Diegetic Music

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Synopsis

Music happening in the game world.

Relationships

Context:
Narrative , Emotional Script .
May relate to:
Contextual Music , Musical Outcome .
May use:
Radio .
Makes use of:
Music , Acoustic Ecology .

Description

Diegetic Music is the particular exploration of Music in which the player acknowledges that such music exists inside the game world. In that sense Diegetic Music can be directly explored as an element of the Narrative.

Diegetic Music may be the Musical Outcome of some designed game activity. It may also be the Music that characterizes a certain game context (Contextual Music).

The inherent integration of Diegetic Music in the game world holds the potential to make it fit naturally in the Acoustic Ecology of the game.

Examples

Silent Hill 2

BioShock: This game makes a extensive use of Diegetic Music, with an unusual Aesthetics, that highly contributes to the game's acoustic Signature. In this particular (and relevant) scene it is being performed live.

Grand Theft Auto IV: When driving it is possible to choose the kind of Diegetic Music by changing the radio station in car's radio set.

Heavy Rain: In this particular scene, the player participates in the playing of a piece of Diegetic Music. This scene fits perfectly the mood and the moment in the Narrative.

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Far Cry 2: A Radio tuned in the local radio station is a common finding.

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory:

Halo: Reach:

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time:

LocoRoco: The music is vocalized by the LocoRoco (we can see their mouths moving). In addition, the more the LocoRoco the more the number of voices.

The Graveyard:

External Resources

Some definitions of "Diegetic" and "Diegesis":

• http://www.answers.com/topic/diegesis
• http://www.allwords.com/word-diegetic.html (senses 1. and 2.)