Not long after the inception of the video game medium, music was introduced to enhance the gaming experience. As the video game medium evolved, video game music has flourished into a distinctive genre. In this course, we will address questions such as “What is the unique sound of the video game music genre?,” “How is music integrated into video games?,” and “How has video game music changed over time?” We will analyze common structures in video game music and their relationship to their context, both in-game and historically. A previous familiarity with basic music theory will not be assumed but will be a helpful background for this course.

There will be listening assignments for homework, 2 graded in-class assignments, and an at-home final paper. Attendance is mandatory and will factor into grading. Check the syllabus for details.

NOTE: The content of listening assignments in the syllabus may change slightly before the start of the course. Please make sure you have the most recently updated version of the syllabus. The current version was released on October 4, 2017.

To enroll, fill out the enrollment application linked here, and attend the first class meeting (Tuesday 8/29). CCNs will be distributed after the first or second class meeting. If you have not attended the first class meeting, fill out the application, and you will be let into the class if space permits.