Q&A with Jared Emerson-Johnson, Friday!
nikasaur
Telltale Alumni
Hear ye hear ye, Jared is coming to the forums to answer some of your music and sound related questions! Pop in to hear the answers on Friday the 2nd from 10am to 11am PST (he chose this specifically so Europeans can be awake for it, what a guy!)
Let me tell you- Jared is a superhero. He sets the tone of the world with ease, he knocks out sound effects with a single blow, he makes what we do sound AMAZING. It's a fact that Telltale sometimes hires super-human automatons, and investigations as to Jared's actual humanity are pending. Some people are just too talented.
(Fun fact: he's also super-skilled at Beatles Rock Band.)
We're open for questioning, so load 'em up and keep him busy.
Let me tell you- Jared is a superhero. He sets the tone of the world with ease, he knocks out sound effects with a single blow, he makes what we do sound AMAZING. It's a fact that Telltale sometimes hires super-human automatons, and investigations as to Jared's actual humanity are pending. Some people are just too talented.
(Fun fact: he's also super-skilled at Beatles Rock Band.)
We're open for questioning, so load 'em up and keep him busy.
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Comments
What software do you use for mixing in general?
Can we see some "Making-Of"-videos from the music production?
It's too bad that so many music is overcompressed nowadays. I'd like to thank you and the entire producer team that you kept sufficient dynamics in your music intact. Keep it that way! Thank you very much.
Can you shortly narrate one of your experiences about composing game musics? (It must be a special one.) (:
I totally loved both S&M seasons' OSTs. Will Devil's Playhouse's soundtrack be entertaining as others'?
Thanks for your time...
On voice acting:
Do you have a hand in directing(/casting) the voice actors as well? You did the voice for DeSinge in Monkey, what was that experience like for you? Will you be doing any more voices in the future?
On music:
Where do you get your inspiration? Was it a case of Chuck Jordan telling you about the 70s sci-fi theme and giving you a couple of movies for inspiration? Are there any movies/games/musicians in particular that serve as an influence this season?
Also, the same question I asked Ryan in his Q&A: If you could decide what game Telltale will make next, what would it be? It doesn't matter if it would result in a fun game or if it would even be possible to create a game out of that subject, just base your choice on the music you like to create.
I'm not really musically gifted, so I'm afraid I can't really ask any in-depth questions. All I can say is that I love your work, and I own both Sam & Max soundtracks (and I hope more will be released!). Oh, and I would love an MP3 of the music from the trailer.:D
How much additional work do you have to put into the music to turn it into a "listenable" format for the soundtrack CDs? Do you already do preparations for a CD-release during the music production?
Oh, and here's hoping for a Season 3 soundtrack release! (Actually I'm hoping for a W&G release as well, as I really LOVED the music you did for those, but that's probably out of reach)
I was wondering, when you make the sound of, say, a door, do you actually record a door, or do you record something completely different? If so, what are some weird things that became completely different sound effects?
Also, I'm curious about the order in which things are done. Music, voices, sound effects, I'm guessing they all come into the game at different times, don't they? Do you had sounds to the already animated cutscenes basing it off of what's going on (say, someone taps his forehead, so you had a sound for that) or is there some kind a specific storyboard that allows you to work with the sounds earlier than that?
And applying effects to the voices (like the muffling you didn't get to put in the game for the bear heads in season one), when does that happen?
Also, Chuck said we broke you. Sorry about that. Did you get better? More seriously, how insane are you to work that much?
I think you're awesome and I love your music, although I don't know enough about music to ask questions about that...
...I don't really know much to ask anything about music (and I'm a string bassist!)...so yeah.
How long does it take for you to make one whole soundtrack?
How long is your normal day at work and what do you generally do in one day?
Thanks for making so many great songs. Desinge was really fun to listen and he was one of my favorite characters so I hope you continue voice acting in Telltale games.
!! you took the words right out of my mouth. but its totally still true, the whole jazz feel of sam and max, the way the theme sounds like a crime comedy from the 50s, i just close my eyes and see myself in frank sinatraesque bachelor pad. when did you start doing music professionally? did you play any instruments as a kid? how has designing music changed for you over the years? (equipment, styles, etc)
Apart from our usual dose of hard jazz and the sci-fi sound that we've already heard in the trailer (I really dig that wee theramin thingy over the main hook in the trailer) what other genres can we expect to hear creeping in this season?*
When you're writing say a big musical number or music to fit a cutscene do you have to time it around the animations or do the animaters work around the music?
Simon or Garfunkel?
