A Composer's Guide to Game Music

Winifred Phillips

Feb 2014 · MIT Press

About this ebook

A comprehensive, practical guide to composing video game music, from acquiring the necessary skills to finding work in the field.

Music in video games is often a sophisticated, complex composition that serves to engage the player, set the pace of play, and aid interactivity. Composers of video game music must master an array of specialized skills not taught in the conservatory, including the creation of linear loops, music chunks for horizontal resequencing, and compositional fragments for use within a generative framework. In A Composer's Guide to Game Music, Winifred Phillips—herself an award-winning composer of video game music—provides a comprehensive, practical guide that leads an aspiring video game composer from acquiring the necessary creative skills to understanding the function of music in games to finding work in the field.

Musicians and composers may be drawn to game music composition because the game industry is a multibillion-dollar, employment-generating economic powerhouse, but, Phillips writes, the most important qualification for a musician who wants to become a game music composer is a love of video games. Phillips offers detailed coverage of essential topics, including musicianship and composition experience; immersion; musical themes; music and game genres; workflow; working with a development team; linear music; interactive music, both rendered and generative; audio technology, from mixers and preamps to software; and running a business.

A Composer's Guide to Game Music offers indispensable guidance for musicians and composers who want to deploy their creativity in a dynamic and growing industry, protect their musical identities while working in a highly technical field, and create great music within the constraints of a new medium.

Ratings and reviews

Would I recommend this book? 100%! Whether you're a composer starting out at the beginning of your career, a musician interested in the world of Video Game Music, or even an established composer, this book is a fantastic read. Winifred writes in such a personable manner that draws you into her stories and experiences as a composer; experiences which are invaluable in the lessons they can offer the reader. Everything you need to know to get started really is in this book, laced with personal tips and supported with music theory, you will walk away being able to put this content into practice. I found myself to be totally immersed in this book and I will always have this on my bookshelf to reference back to, if ever I find myself hitting a wall when composing. This is of lifelong value to me, and I hope that it will serve other readers well too!

About the author

Winifred Phillips is an award-winning composer who has composed the music for such video games as Assassin's Creed Liberation, The Da Vinci Code, God of War, Shrek the Third, Spore Hero, the LittleBigPlanet franchise, and many others.