If you want to create your own video game, then you will know what a thrilling experience this can be. You may feel as though there is just so much fun to be had and that you can’t wait to get your ideas down. This is great, but at the end of the day, you have to remember that there is more to video games than just the gameplay. You need to think about the soundtrack and how you are going to inject emotion into your game as well. If you want to find out more about that then take a look below.
Don’t Give Up
The main, most important tip when creating music is that you need to finish what you start. Don’t give up when you feel as though things are getting tough. You need to learn how to craft the inspiration you have so that you eventually get a finished product. When you have finished a few tracks, make sure that you listen to them before comparing them with some of the other commercial offerings that are out there. Really you need to be competing with the best out there if you can, so keep that in mind. If you want to create a soundtrack then play candy grab slot games if you’re venturing into the casino industry.
Write Amazing Music
This may sound obvious, but you have to make sure that your music is absolutely amazing. People will often tell you that your music has to stand out, and it really does, but the main and most important thing would be for you to get the quality right. Even if your music is good, you still have to make sure that the mix is right and that the production is on-point. If you don’t, then you may find that you end up struggling to really connect with your audience. The best video game music has the ability to move people, so keep this in mind. If you want to benefit yourself here, then you may want to have some good monitoring speakers. Playing around with EQ and compression will also help you out here. When you have a basic level of compression, you can then begin to experiment much more.
Distribute
When you have produced some music that you are well and truly happy with, you then need to work on getting it out there. Make it available for free, if you really have to. The main thing that you have to do is just get yourself out there. The more available you make your music, the better. Far too many musicians neglect marketing, and if you have something that you believe is really good then you need to get as many people to notice as you can. Going to industry events really will help you out here, especially if there are some aimed at indie developers. This will help you to get a handle of what is going on and it will also help you to really focus on what you need to be doing in order to get noticed.
Think about the Atmosphere
If you ask any gamer what they believe is the most important thing in a video game soundtrack, they will probably tell you that it is the atmosphere. They want you to try and convey an emotion, so that they can become engrossed in the game and so that they can also invest in the game. One of the best games out there right now is the Last of Us, on the Playstation console. The story is an emotional rollercoaster as you follow the two lead characters who unexpectedly meet during a zombie apocalypse, but it’s the soundtrack that makes this game stand out. It’s rare that a soundtrack matches a story so perfectly, but in this instance, it worked wonders.
Optimization
Whenever you find yourself working on a commercial project, you may find that you just feel rushed. When you are working on your own music, you need to find patterns that will help you with what you are doing. If you are always using the same EQ settings for the sub-bass or if you use the same compressor then save them so you have a preset. This will help you to make sure that you have consistency throughout the entire soundtrack.
Let the Game choose the Score
If you are working on a huge commercial project, then there is a high chance that the brief will be tight. If you are working on a game made by a small indie creator, then you will have a lot more leeway. At this point, you need to put your ego to one side and really look at the game that you are working on. Again, it helps to think about the audience here, and what they are looking for when they are playing the game at that moment. If you do this then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to get the best result out of your project.
Work with the Sound Design
There will have to be sound other than just your music. Where possible, you need to try and work with your audio technicians so that you can make sure that you are not actually competing with them at some of the key moments in the process. At the very minimum, it’s worth talking to them to make sure that you go over the sonic concepts for the game. If you do this then you will be able to get everyone on the same page and you can also make sure that everyone is comfortable with the concept overall.
Mix and Match
One thing that will help your game soundtrack to stand apart is mixing and matching what you love. If you love classical music, then don’t be afraid to intertwine this with a romance scene in the game. If you love heavy metal, then you can incorporate this into a battle scene to get across the aggression that you are trying to set in the game. Little things like this can help you to unite two different concepts together beautifully, so keep that in mind. Of course, you need to make sure that you are appropriate with your music, but at the same time, you also need to forge your own path and you need to try and identify what you love. If you are able to do this, then it will almost certainly come across in the music and it will also help you to create something really special.
Know that It’s Tempting to Quit
It’s very tough to break into the world of video game soundtracks. Successful game musicians tend to be very accomplished people and they are also very good at what they do. If you have the drive and if you have the work ethic to really break through, then the only thing that you need is a production and some composition skills. Be honest with yourself and also be mindful that it will be a long road, but you will get there eventually.
Invest in Yourself
If you have the chance to go on a training course or if you have the chance to watch a webinar then you should almost certainly try and use this to your advantage. You need to make sure that you try and push yourself to learn more so you can utilise software much more efficiently and you also need to work towards a bigger goal. If you do this then you will be able to come out on top and you will also be able to reap the benefits. Of course, it will take a long time before you are able to get to the point where you can work on some of the biggest game titles around, but that being said it is not an impossible or unrealistic dream. It is more than possible for you to push yourself to heights that you never thought possible and if you take the time to develop your skills then you can be sure to reap the benefits.
Focus on the Character
Another thing that you need to do if you want to become a better video game composer is focus on the character. You have to make sure that you channel what the character is feeling or thinking. If you can do this then you will soon find that you are able to get a way better result out of your composition overall. If you are having a hard time connecting with the character, then talk with the gaming developers so that you can really smooth out any issues and you can also find out more about the person who you are playing overall. Remember a bit of due diligence can go a long way, so don’t be afraid to delve deeper in the game so you can gain a better understanding of what it has to offer overall.
Of course, there’s so much that you can do to try and get a good result out of your game development and if you follow this guide then you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to push yourself to that next level.
