Check Out Justin Yeo’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Yeo.

Hi Justin, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I guess the story started when I was around high school (ours had a Mac lab), and while everyone else would be having lunch, I would spend hours making music in there on Logic Pro. From then on, I always found composing/producing music to be the coolest thing ever (and still do), and wanted to pursue it, so I applied to a bunch of colleges, auditioned and got accepted into some including Berklee and San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM).

The unique thing about SFCM is that it had a program that combined the technology of producing music, with the more traditional composing of music, which is why I chose it. We also got the chance to have our portfolio reviewed by a lot of veterans in the music industry, and I even had classes with some of them.

That was how I landed my first job! Lennie Moore (who produced/composed music for Halo, Star Wars, Counter-Strike) liked the music I made for his assignments, and asked if I wanted to work for him as a producer for a 2024 Playstation game Outcast: A New Beginning. Of course I said yes, and he would send me handwritten scores for orchestra, that I would transcribe into MIDI and make it sound as good as possible using sample libraries, which were then demo’d to the game developers.

Our college also had competitions, including the KDFC Sound Logo Competition, where we got prompts to compose variations of the Classical KDFC radio station theme, and the winner actually got to have their version played on the Classical KDFC radio station all year round, so I worked a lot on it and won! I also did an interview and got $1000 and a new microphone.

After graduating, I went down to Anaheim, Orange County to live with my sister who has a job at Blizzard Entertainment, to sort of look for jobs as well. I never really had a set “plan” after graduating, but I hoped to find a decent salaried job involving music or sound design within a year or so. The thing about being a composer, is that every job is never permanent. I found a few gigs, I made music for a wedding anniversary, for a few special events, and got paid for those, but once one thing’s done, the hunt for the next one always continues. But I did make some great friends, and got involved with indie videogames like Luke Sapir’s Reverie.

I also decided to enroll in an MBA (which I’m almost finished with), which I know is a total leap from music, but I figured it’d give me the additional skills I needed to really market myself, and the knowledge of how businesses are run. I joined a company 20 Oranges leading marketing campaigns, and worked in sales for an internship. I also released an album, and did a few sound design samples. I guess I’m always working on my “next” thing, but whatever happens I’ll keep trying to figure out my ‘way’ in this world, wherever the Lord wants me to be.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I’d say it hasn’t been the smoothest for sure! Because of the nature of my work, every job I’ve done has been like a short-term contract, and I’ve never really had that security of a stable income, always hunting for the next gig after one is done. Right now I’m doing sound design for a videogame startup Reverie.

I could also try going the solo artist route and distribute my own music. I’ve released an album before, and it’s something I might consider if the whole ‘working for employers’ thing doesn’t work out. I’m really thankful for my mom who’s always supported me both financially and emotionally, and I wouldn’t have made it this far without her.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a composer and producer of music, I can write scores, mix/edit audio, design sounds, and I specialize a lot in music to accompany video or film. I love the way music enhances and compliments the scenes in movies and dialogue, and I try to replicate that in my work.

I’m also an audio engineer and can setup audio equipment, whether it’s for live sound or recording studios. I’ve made sounds for videogames, and interactive music that can actually adapt and change to the way a player plays the game, which is a whole can of worms in itself.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I think any decision you make in life is a risk. Let’s say you choose a more ‘normal’ career path like a doctor or lawyer (being from an Asian family I feel that), well you still run the risk of ending up doing something you might not like for the rest of your life and regretting it when you get old.

My whole career choice was a risky one and it brought a lot of struggle, but it also came with some great moments that I’d never get if I did something else, moments like getting to be on the music team for million-dollar games, working with great creative people, winning competitions, and getting my music heard on the radio by million of listeners. Most of all, it’s something that I actually enjoy doing, and that motivates me to keep going.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.justinyeomusic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jyjustinyeo?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-yeo-6735ba18a/
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/album/2HmFv7soRuTECmrqmKA8Un?si=_NKjW6tSS7e-NRW5_BaJvQ

Image Credits
Taken by the San Francisco Conservatory of Music featuring players from the San Francisco Symphony. SFCM staff and students also photographed at Sony HQ in San Mateo.