SoundRadar Episode 2 - Modern Warfare 3 with Brian Tyler

We talk to composer Brian Tyler about the games he plays, his work on MW3 and more

Words: Sophia Tong on December 5, 2011

Welcome to Episode 2 of SoundRadar where we talk to videogame music composers, audio directors, sound designers and anyone that is involved with videogame audio. This week our special guest is Brian Tyler, composer of the fast-selling blockbuster Modern Warfare 3. Tune in for a chance to win a copy of the game on a platform of your choice by answering the trivia question in the podcast!

Host and Guest

The Content

Brian Tyler is a relative newcomer to the videogame industry but he brings a wealth of experience due to his background in film. Having composed more than 50 films, including The Expendables, Eagle Eye and Fast Five, Tyler is no stranger to scoring anything that involves tons of action. We talk about his passion for gaming and his other recent projects such as Lego Universe and Need for Speed: The Run, so tune in, learn more about Brian, and share your thoughts with us below in the comments.

The soundtrack is available on iTunes and Amazon.com and Activision has said that the proceeds will go to "The Call of Duty Endowment," a non-profit organization set up by the publisher to help war veterans transition back into society.

Trivia

The trivia question is at the end of the podcast, leave your answers below (or email me at SoundRadar@GamesRadar.com) for a chance to win a copy of Modern Warfare 3 on the platform of your choice. (US only, sorry)

Be sure to follow SoundRadar on Twitter for more giveaways in the future and subscribe to us on iTunes!

INFO BOX:
Post date: December 5, 2011
SoundRadar length: 00:31:57
Visit SoundRadar on: Twitter | Facebook | iTunes

Platforms:

Xbox 360, PS3, PC

Topics:

brian tyler, Call of Duty, modern warfare 3, podcast, soundradar, video game music

20 comments

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drake-wayne - April 5, 2012 9:07 p.m.

I love this game! Best one yet. My most favorite part is the guns! I found this cool place to find all the guns from the game, check it out http://www.airsplat.com/airsoft-video-games.htm Just got my M4 from there and I love it!
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Tricky69 - December 14, 2011 2:59 p.m.

Another great podcast. Thanks Sophia.
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ScrEAMaPiLLar - December 8, 2011 2:33 p.m.

Yay new Sound Radar, between this and Brett's podcast my day is complete.
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soren7550 - December 6, 2011 8:12 p.m.

Gah, the audio keeps chugging. Hell, it's flat out stopped now. It's taken me over an hour to finish listening to this. Anyway, Mr. Tyler can play fifteen main instruments and about one hundred different 'off-shoot' instruments. 360 please.
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BladedFalcon - December 6, 2011 11:10 a.m.

I'm really liking this podcast! ^^ However, i gotta admit I'm kinda more of a fan of the more... "videogamey" kinda of music XD I mean, both composers you've interviewed so far are great, but their style definitely feels more like film music and not really VG music... Which to me does feel more generic and not as melodic and with it's own distinct flavor as more traditional music. I'll keep listening to whoever you keep bringing to us since it's always interesting to learn their point of view. But i definitely would love it if you could bring stuff that's a bit more like... Say, the guy who made the Rayman: origins score, or Anamanaguchi. Hell why just stick with just modern stuff and games? Some of the old chip-tunes composers of old would also be awesome if you ask me XD Then again, i do realize a lot of those people are in Japan, or overseas, which might make it a lot more tricky to interview ^^;
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GamesRadarSophiaTong - December 6, 2011 2:17 p.m.

I hope to have something on Rayman soon. VG music has kind of evolved, and the last two were more orchestral, the next two are going to be somewhat different :) It's also hard to track down composers because of location and time zones. The best time to catch them is right when they finish a project, otherwise they're onto something else and are really busy so it's hard to go back.
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BladedFalcon - December 6, 2011 2:28 p.m.

Ahhh! gotcha! that does make sense XD And it certainly explains why the composers you've interviewed so far have both been involved in pretty recent games. And glad to hear the next ones will switch it up a little! ^^ Still, honestly enjoying this podcast a lot, and I'm thankful that you took the time to reply to my post! And hopefully I didn't sound too whiny or picky ^^; Here's also hoping you can find something on Rayman :D I really was surprised by how varied and different the soundtrack of that game was compared to most stuff that has been released recently. Specially how the composer most likely had a lot of fun with the voices and singers he used XD (Lums in the water and the Mexican themed songs are the best examples of this.)
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ZhugeLiang - December 6, 2011 8:12 a.m.

As a musician, I'm really enjoying this podcast. I love hearing professionals discuss their work, especially at the compositional level. I feel a little bad for Brian Tyler, since Modern Warfare 3's pacing and gameplay were so frenetic that players were never really afforded the chance to appreciate or even hear the soundtrack. The only time I can remember the music playing a central role in the storytelling was during the dramatic approach to Makarov's hiding place in the final level. After hearing the composer talk about his score, it's regrettable there weren't more opportunities for the score to really be integrated into the game experience.
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GamesRadarSophiaTong - December 6, 2011 3:57 p.m.

I agree, listening to his music separately on its own is a much different experience than trying to pick it out while you're playing.
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ImSoHairy - December 5, 2011 10:30 p.m.

I'm sorry, but Brian Tyler's score was absolute garbage. Every piece is more generic, and bland than the last. The worst being that horrid guitar riff for the final level. This is what you get for hiring some fool who does scores for movies like The Fast and the Furious to record your soundtrack. What a waste.
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Funkyzebra - December 5, 2011 6:48 p.m.

15 group types or about a hundred individual instruments.
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TURbo - December 5, 2011 4:55 p.m.

MW3 theme is so beautiful. Great soundtrack Brian Tyler. It's neat in a way that there has never been a com(25) poser that has scored a main installment of Call of Duty twice. Always a different composer. Definitely rank the MW3 theme over the MW1 and MW2 theme
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tr1ggerf1nger - December 5, 2011 4:26 p.m.

15 main instruments and about 100 "off-shoots".
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needles - December 5, 2011 3:43 p.m.

modernwarfarsucksbattlefieldsucksskyrimsucks
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NobleSix - December 5, 2011 6 p.m.

You really are terrible at trolling aren't you?
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needles - December 6, 2011 10:12 a.m.

I'm just starting out. I'll get better in time.
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Number905 - December 5, 2011 2:21 p.m.

Are we supposed to e-mail the answer or leave it here? The podcast says e-mail but the post says to comment, just want to make sure I don't go messing anything up =p
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GamesRadarSophiaTong - December 5, 2011 2:33 p.m.

Either way works :p
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cj12297 - December 5, 2011 1:40 p.m.

Is the competition US only?
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GamesRadarSophiaTong - December 5, 2011 1:44 p.m.

Yes, sorry.
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