Jason Graves Explains How He Scored the High-Intensity Multiplayer of Modern Warfare 4

the composer for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 says to capture the feel of multiplayer maps, you need to spend plenty of time in multiplayer, since it carries a totally different energy from the campaign — he was aiming for drive, momentum, and nonstop rush.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’s music composer Jason Graves has described how he shaped the game’s multiplayer music, saying it is entirely unlike the campaign in both mood and pace.

During an interview, when he was asked how he found the right sound for multiplayer, Graves said the first step was simple: play a lot of multiplayer. He noted that the mode has a far more shifting atmosphere than the campaign’s steadier rhythm.

He explained that the music has to make players feel that anything can happen at any moment. Much of his goal was to build a sense of forward drive and raw intensity.

Graves also joked that he saw himself as a kind of musical field leader, lifting everyone up before the action, keeping them sharp during the fight, and celebrating them once they made it back.

On the subject of how each map stands apart in the score, Graves said there is a lot to consider given how many maps the mode includes, especially with future updates and expansions expected.

Rather than making music for each map in a highly detailed way, the team organized things around emotional energy and timing. That approach, he said, gives much more room to adapt.

He added that there is no single strict formula for scoring these maps. Instead, the sound depends on the full mix of elements that convey the mode’s fast-moving style through a blend of natural and digital effects.

• Heavy percussion
• Warped electronic layers
• Natural textures shaped through processing

Graves said he enjoys mixing real-world sounds with electronic treatment, especially when the result is something hard to pin down. That, he added, brings a feeling of energy and unpredictability that suits multiplayer perfectly.