About

Ben Crossbones is the brains and muscles behind Crossbones Studios, founded in 2008. A Chicago native, Ben is the local music industry’s equivalent of the “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” game.

WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU

Sound Effects Editing
Audio Implementation
Original SFX Assets
Foley
Field Recording
Voice Over Direction		 Project Audio Budgeting
Composition
Arranging
Conducting
Music Editing
Full Consultation and Assessments

Jeez…if for some reason, there is anything we can’t do, we can find the right people

SOFTWARE KNOW-HOW

Nuendo
Sound Forge
ProTools
Wavelab
Sibelius		 Wwise
Fmod
Reason
Adobe After Effects
Animator DV

WORK ETHIC

Hard work and dedication is what you get from us to completing your vision. The Second City’s blue-collar blood is the life force of Crossbones Studios. Ben is an undaunted workhorse. Contact any previous employer (humblebrag).

SOUND

In 2006, Ben began attending DePaul University to pursue another degree: a B.S. in Game Development. Old habits being hard to break, Ben found himself wading in a sea of If-Then-Else solutions, spending more time improving the sound effects and music than collision detection in game design projects. The end result was like Joust sounding like Top Gun. Needing some finessing in sound design, Ben studied meticulously under Oscar winner, David Stone. Soon after, Crossbones Studios began producing short films and animations specifically to apply sound design on. Talk about turning the house to screw in the light bulb.

For a list of games, head over to the games page. Pretty cool list sound design projects there.

MUSIC

In 1995, Crossbones joined his first rock band and the rest is history. He went on to perform and write in several bands contributing to over 500 live performances. As his palette developed and hunger for music grew ravenous, Ben pursued music in college. He studied music theory under Thomas Liley and was mentored in composition under Doug Loftstrom. In 2003, he received his B.A. from Columbia College Chicago. In the following years, a few of Ben’s “serious” compositions even got a bit of radio play. In a brief stint, Ben Crossbones attained the title of “Mr. Cooper” becoming a kindergarten through eighth grade music teacher. Ben still recites, “my most proud accomplishment was teaching collegiate level music theory to junior high students…and they got it.” Ben’s friends still recite, “Someone let you teach their kids?”

BANDS

Lord Crossbones (Reggae/Rocksteady)
Devastator Sextet (Jazz combo)
Ben Cooper as Ben Cooper (acoustic/solo)
ShuttleCocks (Ska)
Metadata 404 (Electronic)
The Pints (Irish Folk)
Four Star Flag (Ska)