Networking skills are vital to launching a career as a Video Game Composer. For example, a Composer’s background may be in orchestral work, in which case a game with a cinematic, larger-than-life quality might require a score with symphonic qualities. It also would help if you actually played video games and are hip to the video game culture.”Įxperience with the world of gaming is important an aspiring Video Game Composer must know the different types of games that exist and be able to pinpoint where his or her scoring skills lay. The main skills a Video Game Composer needs, Rickwood says, are “the ability to write amazing music and convince someone your music is worth paying for.

Create a website to showcase your showreel.

Record a showreel (a short collection of musical scores you’ve written) that fits in line with the type of scores you’d like to write for games.

Network with the game development community in your area.

Cold calls are not always accepted, but a polite email featuring a link to the Composer’s showreel could result in getting hired on a project if the Sound Designer likes what they hear. The Sound Designer will be in charge of hiring Composers. About a year or so into the game’s development, it will have its general visual presence down, at which point a Sound Designer would get hired onto the project. For example, a game in the early stages of development is simply in the coding stage, and its makers aren’t even thinking of hiring a Composer yet. It’s important to keep up-to-date on which games are being developed and which stages they’re currently in. Look for some local game development meetings and start making friends.” Write something new every day to build up your craft and portfolio. To get started on the path to becoming a Video Game Composer, Rickwood advises, “Listen to music and play games in an analytic way. Overall, Video Game Composers-freelance or in-house-progress in their career by working on more prestigious, well-known or bigger budget video games. Many Video Game Composers start out as freelance employees, so for them, advancement could come in the form of getting hired for a salaried in-house position.

Music producer annual salary