Game Audio Network Guild

This is my first GANG blog, but I’ve been trying my hand at blogging elsewhere for a few years now. I’ll be short on my introduction, but if you’re interested in checking out the blogspace that I use to share news about my games and other career-related things, you can check it out here.

My name is Harry Mack and I love indie game culture. That is not to disparage the bigger, shinier, 3Der mission of the mainstream industry. However, I definitely belong where the hands-on passion, interesting games, and unique industry visionaries are.

I have been in the industry for about ten years, a fifty-fifty split between in-house and out-house (or freelance if that’s too lavatoryesque). I’ve been a pianist for twice that time, with a formal background in music and a little game design education for bonus marks. 

This year’s GDC brought me a fun blast from the past. I’d like to take a moment to use it to highlight some of the stepping stones that originally led me into the indie game world.

Those of you in attendance at the GDC this year may have caught a great little panel titled “What you Need to Know About Casual Games 2010 .” Speakers Nick Fortugno and Juan Gril did an excellent job rapidly reviewing some of the innovative and dominant trends in casual game space over the last year.

Just to clarify, from Nick and Juan’s perspective ‘casual’ game really means ‘super-awesome indie’ game. They shared a lot of insight and perspective into experimental design choices, and it was also a source for leads on some new games to try out.

I enjoyed it so much, that I decided to do some looking back into their presentations at past GDCs. I got quite the surprise when I found out that examples chosen for two of four of the 2009 categories were games that I worked on. Corpse Craft was selected to highlight new themes and mechanics in multiplayer games. To show a trend in the evolution of arcade games they recognized Braid ’s innovation and brilliant level design. 

Even if it took place a year ago, it was nice to see these very creative games getting recognition. If you’re interested in checking  out the session transcript, it is still posted on Gamasutra. 

For me it was a chance to reflect on some of the excellent memories that began my serious love affair with indie games. I mean we flirted before, but those games were the moment where it became really serious. Now that I am completely immersed, I look constantly forward to being one of a sea of participants playing a role in creatively shaping the indie community, both locally and globally.

It would be great to hear from any other game audio designers out there with a similar focus.

Greetings all...

Having just joined G.A.N.G. and recently returned home from my first experience of GDC, I thought I'd best begin my Blog in an introductory fashion.

I'm a Composer/Audio Engineer based near Newcastle, Australia. 33 going on 34, and endeavoring to establish myself in the Games Audio Industry.  

For the past twenty years or so I have expressed my creativity in a non-professional manner, through live musical performance (guitars, drums and vocals) and composition. My compositional experience has entailed work for short films, dance productions and numerous bands and solo-projects.  

I have also completed studies in audio engineering, and have recorded, mixed, mastered and co-produced material for several other artists.

Until recently I managed a large retail environment, turning over tens of millions of dollars each year, with around 40 team members to nurture. As fast-paced and exciting as my position was, it did not satisfy my insatiable creative urges. Thus, my partner Melinda and I founded Microscopic Media as a platform to combine my creative talents with my business experience. Fortunately we may also call on Melinda's seven years experience in retail and operations management when I need to concentrate on getting creative. 

My first GDC in San Francisco was an amazing experience. Everyone I met from the audio community were very welcoming and approachable, which was a refreshing change from the music and film industries. No-one was 'too important' to have a conversation with me, or to exchange contact details. So thanks to those I met, and I look forward to meeting more of you through G.A.N.G.

What fills my time besides music you may ask?

Gaming of course! Although these days I do limit myself to PS3 (ID: Belegur) and iPhone in the interests of productivity.

I'm also obsessed with motorsport of all kinds. I have previously owned a racing kart and have also driven several other race cars. Apart from attending GDC, most of my other vacations have been planned around attending a motorsport event, however I did manage to see the NASCAR race at Vegas while I was in the USA :)

Photography, other visual art mediums, and travel are the other things that enrich my life on a regular basis.

If you want to know more about Microscopic Media or myself, please message me, check out http://www.microscopicmedia.com , or you can also find me on Facebook.

Thanks again for the warm welcome, and I hope to work with some of you on exciting projects in the future.

Cheers,

Brad. 

How are you doing folks?

I hope all is well, soon we have the christmas rush upon us. yey! =)
Last week I produced a couple of new themes (as usual), some pitches and I'm also working on the third AZURE album with my friend Robban Kanto.
5 new songs are currently in proces, I've wrecked some of my drum-gear so I have to buy some new stuff this weekend.

Ahh, and I also just got the heads up from CDbaby that the two EMBRACING albums we produced in 1996/1997 will be released on digital distribution in the coming weeks. iTunes, Spotify etc. So check them out when they are available.

