Interview By Ninichi | Contact | Follow
What is Calico all about?
‘Calico is a cute and cozy community sim game where the player is a magical girl who inherits a cat-cafe. They are tasked with filling the cafe back up with new fuzzy friends, furniture, and wonderful baked goods. ‘
Who’s it for & where did the idea come from?
Read MoreAfter having connected with various indie game developers (often supporting them with their game music), I’ve discovered that there are many challenges that one faces in the game development journey.
It can be a tricky road to travel and it’s always good to know what to avoid if you can and so I’ve tried here to highlight some common issues and mistakes that I’ve heard/seen/witnessed people going through. I hope that you will be able to take something away from this and that you find these useful. So here are some key mistakes to note and avoid as you develop your game…After having connected with various indie game developers (often supporting them with their game music), I’ve discovered that there are many challenges that one faces in the game development journey.
Read MoreAre you thinking about hiring a freelance composer to work with but aren’t quite sure about how it might work or how to ensure that it works well? If so, don’t worry. It is a completely natural feeling especially if you’ve never worked with any freelancers before and it’s important to address your concerns and to make sure that you find the right person for you and your project.
I’m a freelance music composer and have worked with clients and projects all over the world – including working with game developers, filmmakers, podcasters, TV producers, marketers and more (see my homepage to get to know me, Ninichi a bit better!). I work from my home office and have never met many of my clients, yet my working relationships with each one feels really strong. There’s a sense of trust, my clients know that they can rely on me to get the work done and done to a high standard, and that I will always do my best to create music that embodies their visions. They also know that I will always be there to respond to their needs whenever they have something to say, ask, explore, feedback on or to work on further.
Read MoreSo, you have a great idea and maybe even an awesome team working on it already! That is an excellent start, however, the often tricky issue of financing your project may be something you have yet to decide on and to have set up for you.
Are you sure that you have the funds to see your exciting project through? If not, then crowdfunding may be something for you to consider.
Read MoreThere are many reasons why your podcast intro music is so important. It’s the start of your show and is the best time to capture your audience’s attention and to make a great impression. It sets the tone for the rest of your show and thus reflects closely on you, your podcast and your brand.
As a freelance composer, I have created many podcast intros and outros, theme tunes for shows, background music for adverts and commercials, games and more (see more about me, Ninichi). I enjoy composing jingles and those who come to me believe that it’s worth investing in custom intros. These, I believe are some of the reasons why…
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This is the third article in the 'Introducing the game music' series. Each one tries to offer a little bit of insight into what lies behind the music for a specific game I've worked on. As a game music composer, I really enjoy the process of connecting with and working with such a wide range of talented game developers. I've found that each one has their own vision for their game and it is my job to help ensure that this vision is brought to life through the music and the game's soundtrack.
Now, let's take a look at Tank Tank Rush...
What is Tank Tank Rush?
Tank Tank Rush is unique blend between an artillery and side-scroller game, created by the amazing talented Antonin Duboc (@PutschMobi) - owner of Smart Game Studio. In the game, you control a soviet army tank and fire your tank gun at the enemy. The game is set during the Great Patriotic War on the Eastern Front and this is where all the action happens!
The game is still in development, but it's definitely one to watch for those who like shooting things and like a bit of tank fun!
What’s interesting about the music for this game?
The setting for this game makes it quite unique and required quite a specific style of music i.e. a USSR style military march. I worked with Antonin – the solo developer to the game, and composed the theme tune to Tank Tank Rush.
The track gets played in the game during the start menu and so it sets the scene for the game and is the first thing that one hears when looking at the game.
I was asked to create something that has a mix of feeling solemn and being something that one might listen to before going to war i.e. something that gives you courage for battle.
I wanted the game music to sound quite distinct and to work well with the look and feel of the game.
Antonin was also very clear that he didn’t want any other music within the game itself and so I felt that it was important to make this main theme tune track something special.
How did I go about creating the music for this game?
I listened to other music from this era and in this style to ‘get into the zone’. For me this is always an important step in creating any new piece of music as it gives me a good sense of the style when something specific is needed and is also a great source of inspiration and ideas.
I have experience in playing military style music and have heard quite a bit of it in my time. I’m a classically trained musician and used to play in various orchestras and so have a solid grasp of what an orchestra can do. I’ve also actually studied a few of the Russian composers in the past and so felt quite comfortable with this style. I’m very lucky to have had a lot of experience across a wide range of musical genres, which I think helps me a lot when it comes to being able to compose for different projects. I love listening to different kinds of music and the variety that comes my way when being asked to work on and create new music.
Any other thoughts or tips when creating game music?
I've created the music for several indie games now (have a little listen) and absolutely love it! One of the amazing things is how different each game can be and therefore, the wide range of music styles I've had the opportunity to create music in.
One thing I'd say is not to limit yourself when deciding what kind of music you think could fit your game. Take the time to explore different styles and to understand what you really like yourself vs. what you feel others may like to hear when playing your game. You don't have to do what others do necessarily either. Let your creativity flow and let your composer work with you to find a unique sound for your game. (Also see: How to Communicate Effectively with a Composer)
When creating music for a game, it's always important to fully understand the setting for where the music fits with everything, so that when composing, you can create something that will enhance the gameplay and immerse people into that world and specific section of the game.
All music in a game is important I feel, however, the main theme tune should certainly be given extra attention since it's the tune that should stick in people's mind for a while and that they are most likely to associate with your game.
I hope some of this has been interesting! Good luck with your game development and if you'd like some custom music for your game, get in touch!
Other articles in the 'Introducing the game music' series:
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About the author: Ninichi is a freelance composer and music enthusiast. She has composed the soundtracks and music to several indie games. Contact her: to explore working with her on your game, film or media project.
Check out examples of Ninichi's game music compositions and soundtracks & read more articles like this on the Ninichi music blog.
Follow her @ninichimusic
If this is your first time visiting my blog, welcome! I’m a game music composer and believe that communication is key to a strong working relationship. In order to ensure that you get the best music for your project, whether it’s a game music soundtrack, film score or anything else – knowing how to communicate effectively with your chosen composer can really help. Here are a few tips that I hope will help you to get the most out of your working relationship with your composer.If this is your first time visiting my blog, welcome! I’m a game music composer and believe that communication is key to a strong working relationship. In order to ensure that you get the best music for your project, whether it’s a game music soundtrack, film score or anything else – knowing how to communicate effectively with your chosen composer can really help.
Read MoreIf you’re involved in advertising and are wondering how to make your advert stand out, think carefully about the music jingle that everyone will hear as they listen to and watch your advert. Jingles are a super important part when it comes to advertising and it’s amazing how much impact they can have on an advertising campaign and on one’s brand.
I’m a freelance jingles composer and have worked on various jingles, theme tunes and intros and outros for different shows and commercial adverts as well as working on soundtracks for games and films (see my homepage or jingles & intros page). It’s a really rewarding experience and one that I feel passionately about. Often the importance of getting the right jingle can be overlooked and so I hope that this article helps to offer some insight and ideas around why they require real thought and consideration, and that by investing time and energy into this, you will most definitely see your advertising campaign come to life!
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