Steven Melin is an American music composer for audio drama podcasts, films, television, trailers, and video games. Melin's work has been featured in The Bachelorette, Dark Dice, and IGN Summer of Gaming 2024.[1] His music can be heard across numerous projects and platforms including NBC, CBS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam.[2] Melin is one of the top-selling video game music pack creators in the world, the author of the #1 Amazon best-selling book "Family-First Composer", and the founder of the Video Game Music Alliance.[3][4]

Steven Melin
BornAtlanta, Georgia
GenresVideo Game Music, Orchestral, Electronic
Occupation(s)Composer, Musician
Instrument(s)piano, violin, guitar, synthesizer, percussion
Years active2008–present
Websitewww.stevenmelin.com

Biography

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Born into a musical family in Atlanta, GA, Melin began playing piano at age 7 and picked up other instruments, including violin, guitar, and percussion while participating in school orchestras and choirs. Melin attended Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, GA, earning a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance. During this time, he began scoring his own personal projects, as well as writing for music libraries and independent video games.[3] Afterwards, Melin obtained a Master of Fine Arts in Music Composition for the Screen at Columbia College Chicago in Chicago. While enrolled in Columbia College Chicago, Melin worked as an intern for Joel Goodman in Los Angeles, where he helped score new films and create temporary tracks using music from Joel's archive of compositions. After meeting composer and orchestrator Penka Kouneva, Steven accepted a part-time, assistant position and returned to Georgia where he married and started a family.[5]

Some of Melin's primary musical influences include video game music composers David Wise, Nobuo Uematsu, and Koji Kondo. Over the course of his career, Melin has collaborated with composers including Hitoshi Sakimoto, David Wise, Grant Kirkhope, Yuzo Koshiro, Garry Schyman, and Austin Wintory.[6] In 2013, Melin began working with Fool & Scholar Productions, composing Dark Dice, Liberty, The Boar Knight, and The White Vault,[3] winning awards and serving as Melin's first projects with a live choir and orchestra.[7] In television, Melin's work has been featured on shows such as The Bachelorette, Dancing with the Stars, and The Dr. Oz Show. Melin has also composed music for trailers.[2]

In the video game music industry, Melin is most known for his work on Monster Sanctuary and Beard Blade. He is also notable for creating the best-selling video game music pack Game Music Treasury, featured on game asset stores Unity Asset Store, Unreal Marketplace, Itch.io, and Game Dev Market.[8] In 2022, Melin's video game music packs were featured in a Humble Bundle audio sale that sold over 14,000 times, grossing over $320,000 in sales.[9] In the summer of 2024, Melin composed transition and logo music for the Guerilla Collective and Indie.io showcases, as part of the IGN Summer of Gaming. He is also the composer for Aethermancer, the spiritual successor to Monster Sanctuary.[3]

Melin has six children and is the author of the book “Family-First Composer”, a #1 Amazon best-seller about ways for composers to support their families through a career in music composition.[3]

In January 2022, Melin launched the Video Game Music Alliance®, a community for music composers dedicated to growing skillsets in video game music composition, production, technology, and business. The curriculum of Video Game Music Alliance® focuses on building passive income sources, the nuances of working with game developers, and negotiating contracts for custom music.[8] Video Game Music Alliance® also offers peer review and virtual masterclasses with many of the leading composers in the video game music industry, including Penka Kouneva, Jeff Rona, Adam Gubman, Jack Wall, Austin Wintory, Tom Salta, Jon Everist, Brian Schmidt, Winifred Phillips, Jason Graves, Grant Kirkhope, Darren Korb, David Wise, Mike Patti, Peter Murray, and Wilbert Roget II.[10]

Melin also hosts a weekly livestream on YouTube called the Live Composing Show, where he composes music for commercial projects live for the audience and occasionally reviews sample libraries and music software.[11]

Works

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Video Games

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Video Games, Composer
Year Work Developer
TBA Aethermancer Moi Rai Games
TBA PaperKlay (main theme) WhyKev
2021 Beard Blade Glovebox Games
2020 Monster Sanctuary Moi Rai Games
2018 Liberty: Deception (motion comic) Fool & Scholar Productions
2018 Cybarian: The Time Travelling Warrior Ritual Games
2015 A More Beautiful World Afterthought Studios
2015 Snail Panic Nehemek Games
2014 Duel School Columbia College Chicago
2013 Worm Run Golden Ruby Games
Video Games, Additional Music
Year Work Developer
2024 Rack and Slay Ludokultur
2023 '’Windmills’’ Poor Locke
2023 Reaper of Immortals Mounaim
2022 Tuff Fluff Rocky Mullet
2022 Peril Daniel Thurman
2021 Mantle Game Sage Productions
2021 Cherry Island Adrien Jeanneret
2020 Shadows of the Lost: A Blood City Tale OMC Games
2020 Summoner's Fate D20 Studios
2019 Magnus Quest Game Sage Productions
2019 Mage Game Sage Productions
2019 The Dark One Tenfor
2019 Jar Battlers Sylph Arcade
2013 The 9 Divine YoYo Games
2010 Zuwaka YoYo Games
2008 Rogue Mercenary YoYo Games
Video Games, Trailer Music
Work Developer
Frogbound: The Legend of Sir Hopper Stomaco Studio
Crimson Capes Poor Locke
Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults BKOM Studios
Twilight Monk Aquatic Moon
Abalon Arena D20 Studios
Moonlighter Digital Sun
Inkbound Scribbleforge Games
Dream Tales Fingers Meet Controller
Sneaky Snake Sol Key
GLORY Reach Game Studios

