Freedom Fighters immerses gamers with the music of Jesper Kyd

by Louis Bedigian

From Hitman 2 to Brute Force, Jesper Kyd is one of today’s top music composers.  We talk with him about his latest project, Freedom Fighters.

While sneaking up behind the enemy in Hitman 2, Jepser Kyd was there.  He was there while you blasted aliens in Brute Force.  He was also there for the long, difficult journey that is MDK2.  He wasn’t a character in any of those games, but he was one of the stars.  His profound contribution made it impossible to miss his presence, and his presence made it impossible to forget any game he was a part of.

All of these qualities generally point to a director, producer or designer of a game.  It doesn’t here, however.  Jesper Kyd is a music composer.

He’s worked with nearly every big name the industry, including Activision, BioWare, Eidos, Electronic Arts, Konami, Microsoft, Sega, Shiny and Treyarch.  His game credits include the titles mentioned above (Hitman 2, Brute Force and MDK2), as well as Messiah, Minority Report (the game), Amok, Scorcher, and McFarlane's Evil Prophecy (not yet released).

Most recently Jesper scored EA’s Freedom Fighters.  You probably know what the game looks like, and could assume how it’s going to play based on screenshots and game descriptions.  But what can we expect from the soundtrack?

You've had some great epic soundtracks in games like Hitman 2. What kind of sound have you brought to Freedom Fighters? What musical styles/genres are represented in the game?

Jesper Kyd: The Freedom Fighters score goes through many different music styles and emotions. The instrumentation is symphonic mixed with electronic sounds and instruments. I also complemented the live choir performance with all kinds of rhythmic elements, from dance beats to classical rhythms.
 
As far as music style, there is epic and heroic, to songs of loss and terror. The main element in the score is the amount of detail I worked on adding to all the tracks. Whether the music was dark, suspenseful, etc, each track has a certain amount of depth in order to bring out a more emotional game experience.

How does the music vary from level to level? Does the sound and/or style change during any of the levels?
 

JK: As the game progresses, the street fights become bigger and more intense, and the music used for battle scenes depends on the intensity of the fight. As well, there are specific songs for the seasons such as snow music for winter and summer music used for when starting out as a freedom fighter. There are also other specific songs for certain levels, which I can’t reveal without giving away too much of the story.
 

Are any jingles or musical sounds being used for gameplay actions or triggered events?
 

JK: Yes, we have the Hungarian Radio Choir singing the different themes in Freedom Fighters at specific events. For example, at one level you step out on a rooftop and a soprano starts singing alone. Once you blow up the helicopter on that rooftop, the entire 60+ person choir joins in. And then the music kicks in.

The amount of choir increases within the game as the game progresses. The further you progress in the game, the more we try to create a sense of emotion with the music.
 

Freedom Fighters' score is performed by the Hungarian Radio Choir. Did you get to work with them at all, and if so, what was that experience like?
 

JK: I am responsible for the entire musical soundtrack, so I was involved with every element of the score from composition, mixing, recording, in-game implementation and final production. The choir has their own conductor, which I prefer to use, since they have been working together for years.

How far along was Freedom Fighters when you began writing the music?
 

JK: It was pretty far along. I played the game from very early on though, so I had lots of time to think about the music style and the direction I wanted to take the score.

Was it a very time-consuming project? How long did it take you to complete the soundtrack?

JK: Yes, it was quite a time consuming project. After doing all the research and music style experimenting, I began to write the score. Then the music was orchestrated for choir. We then went to Budapest to record for 2 days. Finally I put all the elements together in my studio in New York.  After that, we implemented all the music.

What kind of game materials did EA provide for you?
 

JK: I had the best material, which is a game demo. I also had sketches, screen shots, character designs, the story and early versions of the cinematics.

Have any of your past projects had an effect on the music you write now? Have any particular sounds or songs that you've discovered influenced the way you write music?
 

JK: Each project I write I try to do something different than my previous project. This way I learn something new every time I work on a project. I probably learned the most from my latest projects such as Hitman 2, Freedom Fighters & Night All Day (a thriller feature film being released in November on DVD). The project I am currently working on has also been a huge learning experience.

Do you have any portable equipment that you use to compose on the go?
 

JK: No, I mostly use notebooks for writing down ideas when I am outside my studio.

How do you decide which type of music is appropriate for each game?

JK: First of all, it’s important to pick a project that really interests you. Once I start working on a project, I keep thinking about the game until ideas start popping up in my brain. Naturally this is easier if you have more material to work with. Then I start experimenting with ideas and so the first tracks start to take shape.

Thank you for your time.

Jesper Kyd is represented by Bob Rice of Four Bars Intertainment. More information is available at www.jesperkyd.com.

The Freedom Fighters original soundtrack is now available to order on CD exclusively from www.music4games.net/freedomfighters.html

Audio clips of Jesper Kyd’s music from Freedom Fighters also available at www.music4games.net/freedomfighters.html