Mini Lesson Scoring for Games

Getting the High Score

How to Use What’s in the Game Composer’s Toolbox

by Michael Sweet

The following is excerpted from

the Berklee Online course
Interactive Scoring for Games.

U sing interactive music in a

game setting can create a score
that is unique, constantly evolving,
and able to move the storyline and
emotional context forward. This style
of musical score is contrary to the Michael Sweet
traditional linear film-scoring method Michael Sweet is a video game audio
of music composition. Interactive music composer and lead developer of the
composition organizes musical events game scoring curriculum at Berklee
College of Music. He has been the
in relationship to gameplay events
audio director for more than 100
that are occurring in real time through award-winning video games. His work
choices of the player, as opposed to a can be heard on the X-Box 360 logo
and on award-winning games from
pre-sequenced order. Because of this
Cartoon Network, Sesame Workshop,
significant difference, we create scores PlayFirst, iWin, Gamelab, Shockwave,
by using several varied compositional RealArcade, Pogo, Microsoft, Lego,
techniques. AOL, MTV, and more. He has won the
Best Audio Award at the Independent
Games Festival, the BDA Promax Gold
The interactive music techniques that I’ll Award for Best Sound Design, and
describe here take longer to compose been nominated for five Game Audio
Network Guild awards.
than a linear cue for a movie or television
show. The composer must build

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variability into the composition itself, so The term horizontal re-sequencing is
that when it’s integrated into a game, the derived from how composers typically
music will change based on the player’s look at the horizontal axis in a DAW
decisions. (Pro Tools, Cubase, etc.), which
represents time. Since one cue can
It is difficult to test every possible follow another cue based on a game
outcome a player might encounter and event, we are re-sequencing the order
every possible music combination within of the playback of those cues.
a game. Video game composers need to
be cognizant of the limitless possibilities Probably the most common horizontal
and also be open to allowing their music re-sequencing technique used in games
to playback differently on each play- is looping. Looping refers to the ability
through based on the players’ decisions. for a music cue to repeat itself without
the player hearing any loop point. In
Each interactive compositional gameplay, it allows for the music to
technique has various advantages and be extended for players that may take
disadvantages to why you might want longer to get through a level or spend
to choose one over another. In addition, more time in an area than the designers
many of these fundamental techniques had originally intended.
can be combined and used together.
Let’s explore some common interactive SUGGESTED VIEWING:
composing techniques that composers Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge
utilize in video games:

HORIZONTAL
RE-SEQUENCING
Horizontal re-sequencing refers to
the ability for the music to respond to
a game event by switching from one
musical cue to another. The composer
can sometimes customize the way that
the engine switches from one cue to
The music discussion begins at the five-
another. Some examples might include
minute mark in this video from Monkey
crossfading between the cues, waiting
Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge.
until the next downbeat or musical
phrase to end before playing the next
Find it online: berkonl.in/monkey-island
cue, or playing a musical transition to
bridge the two cues.

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VERTICAL REMIXING DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING
Vertical remixing refers to the ability to Digital Signal Processing (or DSP for
add or remove instrument layers during short) is a term that’s used for applying
gameplay, like when Sonic goes into real-time effects to the music. These
high-speed mode, and a drum loop effects include EQ filters, panning,
appears on top of the current music. reverb, delay, distortion, and more.

This technique is commonly used more Games often utilize effects on the
frequently when there are rapid changes music to enhance gameplay. In the
between states, because adding layers snowboarding game SSX Tricky, the bass
to the same musical cue can be less frequencies are filtered out using an EQ
incongruous than switching between whenever the player flies into the air
two different cues. For instance, when after a jump. The bass returns after the
players work their way through an open- player lands.
world game and fight enemies, it may be
too much to switch between a separate In combat games, the music is often
explore and battle cue. More common filtered so that the high frequencies
is a set of layers that fade in and out as are lowered to signal low health to the
needed by the action of the game for player. Other DSP effects can also be
a smoother player experience. used for dramatic effect within video
games.
SUGGESTED VIEWING:
Red Dead Redemption SUGGESTED VIEWING: SSX Tricky

See the adaptive layer discussion in the SSX Tricky uses high-pass DSP filters
last half of this video. when the player flies over a jump.

