The Role of Music in Video Game Development— Video Game Music|Music Tech Alliance
How to compose video game music? As a composer, what is the ideal time joining the game project?
On Mar. 6, in 2019, a speech of “What is the role of music and sound effects” was held by Fourdesire. The speakers are Weifan Chang and 李百罡.
Weifan Chang is the composer of survival horror and adventure video game “Detention” which is created and developed by Taiwanese game developer Red Candle Games.
Weifan Chang has mainly composed for TV dramas, starting from 2015, he starts to compose for video game music.
I summarized the Weifan Chang’s speech in this post, there are three parts I gained many inspiration below:
1. When we just start with a game project, take the music production into consideration
Many video game companies hire the in-house composer in pursuit of good quality of video game music. Like the company of CD projekt, it develops the world-renowned game, The Witcher. Here is a case explaining the pros:
Case 1：Making Background Music into Four Parts for Different Situations
This is a screenshot of Logic Pro below and has four parts. The third part is the original version of a music.
In the first part, we delete the composition of strings and percussions, making the part lighter than original version. Although the second is adding the strings and percussions back into music, it is still lighter than the original version. The fourth part changes to the higher key of original version.
Every part is for different situations. Taking the first part for example, it is eligible when the main character starts fighting with the boss. The second part is eligible when the main character finds out the boss is not easy to knock down. The third part is eligible for creating exciting and strong atmosphere during the fighting.
This kind of music design requires many discussion in the beginning of project. It is more easy to realize the details of game for in-house composer. It also takes much time to design this pattern. Weifan Chang has not been an in-house composer so he put a lot of efforts into those details.
It’s great to join the project early for good quality and details for game music. But composers also take the risk of the suddenly terminated the project by game company. Maybe there is financial question or marketing problems for project developing.
2. Theme Song, Ending Theme Song and Character Songs
Theme song is so important for movies, theaters and video games. Joe Kraemer, the composer of “Mission: Impossible”, is Weifan Chang’s Hollywood Music Workshop teacher.
Joe Kraemer follows up every detail and transition during film shooting. And composing music by desktop computer at night in the hotel. He suggests that making your purposes more certain into music, like the classic melody of Mission Impossible. He starts with chord progression before he composes the melody. It makes the music consistent in whole movie.
Those things affect Weifan Chang how to start composing a video game project. He will compose theme song or ending song firstly with the preliminary game concept. He discusses with project manager his music whether matches to the game direction and finds the core value of game.
Case 1: Anthem Game
Anthem is a game about human with technical armor in an undeveloped place. How could we make great game music for it?
Sarah Schachner is Anthem’s composer. She combines with the modular synths with Africa music and building up a sense of technology.
After the composer discusses the direction of music with project manager, you can predict the whole game almost 70 minutes will like a single song in the similar style.
Case 2: Original Soundtrack of Detention
Weifan Chang spent almost 4 hours composing the theme song of “Detention”. Although it doesn’t spend a lot of time, it definitely affects all of music production of Detention. The theme song has the taiko drum, distortion effects and audio noise. It doesn’t focus on creating many melodies full of theme song. It wants to bring out the feelings of anxiety.
Case 3: The Witcher
Epic music is very commonly used when you fight enemies in many games. Some project managers would ask for this kind of music to create the spectacular atmosphere.
Weifan Chang is confused with this music design until he played a Sengoku period game. Its battle music just includes a single cello mourning the war.
It means that epic music is not the only one choice for war music.
Taking “The Wither” for example, the main character is a country hero. The music’s lineup is a 4 people band. It expresses that the main character is alone to fight with enemies. In this situation, you doesn’t have to use symphony. Symphony is better for the battle of two groups.
Considering those details and merging into the design of main theme song.
Ending Theme Song
Ending song is the summary of game. What is the main idea you want to convey to game players? It shows up when you complete the final mission.
The ending theme of “Devotion”, Lady of the Pier is produced by Weifan Chang in Mar 2018. Devotion surrounds the ending theme and creating it firstly, which affects the first half part of video game music.
Character Songs
After finishing the theme song and ending song, Weifan Chang starts to compose character songs for discussing the personality of characters with project manager by composing the music simple with piano.
3. The Interaction Between Game Design and Music
It’s more complicated and interactive in comparison with past video games.
Case 1: Main character solves the puzzle
If there is a palace, our main character has to solve four puzzles and fights the final boss. Now how could we let game player know that he gradually is close to the truth in the process?
We can design the pattern of 20% volume up when player solves each of puzzle.
Case 2: Chocobo Riding in Final Fantasy XV
Chocobo is a bird capable of riding like a ostrich in Final Fantasy XV. There are two music design patterns here. One is riding Chocobo and walking slowly, which is a simple music with flute and guitar.
The other one is running with Chocobo. The music has the rhythm with drum, it is more light and feeling happy.
This design thinking has been applied in video game music commonly. But it is difficult to compose. Maybe there are a hundred of song and one or two thousand transitions in a big game project. Composers also listen every transition and make them have consistent emotion as possible.
Music is a key factor touching game players, make them feel happy and sentimental in the game.
Welcome to correct and refine the English grammar if you have any suggestions. Feel free to leave your comments or contact me! Thanks for your reading.
