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'{{Infobox_Celebrity | name = Martin O'Donnell | image = Martin O'Donnell.png | caption = Martin O'Donnell at the release of ''[[Halo 3]]'' in [[Bellevue, WA]] | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|05|01}} | birth_place = | occupation = [[Musical composer]] | website = }} '''Martin "Marty" O'Donnell''' (born May 1, 1955)<ref>{{cite web|author=O'Connor, Frank|date=2008-05-01|url=http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=13730|title=Happy Birthday Marty|publisher=[[Bungie.net]]|accessdate=2009-02-02}}</ref><ref name="seattletimes-star wars halo">{{cite web|author=Dudley, Brier|date=2009-09-20|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/brierdudley/2009908926_brier21.html|title='Halo' wouldn't be the same without evocative music of Marty O'Donnell|work=[[The Seattle Times]]|accessdate=2009-09-21}}</ref> is an award-winning [[United States|American]] [[composer]] known for his work on [[video game]] developer [[Bungie]]'s series, such as ''[[Myth (computer game)|Myth]]'', ''[[Oni (video game)|Oni]]'', and most predominately ''[[Halo (series)|Halo]]''. O'Donnell collaborates with his musical colleague [[Michael Salvatori]] for many of the scores; he has also directed [[voice talent]] and [[sound design]] for the ''Halo'' trilogy, and is currently Bungie's Audio Lead. O'Donnell began his music career writing television and radio jingles as well as scoring for radio and film. O'Donnell moved to composing [[video game music]] when his company, TotalAudio, did the sound design for the 1997 title ''[[Riven]]''. After producing the music for ''[[Myth II]]'', Bungie contracted O'Donnell to work on their other projects, including ''Oni'' and the code-named project that would become ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''. O'Donnell ended up joining the Bungie staff only ten days before the studio was bought by Microsoft, and has been the audio director for all Bungie projects since. O'Donnell's score to the ''Halo'' trilogy has been called iconic, and the commercial soundtrack release of the music to ''Halo 2'' became the best-selling video game soundtrack of all time. His most recently released work is the ''[[Halo 3 Original Soundtrack]]'', featuring the complete score to the award-winning ''[[Halo 3]]''. The two-[[compact disc|compact-disc]] set was released in November 2007, and has been featured at several video game concerts. He has also composed the music to the ''Halo 3'' expansion entitled ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''. ==Biography== ===Early life and career=== O'Donnell described his upbringing as "typical"; he received piano lessons and wanted to start a rock band when he reached [[junior high school]].<ref name="influences">{{cite web|url=http://www.ukmusic.com/features/interviews/martin-o-donnell-interview.html|title=Martin O Donnell Interview|date=2007-09-22|author=Bandah, Sam|publisher=UKMusic|accessdate=2008-02-21}}</ref> His father made films while his mother taught piano.<ref name="seattletimes-star wars halo"/> Despite his interest in [[progressive rock|progressive]] and fusion rock, O'Donnell studied the classical component of music and composition at Wheaton College Conservatory of Music<ref name="seattletimes-star wars halo"/> and received his Masters of Music Degree in composition with honors from the [[University of Southern California]] in the early 1980s.<ref name="oxm183-interview"/> After getting his degree, O'Donnell moved to Chicago, where he expected that he would teach at the American Conservatory of Music. The job fell through, and instead he worked as a grip in the film and television business.<ref name="oxm183-interview">{{cite web|author=Amrich, Dan; Ryan McCaffrey|date=2009-09-25|url=http://oxmpodcast.podbean.com/2009/09/25/koxm-episode-183/|title=KOXM Episode 183|work=[[Official Xbox Magazine]]|accessdate=2009-09-28}}—interview segment from 0:22:15–1:02:00.</ref> O'Donnell began his musical career in the field<ref name=dolby>{{cite web|author=Eggers, Craig |date=2007-12-09|title=Dolbycast Episode 29|url=http://www.dolby.com/assets/podcast/dolbycast/Dolbycast_Episode_29.mp4 |publisher= [[Dolby]]||accessdate=2007-12-12}}</ref> after one of his colleagues who knew of his music background approached him to write for a film he was working on. O'Donnell talked to his friend [[Michael Salvatori]], who had his own recording studio, and offered to split the profits from the job with him; the two became constant partners.