Published on September 21st, 2018 | by Sunit Nandi

5 Tips to Choosing Music for the Background of Your Video Game

Playing a video game without background music is boring. This is because it’s difficult to stare at the screen when there is no entertainment in the background. Music has a way of enhancing your mood especially when you play your favorite tunes. If you are like most people, you definitely have a problem of remaining focused for an extended duration of time.

The background music helps in killing boredom by locking on your concentration. When you are able to maintain a high level of alertness, you will definitely perform much better. On the other hand, choosing music for a video game can be a daunting task because you are adding an element that’s not integrated with the application. Below is a list of the things that you must consider when searching for music that can be added into a video game.

1. Avoid Copyrighted Music

As a gamer, you don’t need to use music that’s tied to copyrights because you will be required to pay in advance. Besides that, using music that has copyrights without paying amounts to stealing of intellectual property. In fact, stealing copyrighted content is like plagiarism and it can really put you into trouble with the authorities. Anyone who is found guilty of such an offence is usually slapped with a heavy fine. If you want to be on the safe side of the law, it’s advisable you use royalty free music. All you need to do is comb through online directories that contain royalty free background music for video games. And since such libraries are huge, you will definitely find a tune that you like.

2. Utilize Reference Music

Sometimes you might not have any idea of the music that you can play in the background of your video game. Instead of sinking into deep thoughts, you should use reference because it will lead you to the tunes you are looking for. For instance, you can type ‘Michael Jackson music in your browser’s search box and you will get a list of the tunes that are authored by the artist you have specified and other music that falls into the same genre. Before you download any tune, you should first play it for a few seconds just to confirm that it’s what you wanted.

3. Select Music with Right Pace

By the rule of thumb, you should opt for music that plays at the same pace as your video game. If your game is slow, a tune that is too fast or too slow will not improve your gaming experience. Moreover, you should choose music that has a constant pace from start to finish. A pace that keeps alternating between fast and slow speed can easily disorient you.

4. Consider Mood of the Video Game

Your choice of background music should be guided by the mood of the video game. This means that you have to settle for a tune whose mood blends with that of the game you will be playing. Some of the common mood include sad, happy, aggressive, relaxed and inspiring among others. If you can’t find music with alternating mood, you can pick a tune with a constant mood and only play it when the time is right.

5. Limit Use of Vocals

Vocal music should be avoided as much as possible because it can cause you to get carried away. Remember, you can’t balance between listening to lyrics and playing the game. As a matter of fact, you should not use vocal tunes in a game that has a narrator or a commentator because you will miss important details.

Tags: background music, choosing, music, tips, video game

About the Author

Sunit Nandi I'm the leader of Techno FAQ. Also an engineering college student with immense interest in science and technology. Other interests include literature, coin collecting, gardening and photography. Always wish to live life like there's no tomorrow.