Music & Video Games
LiveRoom (LR): Tell us about yourself. Who are you? What do you do?
Daniel Grace (DG): I’m Daniel Grace, a musician and media composer from the US. I make music through Wavepool, my musical entity.
LR: What is Wavepool? What inspired you to start it?
DG: Wavepool is the result of me trying to work out my musical identity. Rather than choose between being this genre fluent media composer and making “purely artistic” music, I put it all under one label, my musical brand. I don’t feel like I’m necessarily more one than the other because I love it all, so I don’t choose.
LR: What sparked your interest in music in video games?
DG: Game music has a vast genre reach, far more than film, in my opinion. One game could have rock, orchestral, EDM, and country tracks (and even more) depending on what happens in the game. As a music lover, that’s a huge draw alone. Then there’s the interactive nature of the medium. Game music reacts to input in a way an album doesn’t. The more sensory input we get as humans, the more significant the impact. That’s why people love game music. They feel like they live through something, and the sound is a crucial part of that. A musician’s highest goal is to reach people as deeply as they’ve been reached, to give what they’ve been given. Games are an excellent vehicle for this and also just very exciting in general.
LR: Why do people talk about music and video games? How could music be applied in the game industry?
DG: The two are inseparable at this point. Much like in a film, music elevates the visual into something larger than life. Without music, games are pretty flat, actually, dramatically speaking. Try turning the music off and playing your favorite game. It will feel significantly less compelling and a lot more mechanical. Have you ever seen a movie before music is added? It’s usually unwatchably dull. Music is key to getting people emotionally invested and immersed.
LR: How do you predict the music industry will develop in the upcoming years? What about live entertainment and virtual shows?
DG: It’s a strange and exciting time to be a musician. You can make practically anything you imagine from your bedroom. People are getting more open-minded with all the different music that’s out there but making money is another story. A LOT has monetarily devalued music compared to the past. I think people will find a way, as they always have, to make it happen because when the music gets hold of you, it doesn’t let go smoothly. I think you’ll see a lot of branching out. Trent Reznor does film scores now, Donald Glover exists, YouTube musicians do comedy skits, Instagram musicians are half music and half “influencer.” Everyone is diversifying their skillsets. It’s fascinating (and intimidating). Live shows will benefit from this too. Better and better audiovisual tech paired with these new multi-media super artists will make for some cool experiences, especially when you think about interactive media getting worked into the mix(which it has). I’m excited about what post-pandemic entertainment will bring us.
LR: How to enter the video game industry as an independent musical artist?
DG: There are many opportunities like game jams and conventions, online job boards, etc. Networking is crucial, but it’s very unpredictable. You’ll spend a lot of time with fellow aspiring people who might make for inspiring good friends but maybe can’t help you cause they’re also in your shoes. Some people might waste your time or, worse, try to take advantage of you. How do you know who’s who? That’s a complicated question with no clear answer. Almost no two successful people in entertainment have the same story. It’s uncharted territory for everyone. All you can do is be persistent, put yourself out there, and when you get an opportunity, come at it with all you have. Keep your skills up always, keep learning all you can.