hey im all new to this game music stuff, i have been producing for abit now though, darker electronica versions (breakcore/frenchcore/tekno etc) but also ambient and drum&bass and alot of other kinds. now ive always been interested in games and making games, aswell tried to learn how to program games but was never interested enough to go on with that. now i can do something id still love to be a a part of the game community and the making of. where should i go? where should i start off? what do i need to have for most jobs, etc? i use: cubase sx3 cool edit ableton live renoise fl studio melodyne mostly cubase sx3 and cool edit though, others just mixed through with small effects or things i can do in there easier. http://www.speedyshare.com/184939908.html heres a production im working on, please dont comment on how you dont like it just because its not your taste in music. anyone here can help me start my career in game music off? scatdose

Hey,

Many of your questions can be answered by reading this post:

Starting Your Career As A Composer-Sound Designer

Then if you have any other questions, please ask!

Thanks,

Nathan

i have read it and i didnt really found it usefull, could probably answer most of the questions myself, i dont have any questions about producing, only how to get myself more into the scene.

i more likely want to know what people want from me as in, a portfolio? what kinda music in there? and where to go apart from this website then.

Sorry you didn't find it useful but I'm a bit confused. You ask:

Quote: i dont have any questions about producing, only how to get myself more into the scene.

i more likely want to know what people want from me as in, a portfolio? what kinda music in there? and where to go apart from this website then.

Did you miss the part where I listed books for you to read about how to get your name out there? I also discuss the various avenues besides game audio where you can find work. This would serve as a good hint on how and where to find other work. I also talked about what to look for in a client and how to tell if the client is either being shady or if they're not ready for audio support. Others have also mentioned how they made it and got their names out there.

I'll not run off a publicly list of game development site as it might be considered competition to gamedev.net and I don't want to do that. However, I'll be happy to share with you the various sites I've used in the past privately. Also it just takes a bit of time and effort to find many of these sites via google.

Thanks,

Nathan

atm i am not so interested in doing other work within the audio world apart from my own projects and games, i will be in the future, but not so much now, and I have bad experiences with Books about how to get your name out there.
i havent searched much yet about other websites, I found this website and decided to make a post here first about it.

can I contact you privately somewhere?

scatdose

PMing me is fine.

Bad experiences with books? With which books did this happen? Aside from a book being a bit stale sometimes, I've never had a bad experience with a book and have always found the info very helpful. It was one of the first steps I took to making this dream job a reality. Of course, books are not for everyone I suppose.

The books that I recommended are very good for:

1) Understanding audio production (which you say you already do but there is always more to learn. Especially with the Katz book!)

2) Getting and working with clients a.k.a. networking (especially the Marks book)

3) Setting up a good workflow when working with a large(r) scale game that uses many assets. (Both the Fatman's and Mark's book detail this quite well)

4) How to set up your demo wisely. (More so the Marks book)

Here is some more info I've just posted on my FAQ:

Quote: How do I get my name out there? How do I find clients?

This is where persistence really comes into play. I would work at this almost daily. Five minutes this day, an hour over here, thirty minutes that day and so on. The key with networking is to do it all of the time. However, there is a method and manner that works better that others. Be very mindful of how you're networking. Don't become super pushy or fake. Folks pick up on that and usually are turned off by that. Also don't completely saturate the markets with your networking material. People will get sick of seeing you everywhere. It's really a balancing act.

So by now you're probably asking yourself:

Self, Nathan says to network everyday, but then tells me not to over do it. Isn't that a paradox?

Nope. Networking is so much more than just sending out promos saying "hire me!" or "listen to my music!" There are many ways to network and here is a basic list:

1) Standard promo material: this is the "look at me, listen to my stuff, hire me" kind of promo. Where to send this stuff? Anywhere and everywhere! I often get asked

Quote: Where do you find your clients?

I don't often give a straight answer here for several reasons. One reason is I would still like to work. :) We're all trying for the same jobs here and there is some competition, sorry. Also during the last year or so, most of my clients find me now. I honestly don't know where they hear of my services or name but they request a work quote. I give it to them and then we proceed if the terms are good for both. I'm not going to list the websites I go around but will say this: take a bit of time and use google. Tons of communities are out there and all of you have to do is spend a little bit of time investigating. You'll come up with plenty of sites. All it takes is a bit of work on your end, which sometimes certain folks don't want to seem to do. They see someone else's success and want all of that info at the press of a button. Doesn't always work out that way. I do share my client lists with a select few that I know well and trust. But with the entire web? Sorry.

2) Industry discussions: taking part in debates or discussions about things related to game audio (or whatever your skills are) is a great way to interact with folks, display your knowledge and not come off as "hire me!" It is also a good way to learn from others in your same field.

3) Conferences: This is like fusing points 1 and 2 together. Attend conferences, meet the folks in person (gasp!) and go to the lectures. Most conferences have a job expo so this is where you can go out and spam HR reps.

4) Articles: Read articles written by pros in the field. See what the industry is saying. Does this get your name out there? No, but it gives you insight into what the industry is looking for and will help you react accordingly.

5) Write Stuff!: If you're somewhat of a writer, then I urge you to start writing your own reading material on audio and video games. Note: this is once you've achieved a certain level of understanding and expertise. For example, this FAQ is a way of me networking with all of you and assisting others. It doesn't cry out "HIRE ME!" but it does let you know who I am, what I've done and what kinds of talent/skills I have. The more published material you have out there, the better and more attention you'll get. I'm about to be in four published books this Fall-Winter and it has already given me more focus from the industry.

6) Polish your Demo: All of the networking in the world will do nothing for you if your demo sucks. Make sure your demo can leave the client's jaw on the floor and really make a lasting impression. I took part in hiring for a position while at Funimation and can tell you for a fact: the first 10 seconds makes a HUGE impression. If your website looks low quality (I'm talking 1995 quality here) then my boss already had a negative reaction before even seeing any of the demo material. If there are misspellings or poor grammar, that was pointed out. If the demo was too confusing (too many buttons, not clear how to hear your stuff, website way too cluttered) then that was another strike. My boss and I would view the demo for about 10-25 seconds. If it didn't catch our attention, we moved on and that demo when bye-bye. Harsh? Yes. Real. Yes.

Make your demos very polished and solid. Make the presentation of them just as polished. Keep your portfolio updated and current so you can always be ready to showcase your work at any time.

Thanks,

nathan

[Edited by - nsmadsen on October 9, 2008 8:46:40 AM]