Year 10 - Music
Arranging and analysing video game music
Extending understanding in film music: video game music
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
No unit description is available for this selection yet.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to arrange a video game composition and analyse unfamiliar video game music.
Key Notes
- Video game composers must check that transitions between sections work musically, in all possible sequences.
- Dovetailing of melodies is an effective way of linking sections.
- Key changes, in particular, can sound unnatural and jarring.
- When analysing unfamiliar music, we can analyse the use of vertical layering and horizontal resequencing.
- Identifying the type of loops used and the mood created can suggest what type and era of video game it is.
Vocabulary To Learn
- horizontal resequencing: where a new section of music begins in response to a player's action
- vertical layering: where layers of music are 'stacked' on top of each other and change in response to the player's actions
- linear loop: a repeating musical idea in a video game that can be looped indefinitely
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Sudden tempo changes do not work in horizontal resequencing.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Video game composers must check that transitions between sections work musically, in all possible sequences. Dovetailing of melodies is an effective way of linking sections.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'horizontal resequencing'
where a new section of music begins in response to a player's action.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Sudden tempo changes do not work in horizontal resequencing. Correction: Sometimes tempo changes can sound jarring and unnatural, but sometimes video game composers want to create a sudden change of pace. If done carefully, tempo changes can work effectively.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 10 Music guide library.