An Idea for a Sona VO update that doesn't require actual voicework

Daedric Etwahl··100 votes·5,452 views

(Ah, spelling error in the title, curse my fat fingers...)

So, Sona's voiceiver, like a lot of old champions, is pretty basic, and outdated since she refers to her Summoner a lot, still.

Obviously these types of things can't be rectified so easily because of availability of Voice Actors, but what other players in the game hear is her emotes, which are all musical cues. So, I present an idea:

What if Sona was given special taunt interactions with other champions, where she plays a brief snippet of that champions login theme, or other piece the champion is associated with. Obviously not an exact soundalike, but in a style similar to how Silent Night Sona plays little snippets of "Deck the Halls".

Example: When taunting near Kindred Sona could play either a little snippet of their login theme, or the small tune that Lamb sometimes hums.

There are plenty of champions with great, recognizable scores, like Camille , Ekko , Kled , Xayah Rakan , Taliyah etc and I think it would be a perfect way to add a little flavor to Sona as a world-class musician, and it would require no actual voiceover work!

47 Comments

Hextech OwI27 votes

This is a ducking awesome idea. It needs to be done.

Ebonmaw Dragon19 votes

Imagine Sona using the song of Vi to taunt Jinx and vice versa.

Nylisa12 votes

Imagine how much that would piss Jhin off to hear his theme from Sona!

But aye! I support this idea. I hope Ed the conquerer sees this topic , i wanna know what he thinks about it.

Daedric Etwahl4 votes

I had a thought, if Sona gets a kill on Jhin, she could start to play his theme, but then bang on her Etwahl like her normal taunt, as if to mock him.

Then again, I wonder if she even knows who he is, let alone if she knows he's jealous.

But yeah I can imagine he would be indignant about that!

Also out of curiosity, who's Ed the conquerer? o3o

Nylisa1 votes

Ed is my Favorite Rioter

https://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/player/NA/Ed%20the%20Conqueror

if Riot Decides they want to make this idea happen , Ed propbly will be the one executing it as composer. he is behind some of the best League of legends themes. only part of league that never failed or disappointed me.

Daedric Etwahl1 votes

Oh, I see!

Gosh I hope so! That would be so amazing, and it's easier to pull off than having to get the VA again

Nylisa1 votes

not to mention this idea finally allows us to hear her instrument better. they say her music captures the soul but we havent heard a single song that says its made by Sona herself with her instrument.

Ed the Conqueror2 votes

{quoted}

Ed is my Favorite Rioter

https://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/player/NA/Ed%20the%20Conqueror

if Riot Decides they want to make this idea happen , Ed propbly will be the one executing it as composer. he is behind some of the best League of legends themes. only part of league that never failed or disappointed me.

<3

Nylisa1 votes

[{quoted}](name=Ed the Conqueror,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=tBq3oGk3,comment-id=0005000000000001,timestamp=2018-01-03T23:08:09.147+0000)

<3

<3 :D

your work is still on the top of my playlist!!!

Also, funny when i see your reply and the comment above it is by someone named "notice me sin pi"!

underscores2221 votes

Sona needs to play it in not 4/4 time though

JooshBox6 votes

{quoted}

Imagine how much that would piss Jhin off to hear his theme from Sona!

Buy aye! I support this idea. I hope Ed the conquerer sees this topic , i wanna know what he thinks about it.

Jhin "Step out of my light! They call it background music!" -Jhin to Sona

Sharjo10 votes

I do like the thought of Sona just riffing on other champions music in game, I feel like there's cool opportunities with Sona beyond that.

I kinda like to imagine that she's got a bit of a Bard thing going on, where she can convey thought via music, but it's only recognisable to those who it's directed towards, so she'd have some kind of poetry, commentary or otherwise for specific champions, but it'd only be something that champion and Sona herself could hear. Everyone else would just hear the music.

(A really stupid example):

Sona Kills Kindred: "A pair as old as time, songs as old as rhyme, the Lamb and the Wolf."

Daedric Etwahl1 votes

That's an interesting idea as well, however it would requite either getting Sona's VA back in house, or redoing her entire Voiceover from scratch with a new one anyway, which is something the musical taunts don't actually need, so it could be done much, much easier.

Epicurus3 votes

Let me add TahmKench Kled Jhin Ryze Ornn Poppy Jinx to that list.

This would be amazing, and really strengthen Sona's identity as a musician.

Daedric Etwahl1 votes

Oh yeah, the ones I listed were merely ones that stuck out off the top of my head at that moment, there's loads of champions with amazing themes and tunes associated with them.

JooshBox1 votes

I remember you coming up with this idea a month ago! I loved it then and I still love it now! [sg-ahri-2]

BubbaV2 votes

awesome idea. but now that you've said it, riot will never do it since they never listen to the community.

