Skyrim - The Beginning

While not my first attempt at non-linear composition, this was the most comprehensive approach thus far. It required research to understand the principles and techniques that are specific to video game music in order to create what could be considered congruent with the imagery, emotion, and story being told by the game. The player needs to feel a sense of association between the game environment and the music, through its ability to align with the space the player finds themselves in. The music itself has to be considered appropriate for the genre, so listening to what was composed for the game (and reference tracks based on the same game genre) was important in directing my decisions with respect to the sonic palette.

The use of different musical “blocks” is important, with my compositions considering block types such as intros, loops, transitions, tags, and stingers, using each correctly to drive the action and progression experienced by the player. Documenting compositional ideas for each block was useful as a starting point before turning to the tools. Considering visual aesthetics, key, tempo, modes, and harmony were important, as well as the inclusion of a leitmotif idea that would be heard across several compositions as a means of creating a link between them (and also signifying something of importance occurring in the game).

The primary instrumentation was based on Spitfire Audio’s BBC Symphony Orchestra pack. I created a template in Ableton that grouped the instruments based on type (e.g. Woodwind, Brass, Percussion, String) and articulation (e.g. long, tremolo, ostinato). Additional effects and samples were added underneath with the video track at the bottom. Using this template across all of the video assets I created allowed me to be more efficient with my time and consistent with the musical tone and style.