Although a lot of people focus on the visuals of video games and the ground-breaking graphics we’re seeing appear on our screens, this is not a world where music is “second fiddle,” so to speak. Indeed, the music in video games may not get as much attention as some other elements, but it’s possibly one of the most fundamental, important aspects there is – and video game developers know it.
More and more focus is being given to the value of sound in these games. Try to play any video game without the sound on, and you’ll soon see just how important it is to the experience, and even to the game’s comprehension. While we may not hear rap, hip-hop, or other mainstream genres playing alongside most of our games, there’s absolutely no doubt that composition is key in the world of gaming.
If you want to get into producing soundtracks for video games, it’s critical to understand how they work and what role they serve. Let’s find out more about that.
Music Helps Us Understand The Game
Sound is a huge part of how we interpret the world, and when it comes to gaming, we rely on the sound effects and background track to make sense of what’s happening. That’s true across genres. Pretty much every game ever has some sort of sound in it, and in many cases, the sound is what helps us get to grips with the subtler nuances of the game – pace, tension, atmosphere.
Let’s say you’re going to play a poker game online. You don’t expect to find yourself in a silent lobby. You expect some soft background music, something to help you focus while you’re playing, something to recreate the brick-and-mortar casino ambiance, and fill the gap. Furthermore, sound is often used to enhance your understanding of the game – say the soft shuffle of the cards, or the click of chips. All of these make a quick cash poker game easier to grasp, allowing players to maintain the fast pace and have fun.
Imagine playing one of these games without the sound on and you’ll soon see that even if a poker soundtrack isn’t your first thought when it comes to music, the game feels incomplete without the audio. That’s true even if you take something like this Instagram clip below; even though we’re not seeing actual gameplay, we still feel a need for background sound. It needs to be soft and subtle enough to not interfere with the voiceover, but it’s crucial to the piece.
Now imagine playing that same clip (or a poker game) without the background track. It’s like something’s missing. The experience becomes flat, boring, unengaging. It’s the sound that turns it into something real. Let’s look at that next.
Soundtracks Build A Game’s Atmosphere
Take pretty much any famous, successful game, and you’ll observe one commonality: they have great music. The Ratchet and Clank series, the Final Fantasy franchise, Mario, Crash Bandicoot, Zelda – all of these games have stood apart because their soundtracks sweep players into their worlds and totally immerse them in that space. Even the Sims used (and still uses) music to great effect, both as part of the Sims’ overall lives, and as part of the player experience – just think how iconic the music in the build menu is, for example.
Of course, soundtracks change and alter as the game progresses, deepening emotions, heightening tension, building players up for a boss, letting them breathe out afterward. It’s serving a critical role, acting almost like a narrative voice. In many cases, a good soundtrack communicates with the player’s subconscious. It hints at what’s coming up, subtly shifts the mood to feel appropriate, and then guides them through it.
It’s not just mainstream games that focus on this, either. Take indie gems that have really stood out, and in a lot of cases, you’ll find it’s the music that has made them shine. Hollow Knight, with its chilling, sorrowful piano music. Bastion, with its soft, chanting song. These complete the game’s picture, bringing color to an otherwise flat world, and they make the difference. Just as with playing digital poker, they’re a necessary component for success in this universe. A lot of games companies, both large ones and independent studios, will hire musicians specifically to create unique, compelling audio for their games.
Can Anybody Make Soundtracks For Games?
So, is this a world aspiring creators can dip into? Absolutely! Like everything in the video game world, it’s competitive, but there’s also huge demand in this space for unique, creative audio that manages to be outstanding without needing to be in the spotlight.
Video game music represents quite a unique challenge because, unlike many other forms of music production, you’ll be creating something that must slot into the whole, and must complement many other elements. However, for creators who can achieve this, there’s a vast world waiting to be explored, and a lot of potential for creativity. After all, every game needs sound – perhaps you have the skills to deliver that and step into this world.
And remember, your music won’t be limited just to players of that game and their moments within the game’s universe. Really good soundtracks and scoring often step outside those boundaries and reach far broader audiences, appearing even in unlikely places!