How I Create My Music Packs for Game Developers (My Real Workflow, No Mystery Dust Added)

Marika Speck
Dec 8
3 min read

by Marika Schanz – composer, sound explorer, accidental goblin impersonator

When people ask me how I create my music packs, they sometimes imagine something mystical. Maybe I sit in a candlelit room, summon ancient spirits, and wait for the cosmic melody to descend upon me like a pigeon with excellent taste.

I wish.

The truth is: My process is a mix of research, organization, musical archaeology, a little chaos, and a lot of passion for helping indie devs bring their worlds to life. Here’s how it really happens:

1. Step One – Research Like a Dragon Hoarding References

Before I compose a single note, I scan the Unreal and Unity marketplaces to see what’s missing. I’m basically hunting for gaps — genres that exist in games but aren’t covered well by music packs.

If there are already 57 fantasy packs with magical flutes and sparkly mushrooms…then guess what? I won’t make number 58.

Instead, I look for something fresh:

“Dark Western”? ✔
“Clockwork Steampunk Fairy Forest”? Also ✔
“Moody Swamp Ambience with Slight Existential Dread”? You know I’m in.

2. Step Two – Dive Deep Into the Genre (Like… very deep)

Once I pick a theme, I don’t just listen to modern soundtracks.I go full archaeology mode.

If I’m making Nordic music: I listen to actual folk musicians, study old instruments, look up notation from centuries ago, explore how those instruments behaved, and what made that sound so unique.

This is where I define the acoustic branding of the pack — the specific sonic fingerprint that makes it recognizable and authentic.

3. Step Three – Create a Project Plan in HacknPlan

This part always surprises people. Yes… I actually project-manage my music.

In HacknPlan I create tasks for everything I’ll need:

Track Types

Calm
Battle
Mystical
Exploration
Ambient
Town/Tavern
Crafting or Utility tracks
Region-specific moods (snow, swamp, desert…)

Technical Needs

Which tracks must loop seamlessly
Alternative versions (light / heavy / no percussion / no vocals…)
Stingers for level-ups, battle win/loss, item pickup, transitions

Marketing Tasks

Promo graphics
Unreal Engine video trailer
Branding
Metadata
Website content
Marketplace descriptions
And even the order of posting online

I swear I spend almost as much time planning as composing.

Almost.

4. Step Four – Compose and Record (aka the Fun But Chaotic Part)

This is where I disappear into my studio, surrounded by too many instruments and not enough self-control.

Creating a full pack can include:

Composing 20–40 individual pieces
Recording acoustic instruments
Blending real and virtual instruments
Crafting immersive ambiences
Mixing and mastering
Building loops that never click, glitch, or jump
Testing everything in-engine

If one loop clicks, it’s dead to me.

5. Step Five – Build the Marketing & Presentation

Making great music isn’t enough — people need to find it.

For every pack I also prepare:

A polished video demo in Unreal Engine
Custom artwork
Individual audio previews
Detailed product text for each marketplace
Website landing pages
Social media posts
Blog content (like this one!)

This part is honestly the hardest: getting the pack in front of the indie devs who would love it but don’t know it exists yet.

6. Step Six – Release + Support

Once everything is uploaded, I answer questions, help devs pick the right tracks, update older packs, and keep improving based on feedback.

My goal is simple: Make music that inspires creativity — the same way games inspire mine.

Final Thoughts

Creating a game music pack isn’t a quick “make 10 tracks and upload them” process.It’s research, world-building, planning, composing, branding, presenting, and supporting — all wrapped in one long creative journey.

And honestly?I love every step of it.

If you’re a developer looking for music that’s made with care, humor, passion, and too much coffee… my packs might be exactly what you’re looking for.