
Key Information
About the content
Discover the story behind video game music and soundtracks with Abertay University’s free online course featuring interviews with top video game composers.
Prerequisite
This course is designed for anyone interested in game design and development. This includes those considering studying it at university and entering the games industry or becoming a video game music composer.
It will also appeal to anyone interested in electronic or gaming music, movie soundtracks, screen media, and video games.
Some experience of music notation and music theory would be helpful, but no prior knowledge is required or assumed.
Syllabus
WEEK 1
- The Atari VCS
- The ZX Spectrum
- The Commodore 64
- Week 1 Summary and Test
WEEK 2
- The NES
- From Chips to Tunes
- Playing with Sound: Adaptive Music Engines
- Week 2 Summary and Test
Instructors
Kenny McAlpine
Kenny McAlpine is a musician, author, and academic at Abertay University. Kenny is interested in everything, from music technology and video games to PG Tips and PG Wodehouse.
Platform

FutureLearn is a massive open online course (MOOC) learning platform founded in December 2012.
It is a company launched and wholly owned by The Open University in Milton Keynes, England. It is the first UK-led massive open online course learning platform, and as of March 2015 included 54 UK and international University partners and unlike similar platforms includes four non-university partners: the British Museum, the British Council, the British Library and the National Film and Television School.