Congradulations Oliver!

Keep your eyes out for more competitions soon!

Budget

Before we get started, how much is your budget? I set out not caring how much I spent.  I could have spent anything up to $5000 realisticly, but after careful consideration and research, I found that the more money you spend, the less value you get.

A really decent PC for music production can be created for less than $2,500.  The difference between that PC and a PC that costs $5,000 is not really that much – you can get a lot more RAM, better processor etc., but performance wise, you’re not missing out on that much.  This guide is based on a budget of approximately $2,500 or €2,000- that should work in the US or Europe in numerous retailers to get you what you need.

The Components

Lets pretend you know nothing about PCs (maybe you don’t).  If you buy a PC, it has the following parts in it:

• Processor (CPU)
• CPU Fan
• RAM
• Motherboard
• Soundcard
• Power Supply Unit (PSU)
• Hard drives
• Case
• DVD/Bluray Drive
• Operating sytem

Processor.  Firstly, AMD or Intel? These are the two guys to choose from – AMD is less powerful but cheaper, and Intel is pretty much the industry standard.  I would always advise Intel as they’re winning the race in power and value for money at the moment. AMD are cheaper, but their processors lack the power required to push your machine to the limits.

Next, which model? Intel currently have the i5 and i7 core processors. These are the top of the range processors – the i7 being a lot better than i5.

Options

i7 2600, 670, 870, 875 – all around the same range. Awesome processors for the money.

i7 980x, 990x – top of the line extreme i7 processors. These give more punch than the rest, but at around €600 / $800 more than the rest, you’re loosing out on value.

CPU Fan. If you’re looking for a silent PC, you’ll need to go for a really quiet CPU fan.  The CPU fan cools your processor while the PC is on and can sometimes be loud.  Every processor comes with a “stock” fan to keep it cool – some of these are loud or not very good at keeping it cool if you overclock the PC.

Options

There’s plenty of options available for CPU fans, and the big names are Corsair, Noctua, Scythe and Cooler Master.  When looking at fans, always check the socket type to ensure it will fit your processor and motherboard.

RAM. For audio production (especially heavy use of samples), the more RAM the better. DDR3 RAM is the latest and greatest.  Based on the motherboard you get, you get get more or less RAM. Some motherboards come with 4 RAM slots, some come with 6 RAM slots. With 6 RAM slots, you can get 24GB of RAM by using six sticks of 4GB.

Options

There’s so many options to choose from. Things to remember – DDR3 is the best, the timings must all be the same, always keep the same sized sticks – don’t get a 2GB one and 768MB stick, don’t forget how many RAM slots are on your motherboard.

Motherboard: The motherboard is generally where you can find a bottleneck in your entire PC, if you go for a sub-par option.  Some of the big names in motherboards currently are Asus, MSI and Gigabyte. When you look at motherboards, the important things to look at are:

- How many RAM slots does it have? Most motherboards have 4 “DIMM” slots, meaning you can put in 4 sticks of RAM. Certain motherboards now have 6 DIMM slots allowing you to put in 6 slots of RAM.

- ATX or mATX? – ATX motherboards are the normal sized ones. mATX is micro sized which means its really small and can fit into a small “media” PC. Avoid mATX boards for audio production.

- Processor Socket – the socket name of the motherboard needs to fit the processor you have chosen. For example,  the i7 990x processor has an LGA 1366 socket – you need to get a motherboard that also uses this socket.  This means the processor will fit and work on it.

- SATA ports – does the motherboard have enough SATA ports? Things that use these are DVD/Bluray drives, hard drives etc. If you have 6 SATA ports, you can have 2 DVD drives and 4 hard drives. If you want lots of internal hard drives, get a motherboard with plenty of SATA ports.

- USB/Firewire ports – do you use a firewire or USB audio interface? All motherboards come with USB ports, but firewire ports don’t come as standard – if you use firewire hardware, make sure and get a motherboard with firewire on it.

