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Lesson 2 of 5
  • Year 10
  • OCR

Developing a video game theme

I can develop a video game theme using pulse and rhythm.

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View unit
Lesson 2 of 5
New
New
  • Year 10
  • OCR

Developing a video game theme

I can develop a video game theme using pulse and rhythm.

Download all

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. It is important that a video game theme song captures the atmosphere of the game.
  2. For a high-energy racing game, the theme song should create a feeling of excitement and energy.
  3. We can use fast, rhythmic percussion layers to add excitement.
  4. We can also create an energetic driving bass line to add to this energy, including using chord notes and passing notes.

Keywords

  • Theme song - a piece of music that introduces a film or game and captures its overall atmosphere

  • Chord tone - a note that is included in the chord

  • Passing note - a note that links two chord tones by step

Common misconception

Complex music sounds most exciting and energetic.

Not necessarily - sometimes the most energetic music is that which emphasises the pulse and uses driving rhythms. Sometimes if music is too complex, with many busy layers of sound, it can sound chaotic and messy rather than energetic.


To help you plan your year 10 music lesson on: Developing a video game theme, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

This unit is a good opportunity to engage pupils who are keen gamers. Challenge pupils to analyse the theme songs of games they play and to link that analysis to the concepts explored so far. For pupils who aren't gamers, consider using the Halo theme as a good starting point.
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.
Why was early video game music based on very short loops?

To make games sound more complex.
Correct answer: Computers had limited memory and processing power.
Players preferred short music.
It was easier for composers to write.

Q2.
Which of these is a similarity between film music and video game music?

Correct answer: Both create mood and atmosphere.
Only film music uses repeating musical ideas.
Only video game music helps tell a story.
Film music responds to player actions.

Q3.
One key difference between early and modern video game music is that modern music uses sounds.

Correct Answer: realistic, true to life

Q4.
What do we call repeating sections of music in video games?

themes
Correct answer: loops
levels
stems

Q5.
Video game music must be __________ because the timings are determined by player actions.

linear
Correct answer: repeatable
fixed
static

Q6.
Which word describes the way that video game music must change in response to a player’s actions?

Correct Answer: adaptive

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these must a video game theme song do?

Correct answer: Capture the atmosphere of the game.
Be very complex and technical.
Use only acoustic instruments.
Change every time the player moves.

Q2.
Which of these is most important for creating rhythmic drive?

random notes
Correct answer: steady pulse
quiet dynamics
slow tempos

Q3.
What is a driving rhythm?

A rhythm that uses very slow notes.
Correct answer: A rhythm that repeats quickly to create excitement.
A rhythm with no repeating pattern.
A rhythm that stops and starts randomly.

Q4.
Which of these is an example of a driving rhythm?

long, sustained notes
Correct answer: a constant stream of repeated notes
a random sequence of notes
silence between every beat

Q5.
A chord note is part of the being played at that moment.

Correct Answer: chord

Q6.
A note that links two chord notes by moving stepwise between them is called a note.

Correct Answer: passing