Theme Of Laura

[0:01 drums, 0:02 acoustic rhythm & electric lead guitars - 1st segment]



 [0:21 guitars & bass - 2nd segment] 
   
     
 [0:31 mandolin w/ sust. tremolo]   
e|-0----2----3--------7-|-0-----0--2~-----.-| 
a|----------------------|---5---------------|
D|----------------------|-------------------|
G|----------------------|-------------------|
                        
 [simult. violin] 
e|-0-0--2--2-3-3---0--7-|-0-----0--2-2~---.-|
a|----------------------|---5---------------|
D|----------------------|-------------------|
G|----------------------|-------------------| 
     

         
 [0:40 guitars & bass - 3rd segment]



 [0:59 guitars & bass - 4th segment]
       

 [1:12 violin]  
e|----------------|------------------------|
a|-----------0.---|------------------0-----|
D|----------------|--------------2-5---5-4-| 
G|----------------|------------------------|



 [1:18 violin - 5th segment]  
e|------0--(0)------------|---0--(0)----------|----0-0.--0------3-0-3-|-/4---0-4-5-7---12--10--.-|
a|-7-7---------3----3-5-3-|-----------3-----3-|------------3----------|--------------------------|
D|-2----------------------|-------------------|-----------------------|--------------------------|
G|------------------------|-------------------|-----------------------|--------------------------| 
  E/e    


 
 [1:37 guitars & bass - 6th segment]


 [2:00 mandolin w/ sust. tremolo & ghost notes] 
e|----(0~----------------2---3-|-5-0~------------------------.)-| 
a|-(2^)------------------------|--------------------------------| {x2            
D|-----------------------------|--------------------------------| 
G|-----------------------------|--------------------------------| 
                              
 [simult. violin]                                                     [continued]
e|----0---0---0-2-3-3--0-3-0-3-|-5-0~------------------------.--|     |-2-3-5---3-2--0-0--|-----| 
a|--2----2-2-------------------|--------------------------------| {x2 |-----------------2-|-(2)-| 
D|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|     |-------------------|-----| 
G|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|     |-------------------|-----| 
         

                          
 [2:19 guitars & bass - 1st segment]

                             
 [2:29 violin]
e|-0-2-3-3--2-0------0-2-0-0--.-|--0-2-3-3--2-3-5--3-2-0-0--2-3-2-2-|-(0)-|
a|--------------5--5------------|-----------------------------------|-----|
D|------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-----|
G|------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-----|



 [2:38 guitars & bass - 2nd segment]


 [2:46 mandolin w/ sust. tremolo] 
e|-0----2----3--------7-|-0-----0--2~----.-| 
a|----------------------|---5--------------|
D|----------------------|------------------|
G|----------------------|------------------|
                        
 [simult. violin]                   
e|-0-0--2--2-3-3---0--7-|-0-----0--2-2~--.-| 
a|----------------------|---5--------------|
D|----------------------|------------------|
G|----------------------|------------------|



 [2:57 guitars & bass - 3rd segment / 3:24 fin]


 
Tab legend:

tremolo               rapid, alternating down & up picking
^                     plucked note
.                     stopped note
~                     sustained note
()                    ghost note
{x2                   play segment twice   


                   
Link to my video lesson: https://youtu.be/c0lwdaDK_yQ

Soundtrack & in-game version: https://youtu.be/td3P1-cfZ4E?si=oyd9oqY0-OCnrCX0

Extended trailer version: https://youtu.be/f9Y3xnIqr9k?si=dXTlaOn6uLYAJ4r7&t=98

Early demo trailer version: https://youtu.be/6SaXXku2z5Q?si=uWZCIsWaX9qdt5R7&t=135

Remix trailer version: https://youtu.be/PswChzJp64w?si=Q_JfjNXK0X9LPyfA&t=39

Silent Hill 2 was released in 2001 for the Playstation 2 with later Xbox and PC versions. Theme Of Laura plays
during the pre-rendered opening cinematic, as well as during  various pre-release trailers. It became track
no. 1 on the accompanying CD release Silent Hill 2 Original Soundtrack(s) and the main theme of the game.
It is one of the few pieces that did not get swapped out in the 2012 Silent Hill HD Collection port.
Furthermore, it was also heard in Christophe Gans' 2006 movie. 

Composer Akira Yamaoka explained that it was not really meant to underscore anything to do with Laura's
character or scenes, but rather that the first animations he was shown of the project included her model. 
He used his earliest impressions of what the game would be like to create this track. He added a hint at the
first game's main theme by not only bringing the mandolin back, but even briefly including one of it's
motifs. As explained in my transcript thereof, he actually used a sample to create the mando sound. I can
only assume that he took the same approach for this track! As such, I stayed true to the sample's choppier
sound by keeping the notes on one course whenever feasible. Another melody line was taken from the unreleased
in-game version of Lisa's theme [OST counterpart: Not Tomorrow 1] which plays during the cutscene of her
transformation.

The mando plays a very minor role here, the violin a bigger one. Which I do suppose is a sample, as well.
Both instruments are tuned to not just the same intervalls, but also the same pitch. So I decided to
incorporate that into this. The bowing of the violin, sampled or not, flows differently. Which I represented
by using open strings and letting the notes ring out more. The mando has a sustained tremolo throughout and
just the odd plucked note. Which is how you should play all violin parts; Plucked.

There are 6 segments in total, dictated by the direction the guitars are taking. Mandolin transcript and
violin transposal in GDae standard tuning. Unfortunately, the full version with it's extended guitar solo
remains exclusive to some trailers to this day and was used neither for the game, nor the soundtrack.
So is an earlier slower demo of it, as well as a remix that's more electronic.

The game's remake was published in 2024 on PS5 and PC, with the score too being remade. The new versions are
Theme Of Laura II and Theme Of Laura (Laura's Emotions). Piano and cello heavy re-imaginations are Theme Of
Laura (Reprise) from the original and Theme Of Laura (Repetition) from the remake. Suggestions towards this
melody in other themes appear in Silent Hill 2's True and the remake's True (2024), as well as Silent Hill 4:
The Room's Waiting For You.