Find it online: berkonl.in/red-dead Find it online: berkonl.in/ssx-tricky

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MUSICAL STINGERS INSTRUMENTAL AND
A stinger is a short musical phrase that’s ARRANGEMENT ALTERATION
played on top of the music to signal a Another interactive music technique
game event to the player. Stingers are used in video games is to change the
often played when a goal is reached, lead instrument or ensemble based on
a player dies, or treasure is found. a specific game event. This more subtle
change in the music is less harsh than
Stingers should be written in such a switching to an entirely different music
way that they’re not dissonant with the cue. Changing out the lead instrument
current key or progression of the music. will generally leave the tempo, harmonic
Stingers are usually played when a game progression, and melodic development
event happens, but depending on the intact. Changing out the entire
underlying musical engine, stingers can ensemble is more dramatic but similar to
also be played on a specific beat or at contemporary arranging, where different
the end of a musical phrase. The stinger instruments take over parts in the music.
can be an effective way of signaling Notice in the game Skyward Sword how
prominent events to the player. the arrangement changes, depending
on which vendor is activated during
SUGGESTED VIEWING: shopping. Each vendor has their own
Candy Crush Jelly unique instrumentation.

SUGGESTED VIEWING:
Skyward Sword

Candy Crush Jelly uses stingers when Skyward Sword changes instruments
scoring large points, and finishing a level. based on the vendor when shopping.

Find it online: berkonl.in/candy-crush Find it online: berkonl.in/skyward-sword

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TEMPO ALTERATION HARMONIC APPROACH,
One of the earliest interactive music MELODIC ADAPTATION,
techniques found in video games, tempo AND NOTE MANIPULATION
alteration began as early as the ‘70s in The ability to change the chord or
arcade classics like Asteroids and Space melodic progression dynamically
Invaders. Game events trigger tempo during gameplay can be a unique way
changes; increasing the tempo generally to enhance the dramatic storytelling
increases the tension in a game, while of the game. Key and modal changes
slowing it down does the opposite. that trigger based on a game event
can be very powerful during gameplay.
In many cases this technique may not Additionally, simple note manipulation
work as well with audio stems, because or randomization may increase the
of the audible artifacts you hear in length of time a player can listen to a
the tempo-manipulated audio. This piece of music before the player feels
technique is used more commonly when the repetition of a music cue.
the video game uses direct MIDI and
Mod playback engines. Although this technique is possible to
harness by crossfading between audio
SUGGESTED VIEWING: files, it is generally used more often when
Super Mario Galaxy the composer is able to embed standard
MIDI files within the game to trigger
custom virtual instruments.

SUGGESTED VIEWING: Chime

Check out the tempo alteration in

Super Mario Galaxy.
Check out the gameplay in Chime, with
Find it online: blocks playing notes.
berkonl.in/super-mario-galaxy
Find it online: berkonl.in/chime

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RANDOMIZATION
Randomization is another common KEY CONCEPTS
technique used in video games to
reduce repetition. Below are some ways • When developing a game,
that composers utilize randomization: composers can help choose how
the music might react based on
• Randomizing the order of the various events happening in the
playback of musical phrases, changing game. Composers must create
the musical form. music that is adaptable by the
game itself.
• Randomizing the start point within a
music cue so that it doesn’t always • Composers can utilize
begin in the same section. various interactive composing
techniques, such as: Horizontal
• Randomizing musical stingers. If the Re-Sequencing; Vertical
player dies a lot in the game, it may Remixing; Digital Signal
be repetitive for the player to hear Processing; Musical Stingers,
the same musical stinger every time Instrumental and Arrangement
the player dies. The composer could Alteration; Tempo Alteration;
create a variety of death stingers Harmonic Approach,
instead of having just a single version. Melodic Adaptation, and
Note Manipulation; and
Randomization.
TRY IT
Find two examples of interactive music in • Each interactive compositional
a video game using YouTube gameplay technique has its own set of
walkthrough videos. Think about the advantages and disadvantages.
technique as well as its effectiveness in Many of these fundamental
the game. To avoid player commentary techniques can be combined
when searching YouTube, it helps to type and used together.
“gameplay no commentary” into the
search engine.

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