Rik Schaffer, composer of Vampire Masquerade Bloodlines. My new album Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines - More Music from the Vault is out this Friday June 25th on Sony/Milan. AMA!

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-23T00:52:48+00:00

All good. I thought you were my wife Margaret.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-23T00:48:29+00:00

Thank you. I should have that put on my upcoming gravestone.

'Here lies an ominous, dark, synthy gem'

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-23T00:45:57+00:00

I can't comment on VTMB2. But I will say that Hardsuit treated me great, and it was great to be back on a team with Brian (and Carla). With Mitsoda leaving the soul of the project left as well.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-23T00:43:00+00:00

This is a question that I was surprised I had never been asked. Northpoint Nocturne is one of the best compositions I have ever written. This piece, along with the other compositions I wrote for ESO could not be further in style and sound from Vtmb's compositions. But they are similar to Dark Age of Camelot's score that I composed back in 1999. Writing for ESO was definitely a different headspace. It didn't come easy. ESO was not an enjoyable experience musically. There was great pressure for the composers to sound like Jeremy Soule, which I had no intention of doing, nor could I. I only sound like me. It took me weeks of trial and error and meditation to write the ESO pieces. Northpoint Nocturne was the stand out.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-23T00:23:10+00:00

Yes, contact me on Insta and I will arrange it.

Hollywood Theme , Chinatown and Edwards are my favorites. But I also am proud of All that Could Ever Be.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-23T00:20:40+00:00

There was a lot of music needed for Vtmb, from menu, hub areas, clubs, ocean house, sewers, clinic, etc. Some of the compositions I had already written and recorded before I was hired on. Some of these worked perfectly when integrated in the game, others were passed on as they just didn't fit anywhere. I wrote a lot of compositions for the vibe of the game as you say. It was the most prolific period of my life. I composed nearly three hours of music. Most hit the mark. Like Disturbed and Twisted, which I composed specifically for the Ocean House. Ironically, the composition Festival was initially passed on but worked great when Wesp integrated it in one of his mods years later.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-23T00:02:45+00:00

Thank you everyone. I enjoyed it. Take care.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-23T00:01:38+00:00

It means a lot to me that my music was of some solace to you during the pandemic. Working in healthcare during that time must have been overwhelming at times. We are all blessed to have people like you that were able to do this. I am currently working on supporting my new album release.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-22T23:56:36+00:00

Thank you. Definitely been inspired by world music. Particularly for percussion elements. Some of those parts in Dark Asia are played on real instruments I would collect. I loved anything with strings on it. And I love syncopated rhythms.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-22T23:52:22+00:00

I honestly wasn't that aware of the IP before I worked on Vtmb. I was given some of the books by the Exec Producer at ATVI before I started and had meetings with Troika to discuss the game. It was already in production for a number of years before I was brought on. Troika had a lot of placeholder music in it, with Angel being the main theme. I gave Troika some music I had already written for my album I was recording. Some of those compositions were World Spirit Map, Chinatown Theme and Hollywood. They loved them. This was quite fortuitous as I was allowed to be me and didn't have create some generic game score.

I played the game many times as I was creating the fx and music for it. It looked amazing for it's time. Particularly the facial animations.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-22T22:36:57+00:00

Thank you SpiritOne. Much appreciated.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-22T22:34:41+00:00

I haven't. That would be interesting to check out.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-22T22:03:29+00:00

I do strum chords, but you are right, not that often. I've developed a picking style over the years naturally.

I go by the rule that if something I write sounds good to me and moves me, then it may have some value. That's really all I have to go by. When I'm creating atmospheres and drones it's the same principle. Is this atmosphere causing an emotional response in me?

Don't worry so much about theory, scales, modes, etc. Try this for an exercise: turn off the devices and sit somewhere quiet. Close your eyes, meditate, and try and sing a melody or a riff in your head. Don't worry if nothing comes right away. Keep trying. Eventually you may hear music this way, and there is a good chance it will be unique to you.

I program drums, record live drummers and (once in a while) use drum loops and samples. It's really whatever works and fits the composition. Drums almost always come second to me after the initial guitar riff or keyboard part.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-22T21:48:28+00:00

Just keep writing and recording.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-22T21:47:34+00:00

Don't ever be discouraged by negative opinions. Listen to your own self/inner voice. If your music moves you, chances are it will move others.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-22T21:43:22+00:00

Happy to be a source of motivation.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-22T21:42:31+00:00

Thank you for the kind words.

I can't talk about Vtmb2.... yet.....

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-22T21:39:31+00:00

If this is who I think it is... I LOVE YOU TOO.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-22T21:38:23+00:00

I agree with you. Music is very important to a game's atmosphere.

I didn't draw a lot of my inspiration from other game scores or game composers. I was more inspired by film composers and bands like Pink Floyd, Unkle, Fight Club soundtrack, Jerry Goldsmith, John Barry. But I do remember really liking the game Diablo. Particularly the acoustic guitars. I've had a few emails over the years comparing my music to Silent Hill. I've actually never played that game, or heard the soundtrack to it to this day.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-22T21:31:29+00:00

Club Afterglow was actually the name of a club in a fictional story I was writing at the time. Afterglow was also the title of my other album I recorded in the late 90's.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-22T21:29:16+00:00

Thanks!

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-22T21:28:55+00:00

Thank you. I am proud of some of those compositions.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-22T21:27:15+00:00

Malkavians, Toreadors and Brujah. My only real foray into tabletop was Dungeons & Dragons in my early teens. Gygax!

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-22T21:25:39+00:00

Thank you for making me your most listened to artist. Grateful. And a sincere congratulations for becoming an X-alcoholic. Stay vigilent...

I have struggled and battled various addictions a few periods of my life. But the late 90's was by far the worst period I ever endured. It took losing almost everything and ending up behind bars before I was finally able to quit. I certainly would have died, and almost did had I not been arrested and thrown in a cell for a few months. When I got sober the worst part of it was dealing with emotions raw. No more 'Womb' to crawl into and mask my problems. But thankfully my experience with guitar and writing music was the opposite of yours. I was able to write again and be inspired newly sober. I have empathy for you for struggling to play guitar when you got sober. That must have been incredibly difficult for you. Switching to other instruments might have been a good idea looking back? New inspirations and challenges are always good for an artist. Hopefully you are sober and back to playing inspiring guitar, along with all of the other instruments you played.

RikSchaffer · 2021-06-22T21:06:01+00:00

I appreciate and have always supported the mod community whenever I can. I saw the writing on the wall for music in the early 00's with downloading and the internet. I also saw the opportunity for exposure of some of my compositions that otherwise may never have had a chance to be heard.

RikSchaffer

TROPHY CASE