3: Should you compose for games or make albums?
This is a tough question. I mean I believe every musician is CAPABLE of producing music for games, but not everybody is HAPPY with it. There are things you must consider.
- You are no longer in complete control over your music.
- You must work by deadlines
- You must know your rights
- You must be able to work on a project even if your heart isn't entirely into it
- You must be willing to explore and meet ideas.

But what are the positives?
- Much wider exposure of your music (a good flash game alone can hit millions of plays)
- More substantial money (this is of course once you start getting into the bigger projects, and a well known album on iTunes can generate you MUCH more unless you're hitting the AAA games.
- More opportunities/gateways to other interesting jobs and people.

It ultimately comes down to asking yourself if you find working on your own terms more alluring then expressing the dreams of others, because at the end of the day that's what you're doing. You're given a task, perhaps some reference material, and asked to produce something of a certain sense/style. Often when you are given a temp song you are expected to produce something of that sense and style, so you have to have a fairly good ear to pick things apart. Now when you're starting out this isn't a big problem, but as you expand your network and make more songs be aware that this plays a more and more critical role. Start practicing early so when it becomes important you'll have your things in order.

Many composers find the challenge of adapting to anything exciting, and I often get this buzz. Being thrown into a world that's not my own, meeting characters and scenerios that I have no control over, yet it is my duty to capture that story as best I can, and though madly frustrating sometimes, it is an enjoyable accomplishment if you manage to pull it off right.

It's hard to tell of course, if you like one or the other until you've tried it. If that is the case, please refer to Unit 1 where I talk about how to get started.