Growth never happens in the comfort zone. In this episode, I share stories from my own career as a game composer—times when I stepped into unfamiliar, uncomfortable situations and how those moments led to real breakthroughs. If you’re looking to grow your game composition career, this episode will challenge you to embrace risk, push past fear, and recognize that the opportunities you’re seeking often lie just outside your comfort zone.
Looking for more resources to help you level up your composing career? Check out this video on the 4 books that launched my career (on my NEW youtube channel!)
https://youtu.be/n0g5TbCMs6c
What should you charge to score a game? Should you sign an exclusive contract—or not? How do you protect your creative rights without burning bridges?
In this episode, I sit down with Noa Beazley, a Boston-based composer and multi-instrumentalist whose game scores span genres—from the Latin-metal fusion of Protodroid DeLTA to the orchestral fantasy of A Token War. Noa teaches game scoring at Berklee College of Music, speaks regularly at major conferences like GDC and PAX, and brings a wealth of insight into both the creative and business sides of the industry.
We dive deep into the realities of negotiating contracts as a game composer: rates, exclusivity,, best practices, and more. Whether you're just starting out or already working in game audio, this conversation offers actionable advice.
Follow Noa
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/noabeazley.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noabeazley/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noa-beazley-b74a7620a/
How does your music sound? Maybe the notes are good, but the recording sounds like General MIDI from 1991. Maybe the production is good, but your music sounds like everyone else. Maybe you have no idea how your music stacks up.
Today's guest, Jason Walsh, has worked for over a decade on some of the largest projects in the game industry. Jason's high level of expertise comes in part from wearing many hats—from senior composer at Riot Games to thriving freelancer, sound designer to mix engineer, to composer. Jason has a unique voice in game audio and offers so many ways to make your music more distinct, uniquely you, and higher quality.
To follow Jason and listen to his music, check out the links below:
Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4dKqulo3dOAgwda3SK6Ihu
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/jasonnicholaswalsh/
Website
https://www.jason-walsh.com
At the start of your game audio career, you’ll need to grind. A lot. Finding consistent work means meeting people, stepping out of your comfort zone, and spending an inordinate amount of time on business activities—not just writing music.
But over time, your career can pivot. Opportunities begin to flow to you, and your days become more focused on the creative work you love.
Chris Rickwood has made that transition. In this episode, he shares hard-earned insights on the skills, mindset, and habits that helped him build a lasting, sustainable career as a video game composer.
Grab a notebook—this one’s packed with wisdom.
Gina Zdanowicz, Founder and Audio Director of Serial Lab Sound, has cultivated a dynamic career spanning over two decades in the game industry, leaving an indelible mark on titles such as Eternights, Paladins, Just Cause 3, Bioshock 2, and numerous indie, e-Learning and midcore games. Gina has been instrumental in shaping the future generation of game audio professionals. Her impressive tenure includes leading and authoring courses at Berklee Online, as well as spearheading the establishment of the Game and Interactive Media Scoring Major at Berklee College of Music's campus. Gina's co-authorship of "The Game Audio Strategy Guide: A Practical Course" exemplifies her dedication to providing both theoretical foundations and practical insights into the nuanced world of game sound for enthusiasts and inquisitive minds alike. Beyond her contributions to academia, Gina's impact resonates throughout the gaming industry, where she serves as a mentor and has been a distinguished judge for esteemed awards such as the Game Audio Network Guild and IADAS.
Megan is primarily a video game composer. She did the music for River City Girls 1 & 2, the Halloween and Ash vs Evil Dead games from Retro Realms, and I believe she composed most of the music for the Atari Recharged games.
Not only does Megan do a ton of custom work for games, but she also earns income by licensing her music for TV and releasing her own music as an artist. I brought Megan on today to teach us how to create multiple streams of income using our musical talents.
