Sky: Children of the Light has various collectible instruments, that have notes arranged in a simple grid. This page is a music guide, aimed at helping players learn the notes available on their instruments and the different keys available in-game.
If you are looking for how to obtain the instruments, see the Props section in the Cosmetics page or check out the Realms page.
If you are looking for information on the in-game music sheets, visit Music Sheets.
Contents
Basic information
The instruments' keys change according to the background music. You can pause your key by muting the background music, if you have another music app open.
The 15-note instruments span two octaves of a major scale.
A Guide to Music in Sky-Introduction to music in Sky
The two bells contain two rows of 4 notes. Each row contains the root, 2nd, 5th and 6th notes of the scale.
The handpan has two rows of 4 notes too. It is a pentatonic scale, of the 4th note of the major scale of the other instruments. E.g. when the player's key is C major for the other instruments, the handpan is F major pentatonic.
Photo from Kathykitty#8028; annotated notes are relative to base major scale
There are also collectible in-game music sheets, which let you play a song in time with other players.
Finding Keys
Currently you can only get specific keys by going to certain areas that have the right notes in their background music. Often, you'll have to wait a while for the music to quiet down before starting your practice/performance session. Below, you'll find suggested locations for specific keys. However, these are not the only places which support a specific key of your choice, though notably the most convenient.
If you prefer a video, here's a guide to help:
Where to find all 12 major scales - Sky- Children of the Light
C major
The in-game music sheets are usually in C major. These include Music Sheets #3, #4, #5, and #7.
Some places that give you the C major key include:
- Homespace
- The Temple in Hidden Forest. Wait for the background music to finish.
- The Upper or Lower (the Graveyard) Swamps in Golden Wasteland.
D♭ major
Two spots that give the D♭ major key:
- The starting point for the 8-player puzzle in Daylight Prairie
- The Boneyard in Hidden Forest
D major
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Here are four areas which will set your key to D major:
- Go through the portal to Daylight Prairie from Home
- The Prairie Temple when accessed from Forest's Social Area (aim to enter at the beginning of the background music from Forest Social Area)
- The Temple in Valley of Triumph
- The Battlefield in Golden Wasteland
E♭ major
E flat major is the key used when playing Music Sheet #8 (Dismiss Spirit, Season of Gratitude).
Here are two spots for playing with the key E♭ major:
- The courtyard area past the gate in Hidden Forest's first clearing.
- The Broken Temple in Golden Wasteland.
E major
If you have Music Sheet 16 from Season of Prophecy, this is the most convenient way to get the E major key.
Otherwise, you can go to the end of Orbit, in the place where you exchange your stars for candles. (Don't walk too far into the level as the music will change.)
Though, by using a technique (pausing your key) demonstrated in the video linked above, you can also play with E major in Eden. However, this requires being able to tell notes by ear. When the desired key is achieved (tested by playing an instrument), pause the in-game music by listening to music on another app. Return Home and go to a place without background music to keep your key. Stop listening to the outside audio when you get to your spot.
F major
Three places that support F major include:
- Sunny Forest in Hidden Forest
- The Citadel in Valley of Triumph
- The first Floor in Vault of Knowledge
G♭ major
The most convenient quiet place with G flat major is the Boneyard in Hidden Forest, after the Jellyfish have been released and the background music has finished. Though, there is also a section of the background music in the 8-player elevator where the key for the instruments is G♭ major.
G major
A place with G major is the clearing/Social Area in Hidden Forest, after the background music has finished,
You can also go to the start of Isle of Dawn.
A♭ major
You can get the A flat major key in the Stadium in Valley of Triumph after completing either race, and waiting for the background music to finish.
A major
An area with the key A major is the fourth Floor in Vault of Knowledge.
B♭ major
B flat major is the key for Music Sheet #11 (Wise Stance, Season of Belonging).
A place with B flat major is the after-Temple area in Hidden Forest, after the background music has finished.
B major
There are a few moments where the key is B major. To play an instrument with this key, you'll need to use a technique called "pausing your key". To do this, you'll need to be able to tell notes by ear. When the desired key is achieved (tested by playing an instrument), you can open another app to mute the game's background music in order to pause the key. Return Home and go to a place without background music to keep your key. Stop listening to the outside audio when you get to your spot.
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B major is part of the background music in:
- The Boneyard in Hidden Forest. Activate the Jellyfish - the beginning of the music will be in B major.
- Towards the end of a race in Valley of Triumph. A section towards the end of the music is in B major.
- The second Floor of Vault of Knowledge. The start of the music will be in B major.
Music Sheets
This section has now been moved to Music Sheets.
Pitch Range
This documents the range of each instrument.
Piano, flute and Pan flute
The regular piano, flute and pan pipes start on middle C (C4) in C major. The starting notes of the keys afterwards continue up all the way to B5 for B major.
