Sony: how to choose music for a project

Chuck Doud, the head of the music department of the American branch of Sony Computer Entertainment, advises developers to think about the soundtrack at the earliest stages of development.

The image shows a screenshot from the Journey game

Dud believes that many developers lose as projects only because they choose the soundtrack at the very last turn – when everything else is ready. “It’s not enough just to hire a composer, go with him to Abbey Road [a complex of London recording studios, – approx. editors], and then stuff the music into the game at the very end of the development cycle,” he says.

To create a strong game, you need to take into account the features of the soundtrack, says Dood. As an example, he cites the projects of his own team. For example, there are no dialogues in the Journey game. Music is responsible for the emotional background.

Another example that Dood cites is the game The Last of Us. The same musical theme varies throughout the plot, and it helps to convey the shades of mood of the main characters. One of the scenes is entirely built with the help of a soundtrack. This is the moment when Joel forces Ellie to escape from the hospital.

According to Duda, initially the scene was dynamic. Joel had to shoot back from the pursuers, while supporting Ellie. But the scene didn’t add up, and the Naughty Dog team decided to completely remake it. The composers of the project proposed a new variation of the musical theme – sad and lyrical. The scene was remade so that it coincided with the emotional tone of the soundtrack.

This is the key moment, Dood is sure. Music and gameplay should complement each other. If this doesn’t happen, it doesn’t matter if you have a good soundtrack or not. He can’t do his job.

A source: http://www.develop-online.net