Have you ever wondered why there are amazing soundtracks behind today’s leading games? It has long been known that there is a definite relationship between gaming and music and that relationship is almost symbiotic in nature. Many gamers say there is no way to actually play a game without the score behind it and that makes sense when you consider the following three ways in which gaming and music are related.
1. Speed
You have probably read repeatedly that the best computers for those in the music production or editing industries are those containing something like Lenovo Intel Arc Graphics. The reason for this is clear. Both music and gaming require fast GPU speeds to handle the actions. In gaming this term is APM, or Actions Per Minute. Gamers work long and hard to build speed in their key combinations just as musicians do when mastering their instruments. Two of the instruments most often using a fast APM rate are violin and piano and this is why you will often hear rapid movements behind certain parts of games. The speed of the music feeds the speed of the keys being clicked in a game and thus it truly is a symbiotic relationship.
2. Technique
With all that said, it really takes technique to build any kind of speed that can be sustained without mistakes. Just like a concerti pianist or violinist cannot afford to play rapid passages with fingering mistakes, the same holds true of a gamer. On PvP games technique is vital, especially at times when rapid movements are required to evade an onslaught from the enemy. Pro gamers have literally spent years building speed and technique and it is this combination that takes them to the championships much like technique brings musicians to the philharmonic. It’s really all about precision and that is the combination of speed and technique.
3. Mood
Then there’s mood to consider. There probably isn’t a person on earth who doesn’t have favorite tunes for various moods they are experiencing. The music they play when they want to dance is much different than the music they listen to when they are trying to unwind after a long stressful day. Take a moment to actually listen to the soundtracks behind the games you play, and you will see it is much the same. The music actually can set the mood for the game you are playing so that if speed is required, then the music will stimulate the senses. On the other hand, if there is a play that requires concentration, the music may slow down to a snail’s pace.
There really is so much that gaming and music have in common but the one thing we didn’t mention is the sheer joy they both bring to the player. Those who play music and those who play games experience pleasure from their games or instruments of choice. It’s just one more thing that they have in common, and it could be said that games would be quite boring without the music leading players forward.
