Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1546054
50 M PS E . O R G film-style music editing applied to a different medium. In reality, the interactive nature of games fundamentally changes the editorial process. In film and television, the editor knows exactly how long a scene will last. In a game, the player's actions determine the timing. A player may spend thirty seconds exploring an area or thirty minutes. A combat encounter may end almost immediately or continue far longer than expected. The challenge is to create music that can adapt to those changing circumstances while still feeling intentional and emotionally coherent. That means music editors are often preparing assets not only for linear storytelling but also for interactive systems. We create transitions, loops, stems, alternate versions, and structural components that allow the music engine to respond dynamically to gameplay. The goal is for the player never to notice those mechanics. Ideally, the music feels as though it is being conducted in real time, perfectly synchronized to their experience regardless of how they choose to play. The editor is not only shaping the emotional experience of a scene; they are helping build a musical system that can tell that story under thousands of different player-driven outcomes. RECORDING, MIXING, AND PRODUCTION Ghost of Yōtei features traditional Japanese and Ainu instruments, vocals, orchestra, and modern production elements. How did you approach capturing and blending these diverse musical elements into a cohesive sonic identity? ➤ For Ghost of Yōtei, our approach to capturing and blending the score was centered on authenticity, intimacy, and maintaining a unified sonic identity across a highly distributed recording process. The music was recorded across multiple international locations including AIR Studios and Abbey Road Studios in London, Ocean Way Nashville, Evergreen Studios in Los Angeles, as well as Sound City Studios in Tokyo and Geimori Studio in Sapporo. This global footprint allowed us to collaborate directly with a wide range of musicians and capture performances in the environments that best supported their individual sound and cultural context. I led the recording, engineering, and mixing side of the project, working closely with a network of trusted engineers including Nick Wollage, Mary Shinohara, John Barrett, Nick Spezia, Anthony Caruso, and Scott Bergstrom. A combination of in-person attended sessions and remote workflows— using tools such as Zoom and Audiomovers—allowed us to maintain creative continuity across time zones and studios. Score Producer Peter Scaturro and I also traveled to Japan to personally record featured soloists, ensuring a direct connection to the performers and the traditional instruments central to the score. A key creative decision was to use a more intimate orchestral palette than we typically employ in our larger scores. The string section was scaled to 7/7/4/4/1, with a reduced brass ensemble of 6 horns, 3 tenor trombones, 1 bass trombone, and 1 tuba. This smaller footprint allowed space for traditional Japanese instrumentation—shakuhachi, shamisen, biwa, koto, acoustic Kellogg Boynton Lead Recording & Mix Engineer