Russell Brower: I actually come up with most of my music while driving. I find that the act of driving occupies the part of my brain that would otherwise get in the way or challenge me, or tell me "that's not good enough" or "what were you thinking?"

Our skillsets are very complimentary. There's a lot of overlap. We've all had to step up and do styles of music we weren't always the most comfortable with normally. But on the other hand, with StarCraft 2, for instance, it became a natural hand-off [between us]. I'm working on Protoss, Glenn's working on Terran, and Derek's working on Zerg. It just kind of fits our personalities.


How do you go about coming up for music for specific characters like Illidan, Kael'Thas, and Arthas?

"Whether we're writing for that boss or that dungeon or that race or those mobs, it all ends up culminating [on the character]."

We don't always intend to do that. If we have a boss, it's tied to a particular area or particular dungeon. His character is very much tied to the architecture, the mobs surrounding him, etc. So whether we're writing for that boss or that dungeon or that race or those mobs, it all ends up culminating [on the character].

For example, the most recent Wrath of the Lich King intro cinematic had a theme that's a very specific Arthas theme. When we originally recorded that, we intended it for a male tenor. We were watching the film while the choir was recording, and it was working but it also seemed kind of safe and easy. It hit all of us at the same time, "What about getting a boy, alto, to sing this part?" So we found a young lad, about ten years old, and he was a real pro. He did it in ten minutes and if you were in the opening ceremony this morning you heard that piece and it just tears your heart out. We're working on a lot of ideas for more character themes, whether it's Kerrigan or Arthas or Kerrigan and Arthas together... Kerrigan and Arthas, the love story...

What was the inspiration behind the fight with Murmur, where there's not really any music or sound, but kind of the antithesis of sound?

Did we run out of time? (Laughter.) I believe in that case we were playing more to the space and not so much the fight. There are times when a boss is so over the top that it makes sense to play against the action or against type. Just to change it up a little bit. Sometimes it's a little too obvious to play exactly what you expect... you've got a big scary dude, and it's really easy to do big scary dude music. You have to change it up once in a while.

What do you look for in people looking to work in Blizzard's music department?

"[Music] is something we do anyway. The act of having a job is a side-effect to which we've become accustomed."

Passion is a big part of every Blizzard employee. Imagination and the ability to express it. A lot of times people who aspire to work with us say, "If you'll just give me a chance and let me in the door, I'll knock your socks off." And I say, "Show me now! Show me a reel." A lot of the time they don't have one.

We're the type of folks who would do this anyway. We write music all the time, we go home and work on our own stuff and tweak on our studios and all of these things. It's something we do anyway. The act of having a job is a side-effect to which we've become accustomed.

How did strong melodic themes develop in WoW?

A persistent world like WoW calls for something that, sometimes, isn't so strong, isn't so recognizable. It works over time, it works for repeating more, it tends to be slightly more atmospheric and slightly less character-driven. There are certainly areas that have stronger, more recognizable themes, most of them are areas we're trying to highlight, something special in the world that we're trying to draw a little more attention to. We also chose not to have wall to wall music in the world, because we want to give it some breathing room. We want to have some introduction when you come into an area, the music goes away for a while, it comes back... to give you time to be able to play the game. There's so many possibilities to music. You could certainly write the greatest music possible... or you could write what the game needs. It's mostly to serve the game.

How early on the development cycle are you brought in to talk about the music?

We're brought in from the beginning. That's one of the chief advantages to being on staff and being there every day. We grow the music, sound effects, and the whole soundtrack with the game and it comes out a lot better that way.

This is all Blizzard's audio team had to say, but they wrapped up the discussion with one last musical treat, direct from the Undercity: a live performance of Lament of the Highborne. Just click play below to listen.




Miss the first part of our panel coverage? Check out more Q & A with Blizzard's audio department -- and some great music! -- in part one.