Recording - December 2011 - 57

really is following your ears. The most important thing that a musician has is ears. How can you be objective? I listen to a lot of music. I listen to television—which may not be good for me psychologically— but I listen to a lot of music on television, to the commercials, and I’m always noticing the music that’s playing in the background at restaurants and things. I guess that kind of seeps into my soul, what is realistic. It is difficult, because I’m in a cave all day writing music, and I don’t get to hang out with other humans very often, it seems, except at the Rally, and this is where I get my energy from. You’ve got to stay current. You’ve got to be listening to what’s on the radio and what’s on television to understand. Really, that is your competition—if I can use the word competition here. I know that it’s really not competition between us, but

your music really can be and should be at that level, and if it is professionally, things will happen. They really will. Congratulations. Chris Ball, ladies and gentlemen. [applause] Well, thank you! I was gonna open this up to audience questions, but I seem to exactly have nailed the entire amount of allotted time. So are you guys inspired by these people? Stand up, you guys. I am so proud of all of you. [applause]Wow! Congratulations. Bob Mete, Keith LuBrant, Gary Piatt,Vance Marino, Jeff Greenleaf, Joe Aukofer, Jeanna Murphy, Danny Infantino, and Chris Ball ladies and gents. Congratulations, you guys are awesome!

Continued from page 54 Congratulations on all your success. I am proud of you, and thank you for sharing your story with us. Danny Infantino. [applause] Chris Ball, ladies and gentlemen. Good to see you. Chris and I have a connection that we didn’t know until long after he was aTAXI member.The first record I was ever officially an assistant engineer on, where I was actually credited was with a group called Firefall.Well, Chris is a member of Firefall. He has been in the band for eight years, right? So I think it’s cool that I’m here with aTAXI member that’s in the band 35 years later. Awesome! Tell us about the piece of music we’re gonna hear. Chris: Well, at last year’s Road Rally, they had a game music session in here, and it was life-changing for me because I hadn’t been paying attention to game music. When I heard the music that these guys were creating now for videogames, I was blown away, and I said this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I had already had a lot of music in libraries and film/TV music catalogs and placed on television. It was really life-changing for me. I had had most every song I had sent into TAXI with orchestra on it returned … not rejected, but returned, because I didn’t know how to use the samples correctly. I spent the next about eight weeks, 12 weeks between, just before I went to the TAXI Rally until this listing came out— one we all knew was gonna come out for game music—learning and taking everything I could and stuffing it into my brain for games and orchestra. This is one of the songs that came out of it, and it did get me the game music deal. [music] Apparently you figured out how to use those samples. Here’s an email I got from Chris:“Michael, I just got off the phone with Bob. I am now represented by his company. Aaaaaaahhhhhh!Wow, let me just say that again. I am now represented by a top agent for videogame composers. It’s a done deal. He starts shopping me now to publishers and developers, and will negotiate all future contracts with game clients. It may take a while before I have my first contract, but we’ll see.That’s the next step. But it’s only a matter of time. Not to be overdramatic here, but‘thanks’seems too small a word. However, thanks, Michael.What a cool thing you’ve put together.Talk to you soon. Chris Ball” That piece is great. It had a lot of emotion. How do you take a sample out of a box and make it have a heart and emotion? It’s following your ears. It’s been trial and error. I mean, some of it is mechanical, trying to go through and find the right articulation. I kept listening and listening and not giving up until it started to sound real. I closed my eyes and it sounded like a symphony. There are tricks and tips that you get used to, but it

http://www.kiqproductions.com http://www.kiqproductions.com

Recording - December 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - December 2011