How to write music for games
In this video we will show you how to write a theme for a video game. We will use the
theme for the "Last Of Us" as a temp track...
Sound-a-likes based on temp tracks are one of the most requested type of scoring. Unless
you are a well established composer with your signature sound, I can guarantee 99% of the
time you will have to compose music based on a temp track or temp theme.
So, let’s pretend we’ve been asked to create a theme that sounds, or at least feels
like, this one.
So your first task is to transcribe the theme. You do not need to transcribe every single
thing. Just do a rough transcription so that you have a good idea of the theme.
Okay, here’s a rough transcription...
Ah, and one more thing… Remember we are not trying to copy the theme,
we will just identify elements that give it a certain sound and mood.
If you are a trained composer it will take you about 10 seconds to realize that:
the theme is in a triple meter, probably 12/8 or 6/8,
that the rhythmic accompaniment pattern is a steady three eighth-notes arpeggio
and the melody is basically dotted quarters with a few embellishments or grace notes,
it is in E minor with modal interchange functions between Dorian and Aeolian and uses an odd
#11 note which belongs to Locrian, the form has two sections which do not modulate
and roughly divided in sub-sections of 4 bars, the first section is: a a’ - a b and the
second is: c c d with an ending tag. You have already decided to use a close related key
such as Bm instead of Em to avoid falling in the trap of wanting to write something
too similar, but at the same time to create a version that sounds kind of familiar to
the non-musically-trained ears. Having decided on the key, you will then have a map in your
head with all the functions, progressions and modes in B, and therefore know that the
locrian sound is in the F note, and good candidates for modal interchange would be the Bm with
all its different 7ths, Bdim, also E major to E minor or to G major #11 for B Aeolian,
the Bm7 to E or E7 to get the dorian sound, and maybe going even more distant to a G#m
to C# or C#7 and then use the C#m as modal interchange function to return back to Bm.
If you have already thought about all these concepts, you can skip the next part, where
we’ll explain them step by step, and watch the section where we write the new theme.
Ok, let’s get started then!
So, the first thing is the meter. It is a triple meter. It could be 6/8 or 12/8, the
important thing is that the beats are being subdivided by 3. And it is of course in a
minor key.
The underlining pattern is very steady and using groups of three eighth notes.
The harmony in the first section of the theme is very static, just an Em.
But there’s an interesting note, the Bb, which is not part of the the Em but of the
E diminished chord and creates a really interesting tension. It is kind of a “Blues” note,
but we should be careful not to use it as such.
The Bb is a good choice to create tension for several reasons: first, E and Bb create
a tritone which is a very powerful interval to create tension in music. Also, it borrows
the sound from another scale modes. In fact, this E minor is not well defined as being
in any mode at the beginning. We only know it is a minor mode with a major second and
a minor 7th, so it could be Dorian or Aeolian, but the Bb brings a Locrian sound to the mix.
Now this ambiguity is clearly established on the second half of the theme.
Look at this, Em7 - A7 from Dorian right away it turns into Am from Aeolian.
And it does it again, now on the other direction implying Dorian and back, ending in an Am
with a major 6 and a minor 7 -- which is the 4th degree of E Aeolian --
The melody is mainly dotted quarters with some embellishments.
There are two phrases in the theme.
The melodic structure of the first phrase is: a - a’ a - b in a pattern of 2 and 4
measures which is very standard. It starts on the 3rd and it is using the 9
the 1 and the 4th. a’ uses a leap here, and b has the Bb which
is that odd note borrowed from another mode to create tension.
Ok, in the second half of the theme the melody is much higher.
The main melodic structure is a - a - b And each sub-section a is a sequence of two
measures first in E Dorain and then it returns to E Aeolian.
The b is borrowing the 4th chord from two different modes: Am from E Aeolian and A major
from E dorian, and an ending tag
to the 1 So the B section structure is a a b and in
measures: 4, 4, 4, plus an extension of 2 bars.
Ok, let’s review the form of the theme. Section A is a a’ a b, all of them 2 measures long.
In Em: a’ has a leap and b uses the odd
note Bb (which is the #11).
The B section structure is a a b plus an extension or ending tag.
All 4 measures long with a tag of 2 bars still in the key of E minor, moving from Dorian
to Aeolian and back. The ending tag resolves to the 1 as expected.
Before we start writing it is a good idea to have the harmonic progression in a format
that we can transpose easily to other keys and look at other related functions and chords.
So I will create a progression in Mapping Tonal Harmony with the chords from the original.
So the original is in the key of E My first section has an Em and that odd Bb
note so we can add this Edim7 in second inversion. So there I have the Em and the Eo7 with a Bb.
Ok, then Em7 from the Dorian to A and Am which
are being borrowed from different modes of the key of E and back to Em.
Am to A major, back to Am and finally Em.
(we can save it and we can filter non use chords)
That’s enough analysis, we have enough material and now we can reinterpret and develop those
few concepts to write our own theme.
It is always a good idea to choose a different key from the temp track, so I will choose Bm.
Here are the functions from the original in Bm.
The F is my odd note now. And If you turn all the chords on you can
see functions that are close related to the ones in the original progression.
For example: this G would be a good substitute for the Em...
So far, every single step could be done without any creativity, it is just music theory, totally
objective.
Now comes the part where you have to tell your story. We will show you one path since there
are many writing techniques we’ll be using, which are really useful in developing a theme.
Ok so let’s use these “odd note” concept and magnify it a bit to increase tension.
A good choice would be using the different 7th of the Bm since it is a common technique.
We have Bm7 and Bmmaj7 which gives us the A and the A# as notes outside to the Bm triad.
Also using a suspended 2 on the Bm will give as an ambiguous chord so we can use the C#
replacing the D.
Ok, we have now a few more choices to create tension within the Bm chord.
The easiest way to start is by creating a motive that we can develop.
And we can use the same rhythm as in the original 4 dotted quarters and then a long note.
We do not want to start with the 3rd, so lets use the C# and start with a bit of tension
right away. So here’s the motive we’ve chosen
We can use the structure of the a’ with a leap and let’s leap into that A#.
To make it more interesting we can add a link to the a’ a simple pickup figure.
Since our motive is more repetitive than the one from the original it would be a good idea
not to repeat a in the structure again and to change the chord. So we can use the Em
and then come back to Bm and also increase the rhythmic density by inverting all the
dotted quarters first and then the long notes. Also lets turn the lower neighboring tone
into an upper one. So here’s a draft of the first part of the theme...
The end part is weak. We can add some movement or tension to make it more interesting.
So we can replace this C with one of our odd notes the F and resolve to F#...
It sounds better, but not as final as before. So let’s add an extended ending.
We can use this modal interchange chords to go back to Bm (E major, E minor, Bm) or even
better use G instead of Em...
So here’s the first part then..
Ok the next part of the theme could start with the same harmony as the original So Bm7
to E. We can do something similar. Now in the original
there was a sequence from the IV major to the IV minor.
Let’s avoid that by doing a different sequence, and maybe repeat the statement twice since
we’ve extended the first half of the theme for balance.
So let’s try doing the sequence up something like, so we could use these two chords here the related II V of V,
and develop the melody also inverting the skip.
This is a nice chance to also borrow the C# minor chord turning the C# into C#m and use
it as a substitute of the E that goes to the Em and then to Bm.
So now we have: And we can add the same tag we use for the
first have of the theme, that will make a nice structure...
Ok there’s the theme.
We can add some accompaniment layer and use some of the odd notes in the inner lines.
So these Bm chords we can move the inner lines by changing the 7th and adding the 9th
So Bm add9, then Bm then Bm7 then Bmmaj7 On the Em we can do Em and then Em7/D to create
a nice bass-line. Then this Bm has a lot of tension already.
One the second part we and add9 here. Now, here these G#m7, we can use the b6 to
keep the previous sound of the E and make the transition even more ambiguous
Then C#m, let’s anticipate the E bass
And that’s it!
Now we can add all eighth notes for the accompaniment following the new embellishments and a bass
layer using octaves and fifths and we have our theme ready...
Ok that works, and it could be a nice idea for an intro!
So we can start with an ambiguous chord, for example Bsus2 in second inversion, no bass,
and play with the inner voices moving the 7ths and adding some loose odd notes.
So here’s the entire theme with the intro
Thank you for watching and don’t forget to subscribe, bye... :)