Music Design Portfolio 2023
Professional Music Design Experience
During the last two years at Free Radical Design, I have taken on all of the Music Design responsibilities, working with industry veteran Graeme Norgate and BAFTA nominated Ross Tregenza to make their compositions into interactive music systems that are adaptively driven by game parameter data to enhance gameplay.
These systems have been set up in Wwise middleware making use of vertical and horizontal approaches, and are influenced by states, switches and RTPCs as dictated by the game.
Due to the nature of the industry, my most recent professional work is under NDA. Examples of previous work and personal projects can be found below.
This will be updated soon as I am actively working on my personal projects.
Music Design in Personal Projects
After writing my thesis, and making an accompanying documentary film, on the topic of Generative Music, I have taken every opportunity to explore interactive and stochastic music systems.
My songwriting simulator Bedroom Producer got me shortlisted as a BBC New Creative, and interactive music experience Emotional Response received arts funding from South West Creative Technology Network.
Bedroom Producer (2020)
The below video demonstrates a personal project built around an interactive music system, that is presented as a ‘songwriting simulator’. The player’s experience consists of making a series of creative decisions, resulting in a piece of music that they have written through that decision making process.
Emotional Response (2020)
Supported by the South West Creative Technology Network and Kaleider.
More information at https://www.swctn.org.uk/automation/microgrants/samuel-hollywood-summers/
Music Design in Game Jams
I love participating in game jams, and always try to work in an interactive music system for these small projects. Some examples can be seen below.
Bright Ideas (2021)
Solo jam game that is a loose interactive music experience.
Dreams Incorporated (2020)
This game was made with Jack Sanderson Thwaite and Jo Godfrey in 48 hours for GMTK Game Jam 2020 for the theme 'Out of Control'.
The music dynamically introduces layers, or takes them away, depending on how optimistic or pessimistic your responses are. Watch both videos for an example of both an optimistic and a pessimistic playthrough, or try it for yourself at https://jogodfrey.itch.io/dreams-inc
One Hour Music Compositions:
Three Word Briefs
All pieces in the video playlist below were made to a three word brief, and were composed and produced within an hour (some timed more strictly than others).
The pieces were made for fun in evenings and at weekends.
Music Composition and Production Showreel (2020)
I had fun making this one.