In addition to all the great info she’ll be sharing, notice how cool and easy to talk to Megan is. I’ve found that the vast majority of working professionals in the game audio industry are not only great at their craft but also down-to-earth, genuine people. Let’s jump into this conversation with Megan McDuffee!
Today you’ll be listening in on a conversation with lifelong gamer, composer, and music designer Olivier Deriviere. He has created the music for games such as A Plague Tale: Innocence, A Plague Tale: Requiem, Dying Light 2, Streets of Rage 4, and, most recently, South of Midnight.
Equally impressive to his composing skills are Olivier’s talents in music design. He is a leading voice in pushing the boundaries of what game music can do.
In this interview, Olivier offers guidance on everything from mindset to the questions you should ask in meetings with developers, designing game music, and acting with intention and integrity as a collaborator on game projects.
Enjoy!
To learn more about Olivier and music design check out these useful links:
Olivier's Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@oderiviere
Olivier's website resources:
https://olivierderiviere.com/music-design/
Tobi Weiss is a video game composer who has amassed a following of over 120K on Instagram. He emphasizes the importance of being genuine with your audience and staying true to yourself while working hard to become known and find more work. This is a value-packed conversation for anyone looking to become more visible as a composer in a genuine and authentic way.
Follow Tobi on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/filmandgamemusic?igsh=ZGxmaDZtN3lqc3lt
There is a lot to do and learn as a freelance game composer and it can be hard to figure out what activities are most important to focus on, what skillsets are most important to develop, and how a composer needs to think to make this career happen.
This episode will help you get inside the head of professional composer Brendon WIlliams. He has composed for major franchises such as League of Legends, Guild Wars, and Start Wars. He has worked both as an in-house composer and a freelance composer.
Follow Brendon and listen to his music:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/brendoncomposer?igsh=MTVidDR4NXI2dTI3NQ==
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendoncomposer/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/BrendonComposer
Game composer, sound designer, and audio engineer Robbie Dolan talks about the top handful of skills that are essential for composers in order to carve out a career in today's marketplace. Robbie wasted no time establishing a strong career in the game industry and the knowledge and experience he shares are invaluable.
Michael Sweet is a video game composer, sound designer, audio director, and all around audio pro. He has also been teaching game audio at two of the top music programs in the world.
He has worked on over 100 award-winning games and has basically done it all in the world of game audio.
In our conversation, we talk in-depth about what interactive or adaptive music is, the fundamental building blocks of interactive music, how and when to use it, and how to compose it. This conversation is a masterclass on how to plan and create adaptive scores. Sweet also mentions different resources for improving as an adaptive music composer.
Youtube channels to check out:
Games that are good examples of adaptive audio:
Books
Today's episode is taken from module 3 of the START course. Module 3 is all about how to write demos that can help you find video game scoring work. This episode discusses the how and why of creating targeted demo music, and how targeted music is different than making music as an artist in general.
If you are interested in taking the START course head to thevideogamecomposerhq.com/start and join the waitlist. The course is completely free and you will be given access as soon as the course is launched.
Today’s Guest, Ryan Ike, is a very accomplished indie game composer and an all-around awesome dude. You can hear his music in indie game hits like Wizard With a Gun, Shadows Over Loathing, Where The Water Tastes Like Wine, Gunpoint, and more. We had a great conversation about Ryan's diligent method for becoming a strong game composer. I learned a lot from this conversation and had a lot of fun.
To follow or reach out to Ryan Ike:
Instagram: @ryanikeaudio
Website: https://www.ryanike.com
Ryan’s Microjams project that he speaks about: https://soundcloud.com/ryanike/sets/microjams
Want hands-on training to get your composer career off the ground, and off to a strong start? I am creating a new course called the START course. Through seven modules you be walked through setting up shop and getting started as a game composer. The course is completely free. Pre-register for the course to get automatic access as soon as the course is live.
https://thevideogamecomposerhq.com/start
Jeff Broadbent is an award-winning game composer who has worked on many of the industry's largest franchises, including Diablo, Apex Legends, Call of Duty, Assassins Creed, and many more. Not only is Jeff a talented composer but he is an effective networker and strategic business person. He has so much great information to share. I hope you are ready to take notes and implement some ideas.
