In his latest installment of The Comet blog Top Score, EpicBattleAxe founder Daniel Kayser interviews composer Rod Abernethy about the music for Software id’s first-person shooter video game RAGE.

When id Software’s RAGE hit store shelves back in early October, the expectation levels were through the roof. After all, this is the latest title coming from the studio that brought us groundbreaking, industry-shaking games such as Wolfenstien, DOOM, and QUAKE - titles that not only helped define a company, but the entire genre of first-person-shooters. 

Of course, the folks at id Software didn’t plan on just releasing a standard FPS experience, but instead hoped to turn pre-conceived notions of what a generic sounding “post-apocalyptic FPS” can be. Turns out that an engrossing RPG element, advanced artificial intelligence, an intriguing racing component, and memorable setting would compliment the solid shooting experience and help define id Software’s latest project as yet another successful entry in the company’s storied catalogue.

Like previous titles from id, the overall atmosphere was key to RAGE’s success, which was accomplished in no small part by the audio design and immersive soundtrack that blended post-apocalyptic and Western themes. Recently, I caught up with the game’s lead composer, Rod Abernethy, to discuss his role on the game, the challenges in working on such a high-profile project, and where he thinks gaming music and technology in general are headed in the years to come.

Check out my interview with Rod below and get some insight into one of the gaming industry’s biggest titles of 2011.

1. RAGE is obviously a huge project for id Software. How did you get involved and begin to approach the development of the score?

It started with a call from Christian Antkow, Audio Lead for id and took off from there. Christian has a vast knowledge of scores for cinema and games and a keen sense of what styles and moods were needed for RAGE. We began the project talking in-depth about style and instrumentation, citing favorite scores and also making references to my previous scores.  RAGE is visually stunning, and seeing it for the first time was a rush for me. I knew that I had to create a very special score that would complement the incredible graphics and gameplay. There are many styles and moods; my palette for the game was pretty wide and varied…and the challenge was to make it all work in the wastelands of RAGE.

2. Working on RAGE must have been different than some of your previous projects such as Wheelman and Alpha Protocol. What lessons did you learn from those experiences that proved to be valuable in the development of this soundtrack?

RAGE is a completely different setting and storyline than Wheelman and Alpha Protocol. Wheelman was a “race chase” setting and had a more ethnic bent, the story being based in Spain. The use of electric and acoustic guitars in Wheelman were sort of a set-up for the guitar work that I did for RAGE. Alpha Protocol was a spy-thriller with a mix of orchestra and hybrid techno, both elements that I used for RAGE.

3. There are so many “post-apocalyptic wasteland” games on the market. How did you aim to make the soundtrack of RAGE distinct?

Yes, I remember when the early comparisons in the press started a couple of years ago with RAGE and other post-apocalyptic games, especially because some of the RAGE preview images leaned on a sci-fi western look…which RAGE is totally not! (laughs)  When I first saw images of RAGE and read the music docs, I immediately came up with ideas for creating a blend of techno-orchestral with industrial hardcore electric and acoustic guitars.  RAGE changes moods quite a lot as you go through the Wastelands…from “outlaw” glitched-out, slide guitar to frantic, modern-abstract orchestral.  Working on this game was a blast!

4. RAGE has a bit of western twist to its theme and atmosphere. Was this something you wanted to include in your contributions to the project? If so, how did you accomplish that?

Definitely, that western twist is what got me so excited. There’s a ton of guitars in the scores, some are processed with guitar pedals and software synths to create the unique sound for RAGE. Christian was very clear about the scores not sounding too western, and helped keep me on course to create an overall cinematic feel in the score. For instance, the score in the level of Dead City are far from a western feel.

5. How closely did you work with the team at id Software on getting the atmosphere and mood of the music in line with what they were trying to create? Were there multiple revisions to your work or did you nail it out of the gate?

Honestly, I think that any game score is only as good as its audio director. With RAGE, Christian and the entire id team were incredible to work with. Many games can be on a tight schedule and you can sometimes feel pushed to make the milestones, but with RAGE I was fortunate to have time to develop my ideas. Most of the time we hit the nail on the head on first try, but that was after careful thought and planning.

