SoundCast Interview: Jack Wall (Call of Duty: Black Ops II)

Interview: Jack Wall (Call of Duty: Black Ops II)

Composer Jack Wall talks with Marius Masalar about his score for the fastest selling video game to date, Call of Duty: Black Ops II.  They talk about his transition from audio producer to working in the video game world, his thoughts on the use of "melody" in game scores, working alongside and around Trent Reznor's main theme, and a bit about his upcoming score for Lost Planet 3 in 2013!

Episode Highlights


0:00 Introduction
2:12 Early reviews of Black Ops II
3:42 Going from studio work to game audio, meeting Trent Reznor
9:00 The evolving game audio workflow, coming full circle
10:38 The attraction of Black Ops II, the value of story in the game
14:41 Dynamic range and the musical direction for the game
16:10 The story of the Niño Precioso cue
22:03 Influences from other series and previous Call of Duty scores
23:39 Melodic themes in games and emotional moments
28:07 Orchestras, the recording process, and the nuance of live performances
30:04 The mixing team and attention to detail in production
32:59 Electronics, field recordings, combining and using sounds
36:01 Learning synthesis and working on Mass Effect
37:12 Jack's favourite sound and the trouble with ringtones
39:14 Working alongside Trent Reznor, the main theme
40:30 The challenge of creating a fresh Call of Duty experience
43:34 Witnessing trends in the gaming industry, the power of indie
49:03 Wrapping up Lost Planet 3 and its…unusual musical direction
54:30 Game scores and composers that Jack admires
56:20 The growing appreciation of music in games
57:40 Conclusion


Music Selections


00:00 "Savimbi's Pride" (Call of Duty: Black Ops II) by Jack Wall
15:15 "Hidden " (Call of Duty: Black Ops II) by Jack Wall
16:30 "Niño Precioso" (Call of Duty: Black Ops II) by Jack Wall
20:20 "Raul Menendez Theme" (Call of Duty: Black Ops II) by Jack Wall
24:40 "Heros Theme " (Call of Duty: Black Ops II) by Jack Wall
32:55 "Spider Bot" (Call of Duty: Black Ops II) by Jack Wall and Jimmy Hinson
58:32 "Adrenaline (Call of Duty: Black Ops II) by Jack Wall

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Video Game Orchestra Performs Live

I recently received an email from composer DUNCAN WATT (BROTHERS IN ARMS: HELL'S HIGHWAY) about an upcoming concert at the Berkless Performance Center on March 5, 2009. If you're in the Boston area, you might want to check it out.


Hi everyone - I'm happy to announce the Video Game Orchestra will be performing some material I've worked on from Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway on March 5th, at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston. the 90-piece (!) ensemble will be playing a wide variety of video game music, including pieces from some wonderful composers, including Jack Wall (who I believe will be guest-conducting his material), Gerard Marino, Keith Zizza, and many others.

Full information below - I hope to meet some of you there!

Duncan


PRESS RELEASE:
VIDEO GAME ORCHESTRA PERFORMS LIVE
MARCH 5, BERKLEE PERFORMANCE CENTER

Boston, MA, February 5, 2009 – Donkey Kong will swing – think Ellington, not Tarzan – and the music of retro Nintendo titles and Playstation mega-hits alike will be brought to life when the Video Game Orchestra (VGO) hits the stage, March 5, at Berklee. The 90-member VGO comprises a 45-piece orchestra, 40-piece choir, and 5-piece rock band, with players from over 20 countries who are students at Berklee, Boston University, Boston Conservatory, and New England Conservatory. The concert is $10 and all ages and takes place on March 5, 8:15 p.m., at the Berklee Performance Center, located at 136 Massachusetts Ave., Boston. Please call 617-747-2261 or visit berkleebpc.com for show information.

Prominent composers from the video game industry have arranged music for the show and will be in the audience, including Gerard Marino (God of War), Keith Zizza (Caesar IV, Sim City Societies), Duncan Watt (Brothers in Arms), and Jack Wall (Mass Effect), co-creator of Video Games Live, a national tour that showcases video game music.

For more information, visit: http://www.vgo-online.org/live

Mass Effect Soundtrack is Sumthing Else

On November 20, 2007, SUMTHING ELSE MUSIC WORKS will be releasing the original soundtrack to the highly anticipated game MASS EFFECT. The score is composed by veteran game composer Jack Wall, Sam Hulic, Richard Jacques and David Kates. You can pre-order the MASS EFFECT soundtrack today.


Below is the official press release:

MEDIA RELEASE
SUMTHING ELSE MUSIC WORKS ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF THE MASS EFFECT ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK FROM THE BLOCKBUSTER XBOX 360® VIDEO GAME

THE EPIC SOUNDTRACK TO THIS YEAR’S HOTTEST ROLE-PLAYING GAME
New York - November 16th, 2007 - Sumthing Else Music Works, Inc., through its licensing relationship with BioWare and Microsoft Game Studios, proudly presents Mass Effect Original Soundtrack. Featuring over an hour of original music from the game, the soundtrack CD will be released on November 20 to US retail outlets through Nile Rodgers’ Sumthing Else Music Works label http://www.sumthing.com/. Sumthing Else Music Works is the industry leader in licensing and distributing video game soundtracks.Inspired by classic sci-fi movies such as ‘Blade Runner’ and ‘Dune,’ the Mass Effect soundtrack was composed by Jack Wall and Sam Hulick with additional music by Richard Jacques and David Kates. The score blends 80’s electronic music with modern orchestral scoring to enhance the dramatic storyline and beautiful visuals set in an epic futuristic universe.

"From the earliest stages of its conception, Mass Effect was meant to be an original artwork about the future, inspired by the great science fiction experiences of the past," said Casey Hudson, Project Director for Mass Effect. "This synthesis of originality and familiarity called for a truly unique soundtrack, with ambitious goals and unprecedented challenges."
From the creators of the critically-acclaimed Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire comes an epic space saga exclusively for the Xbox 360 that spans the entire galaxy. Combining a rich and engaging narrative with intense sci-fi tactical combat, Mass Effect features an immersive and cinematic gameplay experience rarely seen before in video games. For more information on Mass Effect, visit http://www.masseffect.com/.

About BioWare

BioWare Corp. is an electronic entertainment company which develops computer, console, handheld and online video games focused on rich stories and memorable characters. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world's best-selling titles including the award-winning Baldur's Gate™ and Neverwinter Nights™ series, as well as the 2003 Game of the Year, Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™. Original BioWare-created IPs include the 2005 RPG of the Year, Jade Empire™, with next-generation titles Mass Effect™ and Dragon Age™ currently in development. Mass Effect will ship to retailers globally in November, 2007. The game has received more than 50 awards, including the 2007 Game Critics Awards for “Best Console Game” and “Best RPG” at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. With studios in Edmonton, Canada, and Austin, Texas, BioWare is also hard at work on a new title for the Nintendo DS™ based on Sonic the Hedgehog, as well as several unannounced projects including a massively multiplayer online game. For more information on BioWare, visit http://www.bioware.com/.