<ref name="oxm183-interview"/> After completing a film score and a few commercials, the two decided to quit their day jobs and produce music in Chicago;<ref name="oxm183-interview"/> they founded a production company, TotalAudio. O'Donnell wrote the jingles for [[Mr. Clean]] and [[Flintstones]] Vitamins.<ref>{{cite web|author=Jarrard, Brian; Frank O'Connor, [[Luke Smith (writer)|Luke Smith]]|url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/8/5/d85ce76f-0cb2-41df-aaae-a8c96790332b/BungiePodcast%5FEpisode%5F1.mp3|title= The Bungie Podcast: With Martin O'Donnell||publisher=[[Bungie]] |accessdate=2007-12-10|date=2007-09-20}}</ref> According to O'Donnell, after fifteen years of composing for TV and radio commercials, he decided that he wanted to work on game soundtracks.<ref name=geek>{{cite web|date=1999-08-20|author=O'Donnell, Martin|url=http://gamasutra.com/connection/geek_of_the_week/19990820_marty_odonnell.htm|title=Geek of the Week: Martin O'Donnell|publisher=[[Gamasutra]]|accessdate=2008-01-30}}</ref> ===Video games=== In 1993, Dick Staub, a Chicago radio personality and friend of O'Donnell's, asked if his eighteen-year-old son Josh could visit O'Donnell's studio, as he was interested in computer games and audio. O'Donnell agreed, and in talking with Josh learned that he had friends in [[Spokane, Washington]] who were making a game O'Donnell had never heard of, called ''[[Myst]]''. O'Donnell became acquainted with the game's developers, including brothers [[Rand Miller|Rand]] and [[Robyn Miller]], and was hired four years later<ref name="oxm183-interview"/> as a sound designer for ''Myst''{{'}}s sequel, ''[[Riven]]''.<ref name="gamespy-interview riven">{{cite web|url=http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/halo-2/562861p1.html|title= Interview with GameSpy: "Of Music and Sound"|publisher=[[Gamespy]]|accessdate=2007-12-10|author=Tuttle, Will|date=2004-11-04}}</ref> Among the games ''Riven''{{'}}s developers would play in their downtime was a title called ''[[Marathon (video game)|Marathon]]'', created by Chicago-based [[Bungie|Bungie Studios]]. On returning to Chicago O'Donnell emailed a Bungie staffer and pursued them for a job.<ref name="oxm183-interview"/> TotalAudio produced the music for [[Bungie]]'s ''[[Myth: The Fallen Lords]]'' the same year. The company later composed the music for Valkyrie Studio's ''[[Septerra Core|Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator]]'', during which O'Donnell met [[Steve Downes]], whom he would later recommend as the voice actor for the [[Master Chief (Halo)|Master Chief]].<!-- need a better citation--> O'Donnell described the work for ''Septerra Core'' as his most difficult assignment; during the production the TotalAudio studio burned to the ground and O'Donnell had to be hoisted through a window in order to save some 20 hours of recordings.<ref name="m4g-o'donnell interview 5.08"/> Soon after producing the music for ''[[Myth II]]'', Bungie contracted O'Donnell for several of Bungie's other projects, including the third-person game ''[[Oni (video game)|Oni]]''.<ref name="bungie interview">{{cite web|author= O’Connor, Frank; [[Luke Smith (writer)|Luke Smith]]|date=2007-12-12 |title=The Bungie Podcast 12/12/2007: With Martin O'Donnell |url= http://www.bungie.net/Inside/content.aspx?link=bungiepodcasttime|publisher=[[Bungie.net]]|accessdate=2008-02-28}}</ref> In 1999, Bungie wanted to re-negotiate the contracts for ''Oni'', and the negotiations resulted in O'Donnell joining the Bungie team, only ten days before the company was bought by [[Microsoft]].<ref name="m4g-o'donnell interview 5.08"/> O'Donnell is one of only a handful of Bungie employees who remain working at the company since then.<ref name=bungiebio/> While O'Donnell worked at Bungie, Salvatori handled the business side of TotalAudio.<ref name="bungie interview"/> After producing the music for ''[[Oni (video game)|Oni]]'', O'Donnell was tasked with composing the music for Bungie's next project, which would be unveiled at [[Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3 2000]]. After talking with [[Joseph Staten]], O'Donnell decided the music needed to be "big, exciting, and unusual with a classical orchestra touch to give it some weight and stature. We also wanted it to have some sort of 'ancient' feel to it."<ref name=ancient/> O'Donnell came up with the idea of opening the piece with [[gregorian chant]] and jotted down the melody in his car.