Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Soundtrack City: How Nashville Is Awash in Film, Game Scores
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 5 years ago on
February 27, 2020

Share

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville is already known as Music City, but a new wave of music being recorded there for video games, TV shows and movies could earn it a new title as Soundtrack City.

“Nashville has become one of the two or three major places to record in the world for film, game and television.” — Steve Schnur, president of music for Electronic Arts, the popular video game company 
“Nashville has become one of the two or three major places to record in the world for film, game and television,” said Steve Schnur, president of music for Electronic Arts, the popular video game company.
The city has a reputation for high quality studio musicians that can play just about any genre, including country, pop, rock, gospel and more. Nashville musicians have also been behind the soundtracks for some of the biggest video game franchises including “Madden,” “FIFA,” “Call of Duty” and “Star Wars.”
And more production companies have been bringing their film and TV soundtrack recordings to Nashville, including Netflix, Showtime, Sony and Focus Features, thanks in part to an incentive program enacted into law in last year.
“Nashville has become one of the two or three major places to record in the world for film, game and television,” said Steve Schnur, president of music for Electronic Arts, the popular video game company.
Schnur’s background includes working at MTV and record labels such as Arista and also working as a music supervisor on films prior to joining EA. He’s been a sort of Pied Piper for soundtrack recording in Nashville. “I’ve been preaching Nashville for quite some time and initially it was met with a little cynicism,” he said. “Nashville? Don’t they make country records there?”
For a long time, EA recorded soundtracks for their games with orchestras in Los Angeles, London and eastern Europe. That changed about seven years ago when Schnur came to Nashville to record music for a trailer for a game called “Dragon’s Age Inquisition.”
“It was like the world’s greatest band,” Schnur said of the 60-member orchestra assembled for the recording. “It really supported what Nashville is: a collaborative place.”
Photo of conductor David Shipps directing an orchestra
In this Oct. 21, 2019, photo, conductor David Shipps, front left, directs the orchestra during the recording of a video game soundtrack in Nashville, Tenn. Music City is earning a new reputation as Soundtrack City. And more production companies, including Netflix, Showtime, Sony and Focus Features, have been lured to Nashville to record music for movies, TV and video games in the last year thanks to a new incentive program. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

The Music of Video Games Often Is Integral to the Gameplay

Even more so, Nashville’s musicians were both fast and accurate, even on complicated scores written by acclaimed composers such as Hans Zimmer, Lorne Balfe, Jeff Russo and John Debney.
“This is a first-take town,” said Schnur. “You go to Prague, you’re doing six or seven takes.”
Now, Schnur estimates 90 to 95% of EA’s scores are being recorded in Nashville, with the rest recorded in London.
The music of video games often is integral to the gameplay in creating both emotion and attachment to the characters and storyline. Kris Bowers, the composer and pianist behind the Oscar-winning film “Green Book,” came to Ocean Way Nashville Recording Studios to record the soundtrack for “Madden NFL 20.”
Bowers said he can still recall exactly the music of the games he played as a child, such as “GoldenEye 007” on Nintendo 64 or “Super Smash Bros.” and “Zelda.”
“I think the music immediately connects you, especially when there are strong themes or these melodies that you can’t forget. It’s the same thing as hearing a John Williams score. You hear it and you’re immediately transported to your childhood,” Bowers said.
Bowers also explained that because video games are non-linear, meaning the player’s decisions can take the game in different directions, he had to compose music in a totally different way than he does for films or TV.

Tennessee Has the Highest Concentration of Musicians in the Country

“For each of these different endings or different iterations of the storyline, or the way that it branches out, there will be a different piece of score,” Bowers said. “For myself, thinking as more of a film composer, how do I make each branch feel similar, like they are related, but obviously matching the emotional tone of the story at that moment?”

“For each of these different endings or different iterations of the storyline, or the way that it branches out, there will be a different piece of score. For myself, thinking as more of a film composer, how do I make each branch feel similar, like they are related, but obviously matching the emotional tone of the story at that moment?” — Kris Bowers, the composer and pianist behind the Oscar-winning film “Green Book” 
That also means a lot more music to record compared to a feature film. Schnur said video game scores can range between an hour to 300 minutes of recorded music.
Bob Raines, executive director of the Tennessee Entertainment Commission, said that when Tennessee has to compete with neighboring states like Georgia and Louisiana for film and TV production, music production was their competitive advantage.
Raines notes that Tennessee has the highest concentration of musicians in the country and is the second in the country for concentration of sound engineers. About five years ago, Raines said they started seeing growth in the scoring sector, so the state started working on an incentive program.
In just six months, they brought five new musical scoring projects to Tennessee that likely would have gone to eastern Europe, with companies such as Netflix, Showtime Networks, Focus Features, Sony and EA, Raines said.
“We have a legacy of music as a state brand so it was easy to promote,” said Raines.
Schnur said now the problem isn’t bringing projects to Nashville, it’s finding the studio space and time to record them.
“Nobody second guesses coming to Nashville,” said Schnur. “The only question now is there’s not enough space and we need more.”