ModWulf Helhammer14 votes

That’s one of the most wrong statements I’ve ever seen on the boards.

BubbaV2 votes

[{quoted}](name=The Wolf King,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=tBq3oGk3,comment-id=00040000,timestamp=2017-12-27T16:28:54.890+0000)

That’s one of the most wrong statements I’ve ever seen on the boards.

that's ironic since the statement you just made is extremely wrong

ModWulf Helhammer8 votes

Then prove it.

How does Riot not listen to the community?

Do you mean they don’t take mindless balance requests from people that don’t understand game balance at all?

Karunamon1 votes

BE in general.

The snowball/<30min meta.

The win-botlane-win-game meta.

Very, obviously, unquestionably broken champions like Ezreal + Klepto sitting unfixed for weeks while others get Sejuani'd (item nerf + direct nerf).

The entire state of game balance as it applies to runes reforged.

Granted I wouldn't expect to hear a whole lot until new year, but there are distressingly few red posts on the boards...

Daedric Etwahl3 votes

Thing is other than the BE subject, all of those things are balance changes, which are circlejerky as fuck on the boards.

This, though, is a purely cosmetic change, similarly to the suggestion for Zac's voice to get squeakier as he shrinks, which they did add.

ModWulf Helhammer1 votes

BE in general.

And what's wrong with it? It's been demonstrated multiple times that you earn at the minimum the same amount you used too, with most of the time earning more.

The snowball/<30min meta.

It's preseason. They're always snowbally. Additionally, for the most part, game times haven't changed much on average.

Very, obviously, unquestionably broken champions like Ezreal + Klepto sitting unfixed for weeks while others get Sejuani'd (item nerf + direct nerf).

I will admit that there are some balance problems

The entire state of game balance as it applies to runes reforged.

Again, it's still preseason. Season 8 doesn't start until mid January.

Granted I wouldn't expect to hear a whole lot until new year, but there are distressingly few red posts on the boards...

It's 3 days after Christmas. Rioters are people, they deserve time off to be with family and friends for the holiday. Most people with non-service industry jobs don't go back until after the New Year.

Karunamon1 votes

It's preseason. They're always snowbally. Additionally, for the most part, game times haven't changed much on average.

I'm over this excuse so much.

  • Preseason game is broken: "It's preseason and expected to be broken, stop whining"

  • Early-mid season game is broken: "Everything's brand new, let it stabilize and wait for a patch or two, stop whining"

  • Late season game is broken: "Worlds is coming up and they're obviously not going to change it now, wait for next season, stop whining"

League of Snowball has been a thing since at least S5/6. What's been the response? Make turrets weaker! Runes to knock down turrets faster! Turret first blood! More damage! pro plays! What's a top lane?

My problem isn't with stuff being broken, my problem is with overall game direction. This isn't some flavor of the month circle jerk, this has been a thing for literal years now.

And what's wrong with it? It's been demonstrated multiple times that you earn at the minimum the same amount you used too, with most of the time earning more.

The disenchant system, the reroll system, the lame rewards, orange essence which I count as part of the same thing...

notice me Sin pi4 votes

rito doesnt listen to community on balance cuz they tend to be circlejerks. Riot does listen to ideas like these that have nothing to do with gameplay balance, however. One thing i can think of on top pf my head is Zac's voice turning squeaky when he's low on health; that was community's suggestion and riot listened to it.

An Draoi2 votes

Unfortunately since you now suggested it it will make its way to the riot bin of "player ideas that were suggested but since they were suggested by a player will never see the light of day"

Daedric Etwahl2 votes

That's not true, though. Riot has taken several player-suggested ideas (not balance related ones), one I can think of being Zac's voice getting higher pitched as he shrinks.

Placentas1 votes

Love the idea, but too much work for too little pay off in Riot's eyes. =(

Fairyfleur1 votes

It's ironic that a champion completely based around music doesn't have a theme of her own :(

Nylisa2 votes

this! i know right! i've been wondering that for a long time too, she needs a theme that in the background we can hear the sound of her instrument like she is playing it herself.

i need to know how her instrument sounds like. aside from few short notes we hear on cast.

Daedric Etwahl1 votes

Well, we do sort of hear her playing her instrument: Whenever she's in game, she carries an ambient music track in the area around her, of a gentle music playing. It's just like Jhin when his fourth shot is ready, except Sona always has that "aura". I think it's most noticable on Guqin Sona, which has additional, louder effects like her spells and emotes. It could be so much more though.

Nylisa1 votes

thats true but we dont actually hear her play a song that introduce her capabilities as a musician outside the game and in the lore , thats what i mean :)

and the volume on that aura is too low to make much sense of the tones playing especially when we are too focused on playing the game. i tried recording it while playing to listen to it later and as you said its more like a aura of music than an actual song.