Television

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Year Work Network
2023 1000-lb Sisters (1 episode) TLC
2022 Bachelor in Paradise (1 episode) ABC
2021 The Bachelorette (1 episode) ABC
2020 To the Rescue (1 episode) CBS
2017-2018 The Dr. Oz Show (2 episodes) Sony Pictures
2015-2017 Dancing with the Stars (5 episodes) ABC
2014 Fake Off (1 episode) TruTV

Podcasts & Audio Dramas

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Year Work Producer
2024 Finding Matt Drudge (main theme) iHeartRadio
2022-2023 The Boar Knight Fool & Scholar Productions
2022 Don't Mind Cruxmont Fool & Scholar Productions
2021 The White Vault: Avram Fool & Scholar Productions
2020 The White Vault: Illuka Fool & Scholar Productions
2019-2021 The White Vault Fool & Scholar Productions
2019 The White Vault: Imperial Fool & Scholar Productions
2018 The White Vault: Artifact Fool & Scholar Productions
2018-current Dark Dice Fool & Scholar Productions
2018 FEE Audio XP Foundation for Economic Education
2018 FEECast (theme music) Foundation for Economic Education
2018 Liberty: Vigilance Fool & Scholar Productions
2017-2018 High School at 12Stone 12Stone Church
2016-2021 Liberty: Tales from the Tower Fool & Scholar Productions
2015-2017 Liberty: Critical Research Fool & Scholar Productions

Films, Videos, & Animation

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Work Director/Producer
IGN Summer of Gaming 2024 IGN
Guerrilla Collective Showcase 2024 Media Indie Exchange
Indie.io Showcase 2024 Indie.io
Super Pastor Kart 12Stone Church
Play Different 12Stone Church
Why Are We Here 12Stone Church
This Is Our Family 12Stone Church
Revolution of One Web Series Foundation for Economic Education
The Language Tutor Intro The Language Tutor
How We Thrive: Dian Stan Foundation for Economic Education
Invisible Hands Web Series Foundation for Economic Education
The Bomber's Hideout The Bomber's Hideout
Space to Explore Katherine Dubois
Duchess of Atholl Foundation for Economic Education
How We Thrive: Made in Mékhé Foundation for Economic Education
How We Thrive: Coding Cannabis Foundation for Economic Education
Thomas Clarkson: The First Abolitionist Foundation for Economic Education
Avery + Client Cobblestone Productions
O9EN UP (teaser trailer) Tyler Lee Allen
2018 Easter Bumper 12Stone Church
Every Bike Needs a Kid 12Stone Church
The Lazy Millennial Intro Foundation for Economic Education
Heartbreaking Experience with Socialism Foundation for Economic Education
2017 Alumni News Columbia College Chicago
All In Pixel Preacher
For Better or Worse Pixel Preacher
Like Me Pixel Preacher
Iron Wolf Academy promo Iron Wolf Academy
Virtuoso Charlie Myers
Here Died All Cardinals Artem Avakian
Grave Innocence Florida State University
Shades Magnify Entertainment
Pen Pals Nancy Williams
Tiger Lily (trailer) Byron Conrad Erwin
Zombie Tag Magnify Entertainment
Freeze Get the Horns Productions

