Select Video Game Music for Concentration
Crush your next work session
Remember Pac-Man back in the day? It was such a simple yet fun game, but even simple games require concentration. It was inevitable that video game soundtracks would include concentration music.
Some of the best concentration music has been featured in franchises like:
- Call of Duty
- Far Cry
- Fallout
- The Elder Scrolls
- Dark Souls
The beauty about such music is that you might enjoy it so much that you also listen to it to concentrate on work, so here are some nominations for the best tracks.
Call of Duty
Call of Duty is a first person shooter franchise. After the success of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, it was a no-brainer to make the sequel, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
The online multiplayer menu theme by Lorne Balfe is simply badass. The touching strings at the beginning may give off an emotional vibe. Then, the lower pitched strings kick in and give the track the gritty feel it deserves.
The percussion is of a military quality. It is subtle yet effective, setting the right mood when customizing your weapon loadout to engage in warfare.
Far Cry
Far Cry is another first person shooter franchise that peaked with the release of Far Cry 3.
The pause menu theme by Brian Tyler when you pause the game is downright hypnotic. It is barely even music, with only a couple of notes.
What steals the show, however, is the variety of organic sound effects that are almost like mantras. The result is a dark piece that can absorb you.
Fallout
Fallout is a role playing game franchise set in a post apocalyptic world.
Covert Action and War of Wills by Inon Zur are the two themes for The Railroad, a faction in Fallout 4 that rescues robots from capture. Their headquarters are under a church, a location that seemingly inspired the track.
The two tracks perfectly capture the noir jazz subgenre, with breathtaking brass and tastefully integrated electronic sounds. There are also a haunting piano and church organ that are a nod to what lies above.
The Elder Scrolls
The Elder Scrolls is a fantasy role playing game franchise with swords, dragons, and the whole nine yards. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was perhaps the franchise’s mainstream debut.
Harvest Dawn by Jeremy Soule is almost as charming as the game’s dialogue, quests, and scenery. It is quite serene, uplifting, and befitting for the medieval aesthetic.
On a side note, the track rose in popularity when it became the anthem for YouTube videos about social awkwardness!
Dark Souls
Dark Souls is another fantasy role playing game franchise. It is known for its brutal difficulty.
Majula is very relaxing. Majula is your hub in Dark Souls II where you level up and purchase items from vendors. The theme is very gentle with few instruments, but each instrument packs a punch.
The melody takes interesting turns as well as frequent pauses, evoking different emotions, but the twinkle-y sound present throughout makes the track cohesive.
Midnight Club
As an honorable mention, Midnight Club is a racing game franchise with great music.
The main menu theme for Midnight Club 2 sets up the atmosphere for illegal street racing at night. With no percussion, electronic synths overlap with so much depth that the ambient track can even make you ponder life.
Should you want to plunge into your next work session with video game music, here is a convenient recap of the featured tracks:
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
- Far Cry 3
- Fallout 4
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
- Dark Souls II
- Midnight Club 2
As a last attempt to motivate you to incorporate video game music into your work routine, Orion Academy has concluded:
“Gaming music fits all the metrics researched for optimum work sounds without becoming repetitive or boring.”
Just remember to right click any open YouTube video and select “Loop” to lose yourself into hours of uninterrupted work!
