About Ivan Duch
I’m Ivan Duch, a composer who writes music for stories. Not background wash, but themes that belong to a character, a culture, a place — music with a beginning, a middle, and an intention. Whether it’s a fantasy landscape for a tabletop campaign, the mood beneath a film, or the world of a game, my work is to give each project a voice of its own.
It started at my grandmother’s piano. She later gave it to me, and it moved into my house — the first instrument I ever lived with. In 2018 I began writing fantasy music for tabletop RPGs, games, and imaginary worlds, building the library and the musical language you’ll find across this site. I’ve loved RPGs and fantasy literature my whole life; composing for those worlds is how I get to live in them, and how I help other storytellers live in theirs.
A composer's making.
Forty years of music, told through the milestones that shaped how I write today.
- 1984A house full of music
Born in Argentina. Grew up surrounded by instruments — most of all my grandmother's piano, which she later gave to me and which moved into our house — and a bedroom full of dinosaur toys, animal encyclopedias, and a quiet obsession with nature. Music and the wild world both took root early.
- early 90sKnights and quests
An avid reader from very young. Robin Hood, Ivanhoe, and King Arthur were staples — honour, oaths, and a hero on horseback set up everything I'd later love about fantasy.
- 1993First lessons
Started studying piano and joined the school choir. Music stopped being a thing in the house and became a thing I did.
- 1998Plugging in
Took up electric guitar in earnest. The years where rock taught me about feel, dynamics, and listening to bandmates.
- 1998Middle-earth opens
Read Tolkien for the first time and became a fan of the fantasy genre for life. Not long after, started my first DnD campaign with a group of friends — the worlds I'd one day score began here.
- 2002Conservatory, then a pause
Joined the local conservatory. Stepped away from formal study shortly after — needed time to play and to live before going deeper.
- 2008Back to the page
Returned with intent — composition, classical guitar, and musical language at the Manuel de Falla conservatory in Buenos Aires, alongside María del Carmen Aguilar's musical-language courses and several private teachers.
- 2010 – 13Onstage
Played guitar in several rock bands. Studios, rehearsal rooms, late drives home — the apprenticeship of being in a room with other musicians.
- 2012 – 16Teaching the craft
Taught music at the local school for four years. Explaining the language to others sharpened my own ear for it.
- 2018The composer turn
Began writing music for indie video games and a handful of early clients. The library you see across this site started here.
- 2020All in
Stepped away from everything else. Music composition only — every day, in service of storytellers and the worlds they build.
Thank you.
I owe a thanks to all my supporters — my family, the people who share my work, those who listen and send me their thoughts, those who help me financially on Patreon, donate on Ko-fi, or hire me for commissions. I'm thankful and honoured for every bit of support.
Behind the music.