Case.  Theres hundreds, if not thousands of cases currently available for PCs.  They come in all sorts of sizes and shapes and in some ways, can make or break your entire PC.  Your PC case plays two important roles in the audio production field – it keeps air flowing throughout all the parts, ensuring everything is kept cool, and it reduces the overall noise of the components.

When looking for a PC case, you want to get one that is sound proofed as much as possible, and that has good air flow.  You could get a case with 5 huge fans on the side of it, but this will probably:

1. Be very loud

2. Blow hot air from one side of the case to the other, causing everything to overheat, rather than blowing cold air in, and hot air out

3. Both of the above

Options

Two great cases two consider that have nice air flow and are quiet, are:

Fractal Design Refine R3 – I own this case and its superb. It has foam insulation to reduce internal noise, and great airflow

Antec performance line – All these cases are based on quiet computing and offer some great options.

PSU. Your power supply unit (PSU), is a very important part of your PC – if you skimp on it, you could either not have enough power to run everything smoothly (or even at all), or at worst, it could blow up and damage the rest of your PC.  The two most important things to look at when buying a PSU are the power (watts) and noise levels.

Power – You need a PSU that can power all of your components – if you for some reason have 3 graphics cards, 12 hard drives etc., you’ll need a lot of power. However, if you have a “normal” setup with say 1 graphics card, 4-5 hard drives etc. you will probably be ok with something around 700 watts – however, this is by no means technical advise. Seek professional advice before buying your PSU to make sure it can power and work properly with your components.

Noise level – some lower end and indeed a few higher end PSUs can be quite noisy.  For an audio PC, you really want to get a PSU that is as silent as possible.

Options

There are plenty of PSU options out there, the biggest names being Thermaltake, Corsair, Coolermaster, be Quiet!, Superflower etc. Again, I can’t advise you on your options here as it depends totally on other components you choose. Just make sure its quiet, has enough power, and has enough connections on it to power all the parts in your PC.

Hard Drives – For sample based music production, you’re going to want to go all out on these.  The main things to look for in hard drives are the following:

• Size – The majority of hard drives currently go up to 3tb in size per disk. One thing to bare in mind is that the bigger the size, the more you might loose. If you have a two 3tb hard drives in your PC with everything on them, and one of them crashes, you’ve just lost 3tb of data. Get four 1.5tb hard drives, and you’re going to lose less data if one of them crashes. Also, in some cases, larger hard drives are more prone to breaking down.
• Cache – This basically translates as how fast you can transfer data from drives and how fast your pc can read data from that drive.  A lot of this depends on your processor and the motherboard you choose, but choose a hard drive with a high cache, and it should work well for you.
• SSD or HDD – There are basically two options right now for hard drives – HDD or SSD. HDD (Hard disk drive) is a normal hard drive and SSD (Solid State Drive) is a super fast drive.  If you have bucket loads of money to spend, you could load your PC up with SSD’s and get super fast loading speeds. However, SSDs are still very expensive and the $/€ to space ratio on them is pretty bad compared to normal HDDs. For example, the OCZ SSD Agility 2 is 240GB and €366. A 250GB WD Caviar (HDD) is approximately €30. Value for money goes out the window with SSDS – having said that, if you can afford them, I’d highly suggest getting as many as possible.  Software like Hollywood Strings and the upcoming Hollywood Brass advise SSD drives if possible to ensure smooth running.

Options

The big names in hard drives manufacturers like Samsung, Western Digital, Seagate, Hitachi and OCZ. I chose an SSD drive to install windows on and use for some of my most demanding samples – the rest of my drvies were all normal 1.5tb hard drives.  Your options here are all based on your budget – if you are on a tight budget, you might be best getting normal HDDs for now, and upgrading to SSDs at a later date when they’ve come down in price a little more.

Soundcard – The large majority of motherboards now come with a built in soundcard.  For this reason, if you are using your PC only for audio production, I would suggest just using the onboard soundcard on your motherboard for normal PC usage (windows sounds, looking at a video now and again), and using an external souncard for all audio production work.  The soundcard is arguably the most important part of your PC for audio production, and you should focus on getting a high quality external soundcard for any work you are doing.

Operating System – Again there’s a couple of options for your operating system (OS). The last 3 created by Microsoft are XP, Vista and Windows 7. XP is stable, Vista is now fairly stable and Windows 7 is good too.  The most important thing to remember when choosing your operating system is that if you want to use more than 3.2GB of RAM, you need to choose a 64bit OS. The 64 bit versions are sometmies a bit more expensive, but you need to have a 64bit OS if you want to use more than 3.2GB or your RAM. 

What I Chose in the End

Here is the PC I decided to go with in the end.  I bought it from Hardwareversand - a German company who build the PC for you using the parts you have chosen. I’d suggest you do this also if possible – I built my first PC myself using components I bought online, and it was a nightmare!

RAM 2 x 12GB Kit Corsair PC1600 CL9 Dominator

Motherboard ASUS P6X58-E

DVD Drive ASUS DRW-24B3ST

Graphics Card Club 3D Radeon HD 6450 Noiseless Edition

Case FRACTAL DESIGN DEFINE R3 Titanium Grey

CPU Intel Core i7-960 Box 8192Kb, LGA1366

Operating System MS Windows 7 Pro 64bit

PSU Super-Flower SF550P14PE Golden King Modular 80plus Platinum 550W

Hard Drive OCZ SSD Vertex 2 120GB

Hard Drive WD Caviar Green 1,5TB

Hard Drive WD Caviar Green 1,5TB

Hard Drive WD Caviar Green 1,5TB

Hard Drive WD Caviar Green 1,5TB

Total Price – €1780 (including shipping)

Sonokinetic are running a competition until the 6th September whereby composers can download the free version of Project Infinity or purchase the full version and upload a track of it in use.

Download the free version of “Project Infinity” or buy the full version of “Project Infinity” to enter.

The Prizes:

1) Use the free version of Project Infinity:
Get the most votes on your track, win Sonokinetic libraries

• 1st Prize: full version “Project Infinity” + two libraries of choice

• 2nd Prize: full version “Project Infinity”

2) Use the full version of Project Infinity:

• 1st Prize: Complete Bundle

• 2nd Prize: full version “Project Infinity” + two libraries of choice

ENTERING THE CONTEST:

To enter the contest, head over to http://contest.sonokinetic.net for more information.

Website: http://seanbeeson.com

How did you get into composition? Was it something you always wanted to do?

I was first interested in composing by singing sacred music in Church. When we would come home from Mass, I would sit down and doodle on the synthesizer and piano, until I was able to play the hymns we sang. Eventually I got creative with the songs, and set out to write my own! I was quite young at that time, so I was unaware that you could compose for a living, but I knew that I would continue to write music, as I was passionate about it.

Can you give us a brief overview of what your home studio consists of?

A single PC, a desk, two 24″ LCD monitors, an M-Audio controller, a breathe controller, and a set of speakers. I am an in-the-box composer at the moment, so my studio could probably fit in a closet if it had to. I try to keep things slim, efficient, and modest, as that enables me to be more productive.

Whats your favourite software at the moment?

I am a huge fan of Quantum Leap Spaces at the moment. Of course I can’t take Cubase for granted, which is really the cornerstone to my workflow, but QL Spaces is a great sounding reverb and works phenomenally on orchestral tracks!

What software are you most looking forward to in the future, if any?

The complete Hollywood collection. East West has done a great job with Hollywood Strings and Hollywood Brass, I just wish they could hurry up and release the other sections for it!

Talk us through your “Great Pumpkin Heist – Crazy Halloween Adventure” cue. How did you start it, what did you use on it, how did you complete it – effects, mixing etc.

Great Pumpkin Heist – Crazy Halloween Adventure by Sean Beeson
I am somewhat pleased with how this cue turned out, and since it is a relatively newer one, the process of writing it is still fresh in my mind! I started the piece with the basic chord progression and melody that starts in the middle section (with the string runs) and continued to build the piece backwards from there. It all started as a piano sketch and was eventually fleshed out with orchestration.

