Is there much demand for fully orchestrated music in the gaming industry these days? I ask this because many of the games I''ve recently played contain more ambient sounding music if any, and to my ears, it''s just not up to par with some of the older stuff. Sure, many of these newer scores are orchestrated, but none to the point of some of my favourites including Outcast and Heart of Darkness. What I''m really asking is: would I be wasting my time trying to get a gig with a game company solely based on composing orchestral music? I know it’s important to be varied in several styles, but I think I’d have a better chance at making a name for myself at doing what I’m best at (orchestral scores). I’d appreciate any opinions on the subject; especially from producers who realize the awe-inspiring effect music has had in their games.

The thing is, I feel that too much of the time an orchestra is being used just for the sake of using an orchestra. The writing is just sub par a lot of the time, often being mixed with a bunch of synth instruments/effects. The end product usually comes off as being ambient rather than “descriptive”, for lack of a better word. This is probably exactly what the game producers were looking for in a score, but I’m just not into that kind of thing (for the time being). I’d rather be picky and choose my gig carefully in order to get a break doing a full orchestral score. Of course, I’m emulating the careers of some other composers in the gaming industry.

I’m thinking about compiling a demo CD filled with some orchestral music I’ve composed and sending it out to whoever would listen. Though it’s not very diverse, would I still stand a chance? Where should I turn to find potential customers?