where do songs for games come from?

[JanJan]

do game companies have their own music department? well yeah they do but I mean do they write their own songs or buy from other song writers? and do they buy from only professionals or do amatuers sometime get the luck?

[Frick]

Originally Posted by JanJan

do game companies have their own music department? well yeah they do but I mean do they write their own songs or buy from other song writers? and do they buy from only professionals or do amatuers sometime get the luck?

Professionals do it. Some of them are dedicated composers (like the guy who composed Baldurs Gate) and sometimes artists do it (like Chris Vrenna who did American McGee's Alice). I don't think game studios have their own musicians, they would have to little to do.

[Easy Rhino]

storks deliver them.

[FordGT90Concept]

They contract orchastras, composers, etc. for original scores. Otherwise, they license soundtracks from the publishers that own the rights to it.

As far as I know, no game developer/publisher has their own full time muscians. They either outsource it or they make the music themselves.

[MRCL]

Originally Posted by FordGT90Concept

They contract orchastras, composers, etc. for original scores. Otherwise, they license soundtracks from the publishers that own the rights to it. As far as I know, no game developer/publisher has their own muscians contracted.

Right, like all the songs in GTA Vice City for example are licensed by the same company (SONY BMG iirc).

[RejZoR]

It all depends. EA Trax mostly consist of music already available on CD from various authors. They aren't in any way dedicated and are as such pretty lame. They rarely capture the right music. NFS HP2 was one of the rare EA Trax selections where prettty much all songs were great. In later titles only few songs were great but most were rather boring...

But there on the other hand you have authors who make awesome dedicated music. My personal favorite are Romolo dii Prisco (he has done several awesome tracks for NFS3, NFS4 and NFS5), Crispin Hands was also involved in a great tracks. Then there is Chris Vrenna responsible for Doom 3 main menu soundtrack (i think it was a cooperation with Trent Reznor). He also made 2 dedicated tracks for NFS Most Wanted, the dynamic music that kicked in when you were involved in a police chase.

[BumbleBee]

I like the licensed tracks in Nail'd. Fun Game!

[FordGT90Concept]

Originally Posted by RejZoR

He also made 2 dedicated tracks for NFS Most Wanted, the dynamic music that kicked in when you were involved in a police chase.

"The Mann" and "Most Wanted Mash Up." Both were co-authored with Paul Linford apparently.

Completely agree with you post though. HP2 music is bangin'. The more recent NFS games only had a handful of good tracks.


Michiel van den Bos did an excellent job on Overlord II (all original scores).

[assaulter_99]

Originally Posted by RejZoR

It all depends. EA Trax mostly consist of music already available on CD from various authors. They aren't in any way dedicated and are as such pretty lame. They rarely capture the right music. NFS HP2 was one of the rare EA Trax selections where prettty much all songs were great. In later titles only few songs were great but most were rather boring...

But there on the other hand you have authors who make awesome dedicated music. My personal favorite are Romolo dii Prisco (he has done several awesome tracks for NFS3, NFS4 and NFS5), Crispin Hands was also involved in a great tracks. Then there is Chris Vrenna responsible for Doom 3 main menu soundtrack (i think it was a cooperation with Trent Reznor). He also made 2 dedicated tracks for NFS Most Wanted, the dynamic music that kicked in when you were involved in a police chase.

Yeah, some of their stuff was great, even though it came from other artists, especially the first hot pursuit, you had Hot action cop, Bush etc. It was pretty much great to me imho. I prefer it more to the generic electric sound that NFS games usually have. Licensed music is something I pretty much like from ea. One of the best soundtracks that I loved was Battlefield:Vietnam (the real game, not the expansion). CCR, Bob Seger, Ride of the Valkyries, Jefferson Airplane, Canned Heat, The Trashmen and a lot more, all under one album! Wow! Many times you would find helis, m113's or pbr's passing by (instead of supporting you) and going to the end of the map to chill out and listen to music! Plus if you were a "cong, you could hear the Gi's coming from afar with music on loud! That was a hollywood special (especially if they put on ride of the valkyries).

[HookeyStreet]

I thought magical pixies did them?