Whether or not you already know Simon Viklund because the composer of the Payday franchise’s emblematic dubstep/EDM/techno soundtracks or because the voice of Bain in the identical sequence, his title is at all times related to heavy-hitter motion video games. He’s recognized for his work on Bandits: Phoenix Rising, Bionic Commando, Lifeless by Daylight, and after all, Payday: The Heist and Payday 2.
For Polygon FM — our weeklong take a look at the way in which music and gaming interweave with one another — Viklund discusses his early inspirations and why wonky rhythms make good video game music.
Polygon: Was there a game soundtrack or tune that impressed you to pursue creating game music? Are you able to set the scene of what that felt like for you, and why the music was so efficient?
Simon Viklund: I used to be considerably obsessive about NES music after I was a child, to the purpose the place I recorded Megaman 1-3 music off the TV to cassette tape in order that I may take heed to it after I wasn’t taking part in. The music on the NES was extraordinarily efficient as a result of the primitive sound chip pressured the composers to rearrange economically and depend on nice harmonies and melodies. My scorching take is that the music within the 16-bit period wasn’t nearly as good as a result of the tech sounded extra like precise devices however not fairly — it was just like the uncanny valley of sampled devices — and composers began to over-rely on the instruments.
Are you able to break down considered one of your personal songs and its influences? Was it impressed by game soundtracks, different music, or one thing else?
I made a monitor known as “Inject” that was written particularly for the title reveal trailer for Den of Wolves, a techno thriller heist co-op game we’re engaged on at 10 Chambers. We needed the trailer to depart the viewer with a sense of “oh hell yeah, that’s bad-ass,” and I listened to half-tempo bass music for inspiration.
There’s this monitor known as “Arbiter” by Draeden, which has what I’d name a trap-inspired beat, and I’m probably not into entice however I cherished what Draeden did and drew closely from that specific monitor. “Inject” is principally drums and one synth melody, with many of the bass coming from an 808 that goes with the kick drum. In different phrases, there’s not a lot [of] layers to it, and so every part actually has to shine. I spent a lot of time making the kick very punchy, the snare snappy, and so forth.
One other side was my thought to make the music sound form of “wonky” and not pitch excellent or quantized (i.e. not rhythmically excellent). My thought was that it could assist the music turn into a bit extra ear-wormy beacuse it could form of really feel “off.” I spent a lot of time making the groove sloppy timing-wise, and the synths screech and wobble a bit prefer it wasn’t intentional despite the fact that it was. I had a lot of enjoyable exploring new concepts, pushing out of my consolation zone and studying new tips whereas making “Inject”!
What are the primary devices used to file the soundtrack for the Payday sequence? How did you select these devices?
Payday has a lot of drum loops and distorted synths, however each as soon as in awhile there’s some actual electrical guitar and bass in there. After we have been creating Payday: The Heist again in 2010-2011, my intestine feeling stated the selection for the music was between leaning into the game’s Hollywood film inspiration with cinematic music, or leaning into the “outlaw power fantasy” with one thing extra rock ‘n’ roll. I went with the latter.
Is there the rest we should always learn about your strategy to composing video game music?
It doesn’t come simple for me. It’s exhausting. I don’t use undertaking templates, though most likely I ought to. Every time I sit right down to make one other monitor, it’s a clear slate, and I am going “How do you do this again?” There are such a lot of instructions a soundtrack or a person monitor can go, it’s simple to get selection paralysis. I would like time, I must strive and fail, and I would like different individuals on the undertaking to assist me by way of the method — with course and assist by way of endurance. So the method is exhausting, however I like doing it!