Thanks for your time, i'm very excited to hear what's in store for us this season and I really mean that
*There was a vicious rumour of an auto-tuned sexy RnB song sung by Max flying about. Started by me
Ps. sheet music and chord charts please sheet music and chord charts please sheet music and chord charts please sheet music and chord charts please sheet music and chord charts please sheet music and chord charts please kthxbai
Just one or two questions that might actually be out of your field but I thought I'd ask.
1. Do you deal with any of the technical side of integrating the music and sound effects into the game or just the creation of the music and sounds?
2. I assume the telltale engine take a "pre-rendered" approach to sound, meaning that you record what is going to be used and then wait for events to trigger that sound effect. Have you ever heard of or worked with the idea of generative music and sounds, where the game itself generates the music or sound effects based upon what is happening in the game or other input/output (probably from samples of music or algorithms)?
Favorite song is "New location unlocked", gotta love that song. I know it's a remixed Midtown Cowboy's song, but after 100 times, I still can't hear that though... also really love the small bleeping song of 105 and 105. Should have used that one for the puzzle of 205 devs instead of the mimesweeper song!
Anyway, questions not dealing with TTG even. I saw a certain "Jarad Emerson-Johnson" worked on KOTOR2 cinematic cutscene movies. I assume that's just a typo'ed you though. Made any new songs there too, if so, which?
Back to the TTG territory... What's the song of season 3 that you most like and we definitely should keep on the wait for?
Agree
AGREE
I knew it, I KNEW IT! I knew it all along
Argh! Too much awesome condensed!
Ok... now the question: Which is the name of this song? It's the one of the menu for Season 2 Bonus DVD (Also in the Beginning of Chariots of the Dogs. And Bright Side of the Moon). This is probably my really REALLY favorite song of the whole soundtrack, and, for some reason, is doomed to have not an stand alone "release" for its quality of Cutscene Song. I think. So, since I'm frustrated, I resorted to ask this.
Edit: Uhhh I forgot. When I recieved my Copies of both soundtracks, I play them in the Car with my dad in a long trip. He loves it. And he didn't know who are Sam and Max (He doesn't like adventure games). Well, he didn't actually say that, he asks me about the band
can we expect any randomish musical numbers this season?
What DAW/platform/mics/outboard stuff do you use?
...and are the strings also real instruments or are you taking those from sample libraries?
Love your stuff, keep up the awesome work
I can never think of any questions.
Sam and Max has a jazz theme, have you ever considered recording several dozen solos over the same changes as a way of expanding the music?
**Edit: As a musician I know you have CONSIDERED it (we all have), but has that ever been a point of discussion vs. doing loops of music?
I can answer this question before Jared gets here!! That is the instrumental backing for World of Max, the closing credits song from Season One. If you listen, you can sing World of Max to yourself over the top. I love that track, too. When that cutscene cue was delivered for 106, I might have listened to it too many times, and would maybe injure someone to get a copy of the full track. The Gilbert and Sullivan parts would probably make it weird, though.
Really?
O.O
Oooohhhh... make it happen please!
But basically how do you go about writing a theme ?
Do you start with the actual melody, or with some cliché lines to fit the mood needed, or just play around until you find something that clicks ?
I always thought instrumental music was much harder than just adding some fancy stuff to an actual song. It's really hard to come up with a good theme or melody, and even more when doing "ambience music", having to convey a certain mood or emotion...
Any insight on your overall musical life ?
Also, what is/are your favourite instrument(s) to noodle with ?
Have you ever considered writing a "max" hard rock song (i mean, a song max would write, complete with hyperkinetic lyrics and rabitty guitar solos - or vice versa) ?
Thanks a lot for the thread anyway. The "euro-friendly" timing is a nice touch, too
Did you play an(y) instrument(s) when you were a kid?
Also, did you always want to be a composer?
And one harder one.
I'm sort of interested in composing. I like to make up songs on the piano and whatnot. What do you think I should do?
I dunno what's Jared's advice to you will be, but mine is to go all jerry lee lewis and set the piano on fire. Gets you in the right mood
What kind of program(s) do you use to edit and compile the music, voices, and sound effects (or even compose)?
How long does it usually take to get all the sound work done for a single episode?
First of all, I'd like to thank you for all the wonderful music in previous Sam & Max seasons. I have three questions:
1) Who are your three favourite jazz musicians and why?
2) Do you prefer traditional or modern jazz?
3) Are all the solos in your jazz pieces set or do you allow improvisation?
1. Do you know that I have a man crush on you?
2. Does that make you feel awkward now knowing that?
3. Is it alright if I come over to your house at 3am?
4. How many instruments can you play?
-8. So about 6pm BST.
He didn't do the soundtrack for ToMI.
No, I mean't what time is that in Perth, which has a time zone of GMT +8