Composer Code

The Super Marcato Bros are Karl and Will Brueggemann. They are prolific video game music composers, podcasters, performers, enthusiasts, and all-around nice guys. Their Bandcamp boasts a catalog of over 30(!) albums, each demonstrating reverence for the formative melodies of their youth. The crown jewel of their creative careers seems to be their long-standing podcast, The Super Marcato Bros Video Game Music Podcast, in which they critique and explore video game music of all stripes. I sat down with them for a 30-minute interview (which turned into an hour-and-a-half interview) as they graciously shared insights and experiences on composing great music. We also got geeky and talked about some of their favorite tools. Here are the tips (click to jump there): Video Game Music Composition and Arrangement Learn and analyze your favorite tunes Experiment with spread voicings Limit yourself for more creativity Composition first, sound design second Challenge yourself with different keys Break out