#108 - Peter McConnell Interview (Psychonauts 2, Tim Schafer, Orchestra, Star Wars, Lucas Arts etc.)

Peter McConnell is a game composer who is well known for composing games like Psychonauts, Grim Fandango, Sly Cooper and more. He worked for Lucas Arts as well during the 90s.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA

TWITTER - @PeterNMcConnell

 

#psychonauts #lucasarts #timschafer

 

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro

00:40 - Peter’s Fedora

01:05 - How Peter Came Up With Musical Palette For Psychonauts 1&2

09:10 - Traditional Film Scores

10:37 - Humming Themes Into Cassette Players/MP3s

20:40 - Relationship With Tim Schafer

12:25 - Whats Special About Tim Schafer

16:10 - Learning To Take Constructive Criticism

17:12 - The Customer Is Always Right/Game Design Is A Collaborative Art

19:20 - Callouses/Difference Between Guitar & Violin/Playing Banjo

22:46 - When Orchestra Became Prevalent In Game Music

24:24 - Peter’s First Orchestral Recording

28:28 - The Process Of Recording The Music During Psychonauts 2

30:16 - Recording Remotely/Audiomovers

33:36 - Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention/Benefits Of Recording With Smaller Orchestras

34:47 - Voice Acting For Lucas Arts/Yoda 

37:01 - Peter Prefers Composing To His Days Doing Multiple Tasks At Lucas Arts

37:47 - Being Summond To Answer For Doing A Metal Version Of Imperial March

38:58 - Having To Make Music In Style Of John Williams/Music For Star Wars Games

40:39 - Lucas Arts Was A Crash Course To Prepare Peter For Where He Is Now

42:05 - Scary Time Of Being A Freelancer/Why Peter Left Lucas Arts

43:55 - Skills Peter Wants To Improve On

45:20 - Work Life Balance

46:16 - Where To Follow Peter McConnell