Earlier this week, I took a road trip to Spokane, Wash.
My friend and I went to the City of the Trees because fans of the computer games "Myst" and "Riven" were having an informal conference.
About 150 fans converged at the Ramada and Apple Tree inns over the weekend and invaded Cyan headquarters — the company that thinks up, creates and produces these puzzling CD-ROM games. We took control of the building on Saturday, July 29, at 9:30 a.m.
While it was interesting to see how and where the mesmerizing bits of interactive art originate, there was one area that really interested me — the music studio.
Sitting in a room full of computer screens, keyboards, DAT recorders, amplifiers, mixing boards and soundproof foam was a man named Tim Larkin.
Some of you might know who he is.
Larkin's musical influences run the gamut. "I have been inspired by everything from contemporary to classical," he said.
Larkin plays the trumpet and flugelhorn. He is a noted studio musician who has played for Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald and gangsta rapper Ice-T. Yes, he's on Ice-T's 1993 "Classic Collection," according to allmusic.com.
Larkin also released a self-titled solo album on the Avenue Jazz label. The album was re-released on the Rhino label in 1995.
The musician is very approachable, down-to-earth and intelligent. He's such a cool guy that everyone wanted to hang around him during lunch.
And he's always thinking about sounds.
I guess that's why he's serving as the sound-design coordinator for the new upcoming "Myst" games.
"I hover around the artists to get a feel of what type of atmosphere they're trying to create," Larkin said. "Not only do I work with the music to set the atmosphere, but I work with making sound effects."
Larkin creates rockslides, chamber echoes and other ear-touching effects with the use of DAT recorders and hundreds of sound samples from such sources as ripping tree bark, falling rocks and the San Francisco Opera.
Although he revealed the methods he uses to create the sounds and music for the Cyan games, he didn't elaborate about what the fans were to expect.
Both "Myst" and its sequel, "Riven," have soundtrack CDs that were issued on the EMI/Virgin label. Both were composed by Robyn Miller and both were released in 1998.
This time around, Larkin will be at the helm. And from what I've heard, he's got some solid ideas that are a little different than those of his predecessor.
Miller's soundtracks are more a journey through ambience and moods.
Some of the tracks Larkin let us hear were moody but more focused on voice and percussion. Sure, the works are somewhat ambient, but there seems to be a structured beginning, middle and end to what we heard.
However, Larkin, like the rest of the Cyan crew, was careful not to let too much information out before its time.
It's not clear whether the new soundtrack will follow the same ideas as the earlier "Myst" or "Riven" works, which contain different themes for areas, personalities and eras.
And there was the question about the new soundtrack being a double CD. "There is definitely enough music there, but I can't answer your question just yet," he said.
Looks like I'll have to make another trip to Spokane (it's more interesting than calling the man up on the phone).
And while I'm there, I think I'll ask him how he wound up on that Ice-T album.
E-MAIL: scott@desnews.com