Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

The School of Music

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

Scholarship on music in video games has focused on the player in two main ways: the psychological effect music has on the player and the physical, kinesthetic relationship between the player’s inputs and the game’s music. This dissertation builds on this work by exploring gameplay moments in which the music informs the player’s inputs through rhythms, tempo, harmonic relationships, and changes in the musical texture. Using “analytical play” (Summers 2016), rhythmic analysis, looping analysis, and harmonic observations, alongside a variety of different video games, consoles and genres, I have developed an analytical Passive-Active Interaction (PAI) Model that is applicable to player-music interactions in most video games. The model demonstrates that the player and the music share a bidirectional relationship based on the player’s physical movements that is distinct from the unidirectional psychological relationship music has on the player.

To develop this PAI Model, I begin with an overview of relevant literature as well as discussions concerning audio game development software, the identity of the video game player, and the scope and methods to video game analysis in Chapter 1. In Chapter 2, I define and describe the aspects of the PAI Model. I then analyze supportive player-music active interactions in Chapter 3 and disruptive player-music active interactions in Chapter 4. In Chapter 5, I focus on both supportive and disruptive passive player-music interactions. I conclude in Chapter 6 with a return to questions from Chapter 2 and an analysis of Tetris Effect: Connected before closing with a brief discussion on the further applications of the model.

For ludomusicology, this dissertation will bring attention to the subtle and precise gameplay moments where the player’s physical inputs interact with the sound and music from the game and redefine the agency the player has over music. For analysis, this study will introduce new analytical approaches, such as the study of rhythm in stereo audio and the formal looping structures of video game music. Broadly, the PAI Model will continue discussions on the ways music can interact with people and the ways people can play with music.

Date

4-1-2025

Committee Chair

Olivia Lucas

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Music Theory Commons

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