Sound Business with Akash Thakkar

#69: Today's guest is Aaron Cherof, a composer based in Seattle. He has been composing for indie games for well over a decade and has most recently worked on two games that have become huge hits, such as Cobalt Core and Minecraft.    In this episode, we talk about how Aaron has spent 15 years as a composer before he was able to go full-time. We also talk about the importance of creating work, even when you're not getting hired to work on projects, how to find your own musical voice as a composer, and so much more.    Find Aaron Cherof here: Website: https://www.cherof.com/ Bandcamp: https://cherof.bandcamp.com/album/cobalt-core-original-soundtrack   Get info on The Game Industry Professional, my flagship course that teaches you how to make a great living in game audio here: bit.ly/gameindustrypro  

Join Zach Heyde, a composer from LA, as he discusses the importance of embracing discomfort, networking as an introvert, finding success on YouTube, and more. Learn about the challenges of starting a career in composition and the power of networking for building a successful composing career.

#67: Today's guest is Kian How, a composer, sound designer, and music performer based out of Shanghai, China. Kian has worked on a ton of different projects, such as games like Spec Ops The Line, Dishonored, and Marvel: Heroes Unite. He has also worked with clients such as Huawei and is also a player of the Egyptian oud, which is similar to a lute.    In this episode, we talk about Kian's start in Boston and how he ended up moving to China after college, the truth of what a sound designer does in their job, the importance of learning new skills for fun, and so much more.    Find Kian here: Website: https://www.kianhow.com/   Get info on The Game Industry Professional, my flagship course that teaches you how to make a great living in game audio here: bit.ly/gameindustrypro  

Composer and DJ, James Landino, shares insights on developing a unique electronic music style, standing out in a competitive industry, and his 20-year career journey. He discusses drawing inspiration from diverse sources, valuing craft, setting future goals, networking, and mentorship in the music industry.

#65: Today's guest is Jett Galindo, a mixing and mastering engineer and soprano singer based in Los Angeles. She has worked on countless high-profile projects such as the soundtracks for La La Land, Chicory: A Colorful Tale, and has worked with artists such as Pink Floyd, Towa Bird, and countless others. In this episode, we talk about Jett's journey from the Philippines to the U.S., how she got into music mastering in the first place, how she faced overt sexism in the industry she wanted to be a part of, and so much more.    Find Jett Galindo here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jettgalindo/?hl=en    Find The Bakery here: Spotify: https://www.instagram.com/bakerymastering/?hl=en Website: https://thebakery.la/    And if you're interested in making music and sound for games, I have a newsletter and free courses that will get you started, and help you find paying work in games. Just go to http://www.bit.ly/soundbizpod

#64: Today's guest is Bastian Gerner, a Foley artist based out of Düsseldorf, Germany. He has worked in the film and game industries as a Foley artist for decades and, most recently, worked as a full-time senior Foley artist for Ubisoft. Nowadays, on top of his freelancing business, he also coaches up and coming sound designers on breaking into the film and game industry, as well as how to record high quality using a home setup.    In this episode, we talk about Bastian's career and how he started with Foley in the first place, how he teaches sound designers the skills they need to succeed, why he decided to freelance instead of being a full-time employee forever, and so much more.    Find Bastian Gerner here: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5588918/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_foley_teacher/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCES-9zV4CV9_BIGrqczAwLA   And if you're interested in making music and sound for games, I have a newsletter and free courses that will get you started, and help you find paying work in games. Just go to http://www.bit.ly/soundbizpod

Nicolas Gasparini, aka Myuu, talks about his journey as a pianist and composer specializing in dark piano horror music. He shares insights on finding your niche, releasing music for free, and standing out in the industry. They discuss horror music creation, imposter syndrome, video game composition, and the evolution of success in music.

#62: Today's guest is Joy Ngiaw, an award-winning composer based in Los Angeles. Joy has worked on a ton of projects including the animated short Blush, Disney's experimental short series Short Circuit, Cobra Kai, What Remains of Edith Finch, and many others.    In this episode, we talk about how she grew up in rural Malaysia, made her way to Shanghai, China, and eventually Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music. We also talk about how she got into composition from her early days as a classical pianist, how her first gigs came about, and much more.    Find Joy Ngiaw here: Website: https://www.joyngiaw.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joyngiaw/ IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7267486/?ref_=rvi_nm Twitter: https://twitter.com/joyngiaw    And if you're interested in making music and sound for games, I have a newsletter and free courses that will get you started, and help you find paying work in games. Just go to http://www.bit.ly/soundbizpod

#61: Today's guest is ZW Buckley, a musician, producer, and composer based in Seattle writing in a broad variety of genres and styles for a ton of different projects. His work includes writing a pop soundtrack for Barbie: You Can Be A Fashion Designer VR, teaching music production at Point Blank Music School and running the game audio co-op, Plant Based Audio.    In this episode, ZW and I talk about how to join and be a part of the game dev community quickly, how to find your first projects, how to learn and practice the skill of music production, getting over the fear of jumping in and becoming a full-time artist, and so much more.    Find ZW Buckley here: Website: https://www.zwbuckley.com/  Newsletter: https://zwbuckley.substack.com/   And if you're interested in making music and sound for games, I have a newsletter and free courses that will get you started, and help you find paying work in games. Just go to http://www.bit.ly/soundbizpod

DJ and producer TheFatRat shares his journey from classical to electronic music, discussing his decision to release music for free, avoiding major labels, and focusing on creative authenticity and global accessibility. He highlights the importance of passion, perseverance, team building, and audience connection in the music industry.