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Between Two Turrets - Chat with ProtoShredanoid! [COMPLETED]

RiotA Small Man·8/12/2015, 8:08:56 PM·11 votes·65,140 views

http://i.imgur.com/gevVgXa.jpg

Welcome to the latest installment of Between Two Turrets, a new Q&A series from the NA Community team in which we'll connect you with various Rioters to chat about League, life, and anything in between. You can expect an installment every couple weeks or so, with Rioters from all over jumping in to spend some time with you on the boards.

This week, we've got composer, sound designer, and Pentakill guitarist ProtoShredanoid!

EDIT - Thanks for all the questions guys! Gonna get some work done, but I'll try to check back in case anyone else drops in.

Hey guys,

Thanks for coming out to chat! A little about myself....

I started at Riot as a sound designer on the Champion team (some of my favorite champs I did sound and voice for - Velkoz, DJ Sona, Lissandra, Lucian, Thresh, Gnar....a few others). More recently, I moved to the music team and have been working as a composer. My favorite musical adventures at Riot include DJ Sona, Tahm Kench login and of course PENTAKILL!

Before coming to Riot I graduated from Berklee College of Music, and worked for an Activision studio called Vicarious Visions. You can hear bits of my music, sound design, or guitar work on a bunch of games like Transformers, Guitar Hero, James Bond, Kung-fu Panda, and Marvel stuff. I also record Instrumental Space Metal, Shred and Ambient music under the name ProtoShredanoid.

Down to chat with you guys about any and all things music (or really whatever....The Cosmos, Lost Civilizations, Rocket League.....), so ask away!

104 Comments

Dark Infliciton8/12/2015, 8:09:44 PM4 votes

Love all your work dude, especially your work with Pentakill! I'd like to know:

What guitar(s) did you use to record the songs for Pentakill?

Who's your favorite guitarist of all time and who are some of your biggest influences?

What's the greatest guitar solo ever written (in your opinion)?

What was your favorite song to play off the Pentakill album?

What the heck are those effects in the intro to “Cygnus Rift?” Sounds awesome!!

I'm sure other people will bombard you with Pentakill tablature questions, so I'll leave it at that. Rock on dude!!

Icestar11868/12/2015, 8:11:13 PM4 votes

There's a Music of League Volume 1, will there be a Volume 2? If so, what might be on it?

Dylightfull8/12/2015, 9:40:59 PM3 votes

Is there a secret button that switches the normal music on SR to the pirate music from the Bilgewater event? If not, we should all group up and convince your co-workers to make one. Because pirates.

Blackquill8/12/2015, 8:43:58 PM3 votes

I guess you have been asked this alot already but how do you compose? How do you decide how the main theme of a champion should sound like? Do you just start with a melody that comes to your mind when thinking about this champions background and personality and take that as a starting point to write a full song? How much of a team effort is writing this music? How much do you let yourself inspire by already existing pieces of music? How long does it take you to complete a song/login screen? Do composers also have some kind of writer's block when writing music? How do you get around such a block if it exists?

DwarvenGiant8/12/2015, 8:30:51 PM2 votes

Hi, I really like your work (I love the Pentakill album and I haven't stopped humming Tahm Kench's login/teaser music since the teaser was up).

And for my questions: Can you say whether or not there will be (perhaps anytime soon?)/are you working on :

  • A new Pentakill Album (and if you can provide a little bit of details- Such as a general ETA or something)?

  • A Music of League Volume 2?

-_-

Also, are you guys planning on doing more things like The Curse of the Sad Mummy in the future?

TENTACLELUVR8/12/2015, 8:35:31 PM2 votes

Absolutely love your work, especially Cygnus Rift and Ohmwrecker. I'm a sucker for instrumental "space metal" as you put it. If you haven't heard Joe Satriani's "Engines of Creation" album, I highly recommend you listen to it, I bet you'd love it. Anyway, here's my question: how do you go about writing songs that are themed around a champion's motif? (How did you get the Vel'Koz song to sound like Vel'Koz, etc?) What is the creative process usually like?

Kaguri8/12/2015, 9:32:39 PM2 votes

Ummm.. Um.. Um, where to begin..? Okay I got it: ...No I don't.... This is so hard. Okay here goes, if you could add another music themed skin group to LoL, what champs would they be and what kind of music group would it be. For example, Ahri and Lux could make a K-pop duo.

Siachi8/12/2015, 8:16:24 PM2 votes

I'm musically inept myself (Like listening to it, but for the life of me couldn't tell you any of the terminology), so not many questions from me.

What is your favorite style of music?

What was your favorite project to work on, in general, not just League?

EDIT: Thought of something else; you worked on the Tahm Kench Login right? I don't suppose your team ever thought of any lyrics for what Tahm's humming in the song, did you?

Dark Infliciton8/12/2015, 10:39:13 PM2 votes

Thanks for the reply! I agree; the solo section of "Deathfire Grasp" is a fun one to play. Definitely my favorite part of the album.

