Jason Graves is an American video game composer, who created the scores for the Dead Space series, and F.E.A.R. 3 He is one of the brightest, and upcoming music writers in the video game industry, as he knows how to create music that enhance the games experience. Graves' latest score is the Tomb Raider reboot developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix that is set to release on March 5th. We had the chance to talk to him about his latest score, and the challenges composing Lara Craft for today’s audience.
Jason Graves is an American video game composer, who created the scores for the Dead Space series, and F.E.A.R. 3. He is one of the brightest, and upcoming music writers in the video game industry, as he knows how to create music that enhance the games experience. Graves' latest score is the Tomb Raider reboot developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix that is set to release on March 5th. We had the chance to talk to him about his latest score, and the challenges composing Lara Craft for today’s audience.
GamerHub.TV: Judging by experience, you're a composer that knows how to craft a unique sound for a game. What made you go in this direction?
Over time, I’ve found I need to keep things fresh for me personally. It seems I’m always on the lookout for new sounds or new ways to make music in my studio. The overall direction for Tomb Raider really evolved during the first year I was working on the score. It just seemed like a natural extension of the game. The Scavengers, the island, Lara’s inexperience - they are all reflected in the music.
GamerHub.TV: Speaking of creating sounds in a game, you created a special instrument for the game. Why did you create it, and what role does it serve in the game?
It wasn’t something I set out to do in the beginning. At first, I was simply doing everything I could with things I could pick up from the backyard and bring into the studio to record. I soon realized that while I was getting some interesting sounds I had already exhausted any potential objects I could find nearby.
So I sought out local sculptor Matt McConnell. Initially, I was only interested in borrowing leftover scraps from his metal shop to bang on and record. However, Matt was extremely enthusiastic about the project and Crystal Dynamics were equally supportive. As a result, Matt and I spent over a year designing the final instrument as used in the game.
There are a wide range of sounds I recorded on “The Instrument” and different materials represent different characters in the game. For example, most of the metal in the sculpture is for the Scavengers and the glass bowls represent the island itself. You can hear the sounds throughout the game, weaving in and out of the texture of the score as the characters they represent become more influential in Lara’s story.
