Composer Impacts
Musical Composers have always been a significant part of every community since the dawn of humanity. The way that music can make a person feel a wide array of emotions have always inspired and awed many. Whenever someone mentions a famous composer they would typically think of one of the great composers from the 17th or 18th centuries. Great names like Beethoven, Chopin, Bach, or Mozart. However, music has evolved past the point of these classical composers. This age has seen the rise of many composers like John Williams who composed the music for great movies like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and even Jaws. The music from these movies have left an impact on today's world in a much greater way. However, another change has come to composers. The rise of video games have created a need for brilliant composers to write scores that inspire players and set the tone of the game. This music often leaves a lasting effect on the loyal players of these games and have elevated these creators to beloved members of the team when it comes to game design.
Recently, video games have come into the spotlight for their musical scores seemingly transporting players into the world. Games have won awards for their scores. Covers have appeared on video sharing websites such as Youtube. Just like with famous composers from major films, video games composers have been getting their time in the sun. The more these games inspire the player base, the more talent comes onto development teams to create something truly memorable. Games with soundtracks like in Halo, or Zelda games continue to raise the bar and set the industry standard for how these games think about sound design.
What it means to me
Music is one of the most important parts of video games for me. Sound design and visuals are what transport a player to another world. As someone who has been playing video games for most of my life, these features are key to maintaining my interest in a game for the long term. While gameplay and controls also impact my experience, it all becomes meaningless if the music doesn't leave a mark. I have often stuck with boring games due to the impressive music or found otherwise masterful games dull due to their poor worldbuilding. Music has a much larger impact than many are willing to give it credit for.
One of my favorite experiences when playing a game is when I have a moment of reflection on all my adventures as the music swells. I often listen to the soundtracks of video games as they take me back to those times where I triumphed over whatever challenge the developers placed in my path. I find the music to be more of a reward for all I have done in the game than some of the other loot that I can get. It truly feels almost magical when the music has that kind of an impact on players. Composers are, of course, a central part of creating these musical themes that tie into the game. But only the truly talented composers are able to create common themes and motifs within the music that are related to the subject of the game. These motifs are almost like a signature of the game that the composer worked on. They can tie games together or make deeper meanings within the music.
I admire that each of the composers featured on this site are able to have a distinct feel to their music while making it feel like a part of one of the many games that they have worked on. All of these composers have impacted my life in a more meaningful way than many of the famous actors or celebrities have. It almost feels personal to listen to music that came from the heart and soul of a composer. Of course, the musicians that worked on some of this music are also a big part of making the songs feel alive. But the hidden meanings behind every note and motif is what makes these composers special. It's hard to work on a game in which the player has control over the events of the game. But the living, breathing nature of the works that these composers produce elevates them into people I admire for the way they present their hard work.