Jonathan Alexander (蔣智海) - Music & Sound | Audio Design

In "Breaching the Rift: Beyond Horizon," I took my first shot at an epic hybrid orchestral demo for a game company, aiming to capture the vibe of "Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart." This project became a stepping stone in my exploration of hybrid orchestral techniques, and helped to develop my first template in combining the traditional western orchestra with synthesizers. Here, I experimented with layering orchestral and synthesized sounds to create new timbres and textures. This involved techniques like pairing snare drums with pulsing synth snares, harps enriching the low-end of an 808 kick, and layering flute and violin runs with a retro synth. Also, while not of a hybrid approach, a particularly satisfying orchestrational discovery in listening to the “Ratchet & Clank” soundtrack included fast dovetailing between the violas and violins, creating a rapid exchange of melodies inspired by the limitations of string players shifting positions, highlighting the importance of idiomatic writing. Ultimately, While my pitch wasn't successful, this project solidified my approach to crafting hybrid orchestral templates and underscored the importance of experimentation within the creative process.

Other influences: Starcraft II, ...

Breaching the Rift: Beyond the Horizon (Hybrid Orchestral Battle BGM Loop)

Exactly one week after my graduation recital at the University of Lethbridge, I had the pleasure of being contacted by Smobler Studios asking me to produce two BGMs for their project titled 3VEREST. They were specific in their request for the music to evoke elements of Nepali culture, with a hybrid orchestral feel, and I spent the next few weeks doing a deep-dive into traditional Nepali folk music and their signature instruments including the Nepali Sarangi (नेपाली सारङ्गी) and Madal (मादल) drums. Of course, it's exactly these types of composing/learning projects that make the process such a treat!

https://jonalex.io/

3VEREST - "The Edge" | BGM for Smobler Studios, Nepali Instrumentation

3VEREST - "The Wall" | BGM for Smobler Studios, Nepali Instrumentation

Music I wrote inspired by the music of Ludvig Forssell on Death Stranding.

Strand Type | Sci-Fi, Synth, Hybrid Orchestral | REMASTER

Some music I wrote inspired by a cat game 😺

The game’s aesthetic felt perfect for fingerstyle guitar and elements of folk music; mandolins, lute, banjo, and dulcimers a`ll sing above the pulse of an Irish Bodhrán, also known as a frame drum 🪕🥁.

For guitar, I wrote using Ample's free Guitar M Lite VST, primarily for its outstanding UI. This way, composing a natural feeling part and transcribing off the animated visual was a piece of cake 🍰! The hardest part was simply learning to play it haha—it’s been nearly 10 years since my Sungha Jung / Tommy Emmanuel phase.

Inspired by Catrophy by Occlusional, Copeland's Appalachian Trail, and Chance Thomas' work on Settlers by Ubisoft.

Settlers of Cat-an | Folk, European, Game Trailer | REMASTER

Hybrid orchestral synth music composed as a demo for a top-down rogue-like. Live violin and flute were recorded and layered in by yours truly. Synth loops and orchestral VSTs are mixed together to evoke a feeling of old meets new. Mix and arrangement focuses primarily on the higher frequencies (aiming for nice and crispy👌😌). Used voices in a folk style (reminiscent of Balkan voices, but with Logic's free South African Voices). Tremulated them in the style of River Boy of Cult of the Lamb fame—may he rest in peace.

Echoes of Relics | Hybrid Synth Orchestral, Game OST

🎵Composer | Producer | Musician
🎮Music & Sound | #gameaudio design
👇Music & Links | #vgm #bgm 🥰
jonalex.io