The United Video Game Symphony: Arrangers Needed!

[thomas_kresge]

Hello, OCRemix. My name is Thomas Kresge and I am currently working on producing a concert known as the United Video Game Symphony. Like Play! or Video Games Live, this is an orchestral concert featuring arrangements of video game music. I plan on funding the concert through Kickstarter, but before I launch it I am trying to form a budget and work out various logistical issues (such as where the concert will occur). My short-term goal with this is to produce a single concert, but if this proves successful enough, I hope to turn this into a concert series.

What makes the UVGS different from other orchestral video game concerts is the way its program is decided. A voting system will be used so that anyone in the video game community can vote on what music they want in the concert and we will basically use a popular vote to decide the entire concert program, which will include about 10 to 15 pieces depending on the total length of each one.

Additionally, I want every arrangement to be new and unique to this series, and I want them all to be provided by the community. This is why I have come to OCRemix: to recruit musicians interested in arranging for the UVGS. I’m not necessarily limiting this to those who already have experience writing for orchestras (I will provide help in this regard), though I am expecting the arrangements to be of professional quality. I’d like to solidify the list of UVGS arrangers before the Kickstarter is launched.

I plan on budgeting some money to pay those who arrange for the group. I don’t want to guarantee anything at the moment, but payment will be at least $100. I understand the amount of work that goes into arranging, orchestrating, and copying, so I'll try to aim higher than that, but know that there will be payment for participating arrangers.

I know that it is pretty difficult for fan arrangers to get their music performed by actual musicians, let alone a full orchestra. The UVGS was spurred by my own desire to have this, and I feel that this orchestra would be a fantastic thing for the video game music community, especially the remixing community. This is why I’ve brought this proposal to the community. I want to give a lot of people the opportunity to get their arrangements performed.

Just to be clear, the only stipulation is that you would not get to directly choose what it is you’re arranging. Because the UVGS program is decided by a public vote, the arrangers would have a pool of options to choose from. Although the voting system is not set in stone, the final pool of pieces to choose from will probably exceed what will actually end up on the program to give arrangers a bit more choice (and I’ve yet to figure out a civil way to resolve the issue of two arrangers wanting to do the same piece).

If anyone has any questions, advice, or wants to join the teams, please don't hesitate to comment. Obviously, there's still some things that need to be worked out. This is a project I really want to see realized, and I hope you guys are just as interested in this as I am.

EDIT: I'd like to add that this project is also looking for some people who can help out with a few other parts. I'm needing someone who can do some graphic design work, and somebody who could also help out with making a promotional simple (nothing too fancy, just something to tell people what this concert is about). A web master would be helpful, as well. Unfortunately, I can't guarantee any pay for these jobs unless the Kickstarter is successful.

While going through some of the planning on this, I'm hoping to also gather some advice or suggestions from anyone who might have something to say about this. If you've got anything else to say about this project, I'd love to hear it.

Edited August 28, 2013 by thomas_kresge
More information

[GSO]

Orchestral arranging? love it! sign me up!

[Tuberz McGee]

This sounds excellent. I'm studying Classical Composition so I'd love to put my skills to the test in terms of arrangement.

Sign me up yo! <3

[spellmynamewithabang]

At the risk of sounding stingy, I'd love to arrange conditional on you budgeting (in this proposed kickstarter) for definite fair pay for those arranging; if money is going to pay performers then at least just as much should go to those making the music they're playing.

EDIT: i mean, i know you put that in the post; what i mean is that it should be included in the amount proposed from the start, as opposed to being a stretch goal.

Edited August 24, 2013 by spellmynamewithabang

[Flexstyle]

Color me very interested. I'd be thrilled at being able to branch out into orchestral arrangement.

[Orangedragan]

I don't suppose you could use any voices for this project? O:)

[Chernabogue]

I already wrote a few orchestra remixes. I'm also intrigued and interested.

[Argle]

hmm, I've done some orchestral remixes but not sure I could write for an actual orchestra.

[Moseph]

I'm tentatively interested in being involved. I have experience writing for real orchestra players and depending on what your needs are could possibly also assist with orchestration and editing for any arrangers who are less familiar with orchestra writing.

