Occupation sound designer: how to create music and voice acting for the game

A good game does not do without the original voice. Voices of characters, sounds, music - all of this work is a sound designer. "MakRadar" contacted four well-known experts in the field and asked to talk about their work.

Alexander Ahura, the author of Voice over 200 games, including a series of Zombotron, Snail Bob 3-8, Train Valley, Wake Up the Box 3-5, Back to Zombieland

I mostly casual games, that is not serious. Therefore, in my case, a core skill - to stay in the heart cheerful boy with writing music and selection of sounds. Seriously speaking, the composer, who writes for the games must have the basic skills of writing music, in particular, the skill of harmony. It is possible to learn in the old cartoons of 50-70 years of the last century. There's just the music that could be called "gaming", she shows well how to write music for games.

I'm just a lot of projects. Ideal case - when I get used to the game, I start to feel it from the inside. For example, I recently worked on a game in which there were toy knights. I made music with medieval motifs, where the lute as the primary tool used. I added some epic notes. So I lived my life to the characters of the game, as if he was in the Middle Ages.

My approach to writing music can be called intuitive abstract. And there are composers who will not work without dizdoka. In dizdoke detailed characters, plot, graphical style, levels, gameplay, weapons, interface, and so on.

Getting started with the sound depends on the developer, and some at the last moment to contact me. This is a bad option. A good option - when there is a basic graphical style, maybe the initial gameplay. Then you can try, such as the experiment. After all, rarely turns out well the first time.

Games with an excellent, in my opinion, the voice acting I'd call mobile game Machinarium, Botanicula, Shadowmatic.

Peter Rudenko, author of music for «Lost Toys» game

For me, the music - it is a hobby, so I write songs and share them available under a free license. To me from time to time requested to be allowed to use the music in their projects. So it was with «Lost Toys». I wrote a producer, Daniel, and we have agreed that they will take the tracks in the game. On this, my participation in the work over the game. After the release of «Lost Toys» was sent to me as a gift iPad 4.

Over the past few years I have developed my style of work. For me, the key concept - that state. Sometimes it is said that music - it is emotional language of the broadcast, but the word "emotion" I do not like it too dull, incomprehensible. But when we speak of the state, then everything is clear, because the state - inside you, you feel it. I need a few days to tune in to catch the creative state, and a few more to get back to normal, normal state. So I'm writing a little.

By profession I am a programmer. Existing solutions for recording music did not suit me, so I wrote my sequencer. And write music in it. To order I do not write, I can remember only one instance when working on a Fallout mods.

Ress Black Forest, the author of music to games Legends of Eisenwald, Ancient Planet, Divide By Sheep, Nelly 2

Need to know the basics of music theory and composition, to be able to work with synths and sample libraries, have at least basic knowledge of sound production. Then it all depends on the specialization: many composers working in a certain style. Some write vosmibitku and deepened in the synthesis of the sound; others write symphonic orchestration and study, especially the sound of live instruments. Sound engineering knowledge required in order to be able to keep track, make him well, commercially sound. And the game is worth the composer to understand game design - understanding of the relationship between gameplay and the music is very important in the work.

Sound designer creates sound effects, and in this case the voice of game events, animation, characters, interface, and so on. Sounds are taken from the library, which he buys or creates, many experts will write the sound for a specific project. In a broad sense, sound designers often referred to as audio producers. Such specialists create a common auditory style of play and help implement the sounds - locate in the game space, place on Wednesday, indicate the conditions under which the sound should played.

When I start working on a project to build the beginning of the look of the game, game designers consult with the setting and the story about the details, prescribe sound dramaturgy and specifies the terms of reference. It happens that I want to implement, does not fit the budget, or takes too much work time programming - then it is necessary to adjust the drama. After that, I start writing music (sketchiruyu, bring to finish sound) create and help implement sfx. To make sfx for animation, I always shoot gameplay video with the desired item, whether it be a character, a button or screen with winning enthusiasm and fireworks. When the game is announced, I will test it with the sound and am making changes - even considering working with videos and jewelry adjustment to the timing of the animation, the game sounds a lot different than in the sequencer.

Typically, developers agree with me, when the game is almost ready. Sometimes, turning back when there is a prototype gameplay and graphics sketchevaya, then I first create a rough music, and then when the game is ready, do the rest. Sometimes developers are so inspired by the music, which adds new items to the game - this is usually for the plot.

Sergei Melkonyan, author of music for the game Shadowmatic

composing music for games has its own specifics. First, it is always given circumstances, and you can not go beyond the limits. You should clearly know devaysa technical specifications for the game, whether it is iPhone, iPad, or something else. Secondly, you need to take into account the age of the players. For example, in our game Shadowmatic age of the players from 4 years old to 40 and older. We had to find a middle ground to suit all categories of players. After all, someone calm in nature and plays as well as someone more impulsive. Even among the genres of games has its own specifics of writing music. I composed and arcades, and quests. Always has its own nuances.

In Shadowmatic eight main rooms, one of them for children, and I could not at first find a suitable theme music. After many attempts I renamed the theme of "children's room" to "childhood" and began to compose not a children's music, music, reminiscent of childhood. After all adults have something to remember.

My method of writing specific music. I start with a search for a specific algorithm.

For Shadowmatic I learned the breathing rhythm of people during playback of various compositions. How many breaths does an adult, a child, how to change the characteristics of breath in the moments of joy, sadness, and so on.

Three weeks after the start of the study, I found an algorithm to write music for Shadowmatic and wrote 11 songs. Each of them has its own drama, its own history.

Before becoming a musician, I have finished the Theater Institute. For example, in acting is such a thing as a tempo-rhythm. When writing music, I often use the theatrical traditions. It helps me.

For Shadowmatic I not only wrote the music, but also worked as a sound designer, sound effects, though, as such, the game is not much. Work sound designer is not fundamentally different from the work of graphic designer - the same layers, imagination and compromise between technical decisions and emotional impulses.