etc?

If you are looking to use my music in a commercial setting, please contact me with detailed information to request permission.

I am generally cool with people using Disasterpeace tracks non-commercially in streams, student films, videos, etc. That being said, I receive a lot of requests of this nature, and I do not have the time or resources to grant or deny each one individually.

In light of this fact, I have created a set of guidelines, which contain mandatory requirements for use, and a few requests in which I would appreciate your cooperation.

Requirements

Generally the use must be non-commercial.
This includes student films, personal video journals, and fair use applications, such as gameplay where the music is part of the recorded footage (let’s plays, livestreams, etc.).

Monetization is OK, but only up to a point.
I am ok with free usage in monetized videos, but only up to the video reaches ~100,000 views. I would appreciate being contacted around this point so that we can hash out a license agreement. Or I may stumble upon your video on my own at some point.

I do not have the right to grant usage for tracks on the following albums:
Triple Frontier, Under the Silver Lake, FEZ, Shoot Many Robots, Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake, Runner2 EP, 360 Sharks, Waker, Woosh, Bomberman, Bonk, Puzzle Agent, and Bright Coves.

If you wish to secure usage approval for any of these works, you must seek out the rights owner (not me). In most of these cases, the permission to grant usage resides with the respective game developer/film company/game publisher.

Include a credit.
'Disasterpeace' (or appropriate artist) and the track title will do.

Termination
While unlikely, I can request that you stop using my music at any time for any reason. Please understand that I did not analyze your intended use of my music, so I cannot make any warranties or guarantees with respect to such use.

Requests

Please download an official copy of the music you intend to use.
I would greatly appreciate it. Who knows, the track in question might even be free!

Include a link to download the track/album from music.disasterpeace.com.

Thanks!

#FAQ

Apr 26th, 2016

Q: How do I find game audio gigs?

Folks have asked me this question many many times, and I think with good reason. It can seem rather daunting to find a game project to score. The reality is there’s no guaranteed path to success. My journey has been winding, but fortunate. My first gig was fortuitous. I cold emailed an indie developer for my second. I went to GDC on college loan money to find my third. My fourth and fifth projects were internships. My sixth was a result of a reference from my fifth. My most important (FEZ) happened in part because I played a show in Montreal.
Being a freelancer is a bit like rolling a snowball. Sometimes you gain a lot of ground in a short time, and other times it’s a grind. I had part-time jobs for awhile, until I lucked out and worked on a very successful game. It’s easy to admit that a lot of the projects I have worked on since FEZ have been the result of exposure I gained from it.

Work Philosophy

Like anything, finding projects to work on is about who you know. The most important thing you can do is be visible. Have a strong web presence, and attend lots of events where there are game developers. Share your music. It’s okay to let people know that you are looking for projects to work on, but don’t be too aggressive about it. Developers are well aware that there are a lot of composers who are looking for work.
Don’t put the cart before the horse. Game developers are human beings, many of them lovely. The best way to develop a working relationship with someone is to get to know them in person.

Where Do I Go?

There are many wonderful events that happen every year, where creative people of all kinds congregate in the name of games.

Conferences
GDC
IndieCade
Fantastic Fest
PAX
etc…

Game Jams This format is one of the easiest ways to work on a game. You will meet lots of cool people if you make an effort. I find writing music at game jams to be difficult, but it’s not impossible and I think it can be worth it regardless. My friend Bill Kiley wrote music for a dozen games at MolyJam a few years ago. That’s a lot of future potential right there!

Here are some other jams worth investigating:
Global Game Jam (often has lots of locations around the globe)
Ludum Dare (an online game jam, so you can take part from anywhere!)
7DFPS
Train Jam

Here are some sites that maintain a calendar of game jams happening around the world:

http://www.indiegamejams.com

https://itch.io/jams

There are game jams happening all the time. It doesn’t take much to get involved when the stakes are so low. People go to have fun, and so can you!

Online Communities
Do you prefer the shadows of your abode to the dangers of the real world? There are plenty of websites where game developers and creative types gather. I’m a bit out of the loop, but I spent a lot of time on TIGSource, which is still alive and kicking. Also, this may go without saying, but don’t forget: Google is the most essential resource of our time.

What Do I Do?

Release Music
Getting your music out there can’t hurt. It also gives others a better understanding of your identity as a musician. I use Bandcamp to sell music on my website, and CDBaby to push my music to the most popular channels.

Build a Portfolio
Part of being visible is giving people an easy way to learn more about what you do. A portfolio also allows you to communicate the direction you are looking to move in with your work. If you don’t have any gigs to showcase, you can always make demo material.

Live Performance
A great excuse to travel, meet new people, and showcase your music. Traveling is in part how I ended up working on FEZ.

Business Cards
Here are some great reasons not to buy business cards:

If You’re Fortunate…

It’s easy to say yes to an opportunity when there are no others. That said, as soon as you feel like you can, try to be discriminating about the projects you undertake. I believe that we all benefit when we choose to focus on the projects that resonate with us.

Before You Contact Me, Read This

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Looking to contact me? I'm happy to be in touch, but before you reach out, please consider these things:

My Blog May Have What You Seek

I'm always looking for ways to recapture time. I started collating information about different topics on my blog in an attempt to minimize e-mail. In addition to hundreds of posts that are tagged by topic, I have written thorough articles about using my music, contracts, getting gigs, individual projects like FEZ and It Follows, and much more.

Commissions

My availability is generally limited, but I do very occasionally take on new projects if I think they're really awesome. As a rule I don't work on student projects. Find other students to collaborate with!