Chris Granner
Encyclopedia
Christopher P. Granner is a freelance music composer, best known for composing music for video games and pinball
games.
, Salvatore Martirano
and Scott Wyatt. After finishing university with a Bachelor of Music
and a Master of Fine Arts
in music composition he moved to Evanston
-located Northwestern University
's music lab. There Granner heard that Williams Electronics (which evolved in Midway Games
) was looking for composer, and he took the job and became leading composer in coin-op and pinball
industry. After leaving Midway Granner set up his own sound production studio CGMusic and produced music and sound for many video games, advertisements and pinball games.
From 2006 to 2011, Granner had retired from composing music for games, after he was finished with Stern / Steve Ritchie Productions' pinball, World Poker Tour. In 2011, Granner came out of retirement and joined the newly-formed Jersey Jack Pinball, where he will serve as the composer for their upcoming pinball game, The Wizard of Oz.
Williams
Midway (Bally)
The names in superscript are the designers from the pinball machine, PLD stands for Pat Lawlor Design, SRP stands for Steve Ritchie Productions
Electronic Arts
Pinball
Pinball is a type of arcade game, usually coin-operated, where a player attempts to score points by manipulating one or more metal balls on a playfield inside a glass-covered case called a pinball machine. The primary objective of the game is to score as many points as possible...
games.
Career and biography
Granner's father was organist/pianist, so he was interested in music since his childhood. He studied composition and computer sound/music at University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign under prolific musicians Ben Johnston, Herbert BrünHerbert Brun
Herbert Brün was a composer and pioneer of electronic and computer music. Born in Berlin, Germany, he taught at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 1962 until he retired, several years before his death.-Career:...
, Salvatore Martirano
Salvatore Martirano
Salvatore Giovanni Martirano was an American composer of contemporary classical music.Born in Yonkers, New York, he taught for many years at the University of Illinois...
and Scott Wyatt. After finishing university with a Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Music is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree; the majority of work consists of prescribed music courses and study in applied music, usually requiring a...
and a Master of Fine Arts
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
in music composition he moved to Evanston
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
-located Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
's music lab. There Granner heard that Williams Electronics (which evolved in Midway Games
Midway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
) was looking for composer, and he took the job and became leading composer in coin-op and pinball
Pinball
Pinball is a type of arcade game, usually coin-operated, where a player attempts to score points by manipulating one or more metal balls on a playfield inside a glass-covered case called a pinball machine. The primary objective of the game is to score as many points as possible...
industry. After leaving Midway Granner set up his own sound production studio CGMusic and produced music and sound for many video games, advertisements and pinball games.
From 2006 to 2011, Granner had retired from composing music for games, after he was finished with Stern / Steve Ritchie Productions' pinball, World Poker Tour. In 2011, Granner came out of retirement and joined the newly-formed Jersey Jack Pinball, where he will serve as the composer for their upcoming pinball game, The Wizard of Oz.
WilliamsWilliams (gaming company)WMS Industries, Inc. is an American electronic gaming and amusement company based in Waukegan, Illinois. The company's main operating subsidiaries are WMS Gaming and Orion Gaming. WMS traces its roots as far back as 1943, the Williams Manufacturing Company, founded by Harry E. Williams...
- Road KingsRoad KingsRoad Kings is a pinball machine produced by Williams. Several prior designs had been tested before Williams settled upon the George Miller directed Mad Max movies as a theme for this machine. 4 Player game with 2 ball multi-ball feature.-External links:*...
(with Bill Parod) - Millionaire
- Pin*Bot (with Bill Parod)
- F-14 Tomcat (with Steve RitchieSteve RitchieSteven Scott Ritchie is an acclaimed pinball and video game designer. He has been called "The Master of Flow" by pinball aficionados due to the emphasis in his designs on ball speed, loops, and the like....
and Bill Parod) - Fire! (with Rich Karstens)
- Big GunsBig Guns (pinball)Big Guns is a 1987 pinball machine designed by Mark Ritchie and Python Anghelo and released by Williams.The theme associated with this particular machine is that you must rescue your queen from king tyrant and his warlords. The game takes place in space...
- Cyclone
- Taxi
- Jokerz! (with Jon Hey)
- Earthshaker! (with Jon Hey)
- Police Force
- Whirlwind
- Diner
- FunHouseFunHouseFunHouse is a pinball game designed by Pat Lawlor. It was released in 1990 by Williams Electronics. As its title suggests, the game is themed after the concept of a funhouse, a walk-through amusement park featuring many attractions....