We talk about how to improve the quality of your music, the importance of networking, and why you should study freelance business strategies as much as you can.
If you are looking for more guidance to get your video game composing career off the ground, I am creating a free START course. It is all about how to Start your career as a game composer. Many podcast listeners have had a lot of success applying the principles that will be covered in the START course. If this free resource is interesting to you click the link below to automatically be added to the course as soon as it is live!
https://thevideogamecomposerhq.com/start
If you are a mid level composer in your career, you have already been paid to write for games, tv or film and you are looking to reach the next level here is a great opportunity from Grammy composer/orchestrator Penka Kouneva.
Emerging and Mid-career composers for film and games: check out this Masterclass in Soundtrack Analysis and Media scoring. The class is presented by the Hollywood studio composer and orchestrator Penka Kouneva. 10 weeks of intense study (weekly composing & feedback, analysis lectures, private mentoring sessions, independent score study & tons of curated reading). The objective of this experience is to give you a competitive edge and to propel you forward on your artist and career path.www.penkamasterclasses.com
This episode discusses three areas of focus that can help you make great progress in your video game composing career. Having a system and goals for music creation, building up a team of people around you, and tracking your progress are all powerful tools to help you achieve and succeed in this competitive and exciting journey.
For even more detailed and hands-on help to kickstart your composing career and land your first gigs, sign up for my FREE Start Course (Start Your Composer Career). The course is expected to be released in late February or March 2024. Use the link below to get instant access to the course as soon as it is out: https://thevideogamecomposerhq.com/start
For more advanced composers: Emerging and mid-career composers for film and games, check out this Masterclass in Soundtrack Analysis and Media Scoring. The class is presented by Hollywood studio composer and orchestrator Penka Kouneva. The 10-week program includes intense study with weekly composing and feedback, analysis lectures, private mentoring sessions, independent score study, and tons of curated reading. The objective of this experience is to give you a competitive edge and propel you forward on your artist and career path. Visit www.penkamasterclasses.com for more information.
Grammy-nominated composer J Scott Rakozy talks to us about his background in music, his process for creating convincing midi mach-ups, how he got to do the music for Hogwarts Legacy and much more!
Check out more about Scott at his website and Instagram:
https://www.jscottrakozy.com
https://www.instagram.com/rockinrakozy/
Emerging and Mid-career composers for film and games: check out this Masterclass in Soundtrack Analysis and Media scoring. The class is presented by the Hollywood studio composer and orchestrator Penka Kouneva. 10 weeks of intense study (weekly composing & feedback, analysis lectures, private mentoring sessions, independent score study & tons of curated reading). The objective of this experience is to give you a competitive edge and to propel you forward on your artist and career path.www.penkamasterclasses.com
Enjoy this special edition episode celebrating my 5-year anniversary as a video game composer. I give career highlights and share the big lessons I learned each year. If this episode is helpful or inspiring please share it with another game audio person you know. If you don't know any, meet someone. You can start with me, shoot me an email at thevideogamecomposerpodcast@gmail.com
Vinicius is an LA-based composer for film, tv and video games. He was nominated for an Emmy with his music editor work on Go Go Cory Carson. Vinicius reveals what he did to build connections and start working with well-established composers on major projects. There are a lot of invaluable and fresh ideas shared in this episode. Listen carefully and be ready to take notes and then take action!
Be sure to reach out with questions or episode ideas thevideogamecomposerpodcast@gmail.com
Nate Madsen is a long time veteran composer in the video game industry, with extensive experience as a freelance and in-house game composer. Nate shares really great insights and personal experiences on networking, prospecting for projects, personal improvement and so much more.
Follow Nate at his website https://madsenstudios.com
