👀 Hi there! I'm excited to share that I have composed the soundtrack for "Rise Of The Demon Lord", a dark fantasy card game created for the Inbound Shovel Jam 2025. The process was fascinating, and I would love to hear your thoughts on the songs. I aimed to reflect the style of the game’s artwork in the music. 💪 You can play Rise of the Demon lord now on itchio! https://ishinada.itch.io/rise-of-the-demon-lord

I probably asked this once but it's been quite a while and now I do need some insight to it: A videogame studio came up to me and said: we want you, the only thing we need right now is a document where you write down your charges for the tracks and SFX and its gonna be quite some work. Estimated he said 180 hours. And I'm not sure how to charge for SFX. Or in general. I made the mistake once and to bypass the law and taxes I said I wanted a mini-job (getting only 538€ a month) Germany has some really difficult paperwork. So now they offered me: Freelance job or monthly salary job. And I do want to do freelance to get more of it but I'm not sure how to charge it. I used to do per minute of audio but when a project needs more than just some tracks I'm overasked. They're gonna submit it to get money from the state for the project and they need me to prepare my numbers for it on a document. What should I do? What do I tell them?

Hey beautiful artists, Just a gentle reminder that we get more done and more efficiently when we stop trying to find the 'perfect' melody, the perfect chord progression, the perfect preset, the perfect plugin, the 'perfect', 'perfect' 'perfect', etc. It's funny how the best work can come from a little brainstorming and then just diving in, not knowing what will come out in the end. So, detach your emotions. That sounds a bit shocking at first, doesn't it? We may think professional trailer or cinematic music is all about self-expression and emotion. But that is not entirely accurate. Sure, yeah, that's a part of it. But when it comes to 'professionally' writing music, what you're really doing is crafting a versatile, high-quality, lucrative product. That's what it is, a product you intend to sell to a potential client, be it a publisher or a director or whoever it is you want to use this for. But hey, that doesn't mean it can't be fun, challenging, and engaging! Inspiration comes from a steady workflow, not the best magical idea. So get to work, even if you have no idea what's going to come out. Use the technique and references you know and love to make the best quality music you can at this point. Pay attention to detail, yes, but know that the path ahead, what you'll find in the end, the FINAL shape of your project, is relatively unknown. If you find a steady workflow, inspiration will come. Like a well-earned dopamine hit after hard, sweaty exercise. Detach your emotions (at least initially), don't overthink it... And enjoy the process. :) Best, Ariel

Hey everyone, I'm starting this thread to talk about how we structure our work without losing that creative spark. I'm trying to improve my own system and would love to learn from your experiences. How do you manage your workflow to balance productivity and creativity? - Formal methods or your own system? I'm curious if anyone has adapted tools like Kanban or if you have a "home-brewed" method that works for you. - How do you manage pending ideas and projects? From that melody in a voice memo to a half-finished mix, how do you prioritize to ensure nothing gets lost? - What role does rest play in your process? Do you actively schedule it to avoid burnout, or is it more intuitive? My goal is for all of us to share and discover new ways to organize our art. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! 😋

Hey everyone! Let’s turn things up a notch this week: 🎯 Your challenge is to reach out to someone NEW in the industry — someone you don’t know yet — and introduce yourself as a composer. ❗ IMPORTANT: Please take 2 minutes to read this entire post before you act. The instructions below are crucial, and this is NOT about selling anything. 📝 Why are we doing this? Most composers don’t know how to market themselves — and that’s okay. That’s why we’re starting small.This is NOT about pitching or trying to “get a job” on the spot.This IS about introducing yourself, showing you exist, and starting a professional relationship. In other words: Networking — not selling. 🎯 Be aware of your target group. Before you reach out, make sure your message and portfolio match the company you’re contacting. If you’re writing to a video game developer, don’t present yourself as a “trailer composer” — focus on how your skills fit their world. Likewise, if you’re contacting a trailer house, highlight your experience with high-impact, cinematic music. Always speak their language and show that you understand their needs. 📝 How To Introduce Yourself (Without Being Pushy) ✅ Step 1 — Do your homework: Look up the person or company. What kind of projects do they specialize in? Games? Trailers? Films? Make sure your style fits their world. ✅ Step 2 — Lead with them, not you: Mention something specific you noticed or appreciate about their work or company.(Example: “I really admire your focus on immersive sound design — it’s inspiring.”) ✅ Step 3 — Say who you are (briefly): One clear sentence about you.(Example: “I’m a composer focusing on hybrid orchestral and cinematic sound design for games and trailers.”) ✅ Step 4 — Offer to help, don’t expect info: Instead of asking about confidential projects or what they’re working on (which might be under NDA), keep it open and respectful.(Example: “I’d love to learn more about how I could support your team’s audio needs, or if there’s anything you might be looking for in a composer.”)