What does a developer look for in a composer? Thread

Hello everyone!

It seems that nowadays it should seem relatively easy to network with potential collaborators, but at the same time, harder. While sites like this and FaceBook make it easy to meet people, it's still a little difficult to find professional contacts. It's not like the old days where you would meet team members face to face and be able to judge them based on an actual meeting. Now we professionals have to put up an attractive front as website, portfolio, or what have you, in order to attract clients. My question to developers is: what do you look for when scoping out a composer for you game? Sure, serious credits and a serious portfolio is a plus, but let's face it... Most developers starting out don't have the budget for those guys. So what is the next best thing? And what has been your experience with working with emerging composers?

Looking forward to see some responses!

Cheers,

Enrique Ponce

I think being friendly, clear and informative is the basis. Then you need to present your stuff and obviously if your stuff is good, they'll be interested. I say worry more about quality of work than presenting it first. Don't know what else to add myself.

I wrote a long reply that I think would have been taken the wrong way. So, I'm writing this again and to the point. Right now, because you lack experience/emerging in your words, your options are limited. If you want to be taken seriously, you need to advertise yourself to serious teams. Any team that is asking you to be a part of it for the opportunity/hobby, ignore as the uncertainty with those types of projects can harm, not help your career. I would spend your time looking for teams that are on extended projects looking for some but not a lot of help.

As for what I look for in a composer, it boils down to a few characteristics. It's not all skill. I need to know if you can be professional and work with a team. Sometimes, I find a composer has a lot of the former and none of the latter. The other problem is that composers are a dime a dozen. Look on reddit any day of the week and you'll find 10 requests by composers for contracts - thats in comparison to maybe one for a dev and two or three for artists. Teams have options when they look for composers and if you aren't the best fit, you won't be that option.

If you want me to go into this further, send me a pm.

Thank you for your well thought out answer! I appreciate you taking the time to point out these characteristics that you look for. I suppose the hard part is being a good fit and distinguishing yourself from your competitor. I also understand that not everyone is cut out for every project. Every composer has their own sound. I personally feel somewhat lucky that I've had successes (small ones but good) in the beginning of my career, but can't help but to feel that the struggle of finding work has not lessened in the least. This really brought me to think "well, what are they looking for?"

No doubt that all these sites are saturated with "composers" trying to make it. I will certainly continue trying to look for the serious teams as I am serious myself about doing this.

Thanks again for the reply!

I have to agree with Fleenworks. Creating games is a very teamwork based environment, and if you have a musical artist with the chops to do what you need but is a hassle to work with, is the work they do really worth the headache of an uncooperative team member? I am a musician myself, so I understand the importance of being able to work on a project that suits your individual style, but being able to comprise to the artistic vision of the game's creators is necessary. Being adept at a range of musical styles is certainly a plus, but what I value in the people that I supervise is excellent communication and compromise.

A developer looks for someone who can compose music that's Epic, Sad, or meaningful to the game or mod for whatever it's being produced for. Something that get's the player or user to get amped, prepped and ready to dive into the game. Several game's from experience, had some bad ass music that when I first downloaded them and I heard there theme when I entered the menu's and from that point on I KNEW whatever the mod was, was going to be amazing... and indeed it was. I noticed compositions that start off light and go to heavy, (FPS Game's) is pretty ideal. (RTS) Very orchestral with range's of drums. (LORE Games) Magical essence, light music.

I make Glitch Hop, Dubstep, Electro. I've been featured on most addictive, drop the bassline and a'few others.

I use Ableton, FL Studio 12, my current favorite vst's are Serum by xfer, Massive by NI, and Harmor by Fruity Loops.

Maybe one day with'a a game or a mod, I can implement that style of music in'a way that would be Epic for a team I'm on.