<ref name="major nelson-interview">{{cite web|author=[[Larry Hryb|Hryb, Larry]]|date=2007-10-06|url=http://majornelson.com/archive/2007/10/06/Show-246-The-one-about-Halo-3-music-with-Marty-O-Donnell.aspx|title=Show #246 The one about Halo 3 music with Marty O'Donnell|publisher=MajorNelson|accessdate=2009-07-13}}—[http://centracomm.cachefly.net/majornelson/2007/mnr-100707-245-TheonewithMartyOabouth3audio-mp3.mp3 Direct link.]</ref> Because he did not know how long the presentation would be, O'Donnell created "smushy" opening and closing sections that could be expanded or cut as time required to back up a rhythmic middle section.<ref name="oxm183-interview"/> The music was recorded and sent to New York the same night the piece was finished;<ref name=ancient>{{cite web|url=http://nikon.bungie.org/music.html|title=TotalAudio Questions & Answers|publisher=[[Halo.Bungie.Org]]|accessdate=2008-01-30}}</ref> the resulting music became the basis for the [[Halo (series)|''Halo'' series]]' "highly recognizable" signature sound,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/reviews/738/Halo-2-Vista-Review|title=Halo 2 Vista Review|publisher=[[IGN]]|accessdate=2008-01-30|author=West, Joe|date=2007-06-12}}</ref><ref name="game informer review">{{cite web|url=http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200710/R07.0923.1932.21255.htm|title=Game Informer: Halo 3|author=Vore, Bryan|date=2007-10-01|accessdate=2007-10-03|publisher=[[Game Informer]]}}</ref> and what has been called one of the best-known video game themes.<ref name="oxm183-interview"/> The use of chant in the main theme has been credited with contributing to popular interest in the genre.<ref>{{cite news|author=Schweitzer, Vivien|date=2008-12-28|title=Aliens Are Attacking. Cue the Strings|work=[[The New York Times]]|page=31}}</ref> ''Halo''{{'}}s music used an interactive engine to change music in response to player's actions; this non-linear method has since become widespread. The scores for ''Halo'' and its sequel ''Halo 2'' garnered awards such as The [[Game_Developer%27s_Choice_Awards|Game Developer's Choice Award]] and Best Original Video Game Soundtrack from ''[[Rolling Stone (magazine)|Rolling Stone]]''.<ref name="m4g-o'donnell interview 5.08"/> The music for ''Halo 3'' contained refinements and revisions to previous themes heard in the series, as O'Donnell stressed the importance of using previous motifs in the final installment of the trilogy;<ref name="bungie interview"/> the composer wanted to "blow out" the epic sounds from the first game.<ref name="oxm183-interview"/> O'Donnell also introduced a distinctive piano theme which had never been heard before, and first made its appearance in the ''Halo 3'' announcement teaser. In an interview, O'Donnell stated that he has always approached music from the keyboard, and that at the [[Electronic Entertainment Expo]]—where the trailer would first be shown—he had a feeling that "no [other announcement] would start with a piano."<ref>{{cite web|author=Bertrand, Jason|date= 2006-06-09 |title= Halo 3 Marty O'Donnell Interview|url=http://gamevideos.com/video/id/4114|publisher=[[1UP.com|GameVideos]]|accessdate=2008-02-28}}</ref> O'Donnell planned on composing the music "at the last minute", saying he had no intention of producing a large amount of music that would never be used. "It drives everyone crazy but it worked for me in the past and it works for the game in the best way. Writing music before the end just doesn't work for me," he said.<ref name="bbc-epic end">{{cite news|author=Waters, Darren|date=2006-07-14|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5168820.stm|title=Halo aims for epic end to trilogy|work=[[BBC]]|accessdate=2009-02-28}}</ref> For ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'', a planned [[expansion pack|expansion]] to ''Halo 3'' that became a full game, O'Donnell and Salvatori abandoned all previous ''Halo'' themes and started anew.<ref name="oxm183-interview"/> Due to ''ODST'''s shift to a new protagonist, O'Donnell created new music that was evocative of past ''Halo'' but branched in a different direction.<ref name="bungie-podcast1031">{{cite web|author=Jarrard, Brian; [[Luke Smith (writer)|Luke Smith]], Chad Armstrong |date=2008-10-31 |title=The Bungie Podcast: 10/31/08; with Joseph Staten, Martin O'Donnell, and Jim McQuillan |url=http://www.bungie.net/Inside/content.aspx?link=bungiepodcasttime |publisher=[[Bungie.net]]|accessdate=2009-09-01}}</ref> Since Bungie was aiming for a smaller, detective story feel, O'Donnell felt that a jazz-influenced approach worked best in echoing the [[film noir]] atmosphere.