A collection of my compositions along with commentary about my inspirations and process. I hope that you enjoy listening and if you would like to discuss music or would like me to compose for your project, please contact me here.
InnerSpace Music Showcase:
The music for InnerSpace was inspired by a genre called “Synthwave”. This genre is itself inspired by the synthesiser sounds of the 1980s and I had a lot of fun using Retro Synth in Logic Pro X (digital audio workstation) to create analogue sounds to fit the sci-fi aesthetic of the game. A big part of this assignment involved creating a dynamic score. This type of score is important for non-linear media like video games as there is no set play time, unlike a movie. In this video, I explain how I created different sections of music and used FMOD (audio middleware) and Unity (game engine) to transition between them based on the player’s actions. I hope you enjoy it!
Fantasy Landscape Series:
A series of tracks I made to capture the feeling of traversing the various landscapes of an interconnected fantasy world. From frigid tundras to fiery volcanoes, this portfolio of tracks includes atmospheric and bombastic sounds as well as ambience to enhance immersion.
Kaimon (Snowy Mountain):
A snowy wasteland that, beneath harsh blizzards, hides a long forgotten empire. As you wander through the frigid wilderness, you begin to ponder what could have caused this once great land to fall.
Ethere (Forest):
A secluded grove deep within the forests to the south, Ethere appears on the surface like any other forest. If you look closer, however, you can tell it has a mystical quality to it. It’s almost as if the forest itself is blessed with sentience and is aware of everything going on within its realm.
The Kiln (Volcano):
A shard of fiery rock jutting out from the earth to pierce the sky, the Kiln churns away in constant fury. Many travellers have met a terrible fate trying to ascend the rocky cliff faces. Those skilled enough to survive may find themselves in the presence of a powerful fire elemental that calls the caldera its home.
Arris (Desert):
A bustling desert city that overlooks an endless sea of golden sand dunes to the south west. From the rooftops of the bazaar, you can see the Kiln churning away in the distance. As you leave the comfort of the city and traverse the dunes, you get the sense that something is getting closer, something under the earth. A question quickly poses itself to you. How fast can you run on sand?
Oogroots Main Theme:
The title screen music for the game Oogroots that I composed for my team’s entry for the Global Game Jam 2023. This ambient piece guides the player through the post-apocalyptic concrete jungle in which they find themselves. The player has to navigate the titular plant creatures through a maze of obstacles and allow nature to reclaim the world. This is why I chose instruments with a natural timbre over the top of a synth pad. This juxtaposition fits the clash between nature and technology that the game presents. If you want to play the short demo for yourself, you can play it here.
On Thin Ice (Ryan Leach Scoring Competition):
A short piece I composed for Ryan Leach‘s January Scoring Competition. The task was to create a 90-second track based on the image by Daniel Terrado that would serve as a track in a video game based on the image. The image of hoverbike drivers racing over a dangerous tundra landscape immediately inspired me to create a fast-tempo track that makes use of distorted guitars to create that sense of exhilaration. I took inspiration from other sci-fi media to add synthesised elements such as a pad and arp. I also took inspiration from other video games when shaping the track. For example, the tempo changes towards the end of the track. I envisioned this within the game as an adaptive score that would change depending on what lap it is similar to Mario Kart. Battle themes also inspired this track. The countdown element was inspired by Colress’ Theme in Pokemon Black and White 2. I thought it gave the track a greater sense of urgency.