Trine launched – 1UP, yeah it’s me!

Interviews at Game-OST and VGMRush!

There’s a new Super Stardust HD OST review at VGMRush. Check it out!

This blog will aim at being an edgy insiders fix on audio in games industry. I will not dodge from telling my opinions or point of views, but I’ll try to make it personal and interesting without being too geeky, so that anyone can enjoy reading my posts and share thoughts provoked.

For the start it might be best to shed some light on how I see my work and what is my goal as a music and audio professional. If you want to play big, you need your heart and soul with the side of the cold professional know-how. I want to build my share of the game music and audio industry and arouse other feelings than just fear and aggression in the gamer. I have come to realize that there’s  a need for more complex emotions in games.

I think the game industry and the gamers themselves have grown to accept that you can expect more from games – if you can experience beautiful and memorable moments in a movie, why not in a game that is in your control to see and listen.

Making fresh and original music is not that difficult in the end. When I’m collecting reference music I’m not just looking from one direction – I’m searching mostly feelings and components that could go well together. I’m not much of a tech geek what it comes to sound quality, I still prefer melody over sound.

Actually, there’s a lot of over-compressed and overmastered pop&rock music out there that makes you wish if it only was the 60-70’s again. And not just the sound quality, some producers now tend to use everything they got in a one fricking song. So what it comes to Hollywood style I’m basically OK with it but it also depends on the overall product. Hollywood style may fit in the project but is it perfect? Does the melodies and compositions lose something, or gain? Why not explore new things and try different ideas unprejudiced. Music plays a bigger role in games than peaple think – it’s one of the key elements how memorable expriences are made.

The reason why I like to compose for games is simply that there’s so much freedom of choice. So much to explore and to see. So many different concepts and designs which are usually much more interesting and daring than in any movies or TV-series! Nonlinear interactivity makes games also much more interesting in the audio front than linear media. Hooray the expanding and diverse urban culture!

The new site has been launched detailing the inner workings of AriTunes, welcome to this more posh, slick an informational on line resource! Stay alert for upcoming news and updates for they are bound to rush in the next few days. Let this work of mine be a dedication to my beloved father and fellow musician and mentor, Pauli Pulkkinen who passed away last summer at the age of 61.

He, as the head of our musical family was my critic and support from the start. Pauli was a talented all-around musician, and had a knack for vast scale of styles and instruments – he sang, played guitar, was one of the DJ’s of the eighties and above all, had an offbeat singing voice along with the truly charismatic performance. Needless to say, he was my biggest support and resource of knowledge and opinion. When hearing a tune he was able to tell whether it sounded good, or unique, or merely something plagiarized in a matter of seconds. When it comes to composing, my father never had the time or the thrill for it. Therefore my work as a composer exceeded his skills, but that made him extremely proud of his son. I’m ever so grateful to him of all the things he taught me, and enjoying of taking things to the next level.