In this video we will show you how to write a theme for a video game. We will use the

theme for the Last Of Us as a temp track.

Sound-a-likes based on temp tracks are one of the most requested type of scoring. Unless

you are a well established composer with your signature sound, I can guarantee 99% of the

time you will have to compose music based on a temp track or temp theme.

So, let’s pretend we’ve been asked to create a theme that sounds, or at least feels

like, this one.

So your first task is to transcribe the theme. You do not need to transcribe every single

thing. Just do a rough transcription so that you have a good idea of the theme.

So here’s a rough transcription.

Ah, and one more thing… Remember we are not trying to copy the theme,

we will just identify elements that give it a certain sound and mood.

If you are a trained composer it will take you about 10 seconds to realize that:

the theme is in a triple meter, probably 12/8 or 6/8,

that the rhythmic accompaniment pattern is a steady three eighth-notes arpeggio

and the melody is basically dotted quarters with a few embellishments or grace notes,

it is in E minor with modal interchange functions between Dorian and Aeolian and uses an odd

#11 note which belongs to Locrian, the form has two sections which do not modulate

and roughly divided in sub-sections of 4 bars, the first section is: a a’ - a b and the

second is: c c d with an ending tag. You have already decided to use a close related key

such as Bm instead of Em to avoid falling in the trap of wanting to write something

too similar but at the same time to create a version that sounds kind of familiar to

the non-musically-trained ears. Having decided on the key, you will then have a map in your

head with all the functions, progressions and modes in B, and therefore know that the

locrian sound is in the F note, and good candidates for modal interchange would be the Bm with

all its different 7ths, Bdim, also E major to E minor or to G major #11 for B Aeolian,

the Bm7 to E or E7 to get the dorian sound, and maybe going even more distant to a G#m

to C# or C#7 and then use the C#m as modal interchange function to return back to Bm.

If you have already thought about all these concepts, you can skip the next part, where

we’ll explain them step by step, and watch the section where we write the new theme.

Ok, let’s get started then.

So, the first thing is the meter. It is a triple meter. It could be 6/8 or 12/8, the

important thing is that the beats are being subdivided by 3. And it is of course in a

minor key.

The underlining pattern is very steady and using groups of three eighth notes.

The harmony in the first section of the theme is very static, just an Em.

But there’s an interesting note, the Bb, which is not part of the the Em but of the

E diminished chord and creates a really interesting tension. It is kind of a “Blues” note,

but we should be careful not to use it as such.

The Bb is a good choice to create tension for several reasons. First, E and Bb create

a tritone which is a very powerful interval to create tension in music. Also, it borrows

the sound from another scale modes. In fact, this E minor is not well defined as being

in any mode at the beginning. We only know it is a minor mode with a major second and

a minor 7th, so it could be Dorian or Aeolian, but the Bb brings a Locrian sound to the mix.

Now this ambiguity is clearly established on the second half of the theme

Look at this, Em7 - A7 from Dorian right away it turns into Am from Aeolian

And it does it again, now on the other direction implying Dorian and back, ending in an Am

with a major 6 and a minor 7 which is the 4th degree of E Aeolian.

The melody is mainly dotted quarters with some embellishments.

There are two phrases in the theme.

The melodic structure of the first phrase is: a - a’ a - b in a pattern of 2 and 4

measures which is very standard It starts on the 3rd and it is using the 9

the 1 and the 4th a’ uses a leap here, and b has the Bb which

is that odd note borrowed from another mode to create tension

Ok, in the second half of the theme the melody is much higher.

The main melodic structure is a - a - b And each sub-section a is a sequence of two

measures first in E Dorain and then it returns to E Aeolian

The b is borrowing the 4th chord from two different modes Am from E Aeolian and A major

from E dorian and it has an extension at the end to finish

the theme to the 1 So the B section structure is a a b and in

measures: 4, 4, 4, plus an extension of 2 bars

Ok, let’s review the form of the theme Section A is a a’ a b, all of them 2 measures

long In Em. a’ has a leap and b uses the odd

note Bb (which is the #11)

The B section structure is a a b plus an extension or ending tag

All 4 measures long with a tag of 2 bars Still in the key of E minor, moving from Dorian

to Aeolian and back The ending tag resolves to the 1 as expected

Before we start writing it is a good idea to have the harmonic progression in a format

that we can transpose easily to other keys and look at other related functions and chords.

