loading
Articles

Video games are the new best way to make a living for music composers

Published by Afterschool.my on Feb 20, 2014, 11:41 am

main_oo_1602_p3a

Are you familiar with the term 'starving artist'?

It can be a tough world for most musicians but music and sound production in games is becoming a viable way for today's composers. Demand for music in TV shows, movies, commercials, websites, and video games is growing and this is made evident with the latest score produced by two Malaysians.

"Falk" Au Yeong Khai Meng and Alvin Wee, both alumni of International College of Music (ICOM), recorded and mixed the soundtrack for Lighting Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, the long-awaited finale in the epic series' 13th instalment.

Final Fantasy is one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time, with over 100 million units sold since its inception in 1987.

Working with Video Game Orchestra (VGO) producer Shota Nakama and composer Masashi Hamauzu, the two musicians were thrilled by the opportunity.

The team received Hamauzu’s music about a month before the planned recording dates, which kick-started Nakama’s orchestration work and Au Yeong’s preparation for the sessions.

“There were about 70 to 80 minutes of music for us to record. We also had to mix everything we recorded and deliver finished mixes,” said Au Yeong of the complex process.

As for Wee, the project came as a shock when Au Yeong roped him in as assistant engineer. “I spent a considerable amount of my youth playing video games and the Final Fantasy series itself.

“When Falk invited me over to his laboratory to check it out, it took me about five minutes to register what I saw and heard. I sat there speechless,” said Alvin. “The visuals are stunning,” he added.

 

RELATED POSTS
Latest News

Need help?
mail