winifredphillips

It is interesting and very intriguing how you sum this up -- some want to inspire an audience, others want to express their own soul on paper and transform it into sounds. This is entirely true, and definitely makes me consider a lot of the different inspirations that drive creative people to do what they do. While I think it is entirely possible to express your own soul and also inspire an audience, I think the difference we're discussing here centers on the point-of-view that the composer takes at the outset of his or her creative process. Am I writing this music to have an emotional or intellectual impact on others? Or am I writing this music solely to examine an emotional or intellectual portion of my own psyche? The whole idea is kind of existential. Does art exist, purely as an expression of itself? Or does art need an audience to define it? We seek to create something worthwhile. Can we do it solely in the vacuum of our own minds, or do we have to invite our prospective audience into our imagination? I know that as a game composer I'm very aware of the audience I am writing for. Yet, I am also working to satisfy my own creative ambitions. I think it is entirely possible to balance the needs of our audience with our own needs as composers.

Wow, things have gotten very exciting here! :) Hi, Biscuit Trolley! Nice to meet you. Getting a job as a composer for games is similar in principle to getting a job in the other media professions (film and television). The most important tasks (in my mind) are building a strong set of demonstration tracks to showcase your abilities, and developing a network of contacts at game development companies and video game publishers. You can begin to build this network of contacts by attending the annual industry conventions. Two of the largest of these are the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in March, and the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in June. There are many other annual conferences, such as the Game Developers Conference Online (which takes place in Austin and is coming up this year in October), the Montreal International Game Summit (MIGS) which is coming up in November, and the Develop Conference, which is taking place in a couple of weeks in Brighton, UK. By no means do you have to go to all these events, but attending one or two makes sense. There is a lot of competition for game music composition jobs, and you don't need to have a degree, but it can help. Wherever you obtain your training, whether in a university setting or elsewhere, knowledge is power... in this industry and everywhere else. :) Okay, now... on to the current debate... I tend to agree with Biscuit Trolley regarding the interpretation of music - a non-programmatic piece can certainly be given a very literal interpretation, and vice-versa. Also, a piece of program music can be set inside a completely contrasting literal interpretation, such as the 'beginning of the world' animation from Disney's Fantasia, which was set to the music of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. I love Biscuit Trolley's phrase "no musical molecule has specific meaning". Profound. I had a personal experience with this phenomenon, in regards to music I wrote for the "Spore Hero" video game for Electronic Arts. In a review of the game's soundtrack release, a journalist said that my music could serve as the inspiration for the choreography of an experimental dance company. Until that moment, it had never occurred to me that the Spore Hero music could be seen in that way, but when I revisited the soundtrack with his words in mind, I could see that he was right. I tend to care what people think of my music, and I'm always honored when someone takes the time to express their impressions and the effect that my music had on them. I think that I can learn a lot from what they have to say. As a video game composer, I realize that I am as much a storyteller as I am a composer. I am hired to help tell the story of the game, and it is my responsibility to put all my passion and my expertise to that task. Some composers are drawn to the idea of being part of a creative team, contributing to a larger whole and becoming part of something bigger than themselves. I am one of those people, but not everybody is drawn to that idea. We all have to follow our passions. :)

I agree, and thanks, VoodooChild, for summing it up so well! The writing and design of a game, film or television show can be very inspirational. :)

In those circumstances, I find the process to be a lot like method acting. I try to draw upon my experiences and the emotions I've felt in the past.

Excellent points! :) I do think that after the patronage system ended, commercial considerations took over as a controlling factor - and I think they are still very influential today. If a composition will not draw a large-enough audience to recoup the investment, then I don't think the concert venue will be very eager to host it. This is particularly difficult for composers who create for large ensembles, because these organizations are expensive to maintain. I think that web sites like this one are a wonderful way in which we can support and encourage each other, regardless of whether we are media or concert composers. We're all in this together. :)

That's a very interesting point. We all have preferences regarding our working conditions and the amount of creative liberty we need in order to feel fulfilled by our work. Having to conform to someone else's instructions is difficult, but that's certainly been a concern for concert composers as well as media composers. Mozart had a succession of employers with various demands (remember Emperor Joseph II saying, "Too many notes"?). And we all remember that Handel had to write his "Water Music" for performance on a barge, putting severe restrictions on his choices in terms of instrumentation and composition. Sometimes its hard to have to work under restrictions, but it can also give rise to quality music.

