MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR GAMES

• Instructor Introduction
• Course Objectives & Flow
• Q & A

The journey begins! Your first session will give you a broad overview of music composition for games, its role, and how it differs from music in TV and film. You will also get a sneak peek into your instructor’s own journey in the industry.

• Game music composition overview
• The role of music in video games
• Differences between game music and traditional music
• 8-bit music, trackers, chiptunes, and general MIDI
• A brief history of Jason’s 25+ years in games
• Examples of iconic game soundtracks

The most important step to a successful career is having a strong foundation. Discover the building blocks to establish yourself as a professional composer and an understanding of how to get into the industry.

• Building a portfolio, playing to your strengths, creating an online profile
• Paths into games, freelance vs in-house
• Networking with game devs, composers, and musicians
• Agent/Attorney vs Publicist vs Manager
• Case Study: Overview and history of Jason’s team (music prep, contractor, publicist, agent, assistant, etc)
• Guest Speaker: Current team member or fellow game composer

Get a hands-on demonstration of the tools and techniques for producing a professional, world-class music cue. Explore orchestral libraries, drums and percussion, synths, modern sound design and more.

• Live vs MIDI, MIDI orchestra: mic positions, panning, and EQ
• Reverb for orchestral samples, drums & percussion, synths & modern sound design
• VSTs vs hardware fx (compressors, EQs, guitar pedals)
• Library & online class suggestions
• Demo: Examples from Jason’s work of MIDI vs live vs hybrid scores
• Demo: Examples from Jason’s Cubase sessions

Learn essential communication skills, from pitching a demo to interfacing with game developers. By the end of this class, you will have the tools necessary for your first assignment - composing a demo pitch.

• Game publishers vs. developers
• Demo pitching
• Communicating with game developers
• NDAs
• Learning from your losses
• Demo: Examples from Jason’s previous pitches

Assignment #1: Demo Pitch 
Based on the examples shown in class, students work on a demo pitch (choosing one of three options).

So, you got the job – what now? Games are incredibly detailed-oriented. Learn all about the planning, budgeting, and creativity that goes into crafting an original score, with practical, real-world examples.

• Planning music minutes (midi vs live) & planning a music budget
• Project fees, creative vs recording fees, contracts
• Figuring out the score ‘sound’ & style guides, emotional storytelling, temp tracks
• Differences in game music vs other media
• Creating a master music doc, CueDB, etc.
• Demo: Jason’s current/recent music docs, scores, and planning sessions

Now, to writing! Explore the components of good theme construction, such as writing singable hooks, harmony, rhythm, meter, and more. This will lead to your second assignment – writing your own theme.

• Writing a singable hook
• Melodic vs textural vs harmonic themes
• Using melody vs harmony as a starting point
• Rhythm & meter, harmonic rhythm
• Balancing familiarity with forward motion
• Case Study: The thematic writing of No Rest For The Wicked

Assignment #2: Theme Composition
Students compose a 1:00 theme in one of three predetermined styles.

Take a deep dive into game-specific terminology for interactive music, broken down into five key sections. Examples are taken from Jason’s previous games such as ‘No Rest for the Wicked,’ ‘Tomb Raider,’ and ‘Still Wakes The Deep.’

• Explore
• Combat (standard vs. boss)
• Stingers
• Menus
• Cinematics
• Demo: 2-3 cues from each category of Jason’s previous work, possibly built from stems for specific deconstruction per cue

It’s time to set the mood – learn to craft effective atmospheric music and gain practical insights with case studies on ‘Dead Space’ and ‘Modern Warfare II.’ Discover new ways to find inspiration in the tools already at your disposal.

• Recording live sounds
• Detailed mixing
• Blurring music and sound design
• Even drones should be interesting
• Keeping things sounding fresh
• Case Study: The atmospheric writing of Dead Space and Modern Warfare II

Assignment #3: Atmospheric Cue
Compose a 1:00 atmospheric cue in one of three predetermined styles.

Every game score is custom-tailored for its specific game engine. Gain a deeper understanding of the detailed world of music implementation, demonstrated with interactive Cubase sessions from Jason’s previous work.

• Cue length and cross-pollinating cues for additional combinations
• Number of stems & interactive system planning
• Interactive layers vs non-looping cells
• Checkerboarding
• Overview of third party options
• Demo: 2-3 of Jason’s interactive Cubase sessions
• Demo: 2-3 folders of final stem deliveries from recent projects

Explore the technical aspects of recording with solo musicians, and get an inside look into this process with a very special guest speaker. Then put this new knowledge into practice with your next assignment.

• Recording remotely with soloists
• Prepping parts, delivery specs, proper information
• Tracking musicians’ time and staying on budget
• Demo: 2-3 examples from Jason’s work incorporating different musicians
• Guest Speaker: Live musician 

Assignment #4: Composing for Soloist
Compose cue with a featured soloist in one of three predetermined styles, and export all files for live recording.

You’re on the final stretch! Learn about submitting your work to the developer, demonstrating your interactive music and handling feedback. Now, it’s time for your final course project.

• Stems, mixes, and naming conventions
• Vertical slices
• “Faking” interactive music for demonstrations
• Dealing with feedback and iterations
• Composing additional stems for approved cues
• Case Study: Interactive Cubase session from Still Wakes The Deep

Assignment #5: Course Project
Create a suite of music for a specific genre in one of three predetermined styles, synced to video. Research existing games within the genre, analyze their soundtracks, and apply similar techniques. The final project will include a main theme, level music, and event-specific cues.

The game is complete, but your work doesn’t end there. In this final class, explore OST releases and the importance of publicity. It’s time for the world to hear your captivating compositions!

• Professional vs. “homemade” mastering
• Mixing and mastering for an OST release vs in-game
• Choosing a PRO
• Digital vs physical media distribution, self-publishing vs using a label
• Hiring a publicist: per project vs on retainer
• Interviews & track previews, publicity on launch day