HypperPapo with Antonio Teoli, Brazilian Game Composer

Creating a game is no simple task; it involves countless details to make it interesting and attractive, from gameplay and storyline to visuals and soundtrack. HypperPapo talked with someone who truly understands the latter and can share valuable market experience: musician and game composer Antonio Teoli.

Teoli’s work goes beyond just creating a sonic backdrop for games; it involves adding a distinctive personality to the game, its characters, powers, screens, buttons, etc., and setting the ideal atmosphere for enjoyment. His portfolio includes games such as *Gamer Hero*, *Blood Gate - Age of Alchemy*, and *Invasion*, and he also leads the Abracompers (Brazilian Association of Game Composers) while finding time to play with his rock band, Marmor.

Our conversation with Teoli reveals that every professional has a fan side, and any fan can aspire to become a successful professional!

**Hyppers:** How did you start working on music for games?

**Antonio Teoli:** I began working on music for games in 2002 with a group of friends. At the time, we were creating a game using the now-defunct RPG Maker. It was practically a study group, and we had no intention of commercializing the game. In 2003, after joining the Game Design program at Anhembi Morumbi University (where I was part of the first class), I was hired by a game company called Devworks Game Technology. I spent nearly six years at Devworks developing games for various platforms, including the SEGA Master System and SEGA Mega Drive.

**Hyppers:** If someone wants to pursue a career in creating game soundtracks, what path would you recommend?

**Antonio Teoli:** Working in games, regardless of the area you choose, is quite complex because it’s not just about knowing your craft but also understanding game development as a whole. For soundtracks specifically, you need knowledge of musical composition, at least some music theory, software and technologies to help you find unique sounds, fluency in some musical instruments (preferably piano), and studying sound engineering to deliver balanced sound, among other things.

Initially, a useful exercise is to play a new game with the volume turned down and imagine not just the music but also the sound effects, voice work, etc. Then play with the volume up and see how close or far you were from what you imagined. It’s important to note that there is no right or wrong; there’s what works and what doesn’t.

**Hyppers:** The national game production is booming like never before. What’s your opinion on the current market development? Which Brazilian games have the most interesting music?

**Antonio Teoli:** Every year, the national market grows larger with more opportunities. In 2002, there were only a few companies with little experience. Today, you see major national developers creating increasingly amazing games.

**Hyppers:** Do you think there's something missing in current game music productions? Or is there something we have today that wasn’t present in the past?

**Antonio Teoli:** In terms of musical composition, Brazilian composers are on par with international ones. However, the experience provided by larger and more elaborate games in the foreign market naturally creates a gap in knowledge for what we call AAA games (the famous blockbusters). Many have experience with indie games, but few have worked on AAA titles.

On the other hand, it’s important to mention that many developers now give more attention to their game’s soundtrack. When I started, I had several clients who only asked for a “background sound” to avoid silence. Today, there’s a whole conceptual effort to ensure that audio, game design, and art work together.

**Hyppers:** Who are your idols in game music production?

**Antonio Teoli:** I have many! The main ones are Nobuo Uematsu, the classic composer of the *Final Fantasy* series, and Koji Kondo, the legendary composer of Nintendo's most famous themes. More recently, I’d say Jason Graves (*Tomb Raider*, *Evolve*, *Far Cry Primal*), Jun Senoue (*Sonic*), the entire audio team at Blizzard, Gerard Marino (*God of War*), and more recently, Rika Muranaka (*Metal Gear*).

**Hyppers:** Do you have a favorite game soundtrack?

**Antonio Teoli:** It’s hard to choose. The first one that comes to mind as one of my all-time favorites is *Super Mario Galaxy* for the Wii. That soundtrack is impeccable.

**Hyppers:** I’d like to hear your thoughts on the soundtracks of some classic games. Among them, *Earthbound* (SNES), *Sonic* (Mega Drive), *Final Fantasy*, *Persona 4*, *Brutal Legend*, *Donkey Kong*, and *Metal Gear*.

**Antonio Teoli:**

- *Earthbound*: Very fun. Every time I listen to it, I smile.

- *Final Fantasy*: Perfect. No more to say.

- *Persona 4*: Never played it.

- *Brutal Legend*: The best game using incidental music I’ve ever played. It’s a true musical experience, and the choice of songs was perfect.

- *Donkey Kong*: Fun, relaxed, and memorable melodies.

- *Metal Gear*: The first game that showed me that game soundtracks can sound like Hollywood movies.

**Hyppers:** Is there a game soundtrack you wish you had composed?

**Antonio Teoli:** Any *Sonic* game would be a dream for me. Another game I’d love to have composed for, as a huge fan of the series, is the latest *Knights of the Zodiac* game.

**Hyppers:** What are your other influences, outside of music, in your work?

**Antonio Teoli:** Music itself is a collection of lived experiences. Someone once told me: “How can you compose about love if you’ve never experienced it?” Life in general is a major influence for composers. Less poetically, I’d say cinema is my biggest artistic influence. I also love reading comics and follow the paintings of Yoshitaka Amano, one of my favorite artists. All of this influences you in some way.

**Hyppers:** Nowadays, everything is a bit transmedia. Games become animations and movies, and vice versa, and some soundtracks become iconic and present in all areas. Have you ever imagined your music transcending games and reaching new spheres?

**Antonio Teoli:** I’m currently composing, along with drummer Marcelo Moreira, the soundtrack for the next book by writer Affonso Solano, *Espadachim de Carvão*. This work is being studied for adaptation to other media where music will also have its space. So, in this case, it would be my first transmedia project.

**Hyppers:** Changing the medium a bit, is there any film or series you wish you had created the soundtrack for?

**Antonio Teoli:** Every Steven Spielberg film, without exception. Fortunately, in my place, they chose John Williams, who always creates the most perfect soundtracks in the entertainment world, in my opinion.

**Hyppers:** Are you working on any current projects (both in the game world and outside) that you can tell us about?

**Antonio Teoli:** I have several projects underway, but it's always forbidden to talk about them.

What I can mention is the Brazilian card game *Aestium*, being developed by a very small and extremely talented team. The new game from Black River Studios, which I can’t reveal yet. A documentary for VICE that will be out soon. The German game *Berry Bandits*, which is in soft launch at the moment and might be released in the coming weeks. And finally, I just composed a new sound package for one of my favorite games, *Jelly Splash*, which constantly has new campaigns and recently reached 1000 levels and 75 million downloads.

HypperPapo thanks Antonio Teoli for taking the time to share his knowledge with us!