You're welcome! :) Actually, I've never met a media composer who thought concert composers were outdated. John Adams, the well-known concert composer, is one of my personal heroes. While he concentrates on music composition for the concert hall, he has also crossed over into media composition as well. I think we should all be open-minded about exploring the possibilities presented by the various mediums in which we can work. Media composition poses challenges that can stretch one's creativity. Personally, I have found the work to be endlessly creative and fulfilling. :)

I think it is possible to be a professional composer without a formal music education. High school drop-out Danny Elfman is the most prominent example. I don't know if it can all be taught through books and the internet. A lot of the really useful knowledge is just a trial-and-error process, since everyone approaches music composition from their own point-of-view and with their own creative strengths. However, there are two books I remember reading when I was starting out -- The Complete Guide to Game Audio, Second Edition: For Composers, Musicians, Sound Designers, Game Developers (Gama Network Series) I leaned heavily on this one at the very beginning of my career. The Fat Man on Game Audio: Tasty Morsels of Sonic Goodness (New Riders Games) This is a funny book full of entertaining anecdotes about the life of a game composer. Also, I was interviewed for a couple of books which are helpful references for composers working in video games, television and film: Keeping Score: Interviews with Today's Top Film, Television, and Game Music Composers Cash Tracks: Compose, Produce, and Sell Your Original Soundtrack Music and Jingles

There is a wikipedia blurb article on Dynamic music (another name for interactive music). The definition is somewhat simplified, but it is a good starting point - Dynamic music - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks, Phil. :-) Here's my answer for the YC techies: My DAW has been Pro Tools for many years. I tend to stick with the TC Electronic System 6000 instead of plugins, because I like the centralized solution that doesn't take any processing power away from my DAW. Plus, the System 6000 is just so versatile, I have run into very few instances where I would need to look elsewhere. Apart from that, I'll occasionally use the Q10 and Renaissance Axx, but I don't need them very often. I use Sibelius for notation. I host my libraries in Kontakt. That's about it -- I try to keep my workflow simple. -Winifred :yc:

Thanks, composerorganist! I think that's great advice about preparing for a face-to-face meeting. Guys, I've enjoyed this thread very much. Please feel free to contact me through this thread or my Facebook page if you'd like to continue the discussion. I'm having a good time. :)

Thanks for the kind words, Marius. You have always been a deep thinker about video game music, so while I am 100% supportive of what Sound Byte is doing, I can appreciate your passion for a more in-depth conversation. Its great that more and more journalists and reviewers are pondering the role that game music should play in the overall video game experience.

Sophia Tong is doing a fantastic service with her Sound Byte blog on GameSpot! She's bringing attention to the audio side of the video game industry -- not only composers, but sound designers, voice talent and audio directors too! She could not be more supportive of us. Game audio professionals are constantly experimenting with the advances in surround sound implementation, interactivity and increasingly sophisticated standards for the level of quality that is delivered in the final product, and I'm very grateful to Sophia for noticing the strides we're making and shining a spotlight on us. She's doing a wonderful thing, and in my mind, she's wearing a cape and flying over the game industry metropolis! :)

Thanks, Phil! It really is tremendously gratifying to know that you are enjoying what I've been doing lately, and I appreciate that support very much. :) Your question is very interesting. From my perspective, composing for interactive media has been quite liberating. But it depends on how you define the word, I suppose. From my experience, music in an interactive project tends to stand out more, takes a more centralized role in the experience, so that lets the composer participate more in the storytelling process. That's tremendously liberating and inspirational. On the other hand, interactive music has to be... interactive. There are a lot of technical constraints to consider, and it takes a while to wrap your head around all that. At the beginning it can feel restrictive. Once I got comfortable with it, I found the technical aspects of the work to be a cool challenge. Its like puzzle solving. Sometimes the puzzle opens up a new part of your brain that you didn't know was there, and all sorts of unique solutions pop up. -Winifred

You're welcome. Glad to help. :yc: