Have you ever considered music psychology and the impact it has on gaming? Find out more about how live casino games use music to significant effect.
Knowledge about the influence of music on the human psyche is nothing new. Music is found in every society worldwide, from the lullabies a mother croons to her baby to songs of celebration, happiness, love and mourning. Music provides the soundtrack to everyday life.
However, while music may seem as old as time, there are new technologies advancing, such as gaming. It’s hard to imagine life without these new advancements, but yet they haven’t left the old ways behind. The gaming world relies on music almost as much as it does on technology; without the inclusion of music, gaming would be flat and soulless.
Here’s a closer look at music psychology and how it’s used in gaming.
A Biological Response
When you hear a fast track with a rapid beat, it’s hard to resist switching up a gear to match the music. Likewise, a gentle melody creates an almost instinctive reaction to slow down and relax.
These reactions aren’t entirely conscious as your body is quite literally hardwired to respond to music at a biological level.
When you hear music, your brain anticipates what’s about to come next and floods your body with dopamine, the pleasure chemical.
These biological responses combine to help listening to music become an emotional and immersive experience. This is why music is used to such great effect in films; can you imagine the Titanic being half as poignant without the beautiful ballad sung by Celine Dion?
Although different people may have preferences for different songs, we’re all affected by music at a biological level – and this is why they have been entwined with technology to create unforgettable gaming.
Immersive Gaming
Games have used noise and sound for a long time to create an experience that draws on as many senses as possible. With the tactile feel of pressing the buttons and the visual display, the bells, whistles and sirens add an extra dimension, lining up the excitement in an almost Pavlovian way.
But music moves things along even further; simple background noises aren’t immersive and don’t create emotions as you’re playing. Slots and live casino games go much further and use music as part of the overall experience rather than just as an afterthought.
Rather than something that’s tagged on the end to complete the game, a lot of planning goes into the music that’s used. Game developers recognise that music can help a game succeed and have specific teams that source and even create the most suitable soundtracks to engage players.
It’s not just used during the gameplay either; music is used to great effect during marketing campaigns too. In the same way, that specific bells or alarms can become automatically connected with a winning move, just hearing certain music can remind players of the game.
If you are doubtful of the effect that music has on your mood during the game, and the pace you play, try turning the sound off. You’ll notice that the experience is much flatter, and it feels as if something is “missing”. Music might not be the first thing you consciously think about when it comes to gaming, but it’s an essential element that transforms the whole experience in a positive way.
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