It was written to be a piece of music in a library, so I wanted its form to be incredibly dynamic and contrasting, thus the large stylistic changes.

You are primarily hearing Hollywood Strings, Cinebrass, WIVI, Hollywood Winds, Requiem, and Spitfire Percussion. The mix is relatively basic, just a bit of EQ, and QL Spaces on some of the orchestral sections and that is it!

Tell us how you go about mixing your orchestral cues – for example, do you put reverb on each section, each instrument, the track overall etc. do you use certain instruments for colour?

Generally, I try to let the samples breathe as much as they can. So many sample libraries already have some kind of production aspects baked into the sounds, so I really focus on making the orchestration the best it can (before mixing) and then slightly adjusting elements if needed. Granted, this doesn’t always guarantee a true-to-life acoustic representation of an orchestra, but it works!

Do you use any interesting orchestral effects in your writing?

I will use the occasional Symphobia effects, or horn growls from sample libraries, although I am constantly looking for ways to manipulate acoustic sounds and/or samples to generate new kinds of effects. It is amazing what a bit of pitch shifting, EQ, and pitch bending can do!

How do you try to stay fresh as a composer?

I step away from work and try to do things completely unrelated. Sometimes that means spending time with my family, teaching, or playing for Masses. I try to make myself want to be in the studio by not allowing myself to always be IN my work, if that makes sense.

What has been your biggest project to date?

My biggest in terms notoriety? That is hard to say really. Something I am working on now will most likely be my ‘biggest’ project, although it is completely unrelated to media scoring. I think my sampling projects (a few of which are not even publicly known yet) are some of my biggest projects, simply because they take more planning, and proper executing than any score I have composed.

Do you market yourself as a composer – advertise, use social media, network?

I try to use social media in tandem with a website and forums to do most of my networking. I also get a lot of work through my clients who refer me to other developers. That is one of the best things about indie developers, they share resources!

Betrayal At Krontara – Mystical and Powerful RPG by Sean Beeson

What is the one tool you couldn’t do without as a composer? Hardware/software/mental

Coffee. Granted, having a PC allows me to be able to do what I am doing, but coffee helps get my brain started.

Whats your plans for the future?

My long term goals as a composer are relatively modest. If I can continue to work on projects, make enough money to support my growing family, and eventually build a studio in rural Ohio, I would be ecstatic. I would like to think someday I can win an award or two, but that really isn’t what is important. I am more concerned about providing for my family and enjoying what I do.

Your a member of G.A.N.G. – how do you find them?

How do I find GANG? I find it to be a great group of guys and gals! In the game industry, I have never seen so many professionals willing to provide resources and advice to students, apprentices, and amateurs. It was where I got my start and I am sure that can be said for a lot of other game audio professionals as well.

Have you got many jobs from GANG?

Directly from GANG? Other than my position with GANG, zero. From friends I have made from GANG Events? More than I can count on two hands. GANG creates the possibilities for its members to generate work if they put themselves in the position to do so!

How do you get the majority of your jobs – referrals, word of mouth etc.?

A lot of referrals these days. In years past, most of my work had come from strangers stumbling upon my work. Anymore, it seems that most of my work is coming from a client’s client, a friend of a client, or even friends of mine.

What are the most common challenges in writing music for games?

Budgets, financially and technologically speaking. On the financial side, many games simply don’t have the large budgets that other media scoring projects have at their disposal. It can be difficult to give the client what they want and need while taking care of yourself. On top of that, we have to deal with file budgets and technical limitations, especially when working with mobile/iDevice games. Many clients want their games to be downloaded over the air (OTA) and so it must remain under a certain MB file limit (depending on the platform/device) and so the music must either be compressed, or cut down, or cut out.

How long are you generally given to score the music for the games you are working on?

