'I get inspired by the visuals and honestly those visuals feel like an embarrassment of riches that inform how I write' — Original Mass Effect composer reveals the 'groundbreaking stuff' BioWare used for the soundtrack

Mass Effect composer Jack Wall draws creative inspiration primarily from the visual elements of a project, finding them to be "an embarrassment of riches" that shape his writing. In an interview with TechRadar Gaming, Wall detailed the innovative tools he employed for the iconic soundtracks of Mass Effect 1 and 2. For Mass Effect 1, Wall utilized analog modeled plugins like those from Arturia and other companies, a novel approach at the time that allowed for immediate recall and variation of musical cues.

Mass Effect 2 saw Wall transition to using the Wwise (Wave Works Interactive Sound Engine), a significant improvement that enhanced the music playback experience compared to its predecessor. Wall emphasized the unique characteristics of Mass Effect, particularly the blend of 80s synth music with a quasi-orchestra vibe, which was inspired by director Casey Hudson's vision.

The composer discussed the combination of Moog synths, orchestra, voices, specific percussion, and arpeggiated synths with orchestral embellishments as key elements in crafting the memorable sound of the series.