Games Industry Guide: Sound

Passion is a key term thrown around to the point of cliche but still remains relevant. If Sound Design is what you are passionate about, show us, don’t tell us. Show us, hobby projects, student work, or anything you have done in your spare time.

In this post, our sound designers share how they used their passion and skills as one to be able to break into the games industry.

Application & Portfolio tips

• Show your best work first and foremost in the portfolio.
• Don’t waste the interview opportunity by winging it! Put some effort into it; plan it out, do it properly, show your passion and commitment.
• Both hardware- and software skills are important, so show your knowledge in both.
• Creating music for games is an art that is both dynamic and adaptive. There are great programs that will support your craft such as Wwise and Elias.
• The mixing of sounds is crucial both in-game development and in general. Learn how an EQ and frequencies work early. If you get that down it will most likely speed up the sound process a lot.
• Beyond the actual work, we look for what you have learned from it and what lessons you’ve taken away. If something didn’t quite turn out as you expected, but you came back with a solution (no matter how unconventional) and demonstrated that it has worked, we will be impressed by your initiative and willingness to learn.
• As a technical sound designer, you will be the connection between programmers and sound designers. Learn the “languages” of sound design and programming. Make it easy for people to understand you because in this role communication is key.
• If you’re using a trailer from another game but showcasing your own sounds – make sure you’re doing a  better job than the original! Also, if you borrow a clip or trailer from another game, be 100% clear that you didn’t actually work on that game.
• Be flexible when it comes to software. You may end up at a job where you are required to learn a new DAW, for example. Be open-minded and humble about this, try to evolve and see possibilities instead of sticking to the same things you’ve always used.
• Teamwork and group dynamics are important aspects when creating games. The sooner you get this experience the better it’s going to be. 

Video

David is a Sound Designer here at Arrowhead. In this video, he outlines what tools he thinks are most important to learn, and how he used his passion to work in sound design.