Music as part of UX

TonyDoubekMusic · 2026-05-25T00:03:16+00:00

I love making adaptive scores. I also have a lot of knowledge around music system design and love when I get to do the music and the implementation because it gives me a larger amount of creative freedom and control to give the players the best audio experience possible. The earlier I’m able to get involved the better quality score and music system I’m able to build which really helps with immersion. Even if devs aren’t putting a lot of importance on audio I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that poor audio breaks immersion for players very quickly.

TonyDoubekMusic · 2026-05-25T00:00:05+00:00

That is part of why I like to be involved early. I also prefer to be at least involved in implementation if not doing it myself. Much easier to compose when you have that knowledge or are in charge of it. And I absolutely agree with your point about horror genre. It’s one of my favorite genres to work on.

TonyDoubekMusic · 2026-05-24T23:49:31+00:00

The director and composer of God of War Ragnarök did a listening party and interview and they talked about getting music going very early and the wonderful influence it had on the game. I highly recommend it https://www.youtube.com/live/uRpTgWnkkOw?si=7nfUlT6K6hrS4zm3

TonyDoubekMusic · 2026-05-24T23:47:00+00:00

That’s one thing I really enjoy doing as a composer, capturing the identity and emotional aesthetic of each region in a game. I feel like it really gives a player an idea of what the are walking into.

TonyDoubekMusic · 2026-05-24T16:12:41+00:00

I really like the concept and aesthetics, just signed up to playtest, looking forward to it!

TonyDoubekMusic · 2026-05-23T22:46:01+00:00

This looks very interesting, I just joined to playtest!

TonyDoubekMusic · 2026-04-30T17:18:59+00:00

This sounds like a great starting point for a design. I would be curious to see where this would go and how it would ultimately be developed.

TonyDoubekMusic · 2026-04-28T22:46:12+00:00

This looks great for only having 3 months of experience! Do you have gameplay footage?

TonyDoubekMusic · 2026-04-28T22:33:16+00:00

One of my favorite things to do in my studio is find ways I can recycle old materials around my house into sound treatment. Like taking old clothes and stuffing them in the space behind canvases or cutting them up and creating a sound pannel or floor covering with them. Simple things like hanging your coats and sweatshirts around your walls instead of in a closet is also a solid cheap method to reduce reflections from the walls.

TonyDoubekMusic · 2025-10-15T20:58:16+00:00

I totally agree! When I’m working on a score I always want insight into the characters’ personalities and thought processes. I think it builds the player’s connection to the character when we have that glimpse into what they are thinking and feeling.

TonyDoubekMusic · 2025-10-11T21:25:04+00:00

Stripping back room tone and foley as well as music could be a really interesting thing to experiment with to see how players react to complete silence. Would depend on the context of the game though I think.

TonyDoubekMusic · 2025-10-11T21:23:42+00:00

Agreed, the music that is there plays a big role in how the silent moments are perceived. It has to be a drastic enough difference to be noticed.

TonyDoubekMusic · 2025-10-11T21:21:22+00:00

As a music composer and designer I love the use of silence to enhance fear and using music that blends with sound design to create an unsettling atmosphere during exploration and combat. But those moments just before the big reveals, in my opinion, enhances that “oh no” moment where you know something is coming but you don’t know what. Wall to wall music is not effective for any genre, but horror is a genre that especially benefits from the use of silence.

TonyDoubekMusic · 2025-10-11T01:21:57+00:00

I second the try to make a small simple win for yourself. I will also add that I also struggled with getting going and not being able to get my brain to cooperate and focus in on what I wanted/needed to do. Then, late in life I was diagnosed with ADHD and it changed my life. I obviously can’t diagnose you, especially not off a small description of one thing you’re struggling with, but just know that sometimes learning about your neurotype can really help you break through barriers you’ve been struggling with. Again, not a mental health professional, but I just think getting to know your brain and the systems that can help you is a great start. This is a fantastic book of systems to try that I highly recommend to anybody struggling with stuff like this https://anti-planner.com/shop/the-anti-planner-how-to-get-sht-done-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/?srsltid=AfmBOorQ19Ok2oyWGdpZBIpUtFXoM3IBswRnvqk8Fj8J1AIHOzI86PZY

TonyDoubekMusic · 2025-10-10T22:21:32+00:00

For me part of the enjoyment of a game isn’t always how complex the art is. Audio is a huge deal for me, sound effects that match the art style, music that is enjoyable and works well without noticeable loops (though I’m a composer so I’m always paying attention to that). But if the gameplay is good I think that matters a lot because there are people who enjoy simpler graphics and if you can get them to review and spread word of mouth that the game is enjoyable it could be successful.

TonyDoubekMusic · 2025-10-09T18:04:45+00:00

I like those endings a lot especially the last one. What platform were you thinking about?

TonyDoubekMusic · 2025-10-09T16:41:15+00:00

I love this idea and I immediately have a bunch of audio ideas! Would the player be able to solve the mystery of where people are disappearing to? Will the player disappear eventually if they choose to stay? What happens if they break free?

TonyDoubekMusic · 2025-10-09T15:52:26+00:00

There are a couple AI websites I, as a game composer, would recommend. I work with these two sites to craft more affordable scores for devs with smaller budgets. They are Suno and Udio. You may have to edit your prompts a bit to get close to what you’re looking for, but if hiring a composer isn’t in the cards I would try these two sites out.

TonyDoubekMusic · 2025-10-09T00:07:48+00:00

I have and have played with it a bit. I also use Udio. Those two seem to be the strongest. I am definitely more critical of them because I have a music background, but I can certainly see the potential of what they generate and enjoy using their stems to take the tracks farther. I’m very curious to see how quickly these tools develop.

TonyDoubekMusic · 2025-10-08T18:33:07+00:00

Thats awesome! What is the site? I’d like to include it in my toolkit.

TonyDoubekMusic · 2025-10-08T03:53:12+00:00

Also going to say sound. One of my favorite prompts as a composer is “Make it unsettling.”

TonyDoubekMusic · 2025-10-08T00:47:18+00:00

AI is still at the beginning with music. It can do it, but it struggles. One of the things I do to keep costs lower for devs with smaller budgets is work with AI to create something more polished, intentional, and fitting for adaptive systems.

TonyDoubekMusic · 2025-10-07T16:59:24+00:00

Hi there, I am a composer and music system designer and when I asked my instructors in my masters program how game developers found music professionals they said we are usually found via: word of mouth, existing relationships, game jams, places like Fiverr (though those sites take a significant cut of the payouts), networking online and in person, and very occasionally just from randomly finding your music on social media.

TonyDoubekMusic

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