Music and sound contribute to the overall meaning of the games – their main role is to convey atmosphere and to forge an emotional bond between the game and the player.
In contrast with the film industry or commercial music, video game music offers more opportunities for surprises, creative combinations or the creation of new emotions and situations. Composers have much more space for experiments and innovation thanks to the game length, the creative input of the player and the video game genre diversity.
The process of creating video game music depends on the game type, its structure and the music genre. First, composers look for the core music elements and the overall sonic-branding. Before writing the music, it is crucial to have a deep understanding of the game, both its technical elements and the expected audience. Inspiration may also come from the game’s narrative or the imagined experience of the player. The music genre is definitely the key element – the symbiosis of music and sound design is capable of immersing the player and creating a new universe. A sonic-branding appropriate for the game, whether simple or complex, is the decisive factor.
For contemporary Czech video game industry, music is one of the aspects that contribute to the success of the games. Music presents a challenge for developers for multiple reasons including international networking, teamwork, management and production. Video game music is often released as soundtracks or studio records or performed in concerts, all to help international marketing.
Alexandr Smutný
Music and audiovisual producer, founder of Soundgate – film and video game music label, founder of Music Academy Prague, founder of Composers Summit Prague, a member of the band Jelen
