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CR6
Administrator
Canada
2513 Posts |
 Posted - 02/13/2006 : 01:25:25 AM
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For easier reference and archiving purposes, here is the interview with Tom Salta from GR Unit which used questions submitted by fans:
The Tom Salta Interview
OK GHOSTS, the results are in: Based on the top-notch questions submitted by the winners of our DELTA mission, Tom Salta, composer of the GRAW soundtrack, graced us with some fascincating responses. Check them out below:
Since the game is based in Mexico City, what elements, if any, of Mexican music (traditional folk music, popular music, vocals, etc.) have you incorporated into the soundtrack? (THIGDON)
"Ubisoft made it very clear they didn’t want much, if any, Mexican music in GRAW. But you will notice a slight nod to Mexico in the middle of the theme where I use a Nylon guitar and some Mexican yelling in the background. I also have a touch of it in some of the cut scenes… but I can’t give any more than that away..." ;-)
What advantages does the XBOX 360 have in terms of composing music, and how will you expect to take advantage of the audio processor? (WHY.TEMPT.FATE)
"When it comes to creating the music, the 360 is no different than other current generation consoles. The music was created in my studio so I don’t deal with the console at all. The Ubisoft audio programmers take the music and implement it into the game. What is different about the 360 is that the audio specs are higher so they don’t need to compress the music as much. In other words, it sounds way better than the original Xbox."
How or where do you get your inspiration to truly engross the audience and/or gamer into what is being watched or played? (ATU_CUTTER)
"I love creating music that evokes different emotions. It is an intuitive process and a lot of it comes from experience. If you were to say, “create music that makes the listener feel tense, like something is right around the corner,” or “music that makes the listener feel patriotic,” that’s very natural for me. It’s what I do."
Does the soundtrack dynamically change during gameplay, and if so how do you compose the music to be used in a changing environment? (STRATTASTIC)
"Ubisoft fully intends to have the music change dynamically during gameplay. So here’s how we planned it in GRAW… Every main level of the game has 4 intensities of “Jubilation” music, which is used when you have the advantage, and 3 levels of “Panic” music, when you have the disadvantage. Both Jubilation and Panic each have a low intensity, medium and high. Jubilation has an over-the-top 4th level as well. All these parts also have endings. I had to compose the music in such a way that at any bar, in any section, the music could switch to any other and sound like it was meant to happen. I’ll be playing GRAW on the release day to see how it all worked out!" 
Is the musical score in GRAW simply an ambient filler or will it set the mode of the action as it plays out? (FROSINONE)
"No artificial fillers here! The music in GRAW is definitely intended to engage the listener and set the mood and tone of the action."
Could you explain the process that you go through to develop a score? Is it an interactive process with other members of the team or do you work on your own with a basic theme in mind and then hand over a near complete score? (BENTHIC7)
"The key word is collaboration. Making a game as involved and complex as GRAW requires a major team effort. I worked very closely with Manu Bachet, GRAW’s artistic director for audio. He gave me comprehensive and well thought out documentation explaining what they were looking for. Since we’ve worked together before, I think Manu trusts my judgment, so once he gives me all the info I work on my own and deliver the completed music back to him and the audio team. Sometimes they asked for a few tweaks, but most of the score worked out perfectly the first time, which is a good thing!"
In a time where we have reached the level where 5.1 optical surround is pushing the experience of gaming, what do you feel will be the next step (not just limited to gaming) whether it be hardware, software or another factor for audio for audio to better reach the user? (KUNGFOOKID)
"The trend I see happening in audio is adding more channels. A friend of mine just told me they now have 9.1, which puts a speaker above your head…insane! Right now, most music artists still mix in stereo because standard CD players only support that. I think as more and more people install surround systems in their homes, and the industry decides on a new standard for music, I see surround music becoming more the norm rather than a novelty."
As a composer with experience in many aspects of the entertainment industry, what special challenges do scoring for a video game present? (DANNIK)
"The key differences I see between game music and “linear” music (TV, film, commercials) is that game music often needs to be “fluid” and adapt to the action. The other key difference is that players often listen to game music for hours on end, so special attention needs to be given to the composition in order to make sure the music doesn’t get monotonous."
Your music has a very diverse sound and (to me, anyway) has heavy influence from the likes of Nine Inch Nails, Chemical Brothers, maybe the Propellerheads and Meat Beat Manifesto. What kind of music did you listen to growing up, and how did it influence the type of music you compose today? (AUMIKE734)
"I can remember from a young age, before VCRs (don’t say I’m old!) that I loved to listen to John Williams scores like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars, ET, Superman, etc. In high school, I enjoyed lots of different artists like Depeche Mode, Peter Gabriel, YES, ELP, Sting and a gazillion other different pop groups. Since then, I’ve been all over the map, from NIN to Mozart. I simply love great music."
What are the similarities or differences between your style of composing compared to Bill Brown, the composer of previous Ghost Recon and Rainbow Six scores? (COL_FLANDERS)
"I’m not sure I can be objective enough to say. What I can say is that I truly admired Bill’s work in all the previous Red Storm/Ubisoft titles like Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon. We can both work in lots of styles. That’s why I was so happy when he asked me to collaborate with him on the Ghost Recon 2 theme, which Ubisoft wanted to be very rock-heavy and electronic."
"That being said, you will hear some major differences between GRAW and the other scores. Besides the fact that GRAW is the first Ghost Recon title to employ a full live orchestra, I was also asked to create dynamic music that blended big percussion, big orchestral, modern drums and other electronic sound elements."
"What many people may not realize is that when composers are hired to score a game, film or TV show, we are usually given a specific direction. So if one score is more industrial than another, for example, that’s probably what the developer wanted. That doesn’t necessarily mean that’s our “style” – although I think many composers including myself try to embed his or her imprint in there – since it is the composer’s role to create music that supports the producer’s vision."
"I often hear that I’m known for combining orchestral and electronic music together. It’s true that I enjoy working with this mix of styles and I even did a bit of that on my Atlas Plug album, “2 Days or Die.” However, some people will be surprised to hear some of the children’s music or authentic Japanese music I’ve done recently. I also get a kick out of hearing people say, 'wow, that doesn’t sound like you.'"
Thanks again to Tom for some great answers.
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GR:AW Soundtrack by Tom Salta (Updated)
