What is it in game music that you like so much and how could it be better?

Originally Posted by Rimo

1. If you had to describe what VGM is to someone ignorant on the subject, what would you say?

VGM is professional music that's been composed for inclusion in video games, and is not generally intended for mainstream radio or television listening. I'd also be sure to note that it often explores much wider styles and sounds than one may be used to hearing.

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2. Why do you listen to game music on a stand-alone basis? What elements do you like or dislike from it?

I like the variety. It's one of the few remaining mediums that not only allows but encourages true creativity. Unlike commercial music which emphasizes conformity, VGM composers are free to explore different musical territory for no better reason than it's possible.

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3. Do you listen to music from games you haven't played?

Sure.

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4. What percentage does VGM represