By Kimberly Ashton

December 18, 2013

Photo by Phil Farnsworth

Michael Sweet, an associate professor who teaches video game scoring, has seen gaming grow from a niche market into a $60-billion-a-year industry. As money has poured into the field, and its technological achievements have soared, games have grown increasingly sophisicated in terms of visuals, storylines, and music.

"The video game manufacturers have realized and understood that one of the powerful components of creating a video game is to bring players in on an emotional level, and music is a really great way to bring players in," Sweet said. This audio element ranges from sound effects and design to voice-over talent to fully developed compositions.

Berklee is preparing students in the Film Scoring Department to take these jobs by teaching them advanced techniques using state-of-the-art equipment and software, and pushing them to become great writers.

Sweet, who is also a Berklee alumnus, has written music for Sony, Microsoft, Disney, Lego, Cartoon Network, and more. In this episode, he talks about the growth of gaming, the jobs available to composers, and how Berklee is educating the next generation of video game musicmakers.

Producer: Kimberly Ashton

Engineer: Ryan Walsh

Recorded at the BIRN Studios

(25:57)