Meet Edward Ray | Composer and Sound Designer for Video Games

We had the good fortune of connecting with Edward Ray and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Edward, why did you pursue a creative career?
I’ve been involved with music in numerous capacities since my teens. I picked up the guitar and drums at the age of 15 and was instantly hooked. I’ve been trying to record my own song ideas for almost as long as I’ve been playing instruments – and started way before these recordings sounded any good. I started out trying to record short ideas on a voice memo recorder (this was long before anyone knew what a smartphone was). I then moved on to plugging my electric guitar into the microphone port on the family computer. You know, the 3.5mm green ones…? I thought this was a genius idea at the time. I think the best I ever got out of home recordings back then was by balancing a USB microphone on the grille cloth of my guitar amp. I was always trying to write my own music and capture it in whichever way I could. The technology may have (drastically) evolved, though that love for creating something out of nothing and finding the best way to capture it never went away.

My passion for music is only predated by my love of video games – I got into those when I was around 4 years old. My first consoles were the NES and Sega Megadrive (or Genesis in the States). Like a lot of kids, I was instantly hooked, to the point where I told my mum my ultimate dream was to be a blue hedgehog when I grew up. Hopefully she’s okay with what I ended up doing instead…

Prior to writing music for games, I was working a corporate job and getting fed up of it – this was around 4 years ago. I was still making music as much as possible in my spare time – I never put music down after first picking it up. I started asking myself where I was headed in life, career-wise. I came to the realisation that the only thing I’d ever dreamt of doing professionally was to make music. Writing music for a living had always seemed like such a pipe dream, though I told myself it can’t be that insane of an idea: plenty of other people build successful careers doing just that. So that was it – I started investing every spare moment into trying to go full time in music. I started by working with local artists, writing for them and producing their tracks. This was a lot of fun – their enthusiasm for what we were doing together was really so rewarding. Though I knew that wanted I really wanted to do was take my two longest running interests – video games and music – and forge a career out of them. It took a lot of late nights and early mornings, though I’m priveleged to say that goal became a reality.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I take pride in my insistence on understanding my clients’ needs – and to fully understand them as soon as possible. This can only be done by setting a strong foundation with my collaborators. This is facilitated through (at times lengthy) preliminary discussion, though before my hands touch an instrument, I want to know the developer’s vision as well as they do.

To start with, we need to develop a shared vernacular: Do we each understand what the other means when describing certain sensations, certain emotions – do we agree on how we want to communicate these in a musical context? Rather than simply taking visual prompts from the client and making a stab at my own interpretation of what I think would work best in terms of a sonic palette or genre, I try to encourage my collaborators to steer away from the cliché or typical. The only acceptable outcome is that we develop a sound for the project that sets it apart in order to ensure a memorable experience.

The goal is always that we take 1 + 1 and make 3. I think a trap a lot of composers fall into is assuming that they know better right out of the gate, with the good old “I’m the expert, I know exactly what to do” mentality. The goal is that you become as self-sufficient as possible: No guess work, not needing clearance every step of the way. You can reach that state of inertia much more quickly if you avert the need for countless revisions and second guessing preemptively. This is only made possible by laying the groundwork ahead of time. For me, it’s important that we capture the integrity of the project: what it’s trying to communicate on an emotional level, as opposed to simply playing up to musical tropes. This can only be done if I have ensured that I fully understand and have helped shape the developer’s vision for the music.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Though I’ve not been back in a little while, my time in LA is always punctuated by musical experiences: And LA has a lot of them to offer. From the numerous boutique music shops to the underground rock bars, you’re never short of things to soak up when it comes to music. For Jazz, I’d take them to Rhythm Room, for local bands I always love seeing what’s going on at The Silverlake Lounge. If I’m missing my hometown of London, I might go to The Chap. It’s technically an Irish pub though it’s always a good time, they even have their own Irish house band…

Given that most of my close friends are music nerds like me, we’d have to go to Guitar Center. I know, I know, there’s loads of really great small local music shops in LA, though as a European, we rarely see a music store of the size of GC so it’s a must-see, even if just for the scale of it. Then of course, there’s Norman’s Rare Guitars, though I’m always scared I’ll walk out with a mortgage to my name when I step foot in there. So many amazing vintage guitars. Then for synths, there’s LA Synth Co. Perfect Circuit, in Burbank… Hmmm… I think I’m overdue a visit to LA…

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Success is never accomplished alone and there are so many people to whom I am grateful. The support and encouragement they’ve given me on my path towards becoming a composer is the reason that any of this has been possible.

Firstly, I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my mum. Her support and enthusiasm for my dreams and interests over the years has been monumental. From the early days of supporting my interest in music; whether it was listening to me practising drums or guitar for hours, backing my decision to drop out of secondary school to study audio engineering, listening to the death metal tracks I recorded… Right the way through to her cheering me on once I decided I was going to take the plunge to pursue a full-time career in music: Her encouragement has allowed me to chase my passion wholeheartedly.

I want to thank my former partner, Jade. She was always there to cheer me on and share my frustrations when I was trying to balance working a full time job with making the transition into a massively competitive industry. She did everything that she could to make life easier at the time. We both made sacrifices for my career to be possible and I’m forever grateful to her for that.

I want to thank Jordan McGraw, Brandon Egolf and Waylon Fischer, the creator and publishers of Rogue Ascent, respectively. It was my collaboration with them that really launched my career. The friendship I’ve developed with those guys and what we’ve created together are things that I’m so thankful for.

In addition, I want to acknowledge Mick Gordon. I’ve always looked up to him for his attitude, work ethic and creativity. When I was just starting out, I emailed Mick looking for some advice. I actually never expected him to respond, though to my surprise at the time, he did. He actually wrote me a very thoughtful and helpful email and has remained open to answering my questions ever since. His expertise, guidance, and constructive feedback have played a crucial role in shaping my artistic abilities and expanding my horizons.

Lastly, I owe a debt of gratitude to the music and game dev communities at large. Whether it’s the musicians I’ve played in bands with over the years, or the game developers I’ve worked with or chatted to, they’ve all provided me with a network of support, inspiration, and camaradarie. The exchange of ideas and the collective energy have been instrumental (no pun intended). I’m so fortunate to have encountered such wonderful people and to have had them contribute to my growth. They’ve played an integral role in shaping my story and I’m truly grateful for their contributions. Be that their efforts, support, mentorship, love, or encouragement.

Website: https://www.edward-ray.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwardraymusic/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-ray/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/edwardraymusic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@edwardray

Image Credits
Rogue Ascent – Nooner Bear Studios LLC and Clique Games LLC