Hello my friends! Now, i proudly present for you an article: interview with lucky me!

http://dieubussy.blogspot.com/2010/02/blog-post.html

And by the way, if you have any questions to me - you can ask right here. But excuse me for crappy english in answers ).

I'll try to answer all questions and glad to talk about anything with you!

Mushroomer.

Great interview, oh Great Mushroom God


It is good to finally get to know you a bit more "personally"

I've said it several times as you remember but I can never get tired of saying it. Your music is an hallmark of awe inspiring cataclysmic sounds that resonate on the soul to make us despair and contrive with anxiety.


I can try and think of some questions during the day.

Bha-ha-ha-ha! ) Oh, shhhhh... Thanks i mean ) The Void OST - is just a part of my music. May be you'll surprized, trying to listen my non-game-soundtrack music ). ok!

A very nice interview! I have to concur with Throdax's opinion of your music, it's simply impossible not be completely enthralled by the beautiful sounds you gave us.

And well, since you asked for questions, here they come — brace yourself for the barrage! I hope I won't be too inquisitive or demanding, please feel free to answer anything you like and not answer anything you don't like.

1. What equipment did you use to make the music for The Void? Anything apart from those mentioned in the interview (the VST software and the KORG Electribe EM-1)? Is it all electronic, or did you manage to sneak in any acoustic instruments?

2. Do you have any formal music education? Did you or do you play anything acoustic, or is electronica your one and only love?

3. How did the process of writing look like? Did you get specific directions as to what to write - were you told, for example, to write a languid/melancholy/understated/lovely piano-driven piece for Ole's Flat? Or were you rather shown locations or characters and given free hand to write what you feel would suit them (within the style of The Void, of course)? Or did you write some tracks without any specific game element in mind and later found the place to fit them in? Or a combination of the above options?

4. Where can we listen to your non-game music? Are you planning to or do you have any records published? Any chance for a Mushroomer World Tour that will stop by Gdańsk, Poland? Do you include any of the Void music in your live performances? (And if so, could we have some videos of those, please?)

5. Is there any video game music that you admire or that you found to be particularly successful in its function? (By the way, for me it would be Robyn Miller's soundtrack for Riven, worth checking out!)

6. Are those human vocals on Ire's Lake? That's my absolute favourite off the Void OST, simply mesmerizing, I'd love to hear something more in that style.

7. What's your favourite colour? (Very Void-related, you must admit! )

I hope that's not too overwhelming, if it is, sorry!

Thanks! I'm very pleasured read this!
Okay!
Actually i did not use any hardware equipment during "The Void" development. Only VST - i bought my first synth after Тургор was released. Till writing soundtrack i use a recorder (block-flute) for some tracks - for example a map of the void when brothers get celebrating and music became little bit crazier than before.
No i have no any music education - i'm a self-made-man ).
Of course i like acoustic instruments - i playing a guitar, percussion, recorders, mouth-harp, kazoo and something else ). I like unusually musical instruments - so, if you want make a present for me - you know what i want! I had main directions - death, stress, fear, and hope. Well then - i played, looked for atmosphere, and then transform my expirience into music. Ole's flat - was just a scetch for one of gardens (one of first gardens in game) but when i walked in the flat - i got it - this is the place for piano suite! So - result you had seen in release. wow! you really want hear it! So i have an homepage at one of servises - http://mushroomer.pdj.ru . Then i want open my site with music, art, flash animations (yes i started my career as a artist and flash-animator, just look for mushroomer on http://newgrounds.com ). Now i make some show in moscow with my own music and with live-remixed tracks from the void (surface, from th deep, una forge...) There is no good video else but i can share for you audio with one of my live performance. Maybe some day i'll have a tour. And Gdansk - will included ). Well. I like soundtracks - i like soundracks to Neverhood, Silent hill series, lucas arts games, Psychonauts, Red Alert, Vangers (one for the road) - check it out if you never heard about it - it is amazing! Well but my biggest impression - was soundtrack to Sanitarium game (quest about a man with no memory). It is very very deep and good masterpiece for me.
Eh - there was an idea get the real vocal for this track, and i have version with the human vocal but... In game you can hear only VST.

