Use when you have a written implementation plan to execute in a separate session with review checkpoints
npx skills add pluginagentmarketplace/custom-plugin-game-developer --skill "daw-music"
Install specific skill from multi-skill repository
# Description
|
# SKILL.md
name: daw-music
version: "2.0.0"
description: |
Digital Audio Workstation usage, music composition, interactive music systems,
and game audio implementation for immersive soundscapes.
sasmp_version: "1.3.0"
bonded_agent: 04-audio-sound-design
bond_type: PRIMARY_BOND
parameters:
- name: daw
type: string
required: false
validation:
enum: [reaper, ableton, fl_studio, logic_pro, pro_tools]
- name: music_type
type: string
required: false
validation:
enum: [interactive, linear, ambient, dynamic, procedural]
retry_policy:
enabled: true
max_attempts: 3
backoff: exponential
observability:
log_events: [start, complete, error]
metrics: [track_count, cpu_usage, export_time]
DAW & Music Composition
DAW Selection
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β DAW COMPARISON β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β REAPER: β
β Price: $60 β Best for: Game audio, flexibility β
β Pros: Lightweight, customizable, great for stems β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β ABLETON LIVE: β
β Price: $99-749 β Best for: Electronic, live performance β
β Pros: Session view, great for layered music β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β FL STUDIO: β
β Price: $99-499 β Best for: Electronic, hip-hop β
β Pros: Pattern-based, lifetime updates β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β LOGIC PRO: β
β Price: $199 β Best for: Film, orchestral (Mac only) β
β Pros: Great instruments, Apple ecosystem β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Game Music Structure
INTERACTIVE MUSIC LAYERS:
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β Layer 1 (Base): Percussion/rhythm - always playing β
β Layer 2 (Harmony): Pads/strings - calm moments β
β Layer 3 (Melody): Main theme - exploration β
β Layer 4 (Tension): Dissonance - approaching danger β
β Layer 5 (Combat): Intense - full orchestra/drums β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
MUSIC STATE TRANSITIONS:
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β [EXPLORATION] β detect enemy β [TENSION] β
β β β β
β βββ no enemy ββββββββββ [COMBAT] βββ engage β
β β β
β enemy defeated β
β β β
β [VICTORY] β
β β β
β β [EXPLORATION] β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Composition Workflow
GAME MUSIC PRODUCTION PIPELINE:
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β 1. CONCEPT: β
β β’ Reference tracks β
β β’ Mood boards β
β β’ Discuss with team β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β 2. SKETCH: β
β β’ Quick mockup (piano/synth) β
β β’ Establish tempo, key, theme β
β β’ 30-second demo for approval β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β 3. PRODUCTION: β
β β’ Full instrumentation β
β β’ Create stems for interactivity β
β β’ Multiple intensity versions β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β 4. MIXING: β
β β’ Balance levels β
β β’ EQ and compression β
β β’ Leave headroom for SFX β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β 5. EXPORT: β
β β’ Loop points (seamless) β
β β’ Stems for middleware β
β β’ Multiple quality versions β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Seamless Loop Creation
LOOP TECHNIQUES:
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β 1. MEASURE-ALIGNED: β
β β’ Start/end on exact bar boundaries β
β β’ Ensure reverb tails don't extend past end β
β β’ Crossfade at loop point if needed β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β 2. INTRO + LOOP: β
β β’ Separate intro section β
β β’ Main loop starts after intro β
β β’ Mark loop start/end points in metadata β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β 3. STINGER TRANSITIONS: β
β β’ Short musical phrases for state changes β
β β’ Victory fanfares β
β β’ Death/failure sounds β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Export Settings
| Format | Use Case | Settings |
|---|---|---|
| WAV | Master/Stems | 48kHz, 24-bit |
| OGG | Game runtime | 128-192 kbps |
| MP3 | Backup/Preview | 320 kbps |
| MIDI | Interactive | Standard MIDI |
π§ Troubleshooting
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β PROBLEM: Loop has audible click/pop β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β SOLUTIONS: β
β β Ensure loop points are at zero-crossing β
β β Add small crossfade (5-10ms) β
β β Check reverb/delay tails β
β β Verify exact sample alignment β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β PROBLEM: Music doesn't fit game mood β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β SOLUTIONS: β
β β Create reference playlist with team β
β β Start with temp music to establish mood β
β β Get feedback on sketches before full production β
β β Consider genre conventions β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β PROBLEM: Transitions between music states jarring β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β SOLUTIONS: β
β β Use same key/tempo across states β
β β Add transition stingers β
β β Crossfade on musical boundaries (bars) β
β β Use stems to gradually add/remove layers β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Integration Workflow
MIDDLEWARE INTEGRATION:
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β DAW β Export Stems β Wwise/FMOD β Game Engine β
β β
β Stems typically: β
β β’ Percussion β
β β’ Bass β
β β’ Harmony β
β β’ Melody β
β β’ FX/Stingers β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Use this skill: When composing game music, implementing audio systems, or creating interactive soundtracks.
# Supported AI Coding Agents
This skill is compatible with the SKILL.md standard and works with all major AI coding agents:
Learn more about the SKILL.md standard and how to use these skills with your preferred AI coding agent.