Frequently Asked Questions

Is your music suitable for free use?

You are permitted to download my music for personal listening purposes only. If you're in need of a composer in your project, Contact me.

Well how much money do you want for your services, then?

It totally depends on the project's budget. I have quite a few years of professional composing behind me now, so I don't work for free. But the payment is always negotiable and I don't want to create any bankruptcies, so don't worry about that.

What kind of equipment do you use?

I work with Giga Studio 3 as my sampler. I use a number of sequencers and commercial sample libraries (for example Project Sam's libraries) along with our own recorded sample libraries and sound banks, which are constantly growing. I mix with my Yamaha MG12 mixer and give the finishing touch to the sound with Cool Edit Pro 2.0.

Where is your studio located?

It is located in Tampere, Finland. Later on, it may possibly move abroad maybe due to a big project that requires my presence. Until then, I work via internet and usually stay in touch with the directors and project leaders with e-mail or Messenger.

What kind of music do you compose?

I compose music for all media (film, tv, games, internet - you name it!)

My music is mostly orchestral or symphonic, but I also like to approach the project with piano and strings, rock/jazz style, ambient style, whatever the project needs. I like to learn and grow with my music, because that's the reason why we human beings are here. To create and to learn.

Why won't I hear anything when I click the music samples?

First of all, you should check that you own the proper software to listen to mp3-music. Download winamp if you don't already have it. Then you should check that the volume of Windows' wave/MP3 sound in the "sound and multimedia" panel is set high enough. If you still can't hear the mp3 sample when clicked normally, try clicking it with the right mouse button and put "Save target as", then you will be able to listen to it straight from your hard drive. If it still doesn't work, then it must be a broken link or I haven't uploaded it properly. Report me of any broken links and I will fix them as soon as I can.

Do you see yourself more as a film composer or as a game composer?

That is no doubt a tricky question, but I would say both. None of them drops the other one out. The experience when composing to each genre is slightly different. Game music requires music that can slowly develop during the track. The freedom is bigger when there's no actual time frames or limitations in each track or phase. When composing to film, though, the feelings are, in my opinion, bigger. The images and emotions created by the film are always more huge than any game on your computer or tv screen can ever create. Also, it is easier to create themes for "real" characters (played by real actors) than for animation characters. It always helps if the voice actor of the game character is good and you can identify yourself with it. Nowadays game music is becoming more and more like film music as the games are looking and feeling more and more like films. It's a challenge to bring the full orchestral sound to a game, but it's always exciting to take up to that challenge!

But the main point is that music is always there, whether it was a game, film or even a commercial, for a single purpose: to bring out different emotions in order to deepen and to color the film/game/product it is used with. That is the reason why composing is challenging and so much fun, and that's why I love it so much.

What kind of education or background do you have with music?

I'm pretty much self-educated. I have studied composing by reading books, but mostly by listening to hundreds of scores and testing tricks with my samples. As a child I played piano for three years and got basic education of music theory. I played keyboard and mainly drums through school and high school. Also I've always enjoyed singing and have sung in different school evenings. I have received two scholarships in school titled "respected contribution to the school's musical aspect", first in 2000, second in 2005. Now that the school is over, I'm continuing to educate and civilise myself as well as have piano and guitar lessons on my own. In 2007 I got accepted in a media school to study film sound. It's a 4-year degree.

Do you also do sound designing?

Yes. I've been a sound designer in a number of projects. It's always fun to walk around and record new and unique sounds and mix them to the picture. That's a very creative area of film making. I've worked as a sound designer, foley artist, dialogue mixer and a re-recording mixer. I have also done voice acting a number of times, which is very fun! Nowadays I study film sound in a media school in order to become a bachelor in the field of media and communications.

Which instruments do you play?

1. Piano / keyboard: I started to play piano as a child and that has always been my major tool for composition. I approach nearly all of my pieces with a keyboard or a piano. I studied piano and theory for three years as a child, but after that I have self-studied that instrument and grown with it through my compositions.

2. Drums / percussion: In school I learnt that I can channel my sense of rhythm very well through this piece of instrument. I played drums in school bands for many years. In addition I can jam with any rhythmic instrument given to me, for example the djembe drum (I actually own one).

3. Guitar: I grabbed the guitar to my hands in 2008. I have learned to play it very fast and now I carry it with me most of the time. I have grown a deep friendship with it.

Who are your favourite film composers?

