Felt, Not Heard: Producing Dynamic Music Cues.
- Matthew Walker
- Jul 17
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 31
In interactive experiences (notably Video Games), music becomes a living organism, even in its most basic iterative design — responding to player actions and game states.
The result? A soundtrack that feels alive, immersive, and emotionally attuned to gameplay.
Below is a short blog post with some simple fundamentals that I've found incredibly useful during my time working in Game Audio and Music Design.
⚙️ 1. Understand Adaptive Techniques
Horizontal re‑sequencing
Swap between distinct musical cues depending on game events (e.g., explore vs. combat). Implement smooth transitions via crossfades, phrase‑aware switching, or “bridge” segments.
Vertical layering
Add or remove instrument layers to shift intensity while keeping the same musical bed. This can be achieved via granular stems or baked cues - system and tool dependent.
Stingers & transitions
Short musical motifs that accentuate game events—reward jingles, danger hits, puzzle solved sounds—syncing to musical timing for impact.
📝 2. Plan for Interactivity from Day One
Composing for games isn’t linear; it's a branching tree.
States (e.g., ambient/exploration, alert, combat). These should align specifically to demand and requirement as per design.
Transition triggers (e.g., enemy detected, boss appears).
Musical strategies for each (layering, branching, stingers).
🔨 3. Use the Right Tools
Middleware such as FMOD and Wwise are industry standards, but (as powerful as they are/can be) they're not always necessary - working natively (UE5 MetaSounds is a good example) should never be overlooked. All these tools allow for...
Managing layer-based mix and state transitions.
Potential of aligning stingers to beats where/if applicable.
🔃 4. Add Variation to Avoid Repetition
Randomize musical phrases, start points, or stinger variations so repetition feels fresh - avoid 'ear fatigue' as much as possible.
Tempo, harmony, and melodic adjustments can subtly change cues—e.g., speeding tempo during tension or shifting instrumentation/arrangement based on world or player state.
📈 5. Tell a Narrative Through Music
Dynamic music should serve player experience and emotion, not just atmosphere. Use cues to:
Signal progression or character growth.
Increase tension during stealth or boss battles.
Celebrate victories with uplifting stingers.
Summary
Composing dynamic music is as much about systems design as creative composition. When done well, it transforms the soundtrack from a passive backdrop into a vibrant, responsive companion to the player’s journey.
BLOG NOTES:
➡️ Learn a little more about this type of compositional design below...
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NOTE: This blog and its posts are a personal side-project and aim only to share and invite conversation within a community. This blog is not in any way affiliated with any company or organisation that I work with or for - views and opinions are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of others.