[Orion]

I'm interested.

[Gario]

Oh my, I am quite interested. I haven't wrote for an orchestra in a while - this would be a nice way to break my hiatus.

I do hope your kick starter ends on a great note.

[thomas_kresge]

At the risk of sounding stingy, I'd love to arrange conditional on you budgeting (in this proposed kickstarter) for definite fair pay for those arranging; if money is going to pay performers then at least just as much should go to those making the music they're playing.

EDIT: i mean, i know you put that in the post; what i mean is that it should be included in the amount proposed from the start, as opposed to being a stretch goal.

This certainly isn't stingy at all, and on further thought, I've decided I want to budget an amount to go to the arrangers. I haven't decided how much yet (no less than $100, but more would certainly be better given how much time it can take to get orchestral music arranged, orchestrated, and copied), but I'd at least like to confirm now that there will be some compensation.

I don't suppose you could use any voices for this project?

The instrumentation right now is for a standard orchestra of about 44 players. Stretch goals would allow for a bigger orchestra, but it wouldn't include non-standard instrumentation (like a choir). With that in mind, if all you needed was say, one to four singers, and it was only for one piece, we could probably make it work. Worst case scenario you'd have to pay for it yourself.

hmm, I've done some orchestral remixes but not sure I could write for an actual orchestra.

If you're still interested in trying, I am planning on writing a brief guide on orchestration and I could also recommend a couple books. With that in mind, I will be looking over every arrangement while it's in progress as a form of quality control and to give advice on the way. You could also team up with another person to handle the orchestration while you do most of the arranging.

I don't want to limit this just to those with a lot of orchestral experience; on the other hand, the arrangements have to be of high quality. I'm not particularly worried about the quality part, though, since the arrangements will be "verified" before being accepted.

I'm tentatively interested in being involved. I have experience writing for real orchestra players and depending on what your needs are could possibly also assist with orchestration and editing for any arrangers who are less familiar with orchestra writing

This would be fantastic to get help on the verification process, even just for the sake of having more than one person to look over arrangements.

I'm glad to see there's interest in this. I'll keep a list of those who have said they're interested. Just for future reference, post a link to some of your work if a link's not already available in your signature. If interest in this takes off, I'll have to start being selective about who can arrange. Thanks for the replies thus far!

[XPRTNovice]

I sent you a PM, but I am also interested.

[thomas_kresge]

For those who have expressed interest and are serious about arranging (and those who will express interst), I'd like to gather some short orchestral arrangements you may already have for the purpose of using them as backing tracks to a promotional video. I'm not looking for complete works or anything you don't want used for this purpose, just excerpts of 30 seconds or less from sampled mock-ups of orchestral arrangements you may have. This can give future backers a broad idea of what the concert might sound like.

On another note, I'd like to add that this project is also looking for some people who can help out with a few other parts. I'm needing someone who can do some graphic design work, and somebody who could also help out with making a promotional simple (nothing too fancy, just something to tell people what this concert is about). A web master would be helpful, as well. Unfortunately, I can't guarantee any pay for these jobs unless the Kickstarter is successful.

[Moseph]

It's not a very recognizable video game theme, unfortunately, but you're welcome to use my ReMix Darkness Fears Light, and We Fear the Darkness for the promo video.

[GSO]

For those who have expressed interest and are serious about arranging (and those who will express interst), I'd like to gather some short orchestral arrangements you may already have for the purpose of using them as backing tracks to a promotional video. I'm not looking for complete works or anything you don't want used for this purpose, just excerpts of 30 seconds or less from sampled mock-ups of orchestral arrangements you may have. This can give future backers a broad idea of what the concert might sound like.

"On another note, I'd like to add that this project is also looking for some people who can help out with a few other parts. I'm needing someone who can do some graphic design work, and somebody who could also help out with making a promotional simple (nothing too fancy, just something to tell people what this concert is about). A web master would be helpful, as well. Unfortunately, I can't guarantee any pay for these jobs unless the Kickstarter is successful.

"

I can do VG music art as well(consoles, controllers, headphones etc.) I don't need money. I just like the chance to stretch my "creative muscles" as it were.