soundtrack | Polygamer

Polygamer #118: Freelance composer & sound designer Chel Wong

Posted on October 20, 2021 by Ken Gagne

Chel Wong is a Boston-based video game composter and sound designer. As a freelancer, she has worked on such titles as the music puzzler Kine, the Starfox-inspired Whisker Squadron, and the surreal adventure RPG She Dreams Elsewhere. Not only has she also helped run the Game Audio Boston group, but as a freelancer, she invests 12 hours a week into networking — everyone in Boston knows Chel!

In this podcast interview, Chel and I discuss the challenges in writing Kine’s modular soundtrack; where to find freelance work; how to establish oneself as an authority, and the value in giving away free advice; how to avoid burnout as a volunteer, and knowing when to step down; and her favorite genres to work in.

Stream the audio edition of this interview below or from iTunes, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Overcast, Pandora, Pocket Casts, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, RadioPublic, or the Internet Archive. Click past the jump for a transcript and links to resources mentioned in this episode.

Podcast: Download (Duration: 50:23 — 58.6MB) | Embed

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Polygamer #99: Ludomusicologist Dr. Dana Plank

Posted on March 18, 2020 by Ken Gagne

Dr. Dana Plank is a ludomusicologist, devoted to the study of video game music and sound. She has researched how game audio is used to represent disability, sensuality, gender, and exoticism, and she has been interviewed for books, podcasts, and MAGFest panels about games including Final Fantasy VI, Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario RPG. Her current studies include Celeste; That Dragon, Cancer; and Untitled Goose Game. She is also a co-organizer of the North American Conference On Video Game Music 2020, scheduled to be held online this April 4–5.

In this interview, Dr. Plank and I explore the origin of ludomusicology, and what it is that ludomusicologists do; the academic route that led her to study ludomusicology and 8/16-bit games in particular; how technological constraints breed creativity, and how the interactivity of modern soundtracks distinguish them from cinematic scores; how silence can be a powerful indicator that something has gone wrong; how to use video games as a music-teaching tool; how COVID-19 has affected NACVGM; and what books she recommends in this academic field of study.

Stream the audio edition of this interview below or from iTunes, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Overcast, Pandora, Pocket Casts, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, RadioPublic, or the Internet Archive. Click past the jump for links to resources mentioned in this episode.

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Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:21:13 — 38.0MB) | Embed

Polygamer #34: Violinist Taylor Davis

Posted on November 25, 2015 by Ken Gagne

Taylor Davis is a renowned violinist whose video game, movie, and anime covers have earned her a loyal following. On YouTube, where she has over a million subscribers, her music videos employ stunning backdrops and intricate costumes inspired by the pop culture from which she draws her many tunes. Taylor has released six albums, including a Christmas album and, most recently, a self-titled album of original music. Her music can also be heard in rock band Critical Hit’s first album, as well as in the soundtrack to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Hearts Of Stone.

In this interview, Taylor and Ken discuss her recent debut tour of the United States and her upcoming European tour; how Patreon and Twitter give her direct access to her fans, and vice versa; whether making music for a living makes it feel more like work than play;how licensing rights influences what music videos are shot next; and her cautious optimism for the upcoming Final Fantasy VII remake.

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Podcast: Download (Duration: 33:47 — 16.3MB) | Embed