Multi-genre composer/arranger/performer.

Forum rules
Never bump threads. Per rule 16, updates may be posted once every 2 months. Violating these rules may led to thread deletion.
Post Reply
Message
Author
Mal-2
Newbie
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2015 11:11 pm
Projects: My Virus Girlfriend, A Cracked Mirror, Nekonomicon, Anon and the Monster Maidens
Organization: Paratheoanametamystikhood of Eris Esoteric (POEE)
Skype: mal2ksc
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact:

Multi-genre composer/arranger/performer.

#1 Post by Mal-2 »

Hello. You're wondering why you should care, I have no doubt, as there are already a lot of others available through this board, so I'll cut to the chase.

My strengths are Versatility, Speed, and Realism.

Versatility: Classically trained, as are many of the others I'm sure, but I also have worked (both as performer and composer) in jazz, Latin jazz, salsa (and cumbia, merengue, guaguanco, boogaloo, etc.), progressive rock, metal, pop, and electronic music. I do chiptunes as well.

Speed: A straightforward three-minute track, from start to finish, might run a day or two. This of course will depend on any backlog that I might have, and the complexity of what you want. If you want a full orchestra, it's obviously going to take quite a bit longer.

Realism: If I can't get the instruments to sound convincing, I'll use ones where I can -- even if that involves extensive rewriting.

Lately I've been working with a VN that doesn't take itself too seriously, and consequently, neither does the music. You can check out my work here: https://mal-2.bandcamp.com/album/ebow-lechan.

I have more serious work as well, and have produced a set of songs for a game that may well never be made (https://whitemice.bandcamp.com/album/sendai-aerospace). This is exactly why I am offering my services to others -- I want to be involved in projects that will actually get released, and where I do not have to carry leadership or writing or other roles just to keep the project moving.

Lately I've contributed tracks to Autistic Rage Festival (a series of periodic releases from 8chan /mu/). Unfortunately, only other /mu/ people ever pay attention to them.

Rates: Highly negotiable. If you're trying to create a free release, and your demands aren't too great (namely, it won't eat up too much time and I can re-use the material elsewhere), I may be willing to work with you for credit alone. If you're working on a commercial release, and demand exclusive licensing, then I'll base it on the time I think it will take and offer a quote. Obviously every case will vary by its complexity, but as an example use the work for the VN above. Aside from the more complex classical orchestrations, my rate for exclusive licensing of such work would be around $40 per completed minute. This could drop considerably under certain circumstances, such as if I'm able to use certain tools and resources to accelerate the development time.

You would not be asked to pay for anything unless you actually opt to take it. At the same time, if you decline completed work, I'd expect to receive an explanation why. Failure to do so would almost certainly lead to my rejection of further requests. If I didn't correctly interpret your desires, yet you're not willing to help me correct my misconceptions, I'm wasting my time and yours.

User avatar
Rozume
Veteran
Posts: 351
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2012 11:10 pm
Completed: Munster Academy, boy
Projects: Coming of Age VN
Organization: Cosmic Visual
IRC Nick: Rozume
Contact:

Re: Multi-genre composer/arranger/performer.

#2 Post by Rozume »

Hey there! I listened to some of the samples you provided and they sound really good! They're really pleasant to listen, and great for VNs. ^^

If I had the money for it, I would definitely commission you! Who knows, if I get the funds I need soon, I might in the future. c:

You mentioned in your post the possibility of working for free; are there any genres or types of stories you would like to work with? Knowing that might help some people with approaching you.

But yeah, I definitely would like to work with you in the future. Would you be interested in making music for an R18 Kinetic Novel? It's a romance and the pairing is GxB. I'm currently in the writing stage right now, so it'll be a long time before I get to music but it's always nice to talk to potential people I'm considering working with. Anyway, it's rather short - estimated to be about 20k words - and it will be released for free.

If not, that's cool too. I hope to see more of your work in VNs!

Mal-2
Newbie
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2015 11:11 pm
Projects: My Virus Girlfriend, A Cracked Mirror, Nekonomicon, Anon and the Monster Maidens
Organization: Paratheoanametamystikhood of Eris Esoteric (POEE)
Skype: mal2ksc
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact:

Re: Multi-genre composer/arranger/performer.

#3 Post by Mal-2 »

Rozume wrote:You mentioned in your post the possibility of working for free; are there any genres or types of stories you would like to work with? Knowing that might help some people with approaching you.
Since I'm distinctly not interested in taking on a writing role in another project (I already have writing jobs on two of them), I actually don't care that much what the story is, or even if I find it palatable. I could possibly find it completely unpleasant and still come up with music that fits. I just wouldn't want to play the finished product.

I'm willing to work on free projects, as long as you can accept that they won't get my highest priority levels. That said, I'd be honest if I had no time to take on your request.

As for styles, it's evident there are some that people might want that I really don't do. It's not that I don't like them, or don't understand them, it's that I don't have the tools and procedures already in place for them. If your desires tend more toward the direction of Bach, Beethoven, Berlioz, and Brahms, I can probably help you. If they tend more toward New Age or smooth jazz, I'm probably not interested. It's not that these genres are necessarily bad, it's just that I was around when they were flooded by crap (as all genres are once they go mainstream) and never really got over it. If you're looking for disco funk... maybe, but not as a steady diet. If you think your soundtrack is going to sound like Persona 5, I'm probably not your guy. Straight-ahead jazz, whether laid-back or intense, I'll do that in a heartbeat. Latin jazz, definitely. Prog rock and metal too. I'll take on pop music as long as I can do something interesting with it — like making a string quartet out of it or otherwise violating expectations.

tl;dr: Classical, jazz, Latin, rock. Top 40 if and only if I get to poke fun at it. No New Age or smooth jazz, no hip-hop, and I'm retired from electronica (my skills there are seriously dated).

