Auditioning for new voice acting roles is a stressful job on its own—especially if you're hunting for your first official gig. At times, casting calls can feel like throwing your name into an empty void, or imposter syndrome may keep you from even pressing submit. But what I'm about to share could …

Ask any audio professional about their gear, and you'll likely never hear the end of it. If you were to listen in on Unlock's meetings, you'd be amazed how quickly things evolve into tech talks with each team member sounding off about our latest instrument finds, gear upgrades, and newly discovered…

Audio implementation experts occupy a critical role in the game development process—one that calls on a special brand of creativity. Our often unsung niche fits snugly between sound designers and software engineers and is responsible for m…

With the growth of "live service" games, game development has taken on an increasingly iterative creative process. These beloved escapes are often sustained through the introduction of new content (e.g., season passes,…

How to level up as a video game composer

by Elliot Callighan, Jonathan Robert Matz, Thomas Kresge

Being a video game composer is an infinitely rewarding discipline. There's something special about knowing that the music you create is shared within a format that entertains, inspires, and celebrates th…

How to compose and design audio for pinball machines

by Thomas Kresge and Katelyn Isaacson

If we were to survey the types of games that come to mind when we say "music and sound design," we bet pinball would rank mid to low on the list of responses. Despite this, we know that pinball is a deeply enri…

Long gone are the days where games are limited solely to the bleeps and bloops of retro processors and sound chips—but that doesn't mean today's expansive 3D sandboxes are safe from sounding flatter than a 2D side scroller. Sound design is key to helping developers add incredible depth to their gam…

The value of skilled producers in game development simply cannot be overstated. Without these unsung heroes and heroines overseeing workflows and processing many moving parts, most games would likely churn forever in development hell.

Producers in our industry cover a wide range of responsibilities,…

Organizing Game Jams to Promote Broader Skill Inclusivity - and make better games!

Game jams are an indispensable force for creativity, innovation, and growth in the gaming industry. These event-based development challenges each provide opportunity and structure for anyone, from up-and-coming talent…

Unlock Audio's Voice Director, Bonnie Bogovich, gives CEO Elliot Callighan some helpful advice for getting the best performance possible from your recording talent

So, you've decided to breathe even more life into your game by giving characters a voice. Ho…

When developing a game, it's easy to focus on the obvious sound elements, like sweeping scores and fulfilling sound effects, yet some of gaming's most influential moments occur even before or between gameplay.

Today, we're shining our audio and music spotlight on menus, tutorials, lobbies, and more …

As a community, gamers do a great job of looking out for each other, just as they do a great job of digging into every detail of their favorite properties -- both in front of and behind the scenes.

Developers are part and parcel with the gamer community at l…

Accessibility in gaming is more than a checklist of removing or adding certain content to create game modes for specialized player needs. It's also a matter of empowering players to invite others in and share their experiences together. The key to accessibili…

When it comes to building diehard communities, video games are hard to beat. From corner penny arcades to home consoles and online play, games have always brought people together. So much so, that the gaming community now boasts nearly three billion gamers of all stripes-all connected by love for i…

We'd like to think that Composers magically know exactly what the developer wants, and can express it musically, immediately.

Or if the developer isn't sure what's right, that a Composer knows what would fit the game perfectly. While a Composer might have a better means of experimenting and fin…

Difficult people come in many different shades. They may: needlessly escalate situations, not follow through with their commitments, blame anyone but themselves, or focus on themselves rather than a shared goal.

Whatever shade it is, it's not fun.

It can be very tempting to "write them off"…

In a new year, there's usually a plethora of things that people want to accomplish in themselves, their business, etc. Most of the time, these things don't happen.

It's hard, right? Especially when the things we want to change are about ourselves - because ourselves are what we have to work&nbs…

When I first began composing, I thought it was something that you were either "touched by" or weren't. Composers just have moments when they're mediums for God, right?

As I pursued composition seriously, I realized how integral the craftsmanship aspect of composition was. I'm not referring to the me…

When I first began composing, I thought it was something that you were either "touched by" or weren't. Composers just have moments when they're mediums for God, right?

As I pursued composition seriously, I realized how integral the craftsmanship aspect of composition was. I'm not referring to the me…

When I was younger, I viewed someone progressing at growing up as needing help with fewer and fewer things.

I don't need your help, I can:

• pour the cereal myself without spilling
• remember to keep my commitments
• jump higher, carry more farther
• figure out the math problem
• play the instrument…

A quick google search will bring up TONS of articles talking about how you always have to be doing, making and creating. It's almost a challenge and rite of passage to the most dedicated and resilient.

"10,000 words per day."

"I'm going to add 40 new people every day to my pipeline."

"I'm go…

This is the final blog in a trilogy of posts about writing the music for Trackmania and what our Composer, Elliot Callighan, remembers most about each track and the composition process. If you'd like to start with the first post, click here.

And, be sure to check out the soundtrack! It's on Youtube,…

This is the second part in a trilogy of posts about writing the music for Trackmania and what our Composer, Elliot Callighan, remembers most about each track and the composition process. If you'd like to start with the first post, click here.

And, be sure to check out the soundtrack!

Paradigm

deadmau5…

The Trackmania series has had a slew of fantastic composers and artists at the music helm – and they were picking Unlock Audio to have a go at it?!

Below is how our Composer Elliot Callighan approached the music for Trackmania, his composition process, and what he remembers the most about writing ea…

Unlock Audio Partners with Chicago’s Periscope Post & Audio

New Partnership Leverages Unlock Audio’s Holistic Expertise in Video Game Audio

Chicago’s Unlock Audio proudly announces a new partnership with Periscope Post & Audio (Empire, The Chi), a full service post production and audio record…

First off, I want to tell you about a contest we're running next week that could be incredibly helpful for your game's development!

To enter, submit your email address at https://tool.unlockaudio.com/ from Dec 9th-13th.

Want more info? Here's the contest page: https://www.unlockaudio.com/discovercont…

A number of years ago, I had the opportunity to work on a trailer with a very established music producer.  To give you an idea: he had recently finished contributing to a Rihanna album.

I was ecstatic for the opportunity. I get to work with and learn from this guy?! YASS!

We listen…

It's amazing how much a change in our attitude and mindset towards fear can alter literally everything. Game development can be a lot of looking into the unknown and fearing the decision you have taken is the right one. 

There's the fantasy football draft board from my main league this year. I …

Time and time again, I'm reminded how so much of success is based on a willingness to keep going when times get tough and challenges seem insurmountable.

Whether it's hitting the aesthetic that's right for the project, finding more clients and collaborators, or…

No one's actually trying to be the "bad guy"

Sometimes in the games industry, we're confronted with people and situations that make us immediately fume. We can't possibly imagine how someone could think in a certain way. Don't they have common sense? Are they that unaware? That selfish…