What music and sound effects does my game need?
Before you hire anyone or grab a music pack, it helps to know what you actually need. Here's every kind of track and sound effect most indie games end up using, what makes each one work, and how to turn the list into a budget.
- Music: a title or menu theme, exploration or level music, combat music, boss music, and short stingers for wins, losses and rewards. Bigger games add towns, shops, cutscenes and credits.
- Sound effects: UI sounds, player sounds (footsteps, jumps, hits), combat and enemy sounds, pickups, and ambience.
- Most background music should loop cleanly. Stingers and sound effects are short one-shots.
- Write the list first, then price it. Composers usually price music per finished minute, and sound effects per sound or per day.
- Spend your custom budget on what players remember (main theme, boss music, the core "feel" sounds) and fill the rest with packs or CC0.
Every game is different, so treat this as a checklist, not a rulebook. A cozy farming game might skip combat music completely. A roguelike might need five boss themes. Go through it, cross off what you don't need, and you've got a list you can hand to a composer or sound designer.
Music your game needs
| Track | Where it plays | Loops |
|---|---|---|
| Title / main menu theme | The first thing players hear | Yes |
| Exploration / level music | Most of your playtime | Yes |
| Ambient music | Calm areas, puzzles, menus inside the game | Yes |
| Combat / battle music | Regular fights | Yes |
| Boss music | Boss fights and big set pieces | Yes, often with an intro |
| Town, shop or safe room | Places players rest | Yes |
| Cutscene cues | Story moments | No, timed to the scene |
| Stingers | Victory, game over, level up, item found | No, a few seconds |
| Credits theme | The end | No |
Title and menu theme
This is your game's first impression and usually the track people remember. It should tell players what kind of game this is in a few seconds. A lot of composers write the main theme first and build the rest of the soundtrack from its melody, so if you can only afford one custom track, this or your boss music is the one.
Exploration and level music
Players hear this more than anything else, so it can't get annoying. Good exploration music sits behind the gameplay, loops without an obvious seam, and leaves room for sound effects. Ask for loops that are long enough not to wear thin, and listen to them over your actual gameplay before you sign off.
Ambient music
Ambient tracks are slow, textured and light on melody. They work for puzzles, horror, menus inside the game, or anywhere you want mood without pulling focus. They also blend nicely with environmental sound, which we'll get to below.
Combat and battle music
Combat music lifts the energy for regular fights. It plays a lot, so like exploration music it needs to loop well. Many games keep the same melody as the area theme but with more drums and tempo, so switching into a fight feels connected instead of jarring.
Boss music
Boss themes are where players expect the big moment, and they're the tracks people go looking for after they finish your game. A boss track often has an intro that plays once and then a loop, and sometimes a second phase that kicks in when the boss is low on health. If your game has a final boss, it's worth giving it its own theme instead of reusing a regular one.
Town, shop and safe rooms
These tracks tell the player they can relax. Lighter, slower and often a little playful. Even a short loop here makes a world feel more alive.
Stingers and short cues
Stingers are a few seconds long: the jingle when you win, the sting when you die, a level up or "you found an item" sound. They're cheap compared to full tracks but add a ton of feel. List them out so they don't get forgotten.
Adaptive music
Some games layer music so it changes with what's happening, like adding drums when enemies show up. It sounds great, but it takes more composer time and more work in your engine, so ask about it up front instead of adding it late.
Sound effects your game needs
Sound effects are what make a game feel good to play. Here's the usual list, grouped the way a sound designer would think about it.
- UI sounds. Menu move, confirm, back, error, pop-ups, notifications, typing text. Players hear these constantly, so they should be short and pleasant.
- Player sounds. Footsteps (on each surface you have, like grass, stone, wood), jumps, landings, dashes, taking damage, death.
- Combat sounds. Swings, hits, impacts, blocks, gunshots, reloads, spells. Hit sounds are a big part of why combat feels punchy.
- Enemy and boss sounds. Idle noises, attack warnings, getting hit, dying. Bosses usually get their own set so they feel special.
- Pickups and rewards. Coins, health, items, chests, level ups, achievements.
- World and ambience. Wind, rain, birds, crowds, machines, room tone. Long looping beds that make each area feel like a place.
- Foley and small details. Cloth, doors, switches, objects being picked up. Easy to skip and very noticeable when they're missing.
Tip: Make a spreadsheet with one row per sound and a column for "variations." Footsteps and hits need several versions each so they don't sound robotic. A sound designer can quote from that list in minutes.
Turn the list into a budget
Once you've crossed off what you don't need, estimate a length for each music track and count your sound effects. Then price it:
- Music is usually priced per finished minute. Guides from game composers quote roughly $50 to $2,500 per finished minute, with many indie projects paying a few hundred dollars a minute. My guide on how much music costs for a game has the sources and a worked example.
- Sound effects are usually priced per sound or per day. A 2016 Game Developer article by composer Kole Hicks put work-for-hire sound effects at about $20 to $100 each depending on experience.
Rates move a lot with experience, live instruments, rights and deadlines, so treat these as a starting point and ask for a quote.
What to make custom and what to grab
- Go custom for your main theme, boss music and the sounds you hear every few seconds (footsteps, your main attack, UI). That's what gives your game its own identity.
- Grab packs or CC0 for filler: background ambience, generic UI clicks, extra stingers. ComposerScout has a free CC0 music page with human-made tracks, and itch.io has plenty of royalty-free packs. Always check the license allows commercial use.
- One person or two? Some composers also do sound design and some sound designers do music. Hiring one person for both keeps everything sounding like the same game.
Frequently asked questions
What music does a video game need?
Most games need a title or main menu theme, exploration or level music, combat music, boss music, and short stingers for victory, game over and rewards. Bigger games add towns, shops, cutscene cues and a credits theme.
What is boss music?
Boss music is the theme that plays during a boss fight. It is usually more intense than regular combat music, often has an intro that plays once followed by a loop, and sometimes changes for a second phase.
What is a menu theme in a game?
The menu or title theme is the music on the main menu. It is the first thing players hear, so it sets the tone for the whole game, and composers often build the rest of the soundtrack from its melody.
What sound effects does a game need?
Usually UI sounds, player sounds like footsteps and jumps, combat and enemy sounds, pickups and rewards, and ambience for each area. Footsteps and hits need several variations so they do not sound repetitive.
How much does game music and sound cost?
Composers usually price per finished minute, with guides from game composers quoting roughly $50 to $2,500 per minute. A 2016 Game Developer article put work-for-hire sound effects at about $20 to $100 each. Count your tracks and sounds first, then ask for a quote.
Is ComposerScout free?
Yes. ComposerScout is free for developers and creators, and I don't take a cut of anything you pay people. Pay and rights are agreed directly between you and the person you hire.
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