Creating Video Game Music - A Beginners Guide

Creating video game music is a specific composing skill, with specific considerations. In this video I write some game music for The Witcher 3.

The Witcher 3:

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== MIKE RECOMMENDS ==

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#gamemusic #music composition #thewitcher3
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[KingChronoss]

I can't believe this doesn't have more views. You did an excellent job explaining an incredibly broad and complex topic.

[Jbizzy]

This song sounds like it was professionally made for the wither 3

[SignumImperativ]

Great job on the video, especially the short summary on the beginning. Something that also needs to be considered is how gaming music changed over the time along the technology. Nowadays, most video game music tends to focus on atmosphere, without creating too many melodies that could distract the player. Back during the chiptune age, since the amount of channels were limited and could only play one tune, music tended to be less atmospheric and focus more about creating ear-worm inducing melodies (of course, there are many exceptions to this). The best example is the level 1 music from Mario Bros for NES, a melody many people can recognize within a few seconds.

My favourite sub genre of Video Game music however is RTS music, especially for RTS games of the 90s and early 00s (i.e. Command & Conquer, Age of Empires, Total Annihilation etc.). The games had a very distinct soundtrack that was fully able to distract the player due to their intensity and lack of reactiveness to the gameplay. Especially the C&C Series' soundtrack was quite intense, to represent the average gameplay. So, since reactive music was out of the question, the artist had to go the opposite and create a consistent soundtrack, with most songs fitting to the mood of the game and/or being in the same genre.

[Kacepru]

The most important thing about video game music (or any music created for some kind of visual media) is context. You need to know what type of game you're making music for, what is the game's setting (in which times is the game's plot taking place, the culture it's based on), what other artists and works it's inspired by, maybe what technology it's trying to imitate with it's style (you know, indie titles like Undertale, Shovel Knight, those are trying to imitate the feel of the retro systems like NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, etc.). Those things, and so many more, are the things you need to consider first.

I know that in this video you go by "making music on what the game makes you feel" and it is an ok approach, but everything else I mentioned before needs to be incorporated into the creative process sooner or later too. I never played any of The Witcher games, but I know some context to them (mostly that the games are based on polish mythos and literature, besides Sapkowski's works, duh), I have a feeling of what polish folk music sounds like (the fact that I'm from Poland myself doesn't change anything, it's easy to research this stuff on your own), and from my perspective, what you made is nothing I'd imagine The Wither music to sound like. I listened to maybe one song from the entire game, but that one song alone made me feel entirely different than what you've made, and in my cruel opinion, your track kinda sounds like stock music.

Take no offense Mike, I like your videos, and this one is good when looking at it in terms of explaining some arrangement and recording concepts and tricks, but I wouldn't call it a guide to making video game music, it's just too broad of a concept to explain in an easy way.

[jr_oantonio]

I wish you had adressed tue issue of repetition in game music. I mean....If you think about the structure of a platform game music, it´s a completely different approach. This video didn´t answered my questions, but ended up being the best arrangement class I´ve seen in a while. Excellent, pal.

[iceblink_]

3:44 “Here goes”.
0.5 seconds later: *my child Charli is just not making it in math. I finally found IXL and he is exceeding in math now!*
LIKE ACTUALLY THESE ADS HIT RIGHT WHEN THE GOOD STUFF IS ABOUT TO COME 😂

[music_creator_capable]

My name suggestion is " Seeking the horizon" ^^

[RecordingStudio]

Great topic to cover.Not many out there covering the basics without overwhelming music theory.

[walzmusic]

Making audio for games was my childhood dream and I am blessed to live it as a career!

[striverfor]

1:42 In a movie, the film-makers know when the music is going to change. In a game, the players controls when those events take place.
2:31 Blend themes to eachother. The game he choice to score, he played it with the music off.
3:26 The full piece of music.
5:37 Violin motif

[zackhockinson]

my man really made the binding of isaac

[matthewforce]

It sounds a lot like Queen's The Show Must Go On, very similar chord progression and main motif. Very nice

[RocketChild]

Great 👍 video. What I find interesting about game music is that it’s designed to be repeated for hours, say if the player is grinding.

[moradshebli]

Ok so you started talking about what makes video games music composing different and u talked about transitions and bridging pieces but then you show us a single very typical music piece that would work anywhere except for actual gameplay in the game.?

[kingzero_STAR]

😩😩😩😩😩 AMAZING AS A COMPOSER IN THE MAKING THIS VIDEO WAS DOPE !!

[lordbeerus]

Marty O Donnell is my inspiration for composing music for games. I love this video.

[mrmaramind]

Fantastic video, thanks! I must say totally crazy I just finished watching the last two episodes of the 2nd season of you guessed it The Witcher and I started Youtube and this came up. My friends all say I should write music for games or that my style of music lends itself toward games. Anyway very informative video.

[greenguren]

The piece sounds alot like something I'm sure I've heard in doctor who. Which is to say, I freaking love it. I love Murray Gold, he's an incredible composer, and this is also pretty amazing!

[KayossPlays]

This is an amazing video! I wish more tutorial videos went into such detail of each track like this!

[williamwester]

Wow how are you so good at creating music this video deserves millions of views