Video Game Music!! 201smoothly shift from one musical section to another, as mentioned in the
previous paragraph.
General Information
Not all game publishers have budgets to hire full orchestras to accompany
their games. Consequently, game composers have to compose, arrange,
and orchestrate complete scores using samplers and synthesizers. They
must also become competent engineers. Games with minimal budgets do
not generally afford composers the ability to hire engineers. It is wise to
hire minimum numbers of musicians to accompany the sampled and syn-
thesized parts so that the score sounds more ‘‘humanized.’’ As mentioned
earlier in the book, adding several live musicians to sampled or synthe-
sized sections as well as using live musicians as soloists can often make an
entire orchestral section or solo sound real. Composers must select the
most appropriate use of the live players. For example, if a budget allows
for only five live musicians, you might not hire a live vibraphone player if
the part sounds acceptable when played with a sample. If the vibraphone
part were a jazz solo, then it would be wise to hire a jazz vibraphonist.
Only the composer can make these decisions. Unfortunately, in most areas
of music composition and recording in the commercial music business, the
composer is often confronting budgetary issues and crucial artistic deci-
sions that are related to the budget. In the past several years, the high qual-
ity of orchestral samples (as well as synthesized effects) has enabled
composers and programmers to produce sampled and synthesized record-
ings that sound remarkably real. The music is usually mixed lower in level
than the sound effects and the dialogue, helping to mask some of the unre-
alistic sounds.
As mentioned, composers might be responsible for designing and
recording the sound effects and also recording the dialogue. Additional
compensation is rarely given for these additional duties. In some
instances, the composers are asked to mix all the audio, which includes
the music, sound effects, and dialogue. Unfortunately, inexperienced com-
posers often have to perform extra duties.
Small companies, with low budgets, might offer composers licensing
deals rather than composition and production fees. The composer retains
all rights to their music as compensation for not receiving fees. The com-
poser licenses the exclusive rights—to the game publisher—to use the
music for a limited (negotiated) period of time. When the term expires,
the composer owns the music. He or she may license the music for use in
commercials, films, CDs, and so on but most likely not for other games.
Owning the music copyright can be valuable if the game is successful.