What does a $44 million video game sound like?

This week on Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, game composer Tim Larkin breaks down the high-stakes world of e-sports music. From scoring Dota 2 tournaments with 100-piece orchestras to building adaptive music systems that respond to gameplay, Tim reveals what it takes to create soundtracks that elevate the gaming experience. If you’ve ever wondered how music in games works or how orchestras fit into digital worlds, this episode is a must-listen.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• How Tim Larkin scored the $44M Dota 2 International tournament
• The structure of dynamic, reactive video game music
• Why game concerts feel like rock shows
• The shift from writing jingles to scoring blockbuster games
• Real orchestras vs samples in game scoring
• How Valve supports creativity in music production
• Recording with orchestras across Seattle, Utah, Budapest
• The realities of composing for long vs short dev cycles
• Tim’s transition from live trumpet gigs to game soundtracks
• Advice for aspiring game composers in today’s flooded market

BEST MOMENTS
00:01:52. “Every year we put on what's called The International, which is kind of like the Super Bowl of e-sports.”
00:02:12. “We peaked out at a prize pool of about $44 million for a video game.”
00:03:44. “The audience knows the music. So it's like doing a rock concert in a way.”
00:04:27. “The first company that came up was Broderbund… they hired us basically on the spot.”
00:05:06. “In video games, the music is reactive. It’s dynamic.”
00:06:06. “With Dota, as the action intensifies, so does the music based on layers.”
00:07:40. “You're talking $20 to $40,000 maybe for an orchestra. It's a small part of a multimillion-dollar event.”
00:14:15. “My goal in college was to be a session player. I tried to learn every type of music possible.”
00:27:17. “You’ve got to listen to good music. If you can’t reach that bar, don’t try to approach it.”

Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing: https://a.co/d/eEEpPrL

This edition adds chapters on intelligent processor plugins, saturation and distortion, and mixing in small studios. Learn to use reference tracks, mix in Dolby Atmos and Sony 360RA, and master modern techniques like MS processing, frequency-based panning, and sidechain compression, all to make your mixes sound pro. 

Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.

📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/

📘 The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for nailing that polished, pro mix sound:
https://a.co/d/eEEpPrL

🎧 Free “Magic Frequencies” mini-course, learn the EQ secrets behind pro mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/magic-freqs-registration

🎙️Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready.
Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course: https://tinyurl.com/bdhud2bv

🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/

📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social

🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/