Sound designers compose the music and sound in a game. Without them, creaky doors, squealing tires, and roaring dinosaurs would be silent. And their musical compositions intensify the player's experiences. Sound designers work closely with the game designers. Game designers describe the mood they want, often citing movie scores or popular musicians. The sound designer uses these analogies to discover what the designer wants. Unlike movie composers, sound designers don't know what the characters will be doing as the music plays. Their music has to be simpler than movie scores because it should not interfere with dialogue or action noises.Sound designers also create sound effects. They add ambient noise, such as a chirping forest creatures, dripping faucets, and distant conversation. Other sounds are triggered by an event, such as the swoosh of a basketball as it falls through the net.Sound designers are given a list of sounds the game needs. They construct each effect by modifying an existing sound from a CD library or by finding and recording the sound themselves.Sound designers edit almost every sound they use: they might lower a pitch, add an echo, loop the sound to make it longer, or mix it with other sounds.They balance realism with the entertainment value of exaggeration, routinely sweetening natural sounds for dramatic effect.When choosing noises, sound designers also have to be aware of the game-playing environment. When designing for arcades, for example, they make effects loud and simple. For a home system, sounds can be more complex.
Earnigns: BLS has no data on sound designers. Many sound designers are contract workers who charge a fee for every minute of music they complete. A few receive royalties if the soundtrack is released as a separate CD or as part of a television score. Job search agency surveys show experienced composers earn from $45,000 to $70,000 annually.