Frank Klepacki - Work and Beliefs

Work and Beliefs

When composing for video games, Frank Klepacki spends a few days to compose and master one song on average. He feels writing music for games is somewhat difficult as only early software builds are available to play; he sometimes must compose songs based on vague descriptions. Composing for cut scenes is easier by comparison, and Klepacki enjoys drawing inspiration and direction from game design art. Nonetheless, he prefers to compose for a game throughout its development rather than write songs for a finished product. He feels that game music has been harder to compose than film or solo music as he must compose for all situations a player may discover or engineer. Klepacki maintains templates with a base of common instruments prepared for sudden bursts of inspiration, as he resents "having technical issues...as an obstacle." When asked how the composing process begins, Klepacki related:

It starts with knowing what I'm composing for. Is it a battle theme, or main title, or ambient theme, etc. Then I figure out what type of mood or style best fits...the subject matter. From there it's about picking the right instrumentation and then the writing process starts. It could start with anything; a guitar riff, a French horn melody, a drum rhythm or bass line. Then I keep alternating instruments track by track recording one part at a time until I have something that sounds full and gets the point across I'm trying for.

Klepacki has said that the most rewarding part of composing video game music is working with a team—which he compares to chemistry between band members—and knowing he is part of a greater cause. He believes that game music could improve if artists focused on quality and derived inspiration from playing games. He has expressed interest in having Electronic Arts sell his soundtracks in retail stores, preferably next to video games in electronic departments. He advises those wishing to get in the video game business to attend conventions and investigate developer companies. He also noted in 2008 that "composition and engineering skills are now required," advising upstart composers to ensure their work is film-quality. Klepacki is happy to see older games offered on the Wii, hoping that gamers are "recognizing once again that simple, short fun experiences are just as good as...long, huge-production experiences." Klepacki listed several influences for his style of composition: "John Williams naturally for my love of Star Wars and his style in general, Michael Kamen for his composing diversity, Metallica for sparking my metal influence, Vince Dicola who in my opinion is way under-rated for his great work, Sly & The Family Stone for inspiring funk, syncopation, and positive energy, Larry Graham for inspiring me to play funk bass, Nine Inch Nails for their unique uses of mangled sound, and Rob Zombie for combining music with a theme and persona."

Klepacki runs a personal website featuring a biography, archived interviews, and a playlist of songs streamed in 128 kbit/s mp3. His music is also available from iTunes. As a Star Wars fan, he has extensively written about the film premieres of the last two prequels on his website. He maintains an account at YouTube and has posted three videos of his work with other bands. He is an ardent supporter of digital cinema, believing the medium to be the pinnacle of quality. He has scored two short films, and won a CineVegas award for his work with Unreel Invasion. Klepacki believes that the genre of video game music is more respected than it has ever been. He notes that complex and quality music comes at a higher cost, prompting certain producers to simply "get somebody who could cop the Hollywood sound" instead of nurturing original style. When asked about his career low-point, he named Order of the Griffon for the TurboGrafx-16, citing difficulties with the system's limited musical capabilities. Concerning his solo career and Westwood, Klepacki regrets "not having attended more of the fun company functions and parties while I was instead playing club gigs with bands with the mentality of trying to get signed or discovered." When asked to reflect on his career, he replied:

The ironic thing is that my original goal in life was to be in a famous band, tour the world and sell millions of albums. Although that didn't quite happen, I got something else just as gratifying. Instead of being in a famous band, I gained some fame in the industry as a game composer. Instead of touring the world, I receive fan mail from around the world. Instead of selling millions of albums, my music is on millions of games! And I sell enough of my own albums that allows me to keep releasing them. So in a different way, I kind of got what I wanted after all. And I'm more than happy with that. The most fulfilling part of it is that I feel I contributed something that mattered to a significant number of people, and more importantly, I got to be a part of projects that mattered a lot to my life personally, like Star Wars!

Klepacki is not seeking a record deal, citing a "horrible chain of steps to getting famous." Scathingly critical of the recording industry, he blames MTV—described as a "teenage reality show channel"—for putting a pretty face on music and destroying the independent valuation of actual sound. Klepacki has declared pop music as having become the "largest farce in music history—soul-less, mechanical, and only made for the sole purpose of making the fastest dollar possible, with more emphasis on imagery than the music." He's also criticized lip-synching and the repackaging of music genre through different labels—such as Nu metal for rock music and Neo soul for soul music. He believes that signing a deal does not guarantee profits, and would rather keep his day job as audio director. These sentiments were echoed in a special feature on the band Home Cookin' in 2000—Klepacki said the group wanted to "work with a label, not for them." Stating that he would not compromise his work for popularity, he believes that "the only artists that have any longevity are the ones that pioneer a movement—not follow one." He enjoys working independently, as he does not have to "change...music for the sake of pop radio." He champions the internet as a medium through which creative and original artists can be found. Klepacki believes it is the preferred avenue for music when compared to radio airplay—where one hears "the exact same songs 3 months at a time." When interviewed about file-sharing, he expressed mixed emotions. Holding that compact discs are "just too damn expensive", Klepacki believes that a few dollars' reduction in price would "deter people from downloading for free." Conversely, he notes that artists—who "don't get as much money as you think"—need to be compensated for their work. His favorite artists by decade, starting with the 1960s, are Sly and the Family Stone, Graham Central Station, Metallica, Home Cookin', and Bob Schneider.