8-Bit to Orchestras: Video Game Music Scores

Imaginary Worlds

Eric Molinsky

Arts, Science Fiction, Fiction, Society & Culture

4.8 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 30 July 2025

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Creating a musical score for interactive video games is like trying to hit a moving target. Luckily, Hans Zimmer’s studio Bleeding Fingers has developed some clever strategies. I talk with their CEO Russell Emanuel and musicians Thom Lukas and Giovanni Rios about how they create innovative scores for games like Arknights, and why they thrive under creative limitations. Grammy-winning video game composer Winifred Phillips discusses how she builds adaptive scores that shift and respond to unpredictable gameplay. And video game historian and RPI professor William Gibbons explains why the technological limitations of ‘80s and ‘90s games actually fueled composers’ creativity. This week’s episode is sponsored by The Perfect Jean. Our listeners get 15% off your first order plus Free Shipping, Free Returns and Free Exchanges when you use code IMAGINARY15 at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	The road stretches before you, but there's trouble ahead, stationary cars.
0:04.0	You're faced with the McDonald's side mission.
0:06.0	Do you, A, join the ever-growing queue,
0:10.0	or B, take the next exit and treat yourself to a glorious Mackey's.
0:14.0	Detouring to McDonald's.
0:16.0	Start your side mission today.
0:20.0	Ready to launch your business?
0:21.7	Get started with the commerce platform made for entrepreneurs.
0:24.9	Shopify is specially designed to help you start, run and grow your business
0:29.0	with easy customizable themes that let you build your brand,
0:32.5	marketing tools that get your products out there.
0:34.8	Integrated shipping solutions that actually save you time.
0:37.5	From startups to scale ups, online, in person, and on the go.
0:42.1	Shopify is made for entrepreneurs like you.
0:44.5	Sign up for your $1 a month trial at Shopify.com slash setup.
0:52.2	You're listening to Imaginary Worlds, a show about how we create them and why we suspend our
0:56.8	disbelief.
0:57.8	I'm Eric Malinski.
1:01.4	Earlier this summer, thousands of people packed a venue in Paris to watch a live orchestra.
1:07.6	But the musicians weren't playing classical music.
1:10.6	They were playing music from the game Final Fantasy.
1:12.6	These types of concerts are happening all over the world.
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 2 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Eric Molinsky, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Eric Molinsky and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.