JoJ named 7 of her well known pieces that she played in that festival all named after her skills, i want to hear those 7 pieces just like DJ Sona had a ... DJ version of them.

Daedric Etwahl1 votes

Oooh, really? So the Hymn of Valor, etc, are (or at least were) actual songs she wrote... somehow I never thought of that. I think that's gonna be a headcanon of mine now xP

Nylisa1 votes

[{quoted}](name=Daedric Etwahl,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=tBq3oGk3,comment-id=00070000000000000000,timestamp=2017-12-28T09:13:21.623+0000)

Oooh, really? So the Hymn of Valor, etc, are (or at least were) actual songs she wrote... somehow I never thought of that. I think that's gonna be a headcanon of mine now xP

oh im sorry that was a mistake by me.it was 7 pieces not 4 , and 7th one was Aria of Perseverance. so the fact that her songs were named after her skills remains true.

Daedric Etwahl1 votes

Oh, wow... Yeah, I would love if they would make actual musical pieces called Hymn of Valor, Song of Celerity, etc. and have them be in-universe pieces Sona has composed.

Also it's not the same, but I like to think that the song "Orb of Winter" from the first Pentakill album was composed and performed by Pentakill Sona in universe xD

So, I was looking around on Sona's wiki page, and if you look in the Quotes tab, you can find soundfiles of her ambient music playing! It's not much, I know, but you can actually hear them well here!

http://leagueoflegends.wikia.com/wiki/Sona

Nylisa1 votes

[{quoted}](name=Daedric Etwahl,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=tBq3oGk3,comment-id=0007000000000000000000000000,timestamp=2017-12-28T20:19:01.252+0000)

Oh, wow... Yeah, I would love if they would make actual musical pieces called Hymn of Valor, Song of Celerity, etc. and have them be in-universe pieces Sona has composed.

Also it's not the same, but I like to think that the song "Orb of Winter" from the first Pentakill album was composed and performed by Pentakill Sona in universe xD

So, I was looking around on Sona's wiki page, and if you look in the Quotes tab, you can find soundfiles of her ambient music playing! It's not much, I know, but you can actually hear them well here!

http://leagueoflegends.wikia.com/wiki/Sona

yes i've heard that before , thank you regardless.

notice me Sin pi1 votes

rito pls make it happen

Larriet1 votes

Both Taliyah and Nami sing excerpts of their themes, so it's not unprecedented.

I'd also like some for skins, too (Star Guardian, Dragon Sorceress, the other Ultimate/Legendary skins).

Hong Kong Annie1 votes

That would be fine if as long as she is constantly playing a rendition of the old league of legends theme as as well

Elohaven1 votes

This could add a mechanic where Sona can reveal an enemy is near actually.

Cool idea nonetheless.

Jesus is Savior1 votes

They would still have to pay someone to do this. They might already be on payroll, but in that case, they would be pulling them from something else. There are a LOT of champions and it would take a LONG time. And it would also have an upkeep cost (as more new champs are added).

Some champions also don't have a score. That's a relatively new thing. Old champs won't have one.

Daedric Etwahl1 votes

Most of that is true, but at the same time it doesn't involve any tracking down of VAs, nor would they need to write any actual new songs, just simplistic brief "covers" for Sona.

It wouldn't have an upkeep cost as they don't go back and add interactions to old champions for new ones. As an example, Star Guardian Jinx has no interactions with the 5 newer Star Guardians, since they were added after. And of course not every champion would have a score, but no champion has a taunt for every other champ in the game, so that works out too.

notice me Sin pi1 votes

im surprised it didnt even hit 3 digit upvotes, let alone a comment from rioter :(

Daedric Etwahl1 votes

Haha, well, it is the holiday break. Not many Rioters around. Maybe I'll repost it at a later time

Ed the Conqueror5 votes

[{quoted}](name=Daedric Etwahl,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=tBq3oGk3,comment-id=000e0000,timestamp=2018-01-01T09:49:04.119+0000)

Haha, well, it is the holiday break. Not many Rioters around. Maybe I'll repost it at a later time

Rioters are back on the grid ;-)

This sounds like a fun idea, and while we can't promise we'll have the bandwidth to execute on it, we'll certainly talk about it!

Daedric Etwahl2 votes

Oh my gosh what a surprise to wake up to!

I really hope that you guys are able to make this happen! As a Sona main it would be so amazing!

Would you be able to let us know when you guys decide whether or not to do it?

Nylisa1 votes

[{quoted}](name=Daedric Etwahl,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=tBq3oGk3,comment-id=000e000000000000,timestamp=2018-01-04T18:02:21.327+0000)

Oh my gosh what a surprise to wake up to!

I really hope that you guys are able to make this happen! As a Sona main it would be so amazing!

Would you be able to let us know when you guys decide whether or not to do it?

hahaha there he is! this is awesome!

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