Making Game Music: For Complete Beginners

Name: Making Game Music: For Complete Beginners
Rating: 4.7 (166 reviews)

Using LMMS to create dynamic and exciting music for your games

Highest Rated

Created byMichael Bridges, Canopy Games

Last updated 8/2024

English

What you'll learn

Learn how to make music right from the beginning.
Learn about musical theory was practicing it.
Create Music to be used in games.
Create dynamic music that can be layered to create new soundscapes.

Course content

5 sections • 70 lectures • 8h 27m total length

Introduction To The Course1:06
Installing LMMS on Windows4:14
The Interface Overview11:14
How The Song Editor Works6:24
The Beat And Baseline Editor11:30
Managing Multiple Patterns9:10
Learn to manage multiple patterns by cloning grooves, subtracting elements, and layering rhythms, then mute, adjust volumes, and add a crash symbol for flexible composition.
Quick Tip Pattern Length and Loops4:51
Exporting Audio From LMMS5:34
The Sample Track6:22
Adding Instruments6:33
Extra Instruments - SoundFonts (SF2)6:13
Virtual Studio Technology (VST)8:56
External Input Devices5:31
Section Wrap Up0:54

Section Introduction1:03
Reference Material2:58
Explore musical references to structure medieval-style compositions, using genre, instrumentation, tempo, and rhythms. Learn beginner-friendly theory, imitation with attribution, and apply through practice and immersion.
Musical Structures6:33
Quick Tip Buffer Size2:53
Where To Start - Rhythm8:59
Dynamics & The Piano Roll8:42
Learn to sculpt dynamics with the piano roll editor by adjusting note velocity, creating varied rhythms across multiple dynamic tracks, including accents on the first and third beats.
Adding Variation8:39
Back To Musical Structures7:52
Section Wrap Up0:44

Introduction - Our Mutual Lexicon0:41
Back To The Piano Roll1:38
Tempo & Metronome2:43
Learn how tempo, measured in bpm, sets the quarter-note pulse and metronome clicks, including the first beat’s higher pitch, while time signatures and note values affect rhythm without changing bpm.
Note length & Quantisation5:29
Metre - Meter4:04
Learn how meter shapes the underlying pulse and feel of western music, with 4/4 and 3/4 examples, and how 6/8 evokes different dances, while tempo and time signatures convey mood.
Notes & Pitch4:53
C Major Scale3:48
Relative Minor Scale (A Minor)5:35
Intervals4:33
Pentatonic Scale3:05
Two or More Notes - Chords7:40
Arpeggios7:56
Keys and Chord Progressions9:52
Explore how key defines relationships between chords in C major. Learn about tonic, scale degrees, triads, major/minor/diminished chords, and common chord progressions.
Transposition2:45
Consonance and Dissonance5:46
Explore consonance and dissonance in Western music, from resting octave relationships and perfect fifths to tense dissonance and atonal climaxes that resolve back.
Drones4:21
Melody2:57
Ostinatos - Repeating Patterns4:32
Syncopation3:34
Section Wrap Up0:42
Wrap up the section by building a shared lexicon for game music creation and invite students to ask questions on Discord, share work, and connect with peers and the instructor.

Introduction To The Iterative Approach0:54
Setting Yourself Goals5:18
Set clear goals and restrictions before you start a game music piece, limit instruments, plan a construction method, and shape a cohesive set to convey a chosen feeling.
Drone and Bass6:03
Simple Arpeggios10:37
A Basic Melody11:41
Adding Percussion12:26
Add percussion to your game music by selecting sound font drums and layering four-bar patterns, then copy, adjust timing, and export your percussion track for feedback.
Copying From Another Project2:59
Going Big With Layering11:17
ZynAddSubFX Instrument Effects5:06
The Arpeggiator11:03
Adding Complexity & Variation16:15
Arranging Your Piece11:57
Building Up and Hits9:16
Automation8:12
Section Wrap Up4:03

Section Introduction1:08
Deciding Common Links2:49
Chord Progression5:49
Scene 1 Explorer15:22
Scene 2 Battle15:42
Scene 3 Ambient11:15
Using The FX Channels10:39
Exporting Stems5:02
Export stems by duplicating tracks for equal length, set loop zones, and export tracks between loop markers into a folder at 320 kbps for assembly outside L.A. Mass.
Section Wrap Up1:17
Finish the course and export your music to your game engine or playback platform. Seek and give feedback on the forum to develop songs quickly and grow as a composer.
Extra - Explorer Scene Creation25:16
Extra - Battle Scene Creation41:01
Extra - Ambient Scene Creation21:06

Requirements

PC capable of Running LMMS.
LMMS 1.2.2 and greater.

Description

Making music doesn't have to be difficult or expensive. Using the free and open-source LMMS with its free instruments and sounds allow you to bring your games to life using music. Music is a part of games that often gets overlooked and with this course, you'll learn how to make a soundtrack for your game.

In this course, Michael will first take you from knowing nothing about LMMS, learning its interface and tools, to composing a rhythm track. Rhythm is a fundamental part of music creation, it is a great place to start experimenting and having fun whilst learning a little theory along the way.

Throughout the course, you will use musical frameworks to help guide you when creating your music. The theory doesn't have to be dry and boring when it is implemented straight away which we will do throughout the course when we need to learn something new.

We will be covering:

Themes and variations.
Expanding LMMS with multiple plugins.
Creative dynamic and reactive music for your games.

Later in the course, we cover modular music, where you can create a musical soundscape that can blend seamlessly from exploring the world to being engaged in battle and finally an ambient layer as well.

There is no better time than to learn the basics of composition and bring your games to life today.

Who this course is for:

Beginner musicians.
Game music composers.
Those wanting to learn LMMS.

Making Game Music: For Complete Beginners

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction14 lectures • 1hr 29min

Section 2 Musical Structures9 lectures • 48min

Section 3 Some Music Theory20 lectures • 1hr 27min

Section 4 - The Iterative Approach15 lectures • 2hr 7min

Section 5 Modular Music12 lectures • 2hr 36min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: