How WithFeeling Created “A Musical Everest” for Gamers8
A gamer stands in the middle of a field as motorbikers, knights and colourfully dressed characters of all sorts descend, and Edvard Grieg’s ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’ plays in the background. Dramatic? Definitely.
In Gamers8’s newest spot, with accompanying sound by WithFeeling, the gaming platform remixes the iconic piece into the modern era, with a traditional start transitioning into modern-day beats towards the end. The parallels in this musical piece combine old and new music and imagery, as the knights, dancers and drummers all come together in an epic celebration. As the director and agency ideated and filmed the piece, the music company WithFeeling used the visuals as a building block for their compositional process.
Shining a light on the musical elements behind the piece, WithFeeling’s co-founder Joe Dickinson shares the process with LBB’s Nisna Mahtani.
LBB> You set out to recreate ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’ from ‘Peer Gynt Suite No.1’ by Edvard Grieg. Why was this the initial inspiration for you?
Joe> The Idea for using this piece came from the director. It is a masterclass in composing and evokes so many different emotions - feeling fun, triumphant and epic - all within the space of 30 seconds. Another benefit of using this piece is that it is so well-known, that doing an arrangement/remix can feel familiar yet fresh at the same time.
LBB> What did the client want to achieve with this spot and specifically, with the sound element of the piece?
Joe> We set out to make sure that the music would work with the visuals and help narrate the story. The music needed to not only complement the dramatic visuals, but to shift and evolve in feel as the story developed.
LBB> What was the starting point for this spot? Where did you begin?
Joe> The starting point - as with any project I do - was to talk with the director and agency and make sure we had a very clear roadmap both logistically and creatively. I feel that making sure everyone's voice is heard is very important and saves a lot of time in the long run.
LBB> You used a layering of instruments to create the sound, but how many instruments were actually used and layered?
Joe> I've lost count of how many instruments were used during this track, but it definitely exceeds 150. It's unique in that it's not extensively an orchestra track or an electronic track - it has sections that use everything from a full horn section to synths and a choir. It was great fun to work on.
LBB> And how long did it take to blend those all together?
Joe> After composing for many years, I find the mixing and blending of instruments happens organically as I'm working my way through a piece. The transitions from section to section were a major consideration before I even touched a keyboard, but once I had a clear roadmap in my head of how the music wanted to sound, I set to work on just writing.
Obviously, there's a considerable amount of time dedicated to mixing near the completion of the track, but I like to think I’ll have the piece sounding good before that stage.
LBB> Were there any challenges in creating such a complex blend of instruments?
Joe> I think every job comes with its own unique challenges. The main obstacle for this particular piece was to make sure each section had its musical fingerprint, while still making use of the classical piece and not making the whole thing repetitive.
I think we managed it by only using sprinkles of the original melody in certain sections, and in others really showcasing the Grieg piece.
LBB> How did you ensure that each one of the sections - representing the son, the dad, the mother and the daughter - had unique elements which set them apart from the rest of the piece?
Joe> This came naturally as the visuals gave a massive clue as to what the music needed to do. For example, the section featuring the father was clearly a battle, so we decided early on that we would try to create a serious, foreboding tone to complement the scenes. In contrast, the scenes with the mother and daughter had more of a young, celebratory feel, so we set to work on creating an upbeat dance remix of the ‘Peer Gynt Suite’.
LBB> You’ve called this “a musical Everest to produce” As such, what was the most rewarding part of the process? And is there an element or moment which you are particularly proud of?
Joe> As a composer, the most rewarding part of the job is the reaction of the people you are working with when they hear the track and are genuinely happy with the results. Music is an incredibly subjective experience, and there truly is no right or wrong. The client needs to trust the composer and the composer needs to listen to the clients and decipher what their creative musical ideas are, but at the same time make their own creative decisions.
LBB> Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Joe> At WithFeeling, we are working on lots of new and exciting projects, please follow us on Instagram, and check out our website www.withfeeling.com for more info.
