Richard Ludlow B.M. ’14
Richard Ludlow B.M. ’14 is a peer and someone I really admire. A fellow Berklee grad who started his own company, Hexany Audio, Richard is an incredibly talented game audio designer. I have spent some time with him and the Hexany Audio group and they are poised to take over the gaming audio world. We spoke about the Berklee experience (particularly through his film scoring major), how to make it, and networking.
Recording session from the 2010 Video Game Sound and Music Workshop at Berklee (photo by Phil Farnsworth)
Why spend your summer playing video games when you can learn to write music for them? Video game music has really taken off around here in the last few years—you can even minor in the subject now. This week, for the first time, Berklee is offering not one but two summer programs for aspiring video game composers. We caught up with faculty member Michael Sweet before students arrived.
– What video game summer programs is Berklee offering?
MS: This year we have two different programs for video games. The Video Game Sound and Music Workshop is a three-day program for beginning to intermediate level, and the Video Game Composer Institute is an intensive five-day program for experienced writers.
Last Monday and Tuesday, a few of us from the PULSE multimedia team attended the Berklee Teachers on Teaching (BTOT) events. Lori Landay’s presentation, Play! Games and Gaming in Learning and Our Culture, was an inspirational lecture on the importance of game play in life and society. As educational game developers for PULSE, it was great to get some insight on the psychological and sociological impact of the gaming mentality.
I learned, for example, that the opposite of play is not work. The opposite of play is depression. Work is most productive when it is treated like play. When work has exciting objectives and rewards it becomes more fulfilling and meaningful. With that outlook in mind, we here at PULSE will strive to make a game out of making games.
For some upcoming harmony and melody games, we’re looking to some nostalgic computer games for inspiration.
Does Math Blaster mean anything to anyone? Here’s a little 1993 throw back for ya:
With that in mind, it’s about time I get back to play.
Hey everybody,
Hope you all had a stupendous Turkey Day! It’s a nice feeling to come back and know the semester is already winding down, though some of you may be graduating this year and have started the dreaded job hunt. Luckily, I was able to catch up with audio engineers Bill Mueller and Gavin Allen (’09) of Boston’s own 745 Studios; they gave some tips from inside the gaming industry on how to get your foot in the door:
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