Composing for Film and Media 3: Video Games

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When & Where

30 April 2025 - 9 July 2025 ( 20 hours, 10 weeks )
Wednesday
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Waterloo Centre

Quick Facts

Availability Late starts accepted
Tutor Jonathan Higgins
Course Code W24MPPJ01C
Suitable For 19 year olds and up are permitted on this course

What you will learn

Study how to create music for media with a specific focus on video games. Explore how to create non-linear music for interactive media by creating loops, stingers, and transitions. Discover how music is implemented in game engines and middleware (such as Unity and FMod) and consider how this impacts the music you can create. Learn a variety of compositional techniques covering harmony, melody and rhythm and consider how these will impact the mood and experience of the player. Get to grips with synthesis and other electronic music production techniques.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Develop music for implementation in video games
Identify how composing for video games differs from other forms of media such as film and television
Use compositional techniques to evoke and enhance the mood of a video game
Have an understanding of how video game music is implemented within a game engine and how this impacts what you can compose

Cost

Full fee

£200

Concession fee

£150

Click here for information on Fees, Funding and Concessions (including financial support)

Class format and activities

Demonstrations and explanations from Tutor Practical workshops Class discussion of listening assignments Taking notes during lectures and audio-visual presentations Individual projects

Entry requirements

Completion of Film Scoring 2 or similar experience Access outside of class to a computer A strong interest in music. Some experience of using Apple computers would be an advantage, but support during class will be given. Basic computer skills, file management, etc.

What you need to know before you enrol

Demonstrations will be given using Logic Pro X software but can be applied to other digital audio workstations such as Ableton, Cubase, Pro Tools and Reaper. Due to the nature of the instruments/content of the course you might be exposed to high volume levels. We strongly encourage everyone to bring a pair of ear plugs to every lesson.

What you need

Pen and paper to take notes A USB memory stick to save your work Handouts and materials given by the tutor

What you can do next

Logic Pro: Advanced, Sound Design