Hi guys,

I myself am a video game composer and I'm curious: if you've ever needed a composer, how have you gone about finding one? Have you actively looked on websites and forums, or is there perhaps one that sprung to mind because you already follow them on social media?

I've spent a bit of time advertising my services on the internet, and everywhere I go there seems to be a total abundance of video game composers. I wonder what it is that separates those that find work from those that don't.

Would love to hear your thoughts.

@Geri Thanks for the response. That composer sounds like a nightmare! I think making music packs may be a good way to go. It's useful to know that many developers out there choose to go that route when implementing music into their projects.

@frob Interesting. It may be worth creating a reputation for myself through the music packs.

Composers are the most common dev type.

I get loads of unsolicited emails from people trying to get my attention. I always need to turn them away.

Years ago I found a pro composer for my project, and we've stuck with him ever since.

The secret to getting work has always been doing good work with good people. They will spread the word.

@GeneralJist Interesting. Would you say it's actually counterproductive/annoying to directly email game developers in the hopes of finding composition work. Thanks for the response by the way.

Yes it is.

As a small business owner, unsolicited emails are one of the worst time sinks. Some ignore them, but I usually try to respond, since leaving a good impression is critical for small businesses.

Go to their website to see what open positions there are, if they don't specifically say they are looking for sound designers don't waste your time.

Some businesses claim they look at back logs and say they consider everyone even if there is no open position. This is usually a polite borderline lie. It's too time consuming and too much work to hunt in our inbox for that random unsolicited applicant who applied months ago. There is no way of knowing if that person is still available, even if you like their samples and qualifications. We say that so we can cast a wide net.

applying to positions that aren't publicly open again and again also make you look unprofessional and desperate. I've gotten numerous template emails from composers and it just feels like a waste of both our time.

Think of it this way, for your personal email, would you click on a link from a stranger who wants to show you some random youtube video?

What if it's a scam? what if it's a virus?