In Final Fantasy XIV, players can use instruments to play through various songs. Over time, real bands have formed that hold concerts on different servers. We at MeinMMO spoke to the Songbirds, probably the best-known of such bands.
What is this feature? The composition feature was released at the beginning of the Stormblood addon in 2017. It can be unlocked when players reach level 30 with the Bard job.
This gives them access to a long list of different 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 was expanded and expanded. Many new instruments have been added, the synchronization between several performers has been improved and there is a kind of tutorial for players who don’t really know anything about sheet music.
Right after the release, the feature encouraged many FFXIV players to play different songs from all imaginable areas themselves. Real bands were formed, which hold concerts in front of large audiences. We spoke to one of the most popular and well-known of these bands.
The players behind the Bard characters
MeinMMO: Hello everyone! Please introduce yourself to our readers. Who are you? What are you doing in your free time?
Raven: Hello readers! I’m Raven Ambree, Community Manager and Stream Co-Host for The Songbirds! I help coordinate the Miqo’te idols during their performances and manage the social media. We often hang out on our Discord or check out our other Twitch teammates’ chats when they’re live.
In my spare time I like to play 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: Hi! This is MewsicalMiqo (you can also call me Mewmi), the owner of the Songbirds. I’m responsible for managing the FFXIV game accounts during our performances and creating the music tracks we play, as well as managing finances and commissions.
While the Songbirds will always be the focus of my attention, I have diverse and wide-ranging interests that include professional photography, 3D modeling in Blender and Unity, watching Twitch artists, and collecting Genshin waifus.
Songbirds concerts are often attended by hundreds of spectators
MeinMMO: What exactly are the Songbirds?
Common answer: The Songbirds are an ensemble of bards – a group of 8 characters who perform live music in the game’s Ensemble mode. We bill ourselves as Eorzea’s number 1 idol group with a presence in all 9 international data centers from NA, EU, JP, OCE!
We are just one of many groups you may encounter on your journey through Eorzea. Visit each major city-state and you may encounter other groups, each with their own repertoire.
MeinMMO: When did you first get the idea of founding an in-game band? How did she develop?
Raven: It started when Performance mode was released in 2017. Mewsical was the first to try it, combining keystrokes on a midi keyboard with recording videos to in-game music, and eventually playing different tracks of a song and compiling them in the edit! Then we thought: What would it take to have Barden LIVE play together?
Mewmi: My first foray into creating FFXIV music content started on YouTube in late 2017. It was about recording individual parts of songs and mixing them in post-processing. Although the videos were quite popular, the platform for the content I wanted to create proved unsustainable.
But with the knowledge I had acquired, I started testing if it would be possible to reproduce my work on YouTube as live performances in the game. For this experiment, 9 new bards were created, the first of the Songbirds. Early results were mixed as the game didn’t offer a way to sync multiple players. However, with the release of Ensemble mode in October 2019, the issues were largely resolved.
A large number of songs belonging to a wide variety of genres are played.
Organization and preparation are important
MeinMMO: How do you decide when and where the next concert will take place?
Common answer: We keep a table of all servers to know when we last appeared publicly. We also assign a score to servers to measure receptivity. When people troll or bully us, the server gets a lower score and we don’t play there that often. When the number of visitors is high and we are well received there, we play there more often.
MeinMMO: What criteria do you use to select the songs that will be played next or which songs to put on your playlist next?
raven: We get requests during our pop-ups. Twitch viewers can use a cheap coupon to request a song they want to hear at the end of the queue, or an expensive coupon to have their song heard next!
Mewmi: At private events, our host can either provide a set list, choose a genre so I can choose the songs for them, or let their guests choose which songs to play.
MeinMMO: How do you transfer new songs to FFXIV?
raven: Songs cannot be imported into FFXIV. They are played using the in-game keyboard interface. When creating a score for solo or group play, there are 2 important aspects to consider:
Because of this, we have to be careful when choosing the instruments for each song we create.
Mewmi: I arrange songs completely outside of the game using commercial music software. The source material for my arrangements can come from pre-existing midis from an internet archive, from scores I’ve acquired from commercial sites. Or I do it from scratch, either hiring a transcriptionist or doing it myself when I’m feeling particularly inspired (this is how all FFXIV song arrangements are made).
When editing, there are a few basic limitations of the game to work around:
The enthusiasm of the viewers is worth the work
MeinMMO: What were the top 3 best or most unforgettable performances?
Raven: I’d rather explain what makes an extraordinarily memorable performance! They all have a common theme: seeing people in genuine surprise, shock, excitement and wonder at what surrounds them!
mewmi: We’ve been performing for so long that it’s difficult to single out a specific event. However, it gives us great pleasure when our audience expresses their appreciation for our work.
Surprising other big and famous content creators with a catchy song or two is a memorable experience for both us and them.
MeinMMO: Let’s take a quick look at the other side: Have you already had problems or bad experiences during your concerts?
Raven: Of course, every once in a while, there are a few bad guys that show up. But we’re constantly reminded by the community that they don’t represent the entire player base.
I think the culture has changed so that ensembles playing songs in public spaces are more acceptable. At the moment we’re more plagued by technical issues than anything else.
Mewmi: Bad people are in every community and encountering them is inevitable. There are people who are generally not fans of ensemble groups, and they can be very vocal in expressing their opinions, which can range from a casual remark to reportable harassment.
There are also trolls who try to grab the spotlight for a moment by standing on us or spamming abilities, although they tend to be more of an audience nuisance.
MeinMMO: If you could wish for one thing from the developers, what would it be?
Raven: That the ensemble function is also possible in alliances [Aktuell geht es nur in Gruppen von bis zu 8 Leuten].
Mewmi: The ways to play chords.
MeinMMO: Is there anything else you would like to say in closing?
Together: We want to thank our fans and the FFXIV community for supporting us over the years. Without your support we wouldn’t have the motivation to do what we do as it takes a lot of hard work that has a significant impact on our real life!
We would like to thank Raven and Mewmi for the interview and wish the Songbirds continued success and lots of new fans!
WoW streamer Preach experienced live how much effort FFXIV players put into organizing concerts and parties:
Streamer plays WoW for years, is blown away by a party in Final Fantasy XIV