I have some tracks with this VST - and you can mail me (flashroomer@gmail.com) i'll share some for you ). I like GREEN!!! Don't know why! I cannot connect it with the void - because can't play without memories what they do for player!
It is okay! Hope my english skill was improved )

OK, first time poster here . I want to say hello to everybody , escpecially to you mr. Vasilly. I admit , i didn't play the game ,but i'll do this as soon as i can because that interview is great. Anyways, you want questions , i give you questions . Here they are :

1.What DAW have you used in the music making process of The Void ?
2.What are your favourite artists/bands in electronic music ?
3.For a newcomer in electronic music production , what advices can you offer ?
and since we're on a gaming forum afterall,

4. What are your favourite games and why ?

Thank you.

Ok, i see. I worked on PC with Nuendo 3, and ESI Juli@ 24\96. Something like that. Hmm, Bonobo, Boards of Canada, Aphex Twin, Carbon Based Lifeforms, Brian Eno, Shpongle, Keramick & Lobo, kosmpop2, tresk, Biosphere, Steroid Maximus, Felix Kubin. Just do it! I think it is unimportant what equipment and how you uses making music. I write music for myself firstly. Advice: if you can live without writing music, don't write. I cannot. My favorite games are: C&C Red Alert series, Dungeon Keeper, Vangers:One for the road, Sanitarium, Grim Fandango, Just Cause, Penumbra 2, warzone2100, Neverhood, and so long...
Tank you!

Thanks so much for the links! The music's very enjoyable, and the animations pretty freaky (in a very good way)! Remember to let us know if you get your new site up and running!
I've played Sanitarium quite a time ago... I don't think I remember the music now, as I was too freaked out to pay attention when I played the game (which must mean that the music must have worked pretty well)! But I still have the song the children in Genet sang stuck in my head sometimes: "Don't go near the pumpkin patch/If you go, you won't come back/Mother says to stay away/If you want to play another day...." I definitely have to check out your recommendations. By the way, how about the Grim Fandango soundtrack? Isn't "Manny & Meche" one of the sweetest tangos ever?
Thanks! I definitely will!

I don't think the producers could have found a more perfect match for the music in The Void than they did with you, although your developer's photo in the credits looks remarkably sinister >.>.

Sanitarum was definatly a work of art in all regards, from setting to story to music.

For those that missed it the first time around: http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/sanitarium

Hi, first of all I have to say that i LOVED the game and the OST. I think they complement amazingly.
To give you an idea, this game reached my top 10 of games of ALL times...

Anyways, that is an introduction so that no one hates me for what I'm going to do.
I'm gonna give you a critic, small and not very critical, but a critic at last.

I must say i didnt realize about it while playing the game (and that's why I say that the game and music complement perfectly each other). I came to realize it after downloading the full OST and listening to it.

It would've been nice to have a couple of more upbeat tunes. Case of point, I loved the change of beat when you visited the "blacksmith" sister. It was very refreshing. It would've been good to have a crazier song at the end of the cycles or at the end of certain cycles...

I hope my critic doesn't annoy you, i repeat it's a very picky one.
But I think critics are WAY more useful than praises, so as picky as they may be, they NEED to be pointed.

Obviously it's a matter of opinion but hey, that's mine

Cheers man, and i repeat... AWESOME JOB!

Regards from Argentina!!

feanor, you know upbeat songs in game means action, but aim of the music is to create an atmosphere of dying world - so ambient is more preferred. But if you like my music you can listen to music which i wrote not for game - and there is enought music with beats and other earcandies.

check this out: http://soundcloud.com/mushroomer/sets

Clowns in the Cage is my favourite one - some of the others were a little unusual for my tastes. What did you use to get that funny squeaking sound at the beginning of Apparatus?

Yeah i get it, this is a very atmospheric game after all.
Niceeeee, thanks Mr Kashnikov ^^, I'm looking forward to listen them.

Thanks - these sounds is a recorded squeak from some kind of Apparatus.

Hello,

I have become a great admirer of your work in Typsop, and I'm really pleased to see you also like some great soundtracks I also enjoyed, like Silent Hill series, for example.

Some musics you've done sounded, instrumentaly, a lot familiar to me, like Fireflies (it's my favorite) that you use effects that sound like a bamboo flute, and whistles, and also the drumming background. In Brasil theres a lot of drumming for the ryhtmic session, but you used them in a very unusual and inteligent way dude.

If you weren't so far away, I would send you some hand-made flutes and instruments that sound really organic.. and I think you would enjoy it. :} Im not a pro musician (i'm really bad at instruments at the moment) but its good to see you have taught yourself.. I think its a more genuine way, and I'm trying to do it also.

I would be glad to hear your works in VST, so you can email me at mateustalles@gmail.com, if you want.

Congratulations :}

Mateus, thanks! I send you a letter.