How to Motivate Students Who Only Want to Play Video Game Music

A student walks in, drops their bag, and says, “Can we just do video game music today?”

If you have ever felt torn between keeping them excited and actually teaching the skills they need, you are in good company.

Video game music can be a goldmine for motivation, but it can also turn into a tug-of-war if the student refuses anything else. This matters because the way you handle it affects retention, practice habits, and whether the student starts to see music as something they can own, not just consume.

Start by saying yes, then define the “yes”

When a student only wants to play video game music, a flat “no” usually backfires. You do not have to give up your standards, though. You can say yes with boundaries.

Try a simple framework:

• Yes to the style and the songs they love.
• Yes to choosing together what is realistic for their level.
• Yes with a plan for skills.

Here are phrases that keep you in charge without killing the vibe:

• “Yes. Pick one piece you are excited about, and I will pick one skill we are going to build through it.”
• “Yes. We will do game music for the next four weeks, and we will check in after that to see what you want next.”
• “Yes. Bring me two options, and we will choose the one that fits your hands and your reading level right now.”

This will not work for everyone, but it helps a lot with students who get stuck in an all-or-nothing mindset.

Use game music to teach the same skills you would teach anyway

You can get real teaching done inside game music if you choose the right arrangement and you are clear about the goal.

A few common skill targets and how game music can support them:

• Reading: Many game arrangements have repetitive patterns. Use those to teach interval reading, landmarks, and quick recognition of repeated motives.
• Rhythm: Boss themes and battle music often include syncopation and driving subdivisions. Great for counting out loud and using a metronome.
• Technique: Arpeggiated textures show up everywhere, especially in “floating” or “dreamy” tracks. Perfect for wrist motion, finger independence, bow distribution, stick control, or breath support depending on the instrument.
• Articulation and tone: Chiptune style pieces can be a fun way to work on clear attacks and consistent tone, even on strings or winds.

Specific example: when a 7-year-old struggles with steady rhythm, pick a simple, catchy theme with a repeating bass line or ostinato. Make the left hand, low string, or accompaniment pattern the “engine,” then build the melody on top once the engine stays steady.

Watch out for arrangement traps

Some arrangements look easy because the melody is familiar, but they hide problems:

• Awkward leaps that are tough for small hands
• Dense chords that require technique they do not have yet
• Rhythms that are too complex for their current counting skills

If the piece is too hard, motivation drops fast because practice feels like failure.

Set up a “video game music contract” for practice

A lot of students who love game music still do not practice. They listen, they watch playthroughs, they hum the tune, but they do not do the slow work.

A simple agreement can help. Keep it light, but specific.

Try this structure:

• Student picks the song.
• Teacher sets the weekly practice target.
• Student earns a fun add-on.

Examples of practice targets that actually work:

• “Play measures 1 to 8 three times in a row with no stops at 60 bpm.”
• “Clap and count the rhythm, then play it on one note, then add the real notes.”
• “Record a 30-second clip on your phone and circle one spot you want help with.”

Examples of fun add-ons that keep things positive:

• Choose the next track from the same game
• Add a simple harmony, bass line, or drum groove
• Do a “soundtrack moment” at the end of the lesson where they perform what they have

This will not work for every student, especially teens who resist structure, but it can be a lifesaver for younger students and busy families.

Build a bridge to other music without making it a fight

If you want them to play more than game music, you need a bridge that feels connected to what they already love.

A few bridge ideas:

• Composer connections: If they love Zelda, talk about orchestration and compare it to film music. If they love Undertale, talk about motives and variation.
• Style connections: Chiptune can lead to basic synth sounds, then to simple pop arranging, then to chords and lead sheets.
• Technique connections: A fast repeated-note passage can lead to a short etude that builds the same motion.

Specific example: if a student loves a dramatic boss theme with a repeated rhythmic figure, give them a short exercise that uses the same rhythm on a single note. Then show them how that exercise makes the tricky spot in the piece easier. They feel the payoff right away.

Try a “two out of three” repertoire rule

This is a gentle way to widen their musical diet.

• One video game piece
• One teacher-choice piece that supports a skill
• One choice from a short list you make (film, anime, pop, folk, jazz, classical, musical theater)

They still feel in control, and you still guide the overall plan.

Teach them how to find good arrangements, and how to ask for them

Students often pick music based on what they find first online. That can mean messy notation, wrong rhythms, or arrangements that do not match their level.

Spend five minutes teaching them how to bring you better options.

Ask them to send you:

• The title of the track and the game
• A link to the original audio
• The arrangement they want to use
• A quick note about what they love about it (fast, spooky, relaxing, heroic)

Then you can respond with something like:

• “This arrangement is too advanced right now, but I found a level-appropriate version that keeps the main melody.”
• “We can use this version, but we will simplify the left hand for two weeks.”

If you charge $60/hour, this small bit of prep can save you a lot of lesson time. It also helps the student feel heard because you are working with their idea, not replacing it.

Practical takeaway: what to try this week

Pick one student who is stuck on video game music only, and try this simple plan for the next lesson:

• Ask them to choose one track they love.
• Pick one skill goal for the month (steady rhythm, reading, hand position, articulation, tone, phrasing).
• Create a tiny weekly target (8 measures, one section, one loop).
• End the lesson with a “soundtrack performance” where they play what they have, even if it is short.

You do not have to turn every student into a classical musician. You just need a plan that keeps their excitement alive while you keep building real musicianship, one level at a time.