Interview with our Composer Gareth Meek
14.03.2013I love game music. I listen to tracks from my favorite games almost daily, and Driftmoon is no exception - I must have listened to the soundtrack hundreds of times already (and the amazing part is that I still like it!). It's been almost three years now since we teamed up with our good friend Gareth Meek.
Who are you, and how did you get into composing?
Hello my name is Gareth Meek, I began composing aged about 13 and very quickly became hooked. I studied composition at both high school and University and have continued to write ever since.
How did you happen to start working with Driftmoon?
One summer I found a game called Notrium and I thought it was absolutely fantastic, I played it A LOT, often with my character meeting a very quick end. After a few days I hunted down the developers’ website and I found they had posted a demo of Driftmoon. I contacted Ville and Anne, and in an attempt to try and become the composer for the game I scored their trailer. Fortunately they were happy with the music and so I got to work on Driftmoon.
What other music projects have you been working on?
Since scoring for Driftmoon I have been very busy composing for people in both Europe and America on various projects from games to independent series. Most recently I have composed for international brass band champions the Grimethorpe Colliery Band who then performed the score around the UK at venues including The Sage in Gateshead and St Davids Hall in Cardiff.
What kinds of composing projects would you like to work on in the future?
I would love to primarily compose in the game and anime world as I feel they offer the most freedom in creativity. However, I am happy to score music for pretty much anything be it media, concert or even the stage - the great thing about being a composer is that as long as I’m writing music I’m happy.
So you'd be happy to compose for other games, if another game developer decided to contact you based on your work with Driftmoon?
Absolutely! I love scoring music for games! I find it tremendous fun.
We've been very happy with how wonderfully you listened to our wishes, when you were doing the music for Driftmoon (and needless to say, we're thrilled with the results). How do you do it, Gareth?
One of the greatest aspects of being a composer is that you don’t have to discuss music in musical terms, I often get requested to write a score which is happy or sad or that would fit walking through a forest or riding on a motorbike and personally such words and images help the notes to appear in my head much quicker than if I were just asked to score a piano concerto. Both Ville and Anne had very clear ideas as to what the music should sound like, so when I was asked to score an Underground Cave theme that is dark and cold sounding lots of notes and ideas popped into my head!
How has it felt hearing your own music in Driftmoon?
This was the first major composition undertaking I worked on outside of my educational life so it really does hold a special place in my heart for me. Not only was it such a joy to work on but it felt incredible to load up the game and realise that people would be listening to (and hopefully enjoying) the music that I composed for the world of Driftmoon.
How have you liked playing Driftmoon?
I have loved playing Driftmoon! I think that everything about the game world is enchanting. The level of detail is fantastic and I don’t just mean graphically but also the fact that the monsters have descriptions and the characters have personality. I also appreciate how Driftmoon's setting is so unique; it is not just a canonical fantasy setting, it feels like a fairy-tale and a beautiful one at that!
Who would you recommend Driftmoon for?
One of the most best features of Driftmoon is its cross over appeal; it has a story engaging and mature enough to keep adults entertained whilst being completely accessible to younger ages. Personally I would recommend this game to anyone and everyone regardless of age or gender, it truly is a game that can be enjoyed by anyone and everyone.
In hindsight, how has it been for you working on Driftmoon?
Composing for Driftmoon was very, very enjoyable. Both Ville and Anne made working with them extremely easy and comfortable which was fantastic with it being the first time I had worked for an actual games developer.
Any final words?
I would really REALLY like to thank anyone who has supported me through purchasing the soundtrack. I greatly appreciated it and I hope you all enjoy the music. Finally I would like to give a HUGE thank you to both Ville and Anne for giving me the opportunity to work on Driftmoon. I have enjoyed every moment of it! I hope everyone has a great time exploring the world that is Driftmoon.
Thanks Gareth, you're great! 