How i work : 3 steps to your soundtrack
Creating a video game soundtrack isn’t just about jumping on an instrument and pressing the record button. The composer must have a deep understanding of the developer’s vision and game’s mechanics in order to convey his musical knowledge. He will not only produce the music needed, but will also offer a fresh perspective and help the team push musical boundaries. To get to these results, my workflow revolves around three phases :
Step 1 : Research phase
This phase aims to set the artistic direction of the soundtrack, by defining the game’s musical DNA and getting the right mood for the music.
We will talk about musical styles, choices of instruments and influences. Then you will be provided with a “mood track” to set the base of the music to come.
The next move will be to define the technical needs : the kind of music that will be produced (ambiance, theme, combat, cinematic…), the quantity, the lengths and formats (loopable, linear, adaptive…).
=> You will have a clear view on the scope of work to be done, how and when it will be completed.
Step 2 : Design phase
The composition process starts here, we will shape musical ideas into full tracks.
A mockup will be composed for each music defined along the first step.
This phase also includes the music integration to the game, through middleware like FMOD & Wwise or directly in the game engine, depending on the needs.
=> You will directly oversee and guide the composition and integration processes through your feedbacks.
Step 3 : Production phase
It’s now time to finalize the soundtrack, and turn the mockups into fully produced tracks.
Minor musical arrangements can be made at this point to fine-tune the whole work.
Then each title is mixed and mastered to fit the game perfectly : the definitive music is now ready to be played in the game.
=> Enjoy a higly personalized and fully produced soundtrack implemented on your game.
About me : my musical journey
I started with learning guitar and music theory by the age of twelve. At that time i had already spent countless hours on my Atari ST, Master System, Game Gear and Snes.
I spent my high school years playing in various bands, leveled up to Playstation and PC, and then studied at the Music Academy International, Nancy, France.
My professional carreer began by teaching guitar, music theory and composition in music schools. It was a matter of time before i started composing for video games, and immediately fell in love with the variety of musical situations this media can bring.
Since then, i share my musical knowledge with developers to help them bring their project to life; mixing rock, metal, electro and a hint of orchestral instruments.