<ref name="music4games-odst interview"/> O'Donnell's current work includes an unnamed project and ''[[Halo: Reach]]''.<ref name="1up-behind the music">{{cite web|author=Van Zelfden, Alex|date=2009-09-11|url=http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=0&cId=3175986|title=Behind the Music of Halo 3: ODST; Meet the composers and listen to some of the game's new soundtrack|publisher=[[1UP.com]]|accessdate=2009-09-12|pages=1–2}}</ref> ==Collections== [[File:File-PAX 2009 Bungie panel 2.jpg|thumb|left|O'Donnell (far right) answers fan questions at the 2009 [[Penny Arcade Expo]].]] O'Donnell's music has been packaged into several soundtrack collections. For ''Halo''{{'}}s music, O'Donnell created "frozen" arrangements that represented an approximation of a play-through of the games.<ref name=vol2>{{cite album-notes |last=O'Donnell |first=Martin |notestitle=Introduction |year=2006 |title=Halo 2 Original Soundtrack: Volume Two |publisher=[[Sumthing Distribution|Sumthing]]}}</ref> The ''[[Halo Original Soundtrack]]'' sold over 40,000 copies,<ref>{{cite news|author=Traiman, Steve|date=2004-11-03|title='Halo 2' has music out the kazoo|work=[[Houston Chronicle]]|page=2}}</ref> and was followed by two different releases of the music to ''Halo 2''. The two volumes of the ''[[Halo 2 Original Soundtrack]]'' were produced by [[Nile Rodgers]], with the first album being released in sync with the video game in 2004 and became the best-selling game soundtrack of all time.<ref name="m4g-o'donnell interview 5.08">{{cite web|author=Staff|date=2008-05-14|url=http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=264|title=In the Studio With Martin O'Donnell|publisher=[[Music4Games]]|accessdate=2009-03-01}}</ref> The second album was released more than a year after the soundtrack had been mixed and mastered.<ref name="m4g-vol2interview">{{cite web|author=Staff|date=2006-04-27|url=http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=45|title=Interview with Halo 2 Volume 2 composer Martin O'Donnell|publisher=[[Music4Games]]|accessdate=2008-07-13}}</ref> The ''[[Halo 3 Original Soundtrack]]'' was released in November 2007, and featured a fan contribution that was the select winner from a pool of entries judged by O'Donnell, Rodgers, and others. All of O'Donnell's work on the series was repackaged as ''Halo Trilogy—The Complete Original Soundtracks'' in December 2008, alongside preview tracks written by ''[[Halo Wars]]'' composer [[Stephen Rippy]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Sumthing|date=2008-12-01|url=http://www.music4games.net/News_Display.aspx?id=1112|title=Sumthing Else Music Works announces release of Halo Trilogy-The Complete Original Soundtracks|publisher=[[Music4Games]]|accessdate=2009-02-16}}</ref> The music to ''ODST'' was released as a two-disc set to coincide with the game's release on September 22, 2009.<ref name="music4games-odst interview">{{cite web|author=Staff|date=2009-09-01|url=http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=361|title=Behind the music of Halo 3: ODST|publisher=[[Music4Games]]|accessdate=2009-09-02}}</ref> ==Composition== O'Donnell currently uses an [[Apple Macintosh]] computer for composition. In an interview O'Donnell wished that his software would easily upgrade to newer revisions; "for the last twenty years of technology, every time a 'new' version of something comes out, the old version gets trashed and I find myself unable to do something that I used to depend on," he said. O'Donnell remains involved in the implementation of his music as well as the composition, and is currently Bungie's Audio lead.<ref name="m4g-o'donnell interview 5.08"/> He composes at Bungie from a sound-proofed room in the corner of Bungie's office, dubbed the "Ivory Tower".<ref>{{cite web|author=[[Luke Smith (writer)|Smith, Luke]]|date=2007-05-28|url=http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=12505|title=Bang Bang: Audio in the Halo 3 Beta|publisher=[[Bungie.net]]|accessdate=2009-02-28}}</ref> O'Donnell said in an interview that he feels that one problem with games is those that play music non-stop, which he feels detract from the overall impact. Composers are forced to either write ambient music, he says, or very light music that is not emotionally driven, which he said is a detriment.