Professionally created and lovingly crafted original
scores for your film or game.
Intro
Music is not only what drives me, but what drives the
entire entertainment industry. No matter what it is, be
it Hollywood blockbusters or indie games, they are
unimaginable without music. I would go as far as to say
that it is the driving force behind the story. Music is
in the end always about that: Telling a story in a
unique way, with new ideas, constant innovation and an
ever lasting passion for musical expression. The moment
in which you as the composer simply become the means
through which the music flows to the keyboard, is what
truly drives and motivates me to get up in the morning.
I live for that moment and love to share it with others
to tell a complete story with my music. If you think you
know what your story needs to be completed, don't
hesitate to contact me.
If you would like to know more about me or my work, please
click on the respective link.
I primarily compose to tell a story and to invoke emotion. Thus, I use many styles of music to do so, I
can write an orchestral score for your Blockbuster movie, an intimate piano piece for a tragic end to a
film or an 8 bit tune for a retro game.
Examples
I have talked about my perception of my work a lot, but I would now like to ask you to convince yourself
of my music. The following examples are works of which I am proud of in some way, be it because they
were one of my first pieces or because I simply can't stop tapping my feet when I listen back to them.
Orchestral
Starting orchestrally
The pizzicato Celli and Basses (you can hear them most clearly in the solo section starting at 1:36)
make this dramatic orchestral piece somewhat optimistic and much more interesting.
This was my first orchestral piece ever, titled "Inploration". Created entirely
with Albion ONE, the
leading ensemble orchestral library from
Spitfire Audio, this
is what got me started on my journey of exploring the orchestra and my
love for it. In addition to the pizzicato strings, I am especially proud of
the heavy percussion elements and the mellow, but familiar sounding ending.
Roll Up, Move Up. The circus is coming.
The sound of a circus stage, with a lot of variation and
playfulness sprinkled
in between. The syncopated elements as well as the back and forth between the Instruments make it feel
alive and moving.
This piece uses a lot of different Jazz style instruments, together with more traditional
orchestral elements, to create the feeling of a stage, constantly changing, sometimes busy,
sometimes very focused on a single thing. All elements of this composition interact with
each other, the basses, celli and bass trombone with the higher brass such as the trumpets
and tenor trombones. The same thing happens on the piano with the tight, rhythmic right hand
reacting to the playful left hand, keeping it in check. Especially the interaction between
the saxophones and trumpets creates the feeling of playfulness and back and forth between
the instruments. All of this is driven and held together by the drums, which are never too
forward, but don't let the piece go silent either.
Menutia
This is the main menu theme of a game created in less
than 48 hours. The huge brass section makes the dystopian world feel overwhelming and the rhythm
communicates
haste and urgency.
This was the tightest deadline I had on an orchestral piece yet. Created for a game jam,
I spent around 8 to 10 hours on this piece in total, perfecting the warm horn sounds,
imitating the wind of the main menu/title screen. The spiccato violins, pizzicato violas and
oboe were aiming for the same sort of airy atmosphere, while the bassoon and the clarinet
were underlining the mellow nature of this dystopian future. Finally, the heavy orchestral
percussion was used to make the piece feel suitably dark and give it more gravitas.
If you are interested in the game, you can check it out here, but be aware, the main menu is in
german.
Full Orchestration
This piece is quite varied in tone, ranging from an intro which generates suspense with its gradual
build up, to epic percussion and all in between. The piano and celeste make it stand out, interrupting
the traditional orchestral elements of the piece, generating tension and resolving it again.
This longer piece was created with the renowned BBC
Symphony Orchestra library from Spitfire
Audio. The immense control one gains from being able to individually control all of the
44 different instruments of the orchestra to such an incredible level of
detail is empowering. It not only means it's possible to highlight individual instruments,
like the clarinet and piano in the middle section starting at 2:08, but it enables this kind
of mellowness and deep sorrow. This part is generally coined by its repetitive nature, the
clarinet simultaneously being frustrated and unwilling to give up. At the end, the A section
slowly builds up again, helping the clarinet find its place in the orchestra, until it
realizes that it actually liked being as independent as it was, and going back to its
original melody, completing the story.
Electronic
And now for something completely different
This is an upbeat, arcade style video game track. Its rhythmic bassline, bright
lead and sheer repeatability go a long way to making this space shooter what it is.
A space and arcade shooter has to achieve one thing above all else: It needs to be fun to
play. That is what this piece is going for, a lot of different synths and leads, jumping
around, but accompanied by a consistent and catchy bassline as well as a simple drum loop.
This makes it fun, and interesting enough to listen to multiple times in a row.
Dystopia Deluxe
This "Track 2", of the same game as the main menu theme from before, perfectly captures the bleak, techno-dystopian-future theme of the game. The pedal note and its synthwave-y nature give this an even more driven and urgent feel.
The pedal note on C is what really makes this piece come into its own. The multiple
different arpeggiators in the background help create even more movement and fill the
soundstage. The subbass gives the track some much-needed weight and resembles the dystopian
future world of the game. The electric guitar solo finishing the track off performs the main
melody in double-time, revives the urgent feeling at the end, right before the arpeggiator
and drums give the listener a short moment to breathe before the loop starts again.
Miscellaneous
Yo, Ho, Ho and a bottle of rum
This piratey piece really highlights the importance of instrumentation and subtlety in arrangements. You
might not even consciously hear them, but the col legno strings really
enhance the feeling of a fast moving, roughened, wooden pirate ship, the repetitive rhythm portraying
the rough sees.
Sometimes two chords can be enough for a main melody, if the instrumentation is up to the
task
of making it interesting and the tune is catchy. The back and forth between the pizzicato
violin (or fiddle as a pirate would say) and the flute divides the main melody between
the two, with a honky-tonk piano to accompany them. Very simple drums, with nothing but a
kick, piccolo snare and a brushing sound enhance the soundscape, but don't ruin the image of
a simple pirate crew using whatever is lying around to make music. The aforementioned col
legno strings are my favorite part of the piece, as they enhance it so much, without being
noticeable at first glance.
Tools
I primarily work with REAPER, a digital audio workstation (DAW)
focused on performance, compatibility and customizability, which helps me compose efficiently and with
the highest precision.
My preferred sample libraries, so the actual virtual instruments I use, are those from Spitfire Audio,
Spectrasonics, Soundiron, ProjectSAM,
XLN Audio, and iZotope
(as well as many more). In total I have over 2,500 € worth of virtual instruments and effects at my
disposal to create your music.
About
My name is Jim Merlin Ralf Teichgräber and I have a great passion for music and composition. I have been taking classical piano lessons since I was a child and always enjoyed listening to and dabbling with music.
I composed my first piece at 12 years old and have been writing music ever since, inspired by and
learning from the likes of Christopher Larkin, Carlos Rafael Rivera, Laura Shigihara, Gareth Coker, Alexandre Desplat and John Williams, all the while
developing my very own style.
If you are interested and want to know more about my musical journey, maybe take a look
at my work, or if you want to join me straight away, feel free to
contact me.
Contact
If you would like to license my existing work, hire me for a project or just say hi, please get in touch
via the following contact form.
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