Some of them are already mentioned in the Bio, but why won't I put a list of the film composers I've mainly been inspired by and influenced from during the last years. There are many more amazing film composers out there, but I guess these are the guys I've paid the most attention to:

John Williams: A musical genius and the godfather of all film composers today. During his very long journey (from the early 60's), John Williams has scored many excellent film scores such as the "Indiana Jones-trilogy", "The Star Wars-trilogies", E.T, "Jurassic Park", "Hook", "Schindler's List", "Saving Private Ryan" ,"A.I. - Artificial Intelligence", "The Terminal" and many more. Williams' amazing skill, unique sound and his way of using a full orchestra must be appreciated by every well-known film composer of our time. I have hummed his melodies from the moment I started humming film melodies as a small kid. He's the reason I found myself thinking "What is it about these film themes that makes me so psyched up?"

Basil Poledouris: One of my childhood heroes. His majestic themes still gives me maybe the biggest chills in film music. His themes are heard for example in "Conan the Barbarian", "Robocop" and "Starship Troopers".

Unfortunately, this master died in 2004. Rest in peace.

James Newton Howard: This guy is one of the reasons I compose music the way I do. The way he's able to capture emotion with only strings and piano is amazing. He's the house composer for M. Night Shyamalan and together they create magic to the big screen. Howard's great scores include "Waterworld", "The Sixth Sense", "Unbreakable", "Blood Diamond", and "The Village".

Alan Silvestri: Can be best remembered for the legendary themes for the "Back to the Future"-trilogy. Other memorable scores: "Forrest Gump" and "The Mummy Returns". Like Mr. John Williams, Silvestri uses very well different, "larger than life" memorable themes throughout the pictures he composes music for.

James Horner: One of my top influences along John Williams, Alan Silvestri, Basil Poledouris and James Newton Howard. In an amazing way Horner puts so much color in the films he composes to. Top films in his discography are: "Apollo 13", "Braveheart", "Titanic", "Deep Impact" and "A Beautiful Mind".

Hans Zimmer: One of the big names in the business. Composes modern and sexy film music also targeted to those who don't listen to film music. Has scored many block-buster movies, such as "The Lion King", "The Rock", "Thin Red Line", "Gladiator" and "King Arthur".

Danny Elfman: Has scored many romantic scores in a dark way, mostly for different cartoon or comic book heroes (Batman, Men in Black, Edward Scissorhands, Spiderman). Also famous for the scores for "Good Will Hunting" and "The Nightmare before Christmas". His magical way of using different choirs and bells as well as dry electronic drums is very charismatic.

Jerry Goldsmith: Having been almost as long as mr. Williams in the film music industry, Goldsmith composed memorable themes for the Star Trek-movie series. Other scores worth listening: "King Solomon's Mines", "Total Recall", "Air Force One", the "Rambo" trilogy and "The Mummy".

This fine composer died in 2004 at the age of 75. Peace to his soul.

Thomas Newman: The master of composing for piano and strings. Is able to create calm, different, mysterious and ambient music as well as themes for piano and strings. Known for scores like "Meet Joe Black", "American Beauty", "Road to Perdition" and "Shawshank Redemption".

Howard Shore: Who wouldn't love the scores for the "Lord of the Rings-trilogy"? The music brings out feeling and even deeper images in the film and wakes Tolkien's huge saga and the world of Middle-Earth alive.

My other favourites include:

Mark Mancina: ("Speed", "Twister")

Harry Gregson-Williams:("Armageddon" (with Trevor Rabin), "Enemy of the State", "Antz" (with John Powell), "Team America")

Trevor Rabin: ("Armageddon", "Remember the Titans", "The 6th Day", "The One")

Ennio Morricone: ("The Good, the Bad and the Ugly", "Once Upon a Time in the West")

John Powell: ("Chicken Run", "Paycheck", "X-Men the Last Stand")

Michael Kamen: ("Die Hard", "Robin Hood Prince of Thieves", "Band of Brothers")

He died in 2003. May he find peace on the other side.

Trevor Jones: ("The Last of the Mohicans", "Cliffhanger")

It's been exciting and wonderful to listen and to study all of these masters' works and try to learn more of the complex and enormous world of film music. Their unique styles and compositions are of great help for me to try to find a style and sound of my own.

Any other information concerning Michael's music or Michael personally can be found in the Biography and about me -pages.