The purpose of this lecture recital was to reflect on the characteristics of video game music, how those characteristics were shaped through technological advancements in the industry, and how to apply them to composition. Due to the limitations of early video game technology and memory space, video game composers were extremely limited. Composers worked through these limitations by composing with limited range and timbres, looping, and extensive use of ostinato. Even though modern day composers are not faced with this challenge, many still rely heavily on these techniques as they have become iconic of video game music. Video game composers are further limited by having to match their music to someone else’s story and ideas. For this project, I simulated the experience of creating a soundtrack for a video game by collaborating with Noelani Wood, a local artist, and consulting with Dr. Ogburn, the composition professor at Columbus State University.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this lecture recital was to reflect on the characteristics of video game music, how those characteristics were shaped through technological advancements in the industry, and how to apply them to composition. Due to the limitations of early video game technology and memory space, video game composers were extremely limited. Composers worked through these limitations by composing with limited range and timbres, looping, and extensive use of ostinato. Even though modern day composers are not faced with this challenge, many still rely heavily on these techniques as they have become iconic of video game music. Video game composers are further limited by having to match their music to someone else’s story and ideas. For this project, I simulated the experience of creating a soundtrack for a video game by collaborating with Noelani Wood, a local artist, and consulting with Dr. Ogburn, the composition professor at Columbus State University.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Chase, Samantha"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Music Education - Instrumental Concentration","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Schwob School of Music","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dr. James Ogburn","Dr. Susan Tomkiewicz","Dr. Matthew McCabe"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2017,"date_issued":"2017-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2017-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:45:01Z","subjects":["Composition","Soundtrack","Video Game","Video Game Music","Music","Music Education","Musicology"],"languages":["English"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/280","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dr. James Ogburn","Dr. Susan Tomkiewicz","Dr. Matthew McCabe"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Chase, Samantha"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2018-08-10T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Schwob School of Music"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Music Education - Instrumental Concentration"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Composition","Soundtrack","Video Game","Video Game Music","Music","Music Education","Musicology"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/280"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this lecture recital was to reflect on the characteristics of video game music, how those characteristics were shaped through technological advancements in the industry, and how to apply them to composition. Due to the limitations of early video game technology and memory space, video game composers were extremely limited. Composers worked through these limitations by composing with limited range and timbres, looping, and extensive use of ostinato. Even though modern day composers are not faced with this challenge, many still rely heavily on these techniques as they have become iconic of video game music. Video game composers are further limited by having to match their music to someone else’s story and ideas. For this project, I simulated the experience of creating a soundtrack for a video game by collaborating with Noelani Wood, a local artist, and consulting with Dr. Ogburn, the composition professor at Columbus State University.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Finding Home: Creating a Video Game Soundtrack"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dr. James Ogburn","Dr. Susan Tomkiewicz","Dr. Matthew McCabe"],"dc:creator":["Chase, Samantha"],"dc:date.available":["2018-08-10T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this lecture recital was to reflect on the characteristics of video game music, how those characteristics were shaped through technological advancements in the industry, and how to apply them to composition. Due to the limitations of early video game technology and memory space, video game composers were extremely limited. Composers worked through these limitations by composing with limited range and timbres, looping, and extensive use of ostinato. Even though modern day composers are not faced with this challenge, many still rely heavily on these techniques as they have become iconic of video game music. Video game composers are further limited by having to match their music to someone else’s story and ideas. For this project, I simulated the experience of creating a soundtrack for a video game by collaborating with Noelani Wood, a local artist, and consulting with Dr. Ogburn, the composition professor at Columbus State University.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/280"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:subject":["Composition","Soundtrack","Video Game","Video Game Music","Music","Music Education","Musicology"],"dc:title":["Finding Home: Creating a Video Game Soundtrack"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Schwob School of Music"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Music Education - Instrumental Concentration"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:45:01Z"}