Post by Alec Weesner on May 22, 2018 12:28:21 GMT -8
Greetings fellows! Clark Aboud has been the composer for various Indie titles such as "Make Sail" and "Slay the Spire". I got the chance to interview him, asking questions about video-game composing!
1. When you have an idea for a song, how do you put that idea into reality within a song?
Depends what it is: If the track is for a medieval game, what
colours/instruments/harmonies am I using to bring that vibe? If a
piece is a part of a bigger picture with planned themes, how am I
using them/developing them? Just having a clear idea and keeping
that in mind while writing.
2. What methods do you use to effectively transition music between scenes?
If we're talking Film: I'm not going to be able to give you any
advice that's as good as what you'd get from watching and listening
to films/etc... you love or scored by composers you love. Learn from
how they do it. If we're talking Games/within Gameplay: Middleware
like Wwise/Fmod/etc... (should the project allow it)
3. Are there any secret techniques you regularly employ?
Make some templates in your DAW to speed things up. If it ain't
bass content, give it some high-pass. I like crappy sounding delays?
Listen to all kinds of music.
4. How often do you do sound effects? What techniques do you use to incorporate them into your music?
Often enough. The main thing I like to think about when
approaching it, is getting them to feel like they're in the same
universe as the music.
5. Any specific “lessons learned” stories on a project you could share?
If you're being paid to write for a game/film/someone else's
project, remember you're being paid to write for a someone else's
project. If they say that something isn't working in a particular
part/scene, it's not working. Don't reply with an email on why you
think it does, blah blah blah. With them, figure out what the issue
is, and fix what's not working. (And within reason, don't go wild
with revision after revision after revision. Have a contract, and be
real with who you're working with, they'll understand that you can't
revise until you die.)
6. How do you balance the creative freedom you want to have as a composer vs. what the developer wants for his project?
(note: whether you're writing for games/films/ads/whatever,
you'll be working with tons of cool people. I totally get that it's
a hypothetical situation for a good question, and I don't know if
this is for your personal learning or a blog post but think about
"for their project")
If you've got an idea that supports the project but isn't entirely
within the realm of what they're laying out, pitch it. Or blend what
excites you with what they're requesting. Hopefully they've hired you
because they like what you do in the first place (aka, don't put
music you don't like writing in your demo reel just because you
think it has to be there).
7. What techniques do you use to make plug-ins sound more realistic?
Plugins like EQs/compressors/etc... or sample libraries? I don't
know if I have a great reference of what realistic is if I'm trying
to make some emulation eq plugin sound like the hardware unit, as
I've only had a few experiences with them, but subtlety maybe? If
you're going for a "realistic" sound don't cut or boost frequencies super
harshly, or don't have a massive drowning reverb if you're after a
real world hall feel.
If it's sample libraries, study some orchestration and what those
instruments can actually do. Tons of good free scores to transcribe
online (just listening and trying to work out what's happening by
ear, then checking with the score, just bit by bit.)
8. Is there anyone else in specific you recommend I should speak to?
Again, not sure if you're asking for your own dope knowledge
bank of music tips, but really whoever is out there writing music
you're into, and specific questions that you might have regarding
work they've done. And if for a post, I'd definitely vouch for
having a diverse range of composers, different viewpoints are how
you get all them good ideas.
1. When you have an idea for a song, how do you put that idea into reality within a song?
Depends what it is: If the track is for a medieval game, what
colours/instruments/harmonies am I using to bring that vibe? If a
piece is a part of a bigger picture with planned themes, how am I
using them/developing them? Just having a clear idea and keeping
that in mind while writing.
2. What methods do you use to effectively transition music between scenes?
If we're talking Film: I'm not going to be able to give you any
advice that's as good as what you'd get from watching and listening
to films/etc... you love or scored by composers you love. Learn from
how they do it. If we're talking Games/within Gameplay: Middleware
like Wwise/Fmod/etc... (should the project allow it)
3. Are there any secret techniques you regularly employ?
Make some templates in your DAW to speed things up. If it ain't
bass content, give it some high-pass. I like crappy sounding delays?
Listen to all kinds of music.
4. How often do you do sound effects? What techniques do you use to incorporate them into your music?
Often enough. The main thing I like to think about when
approaching it, is getting them to feel like they're in the same
universe as the music.
5. Any specific “lessons learned” stories on a project you could share?
If you're being paid to write for a game/film/someone else's
project, remember you're being paid to write for a someone else's
project. If they say that something isn't working in a particular
part/scene, it's not working. Don't reply with an email on why you
think it does, blah blah blah. With them, figure out what the issue
is, and fix what's not working. (And within reason, don't go wild
with revision after revision after revision. Have a contract, and be
real with who you're working with, they'll understand that you can't
revise until you die.)
6. How do you balance the creative freedom you want to have as a composer vs. what the developer wants for his project?
(note: whether you're writing for games/films/ads/whatever,
you'll be working with tons of cool people. I totally get that it's
a hypothetical situation for a good question, and I don't know if
this is for your personal learning or a blog post but think about
"for their project")
If you've got an idea that supports the project but isn't entirely
within the realm of what they're laying out, pitch it. Or blend what
excites you with what they're requesting. Hopefully they've hired you
because they like what you do in the first place (aka, don't put
music you don't like writing in your demo reel just because you
think it has to be there).
7. What techniques do you use to make plug-ins sound more realistic?
Plugins like EQs/compressors/etc... or sample libraries? I don't
know if I have a great reference of what realistic is if I'm trying
to make some emulation eq plugin sound like the hardware unit, as
I've only had a few experiences with them, but subtlety maybe? If
you're going for a "realistic" sound don't cut or boost frequencies super
harshly, or don't have a massive drowning reverb if you're after a
real world hall feel.
If it's sample libraries, study some orchestration and what those
instruments can actually do. Tons of good free scores to transcribe
online (just listening and trying to work out what's happening by
ear, then checking with the score, just bit by bit.)
8. Is there anyone else in specific you recommend I should speak to?
Again, not sure if you're asking for your own dope knowledge
bank of music tips, but really whoever is out there writing music
you're into, and specific questions that you might have regarding
work they've done. And if for a post, I'd definitely vouch for
having a diverse range of composers, different viewpoints are how
you get all them good ideas.