Rhythm piano, xylophone
An octave higher than the regular piano.
Harp, guitar, Mandolin
An octave lower than the regular piano.
Bass
Three octaves below the regular piano.
Horn
Two octaves below the range of the regular piano.
Bells
For the other instruments, C major is the lowest scale and B major is the highest scale. For the two seasonal bells, when your key is G, A♭, A, B♭ or B, the bells' sounds are lower than they are in C.
Playing with a controller
It's possible to play some notes on the instruments while using a game controller e.g. (Xbox, PlayStation, MFi controller). However, it is not optimised.
PlayStation buttons
| L1 | ⬆️ | ? | 🔼 | R1 |
| ⬅️ | ➡️ | ? | ⏹ | ⭕️ |
| L2 | ⬇️ | ? | ❌ | R2 |
The square, X and R1 buttons all open the music sheet menu unfortunately. And it is not possible to play any notes in the middle column.
Sound Effects
A lot of sounds are in tune with your key, including the call of your voice, the sound of forging candles, and some Expressions:
In an interview with FMOD, the Sky sound designer mentioned this technical detail.
Which technical detail are you most proud of?
Ritsu: The tone of many sound effects are pitch shifted in real-time according to the music key. This avoided subconscious player discomfort caused by discord between music and sound effect.
Sharps and Flats
You may find these tables useful when choosing a key to transcribe other songs into Sky.
Sharps
| Number | Key | Sharps |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | C Major | - |
| 1 | G Major | F♯ |
| 2 | D Major | F♯, C♯ |
| 3 | A Major | C♯, F♯, G♯ |
| 4 | E Major | F♯, G♯, C♯, D♯ |
| 5 | B major | C♯, D♯, F♯, G♯, A♯ |
Flats
| Number | Key | Flats |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | F Major | B♭ |
| 2 | B♭ Major | B♭, E♭ |
| 3 | E♭ Major | E♭, A♭, B♭ |
| 4 | A♭ Major | A♭, B♭, D♭, E♭ |
| 5 | D♭ Major | D♭, E♭, G♭, A♭, B♭ |
| 6 | G♭ Major | G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭ |
External links
These are short summaries of some fan-created tools to aid with playing music in Sky.
(Please keep it to short summaries; the wiki is not an advertising page.) The app/website must also follow thatgamecompany’s Terms of Service for supplemental apps and services, which includes not being sold or having sold items or services.
Sky Music Simulator
sky-music.herokuapp.com created by the Sky Music Discord
Sku Music Interface
This website allows you to Play, Record, Practice,Compose and share songs. The user can chose instruments (Piano, Drums, Bells, Guitar, Xylophone, Flute, Harp), the key (to match the ones in the different Realms), turn on/off the cave mode. The user can also create an account with which they can save songs to be used in multiple devices and share them by link. There is also the song composer and a MIDI conversion tool to auto compose songs. It is available in 11 languages.
Sky Piano Simulator (Sky 光遇音乐)
skysheetmusic.com made by team ikina
User interface of the Sky Sheet Music website
- Jannie 烁
- 烛子
- 罗小白的罗小黑
- 污猫
- N 年以前...
- Zzz
Sky Instrument Practice
mcbeeringi.github.io.com created by @McbeEringi
User interface of the Sky Instrument Practice website
The website allows you to practice with multiple different instruments. For example: the harp, drums, bass harp, piano, flute, pan flute, guitar, mandolin, winter piano, xylophone, small bell, and big bell. However, the drums, small bell, pan flute, and big bell aren’t playable for the meantime. You can swipe up to see a variety of instruments and change the pitch. Other than that, it also gives information for each day’s candles.
Sky Studio
created by Maple
User interface of the Sky Studio - Compose mode
This app allows to do these things:
1. Compose & listen simple music sheet for sky instrument.
2. Practice using sheet files.
3. Play freely using instrument pad.
Other features: instrument changing, pitch control, cave mode, compatible sheet files with the Sky Music Simulator.
Communities
Forums and websites
- thatgamecompany fan forum Several fan abc-notation music sheets posted there.
- Sky Music Sheets - a fan managed site with visual Sky music sheets.
Discord
- Official Sky Discord server There is a music channel in the official Sky Discord server.
- #music channel on fan Sky: Friends of the Light Discord Invite link to join the fan Sky: Friends of the Light Discord server. There is discussion about music in the #music channel.
- Tara's Sky server #music-space channel another music channel.
Other
- "Using sound design to tell a story" - interview with thatgamecompany's sound designers about the music and instruments in Sky
Other languages
日本語
Sky 長音階まとめ – しすい🕊Sky垢 @verrat_m
Sky 星を紡ぐ子どもたち 12長音階まとめ
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