I have one last question that I neglected to mention:

How do you feel after you watch a Pentakill guitar cover/playthrough done by another guitarist?

Anyway you deserve way more support for all of your works! I hope one day you get the attention you deserve!

AMYS GRAVE8/12/2015, 11:19:37 PM2 votes

The music in league is incredible, your entire department does amazing work. I don't really have any questions other than will you tell everyone you work with they are amazing too?

GRIZLEDORF8/13/2015, 12:55:54 AM2 votes

Dude, thanks for showing me "Rocket League" ... now when my ping shoots up after the servers move i'll have another fun game to play.

Never heard of it before thanks!

Spaghetification8/13/2015, 6:52:22 AM2 votes

Yo Proto! I love your music, especially the Tahm Kench theme most of all.

What made you want to make soundtracks and songs for League?

Do you yourself play (may be a dumb question)

What is your personal favourite Champion?

How is working for Riot?

Great work and thanks! I think you should add some Cello into some of your songs; have you seen 2Cellos? They really rock.

Jikosei8/13/2015, 6:58:26 AM2 votes

I knew that name looked familiar. I'll have you know sir, that I played the SHIT out of SUPRAHUMAN on Guitar Hero:WT, it was truly a friggen masterpiece; rhythm guitar was super-heavy, solos were mind-blowing and sounded really well. GAH. Now I need to listen to it again. I SALUTE YOU SIR.

Sir Nope8/12/2015, 8:28:27 PM2 votes

Hey, I have a few questions:

• What was your favorite sound effect to make, and why was it Zac's "splat?"

• Are there any composers or musicians who you feel have influenced your work? I want to say Dave Wise, but I think that's just me liking Dave Wise.

• Are there any projects you deeply wish gets dropped on your workstation/keyboard/keyboard with a note saying "Feel free to experiment?"

PixTron8/12/2015, 9:09:59 PM2 votes

If no one else has asked this yet, are you gonna help make another album of Pentakill? Or another metal album? Hope you do!

And maybe you can suggest Riot to make Pentakill skins for Thresh Chogath Hecarim Galio, and Rengar?

KarahLameria8/12/2015, 9:15:04 PM2 votes

So are you going to be one of the guys to praise for what I'm sure is going to be one heck of a song for the Arcade Riven, Blitz, etc.. Login Screen?

Besides that, Actual Question: What has been one of the most Difficult challenges you had to overcome in your time employed under Riot in your line of work??

ROMIOUS1238/26/2015, 7:25:04 AM1 votes

hi guysTwistedFate Katarina summoner 4 item 3652

Feelblitz8/12/2015, 11:12:28 PM1 votes

hey Protoshredanoid, I have a question. Some people asked how you got involved with riot and making some of their music, I was wondering was there anything specific that they look for? Are they only interested in people with vast experience and resumes, or are they open to more amateur work assuming the product is completely professional and streamline? Are they open to any more musicians/sound engineers being employed or collaborating with them, or are all the spots filled? I'm sorry if you might not be able to answer some of these questions as they might be riot policy stuff. Hope you answer!

MaximusTheKnight8/26/2015, 7:12:48 AM1 votes

can anyone add back poro summoner icons as for the new arcade game?summoner 31 summoner 30 item 2052

Meikine8/12/2015, 9:21:19 PM1 votes

HELLO SIR I HEARD YOU LIKE MUSIC SAME THO TBH DID YOU DO BAND AS A CHILD? IF SO WHAT INSTRUMENT? AND ALSO DO YOU LIKE TO SING (PREFERABLY DISNEY SONGS)

wow all caps

SomethingUnknown8/12/2015, 9:25:20 PM1 votes

I wish I could ask you some sound/music specific questions, bit since I can only play the kazoo I'll ask some generic questions :D

  • Favorite champion and why? (What's a League AMA without this question?)
  • Favorite non-LoL game?
  • Favorite game soundtrack?
  • If you could eliminate one genre of music, which would it be?
  • Burritos or tacos?

Btw, amazing job to you and the rest of the music team. League's music is my favorite game music together with Shadow of the Colossus. I listen to all the champion themes on repeat all the time. And my favorite song of all time is Lightbringer.

Lukada8/13/2015, 7:31:28 AM1 votes

I really enjoy your work!

I have been studying recording arts for the past 3 years and was wondering if you could shed some light on your history before League and the super sweet pentakill series!

What brought you to sound design? Hows the Hierarchy at Riot? When you have a new character do you work side by side with their design team to create their soundtrack? Finally, whats the weirdest thing you experienced/ know that people did for League foley?

Thanks for your time!

RetroCharmander8/13/2015, 3:30:53 AM1 votes

What advice do you have for an aspiring musician?

The Blue Rajah8/14/2015, 1:01:17 AM1 votes

I know I'm SUPER late, but what's your opinion of Metalocalypse?