Mind you, for a paid commission, I'd be willing to consider buying more virtual instruments and software, but I'm not spending money where I'm not making any.

Mal-2
Newbie
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2015 11:11 pm
Projects: My Virus Girlfriend, A Cracked Mirror, Nekonomicon, Anon and the Monster Maidens
Organization: Paratheoanametamystikhood of Eris Esoteric (POEE)
Skype: mal2ksc
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact:

Re: Multi-genre composer/arranger/performer.

#4 Post by Mal-2 »

Here's a piece I wrote as a "proof of concept", which served to prove that my concept was not what that particular crew wanted:

Nocturne

This is available for use in a game, along with anything else someone might want to request.

Hanabii
Newbie
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2015 3:26 am
Deviantart: HanabiArts
Contact:

Re: Multi-genre composer/arranger/performer.

#5 Post by Hanabii »

Hi,

I'm currently looking for someone, who could make some music for my VN. It's going to be a lighthearted story in a school setting, so it probably won't need any really impressive music.
Would you be interested in helping for free?
I have to admit I don't have a lot of experience with game music, since I usually play my games with the volume turned down :oops:, so you'd probably be able to work pretty freely as long as it fits the theme.

The project is still at the 0% stage. Meaning: You'd get as much time as you want, until the VN is in a nearly ready state.

Mal-2
Newbie
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2015 11:11 pm
Projects: My Virus Girlfriend, A Cracked Mirror, Nekonomicon, Anon and the Monster Maidens
Organization: Paratheoanametamystikhood of Eris Esoteric (POEE)
Skype: mal2ksc
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact:

Re: Multi-genre composer/arranger/performer.

#6 Post by Mal-2 »

Hanabii wrote:The project is still at the 0% stage. Meaning: You'd get as much time as you want, until the VN is in a nearly ready state.
Approach me again when you have something in hand in terms of plotline and artwork. I've had bad experiences with making things that end up on the cutting room floor because the concept they were based on got changed.

Hanabii
Newbie
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2015 3:26 am
Deviantart: HanabiArts
Contact:

Re: Multi-genre composer/arranger/performer.

#7 Post by Hanabii »

Mal-2 wrote:
Hanabii wrote:The project is still at the 0% stage. Meaning: You'd get as much time as you want, until the VN is in a nearly ready state.
Approach me again when you have something in hand in terms of plotline and artwork. I've had bad experiences with making things that end up on the cutting room floor because the concept they were based on got changed.

Alright :) But basically you would be interested?

Mal-2
Newbie
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2015 11:11 pm
Projects: My Virus Girlfriend, A Cracked Mirror, Nekonomicon, Anon and the Monster Maidens
Organization: Paratheoanametamystikhood of Eris Esoteric (POEE)
Skype: mal2ksc
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact:

Re: Multi-genre composer/arranger/performer.

#8 Post by Mal-2 »

Hanabii wrote:Alright :) But basically you would be interested?
Most likely, but I can't say for sure until your concept demo is ready. I didn't fit with the last project that approached me.

Mal-2
Newbie
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2015 11:11 pm
Projects: My Virus Girlfriend, A Cracked Mirror, Nekonomicon, Anon and the Monster Maidens
Organization: Paratheoanametamystikhood of Eris Esoteric (POEE)
Skype: mal2ksc
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact:

Re: Multi-genre composer/arranger/performer.

#9 Post by Mal-2 »

I'm still out here, for anyone interested. I have a major role in another project, but I'm in the process of backing away from it because of a lack of progress.

I, like many other artistic types, am fundamentally bipolar at some level, though I have three states. In one, I'm up and become incredibly productive. In another, I'm not really in the flow but due to lots of experience, I can often work around it and produce anyhow. It's not as fast, though it can sometimes be as good. In the third, I have no interest in working at all.

The only way to keep me in that first state for long periods of time is for the entire project to be rolling along smoothly overall. (Individual departmental burps aren't a huge issue, but the momentum must continue through them.) If the rest of the team is unwilling or unable to commit to an admittedly difficult compressed schedule, and put the project at the top of their "to do" list, then I don't want to be part of your team. I'll take commissions when you're ready to hand me the concept art and story line that lead to the music requested, but I have to remain disconnected from your day to day operations because I take failure personally even when it's out of my hands.

If you want more enthusiasm, money is always a good motivator.

Mal-2
Newbie
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2015 11:11 pm
Projects: My Virus Girlfriend, A Cracked Mirror, Nekonomicon, Anon and the Monster Maidens
Organization: Paratheoanametamystikhood of Eris Esoteric (POEE)
Skype: mal2ksc
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact:

Re: Multi-genre composer/arranger/performer.

#10 Post by Mal-2 »

It has been four months since last contact by anyone. If you need me, use Skype or something because I won't be checking in here any more.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users