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Skye Lewin

Audio Director/Composer (Bungie)

in audio, musician

Who are you, and what do you do?

Hi, I'm Skye Lewin. I enjoy writing music and crafting audio, both for the sake of the audio itself, and in support of various forms of media. I am fortunate to have a career doing just this. I currently serve as Audio Director and Composer at Bungie, working on the video game Destiny. Creating soundtracks with unique music and pleasing game soundscapes is very fulfilling, as is working with a team of incredibly talented people.

What hardware do you use?

It's a really long list, but some of the key pieces are Avid, Apogee, & RME IOs, a good microphone selection, and good pre-amps, compression, and other outboard gear. I'm quite partial to the [Millennia Origin][stt-1-origin], though there are many great options available. Distressors are a lot of fun. I love the Smart C2. A good MIDI keyboard with weighted keys is essential for composition, though I also have a small portable keyboard for composing while traveling. And instruments! I love to record live instruments, which means having access to them. Guitar, bass, drums, and all sorts of percussion. I especially love to record vibraphone and hand percussion. Analogue synths are a blast as well. I have an old Juno that's still a ton of fun.

And what software?

This is also a really long list, but some staples include Avid Pro Tools, Reaper, Nuendo/Cubase, Ableton Live, and plug-ins like SoundToys, FabFilter, Native Instruments, and iZotope (Rx Advanced is a must).

I also am a big proponent of keeping good documentation, and have done this in everything from Excel to FileMaker Pro, with some other unorthodox tools in there for good measure.

What would be your dream setup?

A sit-stand studio space with lots of natural sunlight and a view of nature. It could be near a beach in Hawaii or a view of the Rocky Mountains with quick access to the outdoors so that breaks can include a walk on the beach or through the woods. The floor under the sweet-spot would be a motorized lift so that the positioning in the room doesn't move when standing or sitting. Instead, the height of the floor is adjustable so that it can be "flat" for sitting, or lowered for standing, retaining the listeners' heads in the sweet spot. Oh, and lots of good gear.

[stt-1-origin]: https://mil-media.com/STT-1 Origin.html "A channel strip."