Date of Award
6-15-2024
Document Type
Masters Thesis
Degree Name
M.A. in Music
Organizational Unit
College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences, Lamont School of Music
First Advisor
Zoe Weiss
Second Advisor
Jack Sheinbaum
Third Advisor
Mitch Ohriner
Fourth Advisor
Alejandro Cerón
Keywords
Authenticity, Collaboration, Expert musicians, Music, Others, Video games
Abstract
Video games create rich, virtual worlds for players to explore. Game developers have often utilized exoticism, allowing players to experience the “Other” from the comfort of home. Music is a powerful tool to evoke Otherness and can reinforce stereotypes about the past and different cultures. This thesis looks at recent games where developers have collaborated with expert musicians either from the culture depicted or with expertise in historical performance practices. I document two purposes these collaborations can serve. First, the use of expert musicians creates a veneer of authenticity allowing developers to market the games as “authentic” experiences. Second, these collaborations can resist crude musical stereotyping and present more nuanced musical depictions of historical and non-Western cultures. Nevertheless, the hierarchical power structures of game studios can undermine these goals. My case studies explore the nuances of these collaborations, highlighting both the opportunities and pitfalls.
Copyright Date
6-2024
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
All Rights Reserved.
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
Tommy Dainko
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
File Format
application/pdf
Language
English (eng)
Extent
76 pgs
File Size
456 KB
Recommended Citation
Dainko, Tommy, "Resisting the Historical and Geographical “Other”: The Role of Expertise in Video Game Music" (2024). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2442.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/2442