Q&A
1. Why is your fursona a frog?
I've liked frogs ever since I was kid. They are quite the silly, funny bunch, and once I even dreamed I was one of them! The reason for specifically choosing a blue poison dart frog is that I think it represents me well: it's a Brazilian species, with diurnal habits, territorial, and exhibits my favorite color.
2. Did you create the 3D model of your fursona?
Guifrog's virtual model was created via commission by furvoc, who also gave me permission to change it and use it however I'd like. It's the same one that illustrates the Fursona section of this website, which I also use on VRChat - the virtual reality game where I "morph" into him!
3. How can I get my own 3D model?
You may look for artists who do commissions of models created from scratch or use a model as a base to customize textures, colors and patterns. I found that you can reach out to them on websites like Fiverr, and there's even a Discord group completely dedicated to it! There's also free public models; if you're looking for something to use on VRChat, there is a bunch of free avatars available in-game.
Or, you can create your own model. That will require technical skills, as you need to know how to use Blender for avatar creation, and set it up on Unity. Patience and YouTube tutorials shall be your greatest allies in the process!
4. What would you suggest for a beginner to enter virtual reality?
To get started, a VR headset! I'd recommend Quest 2 for cheapest price, or Quest 3 for better comfort and visuals. Besides VRChat, which is free, the Quest series has a large game library, and with the third version you can also play around with bringing virtual elements to your real space.
P.s. if you want to visit worlds on VRChat that aren't Quest-compatible, you'll need a compatible computer, Steam and SteamVR with VRChat installed in it. That way, you can use a USB cable to connect the headset to your PC through the Cable Link feature; or just use the headset's Air Link feature, which doesn't require a cable, but you'll need a good and direct Internet connection to your PC with a minimum 5GHz frequency. Myself, I use Kuject's cable, which recharges my headset as I play it tethered to my PC; but there's also the official one, which is Link Cable. After that, just open SteamVR and run VRChat!
P.p.s. you can use VRChat without a headset, too. In this case, you just need a compatible PC and Steam, or even an Android (versioon 10 or above) phone with at least 6GB of RAM.
5. How did you learn to make music?
I think three things contributed to it: the privilege of having a computer and videogame console at home, expressing a particular curiosity over the English language (again, not my native tongue) since I was a kid, and having always been a good listener. Games, vinyl discs and cassette tapes exposed me to a huge variety of genres, and I used to imagine my own songs in my head. As a teenager, I took a few drum and keyboard classes, and would rehearse compositions I've created with my sister, who sang and played the guitar. But it was only when I found OverClocked ReMix, an English-speaking community of videogame fans who make free remixes for fans, that I've really expanded my horizons: criticism and guidance from the veterans allowed me to turn ideas into something real with increasing precision over time.
6. What do you use to compose?
I learned to mess around with the FL Studio software through Internet tutorials and a trial-and-error approach by testing each feature, and still use it today to make remixes and original tunes. Back then, I would use plenty of free virtual instruments indicated by OverClocked ReMix members; but time went by, I got myself a job, and slowly started to acquire paid products for composing and producing.
7. How do you distribute your music?
My current distributor is RouteNote. They're the ones who send my music to digital stores for free. (Unless you take into account a small bit of money they take from your earnings on Spotify, iTunes, etc.) I do not celebrate agreements with any copyright collecting society.
8. Could you give me computer music creation tips?
What I can do is point to resources, such as software, virtual instruments, distributors - I recommend visiting this page by zero-project, which also helped me a lot! To summarize what's in there:
Music programs: LMMS or Darkwave Studio are great for starters, and free!
VSTi plugins (virtual instruments): If the available instrument options are not enough, you can download more. I recall having started with DSK Music, but there seems to be a huuuuuuge amount of new stuff I am not familiar with, and it's worth a try!
Audio libraries: Sound files you can incorporate to your songs. Freesound is a good example of place to download ready-made sound effects.
Optional tools: The website also lists things like audio drivers and recording editors, including Audacity.
Copyright registration: If you want to legally register your music copyright, I recommend Safe Creative. It's free to do it there if you use Creative Commons type licenses - I'd suggest that you look into the licensing options before deciding which is best for you.
File sharing: If you want to share your music outside of digital stores, besides the pages already mentioned, you also have Soundcloud and Archive.org.
Digital store distribution: There are many options, but I like RouteNote as it feels more simple and welcoming for informal artists, aside from the enormous amount of helpful tools they offer to musicians.