Интервью с Miracle of Sound

I know, that you began your musical career not with Miracle of Sound. Will you tell us about your first steps in the world of music?
I was in a few different bands for the decade or so before Miracle Of Sound. It was all very good practice & a huge learning curve. I was always producing my own songs and learning to mix and arrange them myself, which has proved very useful with MOS. It also taught me a lot of things about the music industry and as a result I am happy to be independent now!

So let's get down directly to Miracle of Sound. What was the impetus to create a project of this kind? How did it all begin?
It began with me writing Gordon Freeman Saved My life, as a joke, to cheer myself up after my previous band fell apart. I was surprised how popular it was so I decided to do some more gaming songs. Commander Shepard then got pretty big, then Sovngarde Song was the one that really got the project headed in the direction it's been going ever since.

Have you got any particular criteria up to which you give preference to the game? Or every case is unique? If it is so, then what makes the game attractive?
Different every time but it usually needs to have an interesting story & good characters or I won't have much to write about. But sometimes the visuals, sounds & atmospheres of a game are what inspire me.

Do you show any genre preferences? Probably, some of them are put above in choosing the game which the song will be composed for?
I generally try to pick the song style based on the game and what i feel fits it. I don't think about 'genre' much because I feel many of songs don't really fall into any particular genre.

Do you need to experience the game from start to finish, or enough to catch a glimpse of a pair of scenes, even one trailer to be inspired by?
It very much depends on the song. For example, I was able to make Wake The White Wolf based on trailers & previous 'general' lore of the universe, but for Ciri's song I made sure to finish Witcher 3 first in order to know her story arc.

One can very often trace in your songs the game spirit and environment, so that it is enough to listen your song a couple of times to be eager to this game. How do you think through what means you do manage to convey the atmosphere of the game?
I think this comes with having had a lot of practice as an arranger and mix engineer. I will often try to pick instruments & sounds that feel like the ones used on the soundtrack (this costs me a lot of money, haha) and also to write chords, notes and melodies that to me feel similar to the ones in the game. Then I just try to fit the 'mood' of my own experience while playing it

The process itself of composing a new track: it is a result of long-termed work or just off-the-cuff unexpected stroke of genius?
Sometimes it takes 10 minutes, sometimes it takes months. It's always different. But it's an art and a craft and the only reason I can do it well is because I practised it for many years!

There are a lot of excellent videos on your songs, that were made up of game and film scenes. Do you make them yourself or someone helps you?
I make most myself but sometimes I pay someone else to, if am short on time or don't have good ideas.

How do developpers respond? Do they rejoice at new soundtack for their project? Did they ask you of composing a soundtrack?
It's been all positive, usually the developers are happy to see someone make art inspired by their work. I have not been asked to do any soundtracks yet though I would like to try some time.

You are the only participant in Miracle of Sound, but we can hear in songs all sorts of instruments. Do you really play all it?
I play everything except the drums. I program those with a drum machine! I play the guitars & bass too, then all of the other instruments are MIDI voices which I play on a MIDI piano keyboard.

As for me, I am impressed by the range of genres of your songs. How do you manage to create so diverse compositions: from modern electronic music to rock and jazz?
By listening to lots of different musical styles and analysing how they are done.

Your music is quite varied. But what about your musical taste? What performers play part in your list of favorites?
I love any artist who does a lot of different styles. David Bowie, Kate Bush, Devin Townsend, Nightwish, Iron Maiden etc etc.

The underlying question of all game industry: what platform is better?
PC, obviously!

This burning question. Recently more and more large game products are come out,frankly, crude and half-done. In case of Batman: Arkham Knight, the sales on PC have been even discontinued. What is your own attitude to such developper's prank?
I would like to see publishers pay more attention to quality instead of quantity.

I am as a journalist of the website, devoted to The Elder Scrolls series, just can't pass over it. There are several soundtracks for Skyrim. Why so much attention was paid to this game?
Because I love it and its universe is inspiring musically.

It is generally known, that music is frequently subject to piracy. Your case is not an exception. Let's have a look on Vkontakte network, where, by the way, one can find a group consecrated to Miracle of Sound containing your tracks available for everyone free of charge. Please, share with us in your opinion on piracy, not only in the field of music, but also in game. Particularly, are you supportive of the measures like Denuvo?
I don't resent the people who pirate my music. Sometimes people just don't have enough money. But when people buy my music, it means that I keep getting to make music as my job, which means you all get more new songs. So I ask that if they can, people buy my work instead of pirating, because I work very hard on it (50-150 hours per song) and I have spent a lot of money & time making it and in my opinion, artists who bring you joy through their work deserve to be paid for it.

Finally, can you say a few wrods specially for our readers?
Thanks for reading and listening to the songs. It's always a great pleasure to share my work with you. Don't forget there is a Miracle Of Sound VK page where you can see news & stuff and chat with other fans.