Starting a game
The identity does not exist yet. This is when it gets written, before a temp track becomes the sound of the game by accident.
Custom music + middleware implementation
Get a custom musical identity for your game.
For game studios who want a composer that can design, produce, and implement the music.
Thirty minutes. If it is not a fit, I say so.
Who it is for
A new game, a sequel, or more of the one you have.
Making a sequel
The world already has a sound. The new score should feel like the same franchise, not like a different composer showed up.
Expanding the game
New places, modes, or hours. The music has to join what is already in the build, and still feel like one soundtrack.
“The service was incredibly fast, and John was professional. Communication was clear. He offered revisions and additions. Absolutely recommended.”
The problem
A pack was not written for your game.
Generic music reads as generic
Marketplace music was made for no one in particular. Players can hear that it was not written for this world, this character, or this fight.
The franchise needs its own identity
A new game needs a sound that is only yours. A sequel or an expansion needs music that belongs to the franchise you already have.
The music has to follow the gameplay
A finished song over the top of the level is not enough. The score has to change with the mechanics, or it fights the game.
The result
One identity, from the first scene to the last.
Your game gets a musical identity that carries the emotion of the world, and a soundtrack that stays cohesive all the way through.
Selected work
Games I have worked on.
Listen
Hear the work.
What you get
Music a studio can actually use.
Written for the game, delivered so it can go in the build.
- Seamless loops
- Mix and mastering
- Separated stems and layers
- Wwise or FMOD implementation, when you need it
- Clear, responsive communication
Previous clients
What others say.
“John is an excellent composer and an absolute pleasure to work with. He created incredible tracks for our game, each one unique and cohesive with our theme.”
About
A musician who has also shipped software.
I have been a musician and a gamer my whole life. It started in the 1990s on MS-DOS, with games like Warcraft, and with QBASIC, which is how I learned to program my own.
I then spent 20 years in software and cybersecurity, starting as a developer and later managing a team of engineers. I am comfortable in a code repository. I know Unity, Unreal, Wwise, and FMOD well enough to implement the music, not only to deliver a file.
The guarantee
Revisions until the track is right.
Revisions on the track we agreed to write are unlimited. Notes on the writing, the mix, and the layers are part of the job. A new direction, a new location, or a different genre is new scope.
You do not pay the balance until you are happy with the track.
The investment
A package shaped to the budget.
I tailor the scope to the game, so the money goes into the music you actually need. The number is set on the call, after I know what you are making.
Questions worth answering first
Common questions.
We already have a composer.
Then you may not need the full engagement. If the music exists, we can talk about implementation. If you are not sure the music can adapt, we start with the plan. Either way, that is a fit call, not a package you pick on this page.
What does a revision cover?
Revisions are unlimited on the track we agreed to write. A revision is notes on the writing, the mix, and whether the layers do the job. A new direction, a new location, or a different genre is a new scope, not a revision.
Who owns the music?
The agreement is signed before any writing starts. What I scope by default is the right to put the music in the game. Soundtrack sales, streaming, and trailers that live outside the game are written as their own line, so you are not paying for rights you do not use. A full buyout is available. Say so on the call.
How do you invoice?
30% when the scope is agreed and the work starts. 30% at the midpoint of the schedule we wrote down. 40% when you are happy with the track and that delivery is in your hands. You see the scope, with the date, before the first invoice.
Do you also do sound effects?
Music is the offer, including Wwise or FMOD implementation when you need it. Sound effects only as a small add-on when you truly have one audio person and we agree the edges. I am not pitching myself as a full audio department.
Next step
Let's schedule a time to chat.
Thirty minutes. You tell me about the game. I tell you if I should do it, and what that would cost. If it is a no, that is the whole conversation.