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Madera County Wildfire Prompts Evacuation Warnings, Road Closures

DON'T MISS

Sanger Police Seek Public’s Help to Find Missing Teen

DON'T MISS

Trump Says Everyone Should Immediately Evacuate Tehran

DON'T MISS

Inside Trump’s Extraordinary Turnaround on Immigration Raids

DON'T MISS

Trump Approval Steady at 42%, Support Weakens for His Immigration Policy, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Finds

DON'T MISS

Person Rescued from Fresno Canal, Third Incident in Recent Days

DON'T MISS

Arias Dodges Questions About His False Fresno ICE Raid Claim

DON'T MISS

Iranian State TV Halts Live Broadcast After Israeli Strike

DON'T MISS

Global Markets Recover on Iran Ceasefire Reports, Central Banks in Focus

DON'T MISS

Madera Man Sentenced to Over 21 Years for Fentanyl, Meth Trafficking

UP NEXT

Five Weeknight Dishes: Seven Ingredients or Fewer, Because Summer

UP NEXT

The Best Songs of 2025, So Far

UP NEXT

A Starter Pack for Aspiring Wine Lovers

UP NEXT

Ye Makes Surprise Appearance at Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Trial

UP NEXT

Judge in Harvey Weinstein Trial Declares Mistrial on Rape Charge

UP NEXT

Brian Wilson, Summer’s Poet Laureate of the Beach Boys, Dies at 82

UP NEXT

World’s Most Popular TikTok Star Khaby Lame Leaves the US After Being Detained by ICE

UP NEXT

Sly Stone, Maestro of a Multifaceted, Hitmaking Band, Dies at 82

UP NEXT

Did That Clint Eastwood Interview Happen? Yes, Kind Of.

UP NEXT

‘Lilo & Stitch’ Passes ‘Sinners’ to Become 2nd Highest Grossing Film of 2025

Kings County Sheriff Announces Retirement After Nearly 30 Years in Law Enforcement

12 hours ago

General Mills to Remove Artificial Colors From All Its US Cereals and Foods

12 hours ago

US FDA to Shorten Review Time for Drug Developers Under New Voucher Program

13 hours ago

Physician Warns Fresno County Supervisors About Jail’s Medical Provider, Private Equity Co.

13 hours ago

Houthi Official Says Group Will Intervene to Support Iran Against Israel

13 hours ago

How Trump Shifted on Iran Under Pressure From Israel

14 hours ago

Trump Calls for Iran’s ‘Unconditional Surrender’ as Israel-Iran Air War Rages On

15 hours ago

US Supreme Court Justices Disclose Income From Book Deals and Teaching

15 hours ago

Fresno Approves $2.4 Billion Budget. What’s In, What’s Out?

16 hours ago

The S&P 500 Is Nearing a Record. Really.

16 hours ago

‘Who’s Running the White House?’ Trump Brings Back ICE Raids on Farms, Restaurants

U.S. immigration officials on Tuesday walked back limits on enforcement targeting farms, restaurants, hotels and food processing plants just...

11 hours ago

11 hours ago

‘Who’s Running the White House?’ Trump Brings Back ICE Raids on Farms, Restaurants

12 hours ago

Granite Park Eviction Lawsuit Heads Toward Trial

Mark Kismet, 50, who is considered at-risk went missing on Friday, June 6, 2025, in Clovis near Harlan Ranch is still missing according to the Clovis Police Department on Thursday, June 12, 2025. (Clovis PD)
12 hours ago

Missing Clovis Man Found Dead. No Foul Play Suspected

Kings County Sheriff Dave Robinson announced he will retire on November 24, 2025, ending a nearly 30-year career and prompting the county to consider options for his replacement. (Kings County SO)
12 hours ago

Kings County Sheriff Announces Retirement After Nearly 30 Years in Law Enforcement

12 hours ago

General Mills to Remove Artificial Colors From All Its US Cereals and Foods

13 hours ago

US FDA to Shorten Review Time for Drug Developers Under New Voucher Program

13 hours ago

Physician Warns Fresno County Supervisors About Jail’s Medical Provider, Private Equity Co.

13 hours ago

Houthi Official Says Group Will Intervene to Support Iran Against Israel

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend