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Quotes.  People love ’em.  In the game audio realm, it seems like there aren’t a lot of quotes floating around – so I collected some!  The following quotes come from some of the greatest players in the world of video game music and game audio.

If you find a quote that resonates with you, let me know your favorites on Twitter by tweeting to @VGMAcademy – or let me know if I’ve missed a good one so I can include it in the next post!  Enjoy.

5 Great Quotes from Video Game Music & Game Audio Pros

“The ultimate goal for me in making music, or at least one of the main goals for me, is to create memorable melodies.  That goal is there regardless of the tools we have.” -Koji Kondo

Why I like this quote:

In my opinion, the ability to create memorable melodies is the biggest differentiator between a great composer and everyone else.  Koji Kondo describes it as his “ultimate goal,” and it shows: he’s written some of the most heard and memorable melodies of the past 30 years.  And they’re not memorable because of how bad they are – they’re freakin’ great melodies!

I also really appreciate the second sentence of this quote, because I think it is extremely relevant in the digital age.  What used to cost hundreds or thousands (or tens of thousands) of dollars to do in a studio can now be done with a stock audio program on a Mac laptop, and as a result music creation is more accessible now more than ever.  However, the easier it gets to use software and create loops, the lesser the perceived importance of learning basic music theory and writing skills.  The result is an overabundance of composers who can’t write a melody or distinguish what about their music they need to improve.

Happily, the VGM Academy has a solution coming up to folks with those challenges.  But more on that later…

“I like silence.  I think silence is an under-utilized concept in game music.” -Rich Vreeland, AKA “Disasterpeace”

Why I like this quote:

A great game achieves a balance in the gameplay and mechanics, providing the right amount of encouragement and challenge to keep players going.  Music is the same: great music requires balance.  One of the easiest mistakes to make in music is continuing to add more stuff until there’s no room to breathe, sometimes described as a “wall of sound.”  Adding a beat (or several) of silence can make for a very dramatic effect.

An example that immediately comes to mind is the beginning of “Liberi Fatali,” from Final Fantasy VIII, which starts with a choir singing 4 words with a beat of silence in between.  I had no idea what they were saying when I heard this for the first time, but 15-year-old me was instantly sucked into the world of Final Fantasy VIII in about 3 seconds.  Talk about effectiveness!

“Don’t constantly start  half-baked ideas; You need to learn to craft your inspiration into a finished product.” -Paul Taylor

Why I like this quote:

Just one look over my shoulder would show an expansive wasteland of half-completed projects and ideas.  I weep for them.

But seriously, folks – one of the greatest skills (yes, it’s a skill) that you can practice and master is completing things that you’ve started.  Having a bunch of unfinished projects, tracks, or compositions eventually turns into emotional baggage that can sap your confidence and your energy.  FINISHING things is literally the only way to get shit done.  Otherwise, you’re not getting shit done.  You’re just starting shit.

Also, I’m happy that someone articulated a point that really irks me when people talk about creating art.  Art does not strike like a lightning bolt of “inspiration,” in its finished form.  It just doesn’t.  Part of it MIGHT, but most of it doesn’t.  When someone explains that a melody “just came to me in the shower,” that is partly true.  They probably came up with a phrase or two that sounded really great, and then they probably ran naked and dripping to a keyboard or DAW to develop their idea into a full-fledged piece of music.  This is the ‘hard work’ of composing.  Turning little jolts of musical ideas into matured pieces of music.

“It’s so important to have pride in yourself and have confidence in yourself, but at the same time try to compose thinking of your listeners.” -Yoko Simomura

Why I like this quote:

In my humble opinion, an utter lack of confidence is one of the biggest problems plaguing aspiring composers.  If you can’t look another human being in the eye and tell them how awesome you are, you could probably use an extra dash of confidence.  You will face rejections, trolls, and critics of your art.  That’s OK.  You know why?  Because you’re awesome.

Having said that, it’s important to temper your confidence with humility and purpose as indicated by the second half of that quote.  Shimomura gave me the above advice after describing an experience she had as a young composer.  She had decided that she was a very good composer, and was shocked when she handed a piece of completed music to a respected peer only to have them describe it as “rubbish.”  Oof.

“Don’t work for free.  I’ve never seen it get anyone anywhere, career-wise.” -Winifred Phillips

Why I like this quote:

This is a hot debate topic among freelancers when they’re just starting out, but I’d have to agree with Winifred on this one.  Working cheap?  Sure.  Bartering for your services?  Sure.  Working for free (aka for ‘credit’)?  That doesn’t fly with me.  I do NOT believe in trading value for nothing, because as musicians we create value.  Giving it away for free is stupid.  Working for the “possibility” of future gigs is also super-iffy, so I’d steer clear.

The only exceptions I’d make would be working “for free,” in exchange for an amazing learning opportunity or in exchange for a different service (bartering).  Need a website, logo, or album art?  If you can exchange some video game music work on one of those items for yourself, you’re not working for money, but you’re getting a clear value exchange out of the deal.

Got an Awesome Video Game Music Quote that I Missed?

Add it below in the comments, or share on Twitter @VGMAcademy – and don’t forget to use the share buttons at the top and bottom of this post if you like what you read!

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