#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