Game Music Basics

Abstract

Film music is linear, meaning you always know in what order the on-screen events occur. Game music, on the other hand, evolves and changes in real time based on the player’s actions. Composing for this unpredictable, nonlinear medium is a necessary skill unique to game music composition. This chapter examines how composing for nonlinear timelines is different both conceptually and technically, discussing the common techniques used in games today and empowering readers to use these in their own game projects.