Jack Wall explains the synth tools and playback changes behind Mass Effect’s music

The sound of the first two Mass Effect games grew from both a musical brief and the practical tools available to their composers. In an interview with TechRadar Gaming, composer Jack Wall described how visual inspiration, software instruments and a change in audio implementation shaped his work on the series.

Wall said visuals are a major starting point for his writing, helping him find a direction for each project. For Mass Effect, he identified sound, melody and atmosphere as central considerations, with the games’ particular identity guiding those choices.

Building a repeatable synth palette

According to Wall, game director Casey Hudson wanted a blend of 1980s synthesizers and orchestral elements. Wall gravitated toward Moog and other analog synth sounds, alongside orchestra, voices, selected percussion and repeating synth patterns beneath orchestral layers.

For the first Mass Effect, the team used analog-modeling plugins from Arturia and other companies. Wall described those tools as a significant development at the time because their settings could be recalled immediately.

That flexibility helped when revising a piece or returning to related musical cues. By comparison, Wall said restoring settings on physical Moog synthesizers was difficult.

A different approach to music playback

For Mass Effect 2, Wall said the team used Wwise to implement the score in the game, a tool they had not used on the first installment. He credited that change with substantially improving how the sequel’s music played back.

His assessment concerns the implementation of the score as well as its composition. The account offers a useful perspective on game soundtracks: the instruments establish a musical palette, while the systems delivering that music during play also shape the listening experience.