I know little about music, but I know a good backgroud music will contribute o lot to successful game. As a game designer,I should tell my musician what the backgroud should be or what detailed effect the music will creat in the certain scene. But now, I myself still have no idea about it . But I must do it , it is my work. Therefore, I haveto ask for you help. It is a wakeboarding games in 3d enviroment. Three different scenes: the first one is mystery, the second one is quiet but beatiful, the third one is happy and light. For the game is furious. I must request for different scenes. So my question is :what should the backgroud be? What will the detailed effect the music will creat in the certain scene? Thanks.

Haha I have the same problem at the moment, fortunately the musician I'm working with trys to help me help him. You won't always be that lucky. I'd say the best thing is to learn the lingo so you can be specific about what youre talking about, suggest a few tracks you think would suit, tell him what you like about those, describe every detail about the scene that could be relevant and start from there. Get him to make some when he feels he has enough to go on, and then iteratively get closer to the final product.

I would let the musician decide, after all, that's his work :-) A good musician will do a good job and it will sound good.

If your musician is good, then just search for already existing music that you think works for each situation. Find everything you need, then hand it all to him and tell him to "make something that sounds like this".

Thanks for your reply

Let me put it this way (and I'm coming from more of a film/TV background here, but...)

If you provide a musician samples of what you want, temp tracks, it will make it much easier for them to compose what you want, but it's not going to be as creative as it could be. This option is best if you don't know the musician and need to make sure they're on the track you want them on.

If you simply give guidelines and emotions, it's going to take longer because the musician doesn't know what you want, but you'll end up with a more unique product. This option would be best if you already know this person's style and think it would suit your game.

The bottom line is that you need to know what you want. If you're uncertain, spend some time listening to music and write down some of the tracks that have the sort of sound you're looking for. Or, you can spend some time on the music and sound board until you hear someone with a portfolio that speaks to your game. Keep in mind that without some guidelines, like what you have here (mystery, quiet but beautiful, etc.) the musician is just going to write whatever. The more details, the better picture you can give them of the game, and the more likely it is that their music will work well.