A Composer′s Guide to Game Music - Hardcover

Phillips, Winifred

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0262026643 ISBN 13: 9780262026642

Publisher: MIT Press, 2014

Synopsis

Winner of the Global Music Award Gold Medal for an exceptional book in the field of music · Winner of the National Indie Excellence Book Award · Winner of the Nonfiction Book Award (Gold Winner) · Winner of the Annual Game Music Award (Best Publication)
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.

About this title

Review

Although the text on the inside of the book's dust jacket explains that "A Composer's Guide To Game Music "offers "indispensable guidance for musicians and composers," Phillips' book deserves a wider audience. Even with no formal music training and no real interest in video gaming, I found that there is much to enjoy. The content is well-balanced so that those who have an interest in composing music for video games and people who have a more general interest in the use of music in games, film and television can learn a lot from this book.--Alan Rogers "Reel Music "

A beautifully organized, intelligently written book about music for games... Gamers as well as composers may be fascinated by her thorough analysis of what music works, and why, in various game genres... The challenges unique to game composers are discussed at length.--Jon Burlingame "The Film Music Society "

Although the text on the inside of the book's dust jacket explains that A Composer's Guide To Game Music offers "indispensable guidance for musicians and composers," Phillips' book deserves a wider audience. Even with no formal music training and no real interest in video gaming, I found that there is much to enjoy. The content is well-balanced so that those who have an interest in composing music for video games and people who have a more general interest in the use of music in games, film and television can learn a lot from this book.

--Alan Rogers "Reel Music "

A beautifully organized, intelligently written book about music for games... Gamers as well as composers may be fascinated by her thorough analysis of what music works, and why, in various game genres... The challenges unique to game composers are discussed at length.

--Jon Burlingame "The Film Music Society "

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.

Edition details

• Publisher: MIT Press
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0262026643
• ISBN 13: 9780262026642
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 288