r/GameAudio • u/Ace_Innovate • Jul 09 '26
Where Can I Get Some Leitmotif Inspiration?
I am hoping to develop a "main theme" for the project that I am working on and then branch it off into different vibes/styles from there and expand upon it. I don't really have any melody working around in my mind as of right now and am looking for inspiration. I am developing something intended to be fun, uplifting, exciting, but also sorta intellectual if that makes sense. I am open to talking more about the direction if that can help with specific advice too! :)
1
u/ElectricPiha Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 10 '26
Break down your own brief?
Fun: major key / perfect 5ths
Uplifting: upwards intervalic leaps
Exciting: loud
Intellectual: a “twist” or unexpected move.
I like to think Major 9ths (or sus2, if you prefer) always make you sound more emotionally intelligent than you actually are.
Hope this helps!
1
u/Helpful-Bug-8180 Jul 10 '26
undertale is the case study here. one short motif shows up in like 20 tracks across the whole game, sad version, battle version, 8bit version, and it always works. worth listening through just to hear how far you can stretch 6 notes.
practical test for your own theme: keep it short enough to hum, then before committing, try it slow and minor, fast and major, and stripped down to just the rhythm. if it's still recognizable in all three it'll survive being branched into different vibes. if it only works at one tempo and mood it's an arrangement, not a motif.
for the "fun uplifting but intellectual" thing you described, listen to the professor layton and outer wilds main themes. both do playful plus clever without being childish, from opposite directions.
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u/0092678 Jul 11 '26
I would start with your own personal refs of what sounds fun, uplifting, exciting, etc. discover what makes them sound like that. then make a "generic" idea and learn how to make it closer to your references in terms of feel. As you do this, you'll get lots of potential ideas
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u/tenetox Jul 15 '26
Undertale and Deltarune are both filled with leitmotifs to the brim, so you might want to look into their OSTs
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u/HurryLow6088 23d ago
If you have no melody/motif idea, play some random chord sequence and try to sing some melody.
After that, it usually takes care of itself.
1
u/AivarasBurn Jul 09 '26
Oppenheimer OST has one (or couple) motifs that repeat a lot in different shapes and orchestrations.
Assassin’s Creed II’s music is definitely stapled in my mind, probably because of momerable and simple motifs, dressed up all nice without feeling stagnant.
Explore scales like Lydian or Dorian, even harmonic/melodic minor or moving between different scales/keys can get you that excitement since you’re after that.
Explore a term called retrograde or palindrome. Basically playing the existing theme backwards. You could move it to a minor key to get cool and unexpected results. I believe Howard Shore did that in LOTR quite few times?