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result Citation
2016 Parsec Awards Best New Speculative Fiction Podcaster/Team Liberty: Critical Research Nominated [12]
2018 Mark Time Awards The Ogle for Horror (Silver) The White Vault Won [13]
BANFF Mountain Film and Book Festival Official Selection Space to Explore Nominated [14]
2019 Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital Official Selection Nominated [15]
American Documentary Film Festival Audience Favorite Short Won [16]
Wild & Scenic Film Festival Official Selection Nominated [17]
Discover Pod Award Best Fiction Podcast The White Vault Nominated [18]
Audio Verse Awards Best Vocal Composition in a Production The White Vault: A Musical Won [19][20][21]
Webby Awards Best Original Music / Sound Design in Podcasting The White Vault Nominated [22]
2020 Hear Now Audio Fiction and Arts Festival Platinum Award The White Vault Won
Hear Now Audio Fiction and Arts Festival The Gold Listening Showcase Official Selection Dark Dice Nominated
Webby Awards Best Original Music / Sound Design in Podcasting The White Vault Nominated [23]
Audio Verse Awards Best Instrumental Composition in a Production Dark Dice - "Danse Sanguis" Won [24]
Best Vocal Composition in a Production Dark Dice - "Devil's Gamble” Won
Best Instrumental Composition in a Production “The White Vault” Won
Best Instrumental Composition in a New Production “The White Vault: Illuka” - “Dredged from the Deep” Won
2021 Best Original Compositions for a New Production “The White Vault: Avrum” Nominated [25]
Best Music Direction for a Production “The White Vault” Nominated
Best Original Compositions for a Production Won
Webby Awards People's Voice Award for Scripted Fiction Podcast Won [26]
2022 Audio Verse Award Best Music Direction of an Existing Production Nominated [27]
Best Composition for an Existing Production “The White Vault” - "Beneath the Ice” Nominated
Best Composition for an Existing Production “Dark Dice” - "Light of Eastwood” Nominated
Best Composition for a New Production “Don't Mind Cruxmont” Nominated
Signal Awards Best Original Score (Listener's Choice) Dark Dice Won [28]
Best Original Score Nominated
Most Innovative Audio Experience Won
Most Innovative Audio Experience (Listener's Choice) Won
2023 Baltimore Next Media Web Fest Best Actual Play Dark Dice Won [29]
Best Score in an Actual Play Won
Best Fantasy for Children – Audio Fiction “The Boar Knight” Won
Indie Series Awards Best Audio Fiction Series Dark Dice Nominated [30]
Best Original Score Nominated
Best Original Song The Boar Knight - "The Boar Knight Theme" Nominated
MN Webfest Best Original Score in a Podcast Dark Dice Nominated [31]
Best Fantasy Podcast Nominated
Best Family Podcast “The Boar Knight” Nominated
Best Fantasy Podcast “The Boar Knight” Won
Best Original Score in a Podcast “The Boar Knight” Won
New Jersey Web Festival Best Original Song “The Boar Knight” - "Sinister Stirring Stories” Won [32]
New Zealand Web Fest Best Actual Play Podcast Dark Dice Nominated [33]
Best Fiction Podcast “Don't Mind Cruxmont” Nominated
Rio WebFest Best Actual Play Dark Dice Nominated [34]
Best Fiction Podcast “The Boar Knight” Nominated
Webby Awards Best Individual Episode Scripted Fiction The White Vault Nominated [35]
2024 Cusco WebFest Best Sound of a Fiction Podcast The Boar Knight Won [36]
Best Environment on a Fiction Podcast Won
Best Sound Design in an Actual Play “Dark Dice” Won

References

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  1. ^ "Steven Melin". IMDb. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  2. ^ a b "Steven Melin featuring Best Service". Best Service. 23 June 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e "God, Games, and Music – Steven Melin". God Deserves Better Podcast. 26 July 2024. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  4. ^ "Musio Original – Source of Enlightenment by Steven Melin". CineSamples. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  5. ^ "Internship in LA: Steven Melin (Joel Goodman)". Columbia College Chicago Marginalia. 3 October 2014.
  6. ^ "Steven Melin on Video Game Composing, Passive Income, Networking". SoundIron Podcast. 27 January 2023.
  7. ^ "Dark Dice". Goodpods.
  8. ^ a b "7 Steps to Release Your First Video Game Music Pack with Steven Melin". Make Music Income. 17 August 2022.
  9. ^ "SFX and Music for Your Games". Humble Bundle.
  10. ^ "Video Game Music Alliance". Video Game Music Alliance®.
  11. ^ "Composer Talk with Steven Melin: Templates, His Book, Composing for Fun". Make Music Income. 4 June 2022.
  12. ^ "Parsec Award 2016 Nominees". Retrieved 2016-04-07.
  13. ^ "Mark Time Awards 2016 Nominees". Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  14. ^ "Space to Explore – Banff Mountain Film Finalist". The Panek Room. 10 October 2018.
  15. ^ "Past Winners" (PDF). DCEFF.
  16. ^ "Past Winners". American Documentary Film Festival.
  17. ^ "Space to Explore – 2019 Official Selection". Wild and Scenic Film Festival. 10 October 2018.
  18. ^ "Discover Pod Award Finalists". Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  19. ^ "Audio Verse Awards 2019 Forbes Article". Forbes. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  20. ^ "Audio Verse Awards 2019". Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  21. ^ "Audio Verse Awards 2019 Yahoo News Writeup". Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  22. ^ "Webby Awards 2019". Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  23. ^ "Webby Awards 2020". Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  24. ^ "Audio Verse Awards 2020 Website". Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  25. ^ "Audio Verse Awards 2021 Website". Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  26. ^ "Webby Awards 2021". Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  27. ^ "Congratulations to the Winners of the 2022 Audio Verse Awards". Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  28. ^ "Signal Awards Website". Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  29. ^ "Baltimore Next Media Web Fest Website". Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  30. ^ "Indie Series Awards". Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  31. ^ "MN Webfest". Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  32. ^ "New Jersey Web Festival 2023 Website". Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  33. ^ "NZ Web Fest". Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  34. ^ "Rio WebFest". Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  35. ^ "Webbie Awards 2022". Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  36. ^ "Cusco WebFest". Retrieved September 1, 2024.
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