You don't need an orchestra to give a game a memorable soundtrack. Small teams like the ones behind Hollow Knight and Undertale are often praised for how much their music shapes the experience. What they had was a clear plan, not a big budget.
This guide covers how to plan your game's music, where to source it cheaply and legally, which free tools to use, and how to test it.
Photo by Javier Martínez on Unsplash
Step 1: Decide What the Music Is For
Before you compose or license anything, answer three questions:
- What should the player feel? Tension, nostalgia, excitement, calm.
- How does the music react to gameplay? Loops for exploration, a shift for boss fights.
- What is the aesthetic? Retro, fantasy, horror, futuristic.
A horror game leans on dissonance and sparse textures. A platformer wants rhythm and melody. Settling this early saves time and keeps the soundtrack cohesive.
A simple three-layer model
- Ambient layer: background music that sets the mood.
- Interactive layer: music that reacts to player actions, such as a faster tempo in combat.
- Narrative layer: themes tied to characters, places or story beats.
You can cover all three with a handful of tracks if you plan them together.
Step 2: Source Affordable or Free Music
Royalty-free libraries
- Free: Incompetech (Kevin MacLeod's music, mostly under a credit-required Creative Commons license), Freesound (sound effects and ambience, licenses vary per file) and the YouTube Audio Library (check the usage terms for games).
- Paid: Epidemic Sound and Pond5 offer subscriptions or per-track licensing. Read the license carefully, since terms for games and distribution can differ from video use.
Independent composers
Marketplaces such as SoundBetter and Fiverr connect developers with composers. Be upfront about your budget, the number of tracks and how the music will be used, and agree on the license in writing.
Creative Commons and public domain
ccMixter, Jamendo and the Free Music Archive host Creative Commons music. Check each track's license: CC BY needs credit, CC BY-SA adds share-alike conditions, and any "NC" license rules out commercial games. Musopen has public domain classical recordings and scores.
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is full of independent electronic, ambient and chiptune artists. Use SearchSound.cloud's advanced search to filter by BPM, genre and duration, then ask the artist for permission or a license before using a track. Our page on no-copyright and royalty-free music explains how to find music you can use freely.
Step 3: Use Free Tools to Make Your Own
DAWs
- LMMS: free, open-source, good for beginners.
- GarageBand: free on Apple devices, with loops and instruments built in.
- Reaper: inexpensive, with a discounted license for small budgets.
Instruments and plugins
- Spitfire LABS: free orchestral and experimental instruments.
- Dexed: a free FM synth modelled on the Yamaha DX7.
- Surge XT: a free, open-source synthesizer.
Sound effects
- Audacity: free recording and editing.
- Bfxr and ChipTone: generators for retro sound effects.
If you have a track that is almost right, small edits go a long way. Use the audio trimmer to cut a clean loop, or the tempo changer to fit a track to your game's pacing. Both run in your browser and your files are never uploaded.
Step 4: Make Limited Music Feel Bigger
- Layer: a simple piano line, a soft pad and a light drum loop sound richer than any one of them.
- Use dynamic music: vertical layering adds stems (percussion, strings) as intensity rises, and horizontal sequencing switches between segments by game state. FMOD and Wwise both have free tiers for small projects (check their current terms).
- Vary your loops: keep loops to 8-16 bars, change instruments or effects between passes, and use silence for contrast.
- Invest in sound design: wind, distant chatter, a satisfying click when a puzzle is solved. Reverb and EQ help sounds feel like they belong in the space.
Step 5: Test and Iterate
- Playtest with fresh ears. Does the music fight with dialogue or effects? Do testers get tired of it?
- Check levels. Your engine's audio mixer (Unity and Unreal Engine both include one) helps balance music against effects, check transitions and catch clipping.
- Revise. Small changes, such as a different instrument or a slower tempo, often fix more than a rewrite.
Step 6: Get the Licensing Right
- "Royalty-free" does not mean free. It means no per-use royalties, but you may still pay for a license.
- Check attribution rules and note them in your credits.
- Exclusive vs. non-exclusive: with a non-exclusive license, other projects can use the same track.
- Keep a record for every track: artist, license, source URL and any conditions.
- Get advice from a lawyer before you ship commercially if a license is unclear.
FAQ
Where can I find free music for my indie game?
Incompetech, the Free Music Archive, Jamendo and ccMixter all host free music, and SoundCloud has many independent artists. Always check the license for commercial use and attribution.
Can I use royalty-free music in a commercial game?
Often yes, but not always. Some licenses cover video only, or exclude games or app distribution. Read the terms for your platform (Steam, mobile and so on) before you buy.
What is the cheapest way to get an original soundtrack?
Compose it yourself with a free DAW like LMMS and free instruments, or hire an independent composer for a few key tracks and reuse them in layers and variations.
How long should a game music loop be?
Short loops of 8-16 bars work well if you vary them, but 1-3 minute loops feel less repetitive for areas where players spend a long time.