Sound Byte: Meet the Composers Behind Warhammer 40K: Space Marine

Sascha & Cris: The first thing we did was fly out to Vancouver. We met the core team of Relic and spent an entire day going over the game, its story, structure, and what music was exactly needed. They also had some cool ideas about interactivity that we worked hard on. Once we got into the serious writing stage, we would talk on an almost daily basis with the audio lead, Glenn Jamison, for feedback and guidance. It's very much a team effort that requires good communication, especially when you have to write 120 minutes of music on a tight schedule.

GS: What is it like collaborating with another composer on a soundtrack compared to working on your own? Do you have any preference? Pros and cons?

SD: Well, Cris and myself have worked on many titles before, so we are a well-oiled machine, if you will. Of course we each work on our own projects, but a project so massive as Space Marine, it's good to have two people on board. It's great to write something and then immediately get feedback. Of course, we don't always agree at times, but that's just part of the creative process. In the end, it will always lead to better music. And that will always be our main goal. Write great music.

CV: Exactly. The biggest reason we continue to work together on big projects like this is that it always leads to a better score. We've done something like 25 to 30 AAA game projects together now, and I feel proud of each of them. I know that we've done a good job if I can send a CD of the music to my mom after we're done!

GS: What were your main goals in regard to the score? Do you feel like you've achieved them?

Sascha & Cris: We really wanted to get the player emotionally connected to Titus, the supporting characters, and the overall world of Warhammer. Not just be another action score. We wanted it to mostly be an "un-typical" game score. Game music in general still has this reputation of being inferior to movie music. Mostly because a lot (not all) of game music tends to be very one-dimensional. Basically, all action. We think our score for Space Marine proves that you can have an emotional/cinematic score that will work within the context of an action game.

GS: Were there any difficult challenges you've had to overcome? How did this compare to your previous works?

Sascha & Cris: The challenge always starts off the same: we need to find something recognizable. Something that the player will be unconsciously humming when they leave the game. This can be a motif or melody of some sort. It can even just be a sound or rhythm. Also, we always want to better our previous work, so that's a huge task right from the start. In the end we did come up with a motif that became Titus' theme. It is a simple yet powerful statement that we build upon throughout the whole game.

GS: What other artists in the game music industry do you admire and why?

SD: Nile Rodgers and his Sumthing Else Music Works label and distribution company. They opened a lot of doors for video game soundtracks. Previously it was very difficult to get the music out to the fans.

CV: I've always given a lot of credit to Lennie Moore and his score for Outcast. This was the score that made me want to write music for games! I feel very fortunate to now be close friends with the people I used to idolize.

GS: What kind of music do you listen to now?

SD: My current playlist consists of the new Atari Teenage Riot, Prodigy, UNKLE, Massive Attack, and of course plenty of soundtracks. I am anxiously awaiting Bjork's new album. She's amazing.

CV: I still listen to mostly classical music and film scores, but I have to stay true to my roots, too, so I also occasionally listen to bands like Slipknot and Lamb of God when I need to get the blood going! I'm a big fan of world music too. Recently, I've been playing a lot of Silk Road Ensemble and Niyaz.

GS: What are your biggest influences?

SD: I think for me, the early '80s and '90s of electronic music. I remember hearing New Order for the first time. It blew my mind. Also Depeche Mode and synth pioneers like Vangelis have a big influence on my sound. And let's not forget the industrial movement in the early '90s. Skinny Puppy and of course NIN. And lastly, growing up in a very classical house--my mom played classical piano--there always was Mozart, Mahler, and Beethoven in the air. While not my most important influences, they have certainly shaped who I am today as a composer.

CV: Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, Debussy, Beethoven, Mozart, etc. I've also spent countless hours poring over the scores from contemporary composers like John Williams, Danny Elfman, James Newton Howard, John Powell, Bernard Herrmann, etc. I also find that I am extremely influenced (inspired) by art, books, photography, and good food and wine. I think it's amazing how much inspiration a pencil drawing and a tiny little cabernet grape can have on a person!

GS: Any advice for aspiring composers who want to get into the industry?

SD: I would advise to (a) learn the fundamentals of music. There's no way around it, and it will always come in handy later on. (b) I think it's important to create your own sound so that people can immediately recognize that it's your work. Finally, get your music on YouTube, Soundcloud, etc. and try to promote it on as many social media sites are you can. There is a lot more competition today (as compared to 1997), but there are also so many new ways for people to listen to your music now.

CV: Beyond what Sascha mentions, I would add passion and tenacity. If you're aspiring to be a composer for games, you have to love it. Competition is fierce. When I was starting out, I had no backup plan. I knew I had to write music for games. To quote Galaxy Quest, "Never give up. Never surrender!"

GS: Thank you for your time!