So I will create a progression in Mapping Tonal Harmony with the chords from the original.

So the original is in the key of E My first section has an Em and that odd Bb

note so we can add this Edim7 in second inversion. So there I have the Em and the Eo7 with a

Bb. Ok, then Em7 from the Dorian to A and Am which

are being borrowed from different modes of the key of E and back to Em

Am to A major back to Am and finally Em.

we can save it. And we can filter non use chords.

That’s enough analysis, we have enough material and now we can reinterpret and develop those

few concepts to write our own theme.

It is always a good idea to choose a different key from the temp track, so I will choose

Bm So here are the functions from the original

in Bm.

So the F is my odd note now. And If you turn all the chords on you can

see functions that are close related to the ones in the original progression

For example this G would be a good substitute for the Em

So far, every single step could be done without any creativity, it is just music theory, totally

objective.

Now comes the part where you have to tel your story. We will show you one path since there

are many writing techniques we’ll be using, which are really useful in developing a theme.

Ok so let’s use these “odd note” concept and magnify it a bit to increase tension

A good choice would be using the different 7th of the Bm since it is a common technique.

We have Bm7 and Bmmaj7 which gives us the A and the A# as notes outside to the Bm triad.

Also using a suspended 2 on the Bm will give as an ambiguous chord so we can use the C#

replacing the D

Ok, we have now a few more choices to create tension within the Bm chord

The easiest way to start is by creating a motive that we can develop.

And we can use the same rhythm as in the original 4 dotted quarters and then a long note

We do not want to start with the 3rd, so lets use the C# and start with a bit of tension

right away. So here’s the motive we’ve chosen

We can use the structure of the a’ with a leap and let’s leap into that A#.

To make it more interesting we can add a link to the a’ a simple pickup figure.

Since our motive is more repetitive than the one from the original it would be a good idea

not to repeat a in the structure again and to change the chord. So we can use the Em

and then come back to Bm and also increase the rhythmic density by inverting all the

dotted quarters first and then the long notes. Also lets turn the lower neighboring tone

into an upper one. So here’s a draft of the first part of the theme.

The end part is weak. We can add some movement or tension to make it more interesting.

So we can replace this C with one of our odd notes the F and resolve to F#

It sounds better but not as final as before. So let’s add an extended ending.

We can use this modal interchange chords to go back to Bm (E major, E minor, Bm) or even

better use G instead of Em.

So here’s the first part then.

Ok the next part of the theme could start with the same harmony as the original so Bm7

to E. We can do something similar. Now in the original

there was a sequence from the IV major to the IV minor

Let’s avoid that by doing a different sequence, and maybe repeat the statement twice since

we’ve extended the first half of the theme for balance.

So let’s try doing the sequence up something like, so we could use these two chords here the related II V of V,

and develop the melody inverting the skip also.

This is a nice chance to also borrow the C# minor chord turning the C# into C#m and use

it as a substitute of the E that goes to the Em and then to Bm

So now we have: And we can add the same tag we use for the

first have of the theme, that will make a nice structure.

Ok there’s the theme.

We can add some accompaniment layer and use some of the odd notes in the inner lines

So these Bm chords we can move the inner lines by changing the 7th and adding the 9th

So Bm add9, then Bm then Bm7 then Bmmaj7 On the Em we can do Em and then Em7/D to create

a nice bass-line Then this Bm has a lot of tension already

The second part we and add9 here Now, here these G#m7, we can use the b6 to

keep the previous sound of the E and make the transition even more ambiguous

Then C#m, let’s anticipate the E bass

And that’s it.

Now we can add all eighth notes for the accompaniment following the new embellishments and a bass

layer using octaves and fifths and we have our theme ready

Ok that works, and it could be a nice idea for an intro

So we can start with an ambiguous chord, for example Bsus2 in second inversion, no bass,

and play with the inner voices moving the 7ths and adding some loose odd notes.

So here’s the entire theme with the intro

Thank you for watching and don’t forget to subscribe, bye.