(with Jon Hey) - Terminator 2: Judgment Day
- Fish TalesFish Tales (pinball)Fish Tales is a 1992 pinball game released by Williams. It is one of the top 20 most produced pinball machines of all time, selling more than 13,000 units.-Overview:...
- Whitewater
- Indiana Jones: The Pinball AdventureIndiana Jones: The Pinball AdventureIndiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure is a 1993 widebody pinball game designed by Mark Ritchie and released by Williams. It was based on the Indiana Jones movies...
(with Rich Karstens) - Red & Ted's Road ShowRed & Ted's Road ShowRed & Ted's Road Show is a 1994 widebody pinball game designed by Pat Lawlor and released by Williams. It is part of WMS' SuperPin line of widebody games....
Midway (Bally)Midway GamesMidway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
- Truck Stop
- Elvira and the Party Monsters
- Dr. Dude and his Excellent Ray (with Jon Hey)
- The Addams FamilyThe Addams Family (pinball)The Addams Family is the best selling pinball machine since the 1930's, having sold 20,270 units. Manufactured by Midway , it is a solid state electronic game...
- The Twilight Zone (with Rich Karstens)
- Indianapolis 500Indianapolis 500 (pinball)Indianapolis 500 is a pinball machine produced by Midway released in June 1995. It is based on the sporting event of the same name.-External links:*...
Stern
- Monopoly(PLD)
- RollerCoaster TycoonRollerCoaster Tycoon (pinball)RollerCoaster Tycoon is a Stern pinball machine released in August 2002. It is based on the video game series of the same name.-External links:**...
(PLD) - The Simpsons Pinball PartyThe Simpsons Pinball PartyThe Simpsons Pinball Party is a 2003 pinball game released by Stern Pinball.-Content:The Simpsons Pinball Party is based on the animated sitcom The Simpsons that airs on the Fox network...
(with Dan FordenDan FordenDaniel "Dan" Warner "Toasty" Forden is an American sound programmer and music composer, and was the lead programmer on several high-profile arcade and pinball games...
)(Keith P. Johnson, Joe Balcer) - Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (SRP)
- The Lord of the RingsThe Lord of the Rings (pinball)The Lord of the Rings is a 2003 pinball game designed by George Gomez and distributed by Stern Pinball. It is based on the The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, which was first released in 2001...
(George GomezGeorge GomezGeorge Gomez is an industrial designer, video game designer, and pinball designer who has worked for Bally, Williams, and Stern Pinball, among other companies. He worked on the team that created the Tron video game, and headed the team that created Spy Hunter. In 1984 after the 1983 video game...
) - Ripley's Believe It or Not!(PLD)
- ElvisElvis (pinball)Elvis is a 2004 pinball machine released by Stern. It is based on the singer of the same name.The machine's soundtrack includes Elvis singing "C.C...
(SRP) - The SopranosThe Sopranos (pinball)The Sopranos is a Stern pinball machine released in February 2005. It is based on the television series of the same name.The game features the talking fish from the show, a safe that can be opened, Bada Bing! dancers and the boat from the show that locks balls for a mini-multiball...
(George Gomez) - NASCAR (released as Grand Prix in Europe)(PLD)
- World Poker TourWorld Poker Tour (pinball)World Poker Tour is a Stern pinball machine released in January 2006. It is based on the series of poker tournaments of the same name.-External links:**...
(SRP)
The names in superscript are the designers from the pinball machine, PLD stands for Pat Lawlor Design, SRP stands for Steve Ritchie Productions
Midway
- Trog
- Strike ForceStrike Force (video game)Strike Force is an arcade game released by Midway in 1991.The game shares many features with the earlier Defender and Stargate in that play takes place in a horizontally-scrolling play field above a planet's surface on which humans are under attack from alien invaders...
- Terminator 2: Judgment DayTerminator 2: Judgment Day (arcade game)Terminator 2: Judgment Day is the name of an arcade game released by WMS Industries in 1991. The game is loosely based on the film of the same name...
- Revolution XRevolution XRevolution X is a arcade rail shooter game developed and published by Midway, featuring the rock band Aerosmith. The game features gameplay similar to Midway's earlier Terminator 2: Judgment Day...
- WWF WrestleManiaWWF WrestleMania: The Arcade GameWWF WrestleMania is a professional wrestling arcade game released by Midway Manufacturing Co. in 1995...
Electronic ArtsElectronic ArtsElectronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
- Super Baseball 2020Super Baseball 2020is a futuristic baseball video game. It was first released in Japan for the Neo Geo in 1991, and then it was later released in North America for the Mega Drive/Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1993.The game follows the basic rules of baseball, but there are several upgrades...
(with Brian L. Schmidt; Sega GenesisSega Mega DriveThe Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
version)