Shake Appeal
03-09-2007, 07:02 PM
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3157903
The amount of detail, attention and care that's poured into game scores is stunning -- which is why it's such a shame some gamers tap the mute button. We scored an in-depth look-and listen-at how BioShock's music was put together at GDC's "Anatomy of an Experimental Game Score."
The game's composer, Garry Schyman, talked about the different types of music used in the game-and there are many. We heard clips of early 20th century, aleatoric, musique concrete, traditional tonal, late romantic, and many more. "If there's anything unique about the score, it's not any one of these styles of music, but all these types combined," said Schyman. He talked about the important role that the solo cello and solo violin played, as well.
Most fascinating was the use of musique concrete, which is basically real world sounds stitched into the music. That could mean car horns or footsteps, but Schyman took things a step further to illicit the creepy feel for a game that aims to illicit plenty of creepy feelings. "I found the breathing of sick people that a doctor had put on the internet," said Schyman. He then joked, "I don't know if that's copyright infringement, but I used it."
In BioShock, the score folds into one of three game events: scripted events, reveals and ambiance. For the first two, the music he put together only plays once-you never hear the same thing throughout the rest of the game. Impressively, there is no looping action music in the game. Too, Schyman discussed what he thought made a unique gamescore, and it started with a unique game-with BioShock most definitely is. Other than that, it comes down to creative partners-many who say they want something unique, but don't really mean it. With BioShock he wasn't stalled by boundaries. He went far, he said, and "they pushed me to go farther out."
The amount of detail, attention and care that's poured into game scores is stunning -- which is why it's such a shame some gamers tap the mute button. We scored an in-depth look-and listen-at how BioShock's music was put together at GDC's "Anatomy of an Experimental Game Score."
The game's composer, Garry Schyman, talked about the different types of music used in the game-and there are many. We heard clips of early 20th century, aleatoric, musique concrete, traditional tonal, late romantic, and many more. "If there's anything unique about the score, it's not any one of these styles of music, but all these types combined," said Schyman. He talked about the important role that the solo cello and solo violin played, as well.
Most fascinating was the use of musique concrete, which is basically real world sounds stitched into the music. That could mean car horns or footsteps, but Schyman took things a step further to illicit the creepy feel for a game that aims to illicit plenty of creepy feelings. "I found the breathing of sick people that a doctor had put on the internet," said Schyman. He then joked, "I don't know if that's copyright infringement, but I used it."
In BioShock, the score folds into one of three game events: scripted events, reveals and ambiance. For the first two, the music he put together only plays once-you never hear the same thing throughout the rest of the game. Impressively, there is no looping action music in the game. Too, Schyman discussed what he thought made a unique gamescore, and it started with a unique game-with BioShock most definitely is. Other than that, it comes down to creative partners-many who say they want something unique, but don't really mean it. With BioShock he wasn't stalled by boundaries. He went far, he said, and "they pushed me to go farther out."