6. Tell us about the actual composition. Where was the soundtrack recorded and what types of instruments were used?

For RAGE I recorded and performed the score at my Rednote Studios in Raleigh, NC. The orchestra is a mix of many sample libraries including Symphobia, Project Sam Brass, Symphonic Orchestra Platinum and the great sample libraries from Sonokinetic. I record in MOTU’s Digital Performer using the Apogee Symphony system running four Mac towers that contain my DAW, sample libraries and software. I record all my guitars live…I have a good collection of vintage electrics and a ton of new and old guitar pedals. I love playing live through guitar amps, but most electric guitars on RAGE are going straight to guitar pedals that are tweaked to insanity and routed directly into Digital Performer, then mangled in just about every guitar amp simulator you can get on the market…I love them all.  I’m crazy about Rob Papen’s virtual instrument collection, it’s incredibly intuitive. I also use many EastWest sample libraries including The Dark Side and Ministry Of Rock 2.

7. Congratulations on being nominated in the 2011 Hollywood Music & Media Awards in the category of Best Original Video Game Score for your work on RAGE. What is it about the score that you think makes it stand out during a very busy year for gaming?

Great question, there’s some great music this year and I’m honored to be among the nominees. I think music for RAGE is liked so well because it has a great blend of different styles and leans on an industrial guitar, hybrid techno and abstract orchestral mix, which is a different approach from most of the other major titles this year.

8. What types of qualities stand out to you in the realm of game music composing? Are there certain traits you value more than others? Have any particular soundtracks inspired you as a composer?

I’ve been fortunate to have worked with some very creative music individuals in many styles and many different arenas of the music business. As a recording artist I worked with producers such as Paul Rothchild (The Doors), John Anthony (Queen) and David Lord (Tori Amos) and recorded at various prestigious recording studios in Europe as well as here in the States. I’ve also been lucky to have recorded with many great live orchestras. With these diverse experiences comes a wealth and knowledge of techniques that enables me to create many different styles of music for games.  Influences for me can really vary…from film, TV and many, many popular and unpopular recording artists, (laughs) from John Fahey to John Williams. But I think that’s why I can bring so much to the table when I’m hired to score a project.

9. Considering how closely game music is tied to technology, do you foresee any unique implementation of game audio that would further differentiate interactive entertainment from other forms of entertainment?

I think we’re almost there with sound quality. I rarely hear complaints anymore about lo-rez audio sampling in games. I think we still lack a consistent dedication in making music really interactive with gameplay. That takes time to implement which equals budget.  A truly interactive score takes special care and dedication from the audio programmer(s). Many times the music takes a backseat to the sound effects. I hope that with all the leaps in game technology we can figure out new and fun ways of placing adaptive music in games and continue to move away from the repetitive looping that has been in games since they began.

10. You’ve worked with some pretty high-profile producers such as Paul Rothchild and John Anthony. What do you think is the general attitude towards making music for video games? Is it largely seen as a legitimate form of creative expression, a place to push the limits of creativity merged with technology, or just another avenue for conducting business?

The artistic barrier between video games, film and TV has faded. Creating music for visual media nowadays no matter what it is, takes the same care and patience. Composing for games is now an art form and takes as much creative effort and muse as any other art form.  When I first started composing for games, I felt the public perception of game music was on par with elevator music.  A common request would be “just compose something that won’t get in the way…keep it simple…leave out that melody, it might be too repetitive. And oh…you want live orchestra?  That’s way too expensive, they only do that in the movies…” (laughs). Nowadays the use of live orchestra in video games is an everyday occurrence. And orchestral sample libraries these days are ridiculously realistic, I can do things “in the box” in just a few hours that would have taken me the whole day ten years ago.

11. A bit off topic, but since there’s a growing trend of live game music performances happening in the industry, I’m curious to get your thoughts on the prospects of gaming-related concerts. Do you see them growing in popularity? Would you ever like to perform your game music in front of a live audience?

I would love to perform my music for a live audience; I think the popularity of live performances is here to stay. Fans all around the world have shown their excitement to hear their favorite video game score performed live.  Nothing beats hearing this great art form in a concert environment with a huge audience…the collective excitement is contagious.

For more on Rod and his role on RAGE, hit up his official website right here.