 Don't forget to check my twitter and webpage www.morningdewmedia.com
for new music themes and mp3 demos.

Have a nice weekend my fellow audio artists!

Cheers,

Mattias Holmgren
MORNINGDEW MEDIA
http://www.morningdewmedia.com

Hi!

 Just wanted to share a trailer.  It´s from a small game we´re  doing all audio for, thought would be cool because it´s very fun and it´s Hallowen!  ;-)

Cheers,

J & G

Pro Zombie Soccer Trailer 1

Music Teaser 1

Music Teaser 2

MCV PR Note

(From the January, 2007 issue of Game Developer Magazine) 

The music revolution has arrived and in its wake lay the bankrupt husks of once-mighty megaliths like Tower and Sam Goody.  While Napster struck the first blow, the undisputed successor to the throne of legal music downloading is Apple’s iTunes Music Store.  By offering decent quality downloads at reasonable prices, iTunes is largely driving the changes reshaping media distribution channels in the 21^st century.

While seemingly every film gets a soundtrack release these days, game soundtracks are still extreme rarities outside of Japan.  This is largely attributed to the limited return game soundtracks bring in when compared to the costs involved in production, distribution, and marketing of the discs themselves.  However, an online distribution model changes this dramatically and already music by Chance Thomas, Jack Wall, and Marty O’Donnell sits under the iTunes “Soundtrack” category.

Convincing your publisher that a game soundtrack is a good idea is a topic all its own.  This month, though, we’re going to look at what it takes to get your music listed on iTunes.  There are essentially two methods: directly through Apple or through a digital distributor.

THE APPLE WAY

iTunes is a great opportunity for independent artists and smaller labels to easily distribute their music world wide.  However, finding their online application can be difficult as all of the necessary links are in out of the way places on Apple.com.  Start at www.apple.com/itunes and click on the light gray hypertext link at the bottom of the screen that reads “Working With iTunes: Labels & Artists.”  On the following “Labels & Artists” page, the application to apply is linked to in the first blue box on the right side of the screen, conveniently labeled “iTunes Music Store Online Application.”

After complying with a brief “don’t call us, we’ll call you” and “you better own the rights to this stuff” warning from Apple, you’re ready to apply.  The application comes in two relatively short parts.  The first section is all about contact info and where globally you have the rights to distribute the music.  The second part of the application is about the content – is it music, how many albums, how many tracks, and any other info you’d like to let Apple know.  Pretty simple stuff.

Here’s the snag with the Apple method.  As Apple is fond of telling you, real people read and evaluate every application that comes through their site.  As such, the word on the street is that Apple can take a very long time to get back to artists, if ever.  Since Apple doesn’t approve every artist who applies and you already clicked on the “don’t call us” button, the whole process can feel a bit like throwing a feather down a deep well and waiting to hear some sort of splash.

If you do hear back from Apple, you’ll need to download their free iTunes Producer software to edit track metadata, attach album artwork, and convert tracks into the necessary AAC file format.  Monetarily, there is no fee to apply, but Apple will take 35% of all sales.  The other 65% goes to the record label, which in this case might be the game’s publisher, the artist, or an actual record label.  How much you as the artist will see of that remaining 65% is completely dependent upon the specifics of your individual deal.

You will also need to set up your music with a UPC code for each album and ISRC codes for each track.  The UPC barcode is used to track individual albums sold and the ISRC codes function as a digital fingerprint for every song in distribution.  To create your own barcodes, you need to become a member of GS1 US and obtain a unique company prefix.  This can cost as much as $750.  If you’re going through your publisher or an established record label, you may be able to get a UPC code through them.  ISRC codes can be obtained for free from the Recording Industry Association of America (www.riaa.com).

THE OTHER WAY

The other option is to contract with a digital distributor.  A digital distributor works just like their real-world counterparts.  You give them music and they work on getting it distributed to vendors.  In this case, that means online music retail services such as iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody, etc.  Digital distributors do the legwork for their artists and then take a small percentage of the return from sales as commission.  Distributor legwork includes digitizing the music and converting it into all required file formats for the various retail outlets. Turn around times range from about 2 weeks to 4 months, depending on the retailer.

The leading digital distributor right now is CD Baby, though others such as IRIS, indie911 and the IODA also exist.  Artists are charged an initial “set-up” fee of $35 and $20 per UPC code.  For their part, though, CD Baby then handles all necessary file format conversions, acquisition of ISRC numbers, and then the actual distribution.  Payment is then made a week after they receive the money from the retailers.

While primarily established to aid independent and unsigned bands, digital distributors can remove many of the hassles associated with the Apple method.  Additionally, your music will find its way to more than just iTunes.  The downside however is a smaller monetary return and the insertion of a middle-man between you and your music on iTunes.