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Lesson 4 of 5
  • Year 10
  • AQA

Horizontal resequencing

I can use horizontal resequencing to create a contrasting section of music that responds to a sudden change in the action.

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Lesson 4 of 5
New
New
  • Year 10
  • AQA

Horizontal resequencing

I can use horizontal resequencing to create a contrasting section of music that responds to a sudden change in the action.

Download all

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Adaptive music in video games uses two techniques to respond to a player’s actions.
  2. These are vertical layering and horizontal resequencing.
  3. In horizontal resequencing, new sections of contrasting music are used to match big changes in the game.
  4. Many different sections are created, so that the music can respond to any one of the possible changes.
  5. A typical example is using different musical ideas to represent victory or loss in a racing game.

Keywords

  • Adaptive music - music that can change by reacting to a stimulus; video game music reacts to the player's actions

  • Linear loop - a repeating musical idea in a video game that can be looped indefinitely

  • Horizontal resequencing - where a new section of music begins in response to a player's action

  • Vertical layering - where layers of music are 'stacked' on top of each other and change in response to the player’s actions

Common misconception

In horizontal resequencing, new musical sections should completely contrast with the preceeding section.

There should be contrast, but there also needs to be a feeling of continuity. Using some consistent features (like tempo, key, timbre) can help to create a feeling of some continuity, while still creating a large contrast.


To help you plan your year 10 music lesson on: Horizontal resequencing, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

An extension to this task is to challenge pupils to envisage other scenarios that could take place in a racing game (e.g. a crash, a build up to a race, being overtaken) and to create appropriate musical sections for them. Using numerous musical cues like this is typical practice in video games.
Teacher tip

Equipment

DAW, notation software, keyboard or other suitable instrument as a composition tool

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is vertical layering?

Correct answer: Adding or removing musical layers to adapt to gameplay.
Switching between different sections of music.
Playing only one instrument at a time.
Looping a fixed section repeatedly.

Q2.
Which of these is an example of vertical layering?

Correct answer: Adding percussion to increase tension during a battle.
Switching to a completely different piece of music.
Starting the soundtrack over from the beginning.
Playing silence between two sections.

Q3.
What mood would fast, repeated arpeggios suit best?

calm and peaceful
Correct answer: excited and energetic
slow and reflective
gentle and sad

Q4.
When a second version of a melody is played to create harmony with the main melody, we call this a melody.

Correct Answer: harmonising

Q5.
A __________ or 6th is an interval that is very effective for harmonising melodies.

Correct answer: third
fifth
seventh
octave

Q6.
Which of these would be a suitable feature in a scary action game?

bright, major chords played loudly
silence for the entire game
Correct answer: slow, chromatic melodies with dissonance
very fast, cheerful music

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
__________ resequencing is a key feature of video game music.

Correct Answer: horizontal

Q2.
Match each aspect of horizontal resequencing to its correct description.

Correct Answer:switching between sections,replaces one piece of music with another

replaces one piece of music with another

Correct Answer:responding to gameplay changes,adapts to big events like victory or defeat

adapts to big events like victory or defeat

Correct Answer:static music,music that does not change

music that does not change

Correct Answer:adding instruments within a section,part of vertical layering, not horizontal resequencing

part of vertical layering, not horizontal resequencing

Q3.
How is horizontal resequencing different from vertical layering?

It changes the texture by adding instruments.
Correct answer: It replaces one section of music with another.
It only uses percussion.
It creates music randomly without planning.

Q4.
Why is horizontal resequencing necessary in video games?

Correct answer: To make the music match sudden changes in gameplay.
To keep the game short and simple.
To make the music more predictable.
To avoid using sound effects.

Q5.
What melodic shape best suits a positive, optimistic mood?

chromatic
descending
repeating
Correct answer: ascending

Q6.
What kind of tonality best suits a negative, dismayed mood?

major
Correct answer: minor
modal
Pentatonic