formed that perform concerts in front of large audiences. We spoke with one of the most popular and well-known of these bands.
The players behind the Bard characters
MeinMMO: Hello everyone! Please introduce yourselves to our readers. Who are you? What do you do in your spare time?
Raven: Hello readers! I am Raven Ambree, Community Manager and Stream Co-Moderator for The Songbirds! I help coordinate the Miqo’te idols during their performances and manage the social media. We often hang out in our Discord or check in on the chats of our other Twitch team members when they are live.
In my spare time, I enjoy playing system or open-world games. My favorites are Satisfactory, Factorio, Stationeers, Dyson Sphere Program, and recently (again) a Minecraft modpack called Gregtech New Horizons.
Mewmi: Hello! I am MewsicalMiqo (you can also call me Mewmi), the owner of the Songbirds. I am responsible for managing the FFXIV player accounts during our performances, creating the musical pieces we play, as well as managing finances and orders.
While the Songbirds will always be the focus of my attention, I have diverse and extensive interests that include professional photography, 3D modeling in Blender and Unity, watching Twitch artists, and collecting Genshin waifus.
MeinMMO: What exactly are the Songbirds?
Joint Answer: The Songbirds are a bard ensemble – a group of 8 characters performing live music in the game’s ensemble mode. We consider ourselves Eorzea’s number 1 idol group with a presence in all 9 international data centers in NA, EU, JP, and OCE!
We are just one of many groups that you can encounter on your journey through Eorzea. Visit every major city-state, and you might come across other groups, each with their own repertoire.
MeinMMO: When did you first have the idea to form an in-game band? How has it developed?
Raven: It started when the performance mode was released in 2017. Mewsical was the first to try it out, combining key inputs on a MIDI keyboard with recording videos to in-game music, and eventually playing various tracks of a song and compiling them in editing! Then we thought: What would be needed to let bards play live together?
Mewmi: My first foray into creating FFXIV music content began in late 2017 on YouTube. It was about recording individual parts of songs and mixing them in post-production. Although the videos were quite popular, the platform proved unsustainable for the content I wanted to create.
But with the knowledge I gained, I began testing whether it was possible to reproduce my work on YouTube as live performances in-game. For this experiment, 9 new bards were created, the first of the Songbirds. The initial results were mixed, as the game offered no method to synchronize multiple players. However, with the release of the ensemble mode in October 2019, the issues were largely resolved.
Organization and preparations are important
MeinMMO: How do you decide when and where the next concert will take place?
Joint Answer: We maintain a spreadsheet with all servers to know when we last performed publicly. We also assign a score to servers to gauge their readiness for performances. If people troll or harass us, the server gets a lower score, and we perform there less frequently. If the attendance is high and we are well received there, we perform there more often.
MeinMMO: What criteria do you use to select the songs that will be played next or which songs to add to your playlist?
Raven: We receive requests during our pop-ups. Twitch viewers can use a cheap voucher to request a song they want to hear at the end of the queue or an expensive voucher to hear their song next!
Mewmi: At private events, our host can either provide a setlist, choose a genre for me to select songs from, or let their guests choose which songs should be played.
MeinMMO: How do you transfer new songs to FFXIV?
Raven: Songs cannot be imported into FFXIV. They are played through the keyboard interface in the game. When creating a score for solo play or group play, there are two important aspects to consider:
- You can only play one note at a time – no chords.
- It is not possible to change the instrument in the middle of an ensemble performance.
Because of this, we have to be cautious when selecting the instruments for each song we create.
Mewmi: I arrange songs entirely outside of the game using commercial music software. The source material for my arrangements can come from existing MIDI files from an internet archive, from scores I have purchased from commercial websites, or I create it from scratch, hiring a transcriber or doing it myself when I feel particularly inspired (this way, all FFXIV song arrangements come about).
When editing, there are a few fundamental limitations of the game that need to be circumvented:
- Limited selection of instruments: Selection of the instrument that sounds best in the game to play a specific part.
- It is impossible to play chords: Notes can be tinkled, but that must be checked on a case-by-case basis. So, chords have to be split or shortened.
- Limited note range: We have only 37 notes in the game, and the notes [of the songs] often go beyond this range.
- Maximum of 8 performers, which relates to the first point. I have to carefully select which elements of a song I keep and which I discard.
The audience’s enthusiasm makes the work worthwhile
MeinMMO: What were the top 3 best or most memorable performances?
Raven: I would rather explain what makes a particularly memorable performance! They all share a common theme: seeing people in genuine surprise, shock, excitement, and wonder at what surrounds them!
Mewmi: We have been performing for so long that it is hard to highlight a specific event. However, it brings us great joy when our audience expresses their appreciation for our work.
Surprising other large and famous content creators with one or two catchy songs is a memorable experience for both us and them.
MeinMMO: Let’s take a quick look on the other side: Have you had any problems or bad experiences during your concerts?
Raven: Of course, there are a few nasty folks that show up from time to time. But we are constantly reminded by the community that they do not represent the entire player base.
I think the culture has changed in such a way that ensembles playing songs in public areas are now more accepted. Right now, we are more plagued by technical issues than anything else.
Mewmi: Bad people exist in every community, and encountering them is unavoidable. There are people who are generally not fans of ensemble groups, and they can express their opinion very loudly, ranging from a casual remark to reportable harassment.
There are also trolls who try to get a moment in the spotlight by standing on us or spamming abilities, even though they are more of a nuisance to the audience.
MeinMMO: If you could wish one thing from the developers, what would it be?
Raven: That the ensemble function would be possible in alliances as well [Currently, it only works in groups of up to 8 people].
Mewmi: The ability to play chords.
MeinMMO: Do you have anything else to say in conclusion?
Joint Answer: We would like to thank our fans and the FFXIV community for supporting us over the years. Without your support, we would not have the motivation to do what we do, as it requires a lot of hard work that significantly impacts our real lives!
We thank Raven and Mewmi for the interview and wish the Songbirds continued success and many new fans!
The effort FFXIV players put into hosting concerts and parties was live experienced by WoW streamer Preach:
Streamer plays WoW for years, is overwhelmed by a party in Final Fantasy XIV