Depending on the client and the amount of music, it can range from one week, to half of a year. In many cases, clients just need 3-4 minutes of music, and so the entire process takes a max of 2-3 weeks. Some games are much tighter deadlines, as I am pulled in at the last second to score the projects.

How do you figure out what to charge while working on a game – do you have set prices, ask for a % or scope it out on each project?

My general rule of thumb is make as much as possible (to take care of myself and my time investment) while still being ethical to the client. Typically, I will evaluate what the client needs, what they require of me, and then present them with rates I have been paid on similar projects.

Many times I will ask the client to be honest with what they were wanting to pay for the music/audio, and if we don’t meet eye to eye, instead of refusing to work with them, I find a way to make it work, either through adjusting my needs, or adjusting their wants. I try to be a problem solver when it comes to budgets.

Pocket RPG Theme by Sean Beeson

At what point do you usually get on board with a game project for the music? Does it differ each time?

Sometimes it is SUPER early, say 8 months before the game is released. In one case now, the game hasn’t even been announced and I have been working on it a year already. In other cases, the week before it is submitted to Apple, or sent to the publisher to be printed. Each time it is different. Being early is nice because you have time to work, but does mean that you may be tweaking work you did 12 months ago to accomodate the rest of the score. Being late can have its perks too, as the game is already developed and deadlines are SUPER stiff. I just pop in, nail it, and am finished!

You write concert works aswell as music for media – which do you enjoy the most?

Is there a difference? haha I really don’t treat them much differently! I try to write music that I would enjoy listening to, and if it can be performed in a concert setting that is a huge bonus!

Can you tell us a bit about the sample libraries you create?

Sure! I have helped produce a few sample libraries to date, most of which are epic percussion libraries, including TAIKO, Ten Man Taiko, Stickbreakers Vol. 1, Action Drums Cinematic Edition, and Action Drums Taiko Edition. I have a few sample libraries up and coming, including Student Body, and one that will blow some socks off, but I can’t quite talk about that one yet. I love creating percussion sample libraries because of the power you can covey through them, but I am not beginning to explore other kinds of musicality through the samples I record and hope to do some more orchestral hybrid products in the future!

Do you do anything to supplement your income as a composer?

Definitely! I create and sell sample libraries. While that isn’t a necessity, it helps fill my downtime between projects. I can go out and sample some stuff, and then sit on the sounds for how ever many months I need to until I have some down time, at which point I can pull them out and get to work.

How did you make the transition to being a full time composer?

It was a very gradual transition for me. While studying for a degree in composition and working as a groundskeeper at a golf course, I was scoring media-related projects (nearly the entire time) which taught me how to juggle gigs and manage time. During my junior and senior years, projects were back-to-back or overlapping, so by the time I graduated I had enough work to keep me relatively busy, and also had a pile of samples that I was sitting on to begin editing whenever I was free.

I was in a very good position to jump into composing full time. I didn’t have other obligations and was driven and optimistic enough to pursue what I wanted to do without fear. Looking back, I am very blessed and grateful that things turned out as well as they did.

Who are your favourite composers at the moment and why?

I have been enjoying a lot of Thomas Bergersen’s music lately as well as music by Jim Cowan, and David Haas. Although what I listen to on a daily basis is CONSTANTLY changing! I flip from 80′s music, to Disney music, to Van Halen in the course of an afternoon.

What is your favourite score of all time?

Oh boy, that is a tough one… I think the score for Strider (Genesis) is one of my favorites. There other scores that have brilliant pieces, but as an entire body of work, Strider’s music really stands out for me!

What advice would you give to a composer starting off?

Patience, practice, persistence, PR, and personal finances. The game audio industry can be a difficult nut to crack, but be patient and stick with it. While you are working on getting gigs, either through your website, forums, or contacting developers, continue to practice. Write music, even if you don’t have a reason to. Put yourself in positions where you are forced to write outside of the box, under unusual conditions! And lastly, learn the business, and understand your business. It is easier to be a freelance composer when you are able to balance your business and personal finances!