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 Resource
Guide
Using
a Live Orchestra in Game Soundtracks
Author's
Example: Myst III: Exile
For the Myst III: Exile score, we recorded in Seattle, with
Simon James' Northwest Sinfonia. At the time, this was our best option
as it fit the music budget and the quality was absolutely fantastic.
The sessions were remarkably professional thanks in large part to
my team: Engineer, Steve Smith, Music Coordinator Audrey DeRoche,
Orchestrator Steve Zuckerman, and of course my contractor, Simon James.
When
recording a full orchestral recording session, much is at stake. You
only have 3-4 hours per session. The musicians will get paid whether
the session is successful or not. Beyond the obvious necessary skills
of the composer, the team is crucial to making the day a success.
Experience and ability to work under extreme pressure, while keeping
cool, are a must.
The
Team
Besides the composer, the team that will be needed to record an orchestral
score are:
-
Orchestrator.
The person who lays out the score from the basic composer's written
or computerized musical sketch. Basic orchestration rates are in
the vicinity of $50/page of conductor score. About $10/page more
for Midi transcription services. These fees are normally negotiable.
The faster the tempo the higher the number of pages because there
will be more measures of music per minute of music. In my case,
the orchestrator serves as a second pair of ears at the recording
- what we call the "Booth Person".
-
Conductor.
The person who stands before the orchestra and directs them. Conductor's
fees are double to triple musician fee scale. Can also be done by
the composer in some cases. Included with Eastern European package.
-
Booth
Person. The composer will and should have another pair of ears while
the music is being recorded. This helps ensure that any mistakes
are rectified immediately and not found later - after it's too late.
Price for this service is negotiable.
-
Engineer.
The person who is responsible for the physical recording on tape
or hard disk. They also address all technical issues during the
session. Anywhere from $50-$100/hour in the US and London. More
for superstars. Included in Eastern European package.
-
Contractor.
A contractor is the person who actually hires the orchestra. Contractors
go from double or triple scale of the musician fee for union orchestras
or 10% of all musicians fees for non-union orchestras. Included
with Eastern European package.
-
Music/Session
Supervisor. This is the person who monitors the progress of the
session and makes sure that by the end of the session you have reached
your goals. They keep the conductor on track by pacing him. Roughly
$75/hour of session time, plus a fee of $2,500-$5,000 to assist
composer with booking, negotiation of all money deals, organizing
travel and accommodations, etc. This person can pay for themselves
in North America, and make all go very smoothly since they have
long standing relationships with all team members. Included with
Eastern European package.
-
Copyist.
The person who takes the conductor's score from the orchestrator
and extracts all the musician's parts for the session. This is roughly
about $50/page of score.
Conclusion
The main reason to use an orchestra in a game soundtrack would be
to improve the game in general. First, the game would have to benefit
by having an orchestral score and second, it would have to benefit
by recording a live orchestra for that score. It gives added value
to the music that can then be sold as a standalone soundtrack CD and
cross-marketing tool for the game. By recording a living, breathing
acoustical environment with virtuosi musicians, you indeed add dimension
and depth to the music; qualities that are almost impossible to describe,
yet readily discernable in how that sound affects the listener, or
in our case, the player. It's the difference between prose and poetry,
scales and music, Midi files or orchestral grandeur: no reaction or
goosebumps.
Where
appropriate, orchestral music can give your project momentum and a
real shot in the arm. This comes from giving the production team a
sense of quality that comes from knowing that the designers and producers
of the game are thinking intimately about every facet of the project.
Collectively, the team becomes aware that this is going to be a great
project. One that will withstand the test of time.
With
the latest game platforms, we are entering a new era of electronic
entertainment. One in which the sky is the limit on quality, because
the quality is built into the technology. Music in games can now rival
the cinematic effects of movie music. We don't have to figure out
how to play those Midi files back in the game to save space. In fact,
no one really wants them anyway - they just don't sound as good.
We're
on a crusade for better music. For a while, we will have to resist
the current thinking that music in games is cheap and unimportant.
Because better music means better games. Because the best games have
a story, the best games are immersive. In the best games, the player
gets lost and can't seem to put the controller down to get a few Z's.
Great music composition and great musical sound are a part of the
best games that keep players awake at night and keep them coming back
for more.
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