Hey there... For the couple years past in my life I''ve been creating music for the fun of it, and I came along Gamedev.net and started making a big list of theme songs and such for games. I''m experience(meaning i''ve worked for a couple small projects) and I''d like to have some people look at some of my music. The music below is a low-fi stream link to each of the songs(WHEN YOU ClICK THE LINKS BELOW YOU WILL BE DIRECTED TO A LOW-FI PLAY SITE), but if you want to do high-fi play, or download the song head to my mp3.com page HERE. Try AMAZEMENT for a gloomy theme, kind of like a mystical forest or cave. Try BLUE MERE for something around a town theme... However I''ve updated this one, and it''s way better(in my opinion, but many like it the way it is now). Try DESTROYED for another gloomy, but more sad sound to it. Try DISTORTED-F(pretty cool song here) for anything as well... I really think this is one of my best songs althought its not amazing, its perfect for a game. Try *BEAUTY for an appreciation of beauty theme. Try RELOAD for some industrial beats throughout the song(although this one is good, it isn''t quite game music). These are songs I''d listen to. The others on the page can be used for certain themes, but there are alot of them just to show the many beats and sounds I can create. If you want to talk to me about a job or anything, ESPECIALLY feedback. I have no problem reading this posts replies, or getting an email at kingmxf@hotmail.com. Thanks alot.

Hi!

I''m also a game musician and I listened to a couple of your songs. I think you''ve got some good ideas and potential . Here''s some tips:

1) Constantly posting to the message boards is gonna give you a bad reputation. One post or maybe two (if they''re going to different boards) should be more than sufficient. I''m not trying to be mean or anything, I learned myself the hard way that approach doesn''t work.

2) When you advertise, make sure you choose your words carefully. You want to play up your strengths and you also want to look as professional as possible.

3) This is an important one: QUALITY OVER QUANTITY! Show off only your best work. People don''t want to wade through 50 (or even 10) songs to find your best one. Sometimes just 1 or 2 examples is all you need to impress.

4) Know how to market your material right. You seem to be going for an "fantasy RPG/adventure" type crowd but your songs are way too electronic and techno to fit a genre like that properly. A better way to market them might be towards games with a sci-fi theme.

5) Be willing to work for on small projects if you''re just starting out. Doing some small freeware and shareware games to get your name out. If you''re out for a quick buck game music isn''t the answer. Actually, unless you''re prepared to sell your soul to Satan, music isn''t a quick path to success in general.

6) Finally, and most importantly of all. If you''re really interested in music, work on your craft as much as you can. You''ve gotta really love it to make it work. Also, listen to as much music as you can and keep open ears to all types of music. There''s no better way to grow than to listen to other great musicians. I''ve only been composing for five years or so but when I started out I was absolutely TERRIBLE and I also had pretty narrow music tastes. Now, I''ve grown tons, know so much more about how to make good music, and I probably know so much about musicians that I could crediblely write reviews for Spin or something. :-)

That''s pretty much all I''ve learned about the music (and game music) industry. Anyone who reads this can feel free to dispute my points ''cause it''s very easy I could be wrong. Good luck!

Geoff

You pretty much nailed it, Geoff.

I work at a small game company in Hollywood as a game designer, but lately I''ve been getting a chance to do Audio on tiny shockwave applications.

These have been turning out pretty well, and its going to give me a chance to work on one of our big projects in the future. Before this job, I was doing all free work for whoever wanted something done.

What a lot of people don''t realize is that being a musician in the game field might be tougher than any other area...the reason for this is that you have to have a wide variety of musical skills--writing compositions from Orchestral to Trance...and always the way THEY want, and not what you think they need.

That''s the one lesson you forgot.

Brian Tuey
ChronicGroove
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/131/project_wednesday.html

Thanks for agreeing with me. :-)

Yeah, I forgot to add that. Of course, it''s good to also have a few areas of speciality. For example, I consider my strengths to be techno, orchestral, and jazz but I might for example, do research on how to compose a "genre" tune in an unusual style, like bluegrass for instance. I usually analyze the scores of a couple MIDIs or noodle along to an MP3 to get an idea. I also think it''s important, no matter what genre you''re composing in to leave your own indelable "mark" on a composition. It makes you stand out from the rest.

Well, I really wish there was an active forum here of people discussing all sorts of music and audio stuff, but it doesn''t look like it''s gonna happen. Tried to listen to your stuff Brian but MP3.com''s connection kept on timing out. Getting kinda tired... looks like I wasn''t signed in on my last post for some reason... hmm... I hope I am for this one..

Geoff
http://www.geocities.com/geoffmillermusic/ (temporary page until I get around to doing some fancy HTML and add more songs)

Ok I understand what your trying to teach me... But your teaching me mechanics and such which I dont really worry about. I guess I tend to come off as someone who wants to be known and all that because of my constant posts... but I want to make something clear

I post for feedback on the music, all the stuff you mentioned isn''t for me, I dont wish to be known, all I wish to do is make my music better and better, cause thats all i care about. I just care about the music, I''m a musician.. not some guy that wants to make money and such from it, to be honest I make music so that I can listen to it, and replicate the feeling of what I''ve felt in other games...

In fact a long time ago i remember downloading the midi file of Chrono Trigger, the Sad Theme Song... and I''d constantly listen to that because it made me feel for the characters and such within the game even while I wasn''t playing.

All I wish to do is make good music
although I appreciate your help and such, and I may sound corney, but its not for me.