<ref name="major nelson-interview"/> The composer prefers to write music towards the end of the development cycle, because he would rather score the final timing for things like cinematics and gameplay changes.<ref name="oxm183-interview"/> O'Donnell credits part of the success of the ''Halo'' theme to his background writing jingles. For that music, O'Donnell had to make sure he could write music that would "get in people's heads" after 15 to 30&nbsp;seconds. O'Donnell pushed Bungie to spend money on hiring singers and musicians to record the theme before Macworld as a way to present a strong showing.<ref name="oxm183-interview"/><!-- audio director --> Among the video game composers O'Donnell admires are [[Jeremy Soule]], [[Jason Hayes]], [[Koji Kondo]], and [[Nobuo Uematsu]], but he notes that he is older than most fellow game composers and that he was not directly influenced by them. Instead classic music by [[Ludwig Beethoven|Beethoven]], [[Johannes Brahms|Brahms]], and [[Samuel Barber|Barber]] and progressive rock groups like [[Jethro Tull]] and [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]] informed O'Donnell's taste and works.<ref name="oxm183-interview"/> In addition to composition, O'Donnell also arranges his work. He create a special arrangement that was used for a ''Halo 3'' segment of [[Video Games Live]] in [[London, England|London]], after which O'Donnell appeared.<ref>{{cite web|author=Games Press|url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=29762|title=London Show To Premiere All New Video Game Scores, And A Rare Chance To Meet The Makers|date=2007-10-18|publisher=GamesIndustry.biz|accessdate=2008-01-30}}</ref> He has also appeared with and without Salvatori at other shows featuring his music, including later Video Games Live tours and [[Play! A Video Game Symphony]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Staff|date=2006-04-20|url=http://www.music4games.net/News_Display.aspx?id=181|title=Halo composers Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori to attend PLAY! Chicago|publisher=[[Music4Games]]|accessdate=2009-02-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Staff|date=2006-05-23|url=http://www.music4games.net/News_Display.aspx?id=297|title=Video Games Live releases meet and greet interviews from San Jose show|publisher=[[Music4Games]]|accessdate=2009-02-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Staff|date=2007-11-13|url=http://www.music4games.net/News_Display.aspx?id=765|title=Martin O'Donnell and Jeremy Soule to attend PLAY! Seattle '08|publisher=[[Music4Games]]|accessdate=2009-02-27}}</ref> <!-- http://www.music4games.net/News_Display.aspx?id=1261 --> ==Personal life== O'Donnell has been married for more than 30 years to his wife, Marcie, and has two married daughters, Alison and Christine. His children were part of a singing choir for the [[Flintstones Chewable Vitamins]] commercials.<ref name="oxm183-interview"/><ref name=bungiebio>{{cite web|author=Bungie|url=http://www.bungie.net/Inside/MeetTheTeam.aspx?Person=odonnell|title= Meet the Team: Staff Bio|publisher=[[Bungie.net]]|accessdate=2007-12-09}}</ref> He interacts with his fans on his official fan group on [[Bungie.net]], dubbed "The Marty Army".<ref name="tma">{{cite web|url=http://www.bungie.net/fanclub/fanclub1/Group/GroupHome.aspx|title=Group: The Marty Army|publisher=[[Bungie.net]]|accessdate=2009-07-12}}</ref> O'Donnell is a self-described political conservative, and his fellow coworkers at Bungie described him as the most right-leaning employee at the company.<ref name="bungie interview"/> Despite his extensive work with Bungie, O'Donnell remains co-owner of TotalAudio.<ref name="m4g-o'donnell interview 5.08"/> <!-- http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/joystiq-interview-bungies-marty-odonnell-on-the-digital-cont/ http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/pre-owned-market-had-big-effect-on-halo-says-bungie-dev --> ==References== {{reflist|colwidth=30em}} ==External links== *[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1092275/ Martin O'Donnell] at the [[Internet Movie Database]] *{{musicbrainz artist|id=a477389c-9b95-409b-b0b1-1514f5aaa81a|name=Martin O'Donnell}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Odonnell, Martin}} [[Category:1955 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Halo music]] [[Category:Video game composers]] [[Category:Bungie]] [[es:Martin O'Donnell]] [[fr:Martin O'Donnell]] [[nl:Martin O'Donnell]] {{Bungie Studios}}'