There is a significant role for sound and music in video games, as there is in other media forms such as film and animation (Collins 2008). Its inclusion in mainstream music educational practices has, however, been slow to gain acceptance. This is most likely the result of several factors; a lack of familiarity and expertise amongst educators, a perception that the practice was popularist and therefore trivial and unworthy of a place in the curriculum, and a lack of accessible tools and resources appropriate for students.

This chapter will examine how creating sound and music for video games can be part of the music classroom. It will discuss how design patterns in music and audio can be taught using computer game development as a paradigm.