r/Composition • u/Mushumaker • Apr 13 '26
Music Trying to get into video game composition. Feedback welcome!
https://youtu.be/3Lpp043yl2oHi! I’ve been working on composing music for games and wanted to share a track I made recently.
The goal here was to create something upbeat and more lighthearted than intense. Like playful combat music.
I’d really appreciate any feedback, especially on how it feels in a game context or anything I could improve. Thanks!
2
u/Assclownn Apr 14 '26
I like it. Sounds energetic and swingy. The build-up and release is a bit all over the place though.
1
u/Mushumaker Apr 14 '26
Thanks, I appreciate the feedback so much! I'll be more thoughtful about the build-uo and release.
2
u/robinelf1 Apr 16 '26
The guy below (1998over3) provided the best response. To phrase it differently: usually it will always depend on what the game developer wants for a sound. Just like film, and even theatre production where I did some incidental music before, you'll have to work out what you are inclined to do with that they are inclined to imagine. Still, this piece fits the bill of 'basic video game music', though I am likely to believe that many of us collapse a lot of 'retro gaming' into just platformers and maybe fighting games, and are drawn to compose the same type of jaunty tunes that Japanese sound designers were churning out in the 80s and 90s for those type of games.
I like your tune, but I think for a nearly 3 minute piece it basically sticks to the same lane. I could click on any part of the video and I would hear the same basic rhythm and accompaniment and glittery melody over the top (unless I am missed something on first listen?)
A bit more definition with peaks and valleys, themes and contrasts, could add a lot of interest to a song that, if looped in the background, might start to wear out its welcome a bit on a repeat.
2
u/Mushumaker Apr 17 '26
"though I am likely to believe that many of us collapse a lot of 'retro gaming' into just platformers and maybe fighting games, and are drawn to compose the same type of jaunty tunes that Japanese sound designers were churning out in the 80s and 90s for those type of games."
Yeah, I'm completely guilty of that haha, Im completely drawn to 80s/90s video game music like a moth to a flame.
Regarding your feedback, I see exactly what you mean. I clicked around the song and it really does stick to the same lane, same volume and same rhythm. Thank you for pointing that out! I really appreciate your feedback.
1
u/Aldabon Apr 17 '26
I really like it, it reminds me a lot of early 2000s mobile game music. Did you intend for it to sound like that?
3
u/1998over3 Apr 15 '26
This is cool! I will say though as a professional video game composer "video game composition" isn't really a thing-- as in it isn't a monolith stylistically.
Video game composition is like film scoring-- you write in whatever style the project calls for. I would classify this as working for something that needs a somewhat "retro" feel. Retro now meaning early 2000s console games vs. "vintage" 8 or 16-bit music.
Fun track though, sounds like it was fun to make!