Lead Sound Artist - Jef Aerts.
Background
Jef Aerts has been a professional sound engineer, music producer and musician since 1996.
After starting out by playing around with old samplers, synths and guitar pedals, Jef studied Image and Sound at RITS in Brussels, Belgium.
In 1999, he took a job at one of the biggest music studios in Belgium, Galaxy Studios.
Here he gained invaluable production experience working as a sound engineer.
After two years, he became a freelance sound engineer so he could work in various music studios as well as teaching others the craft of sound engineering by giving studio workshops,
one-on-one Pro Tools and Ableton Live training.
Since 2004,
he works as a sound engineer at one of the leading audio post-production
companies of Belgium, A Sound.
His daily tasks are sound design & editing feature films, TV series as well as doing tons of recording and mixing for commercials.
In his spare time, he works on his own music projects, teaches musicians, producers and DJs the endless creativity of Ableton Live and explores the worlds of game audio.
Galactic Gladiators
Jef has been one of our senior members who has been with us from the very start.
His professional experience within film and sound has been of great value to our team.
He helps push the quality of our game to meet the standards he is used working with.
An example of his sound prototype work: Soundcloud.com
He also does great voice overs, and even had a famous Belgian actress record some awesome voice
overs for us!
What do you like most about working on Galactic Gladiators?
That we are a small team of truly creative people.
Each has their own expertise but there is a great collaboration between the different departments. This is more beneficial for the game but also good fun.
And of course the extensive game play testing with the crew!
What are your hopes for the future?
Well that we can finish and release this wonderful game.
That we can grow as a indie game studio and that more great games may follow.
What skill sets are most important for a sound artist?
You have to have a good ear (of course), be very creative but also be very technical.
What advice would you give to aspiring sound artists?
Try to work on as many projects as possible outside your school projects and/or work.
This way you will get better and faster in sound design and in the tools you use.
Don't be afraid to experiment, try new techniques and tools.
There are no rules in sound... or perhaps just one (cliché) "When it sounds good, it is good!"
Stay tuned for our next interview with our romanian concept artist Marius Necula!
If you have any questions for Jef leave it in the comment section!
