Jason Graves says the gameplay itself and collaboration with Infinity Ward helped shape the multiplayer score for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. In an interview with TechRadar Gaming, the composer described the game as a major source of inspiration and credited the studio’s audio and music teams with helping define the soundtrack’s direction.
Graves said the team led by audio director Stephen Miller was a “huge creative influence,” while the music team, led by Jonathan Mayer, was “integral in shaping the overall vibe” and giving him room to work creatively.
He also stressed the importance of collaboration on a project of this scale, explaining that a score can take years to come together. Graves has previously worked on games including Warzone, Dead Space, Dead Space 2 and Tomb Raider (2013), as well as projects in film.
Graves said he generally avoids listening to music from earlier entries in a franchise unless the developer asks him to. For Modern Warfare 4, he acknowledged “a little bit of vibe inspiration” from the original Modern Warfare 2, but said he did not draw on anything too specific. He added that Infinity Ward had supported trying new approaches and creating a score tailored to the gameplay.
Sources: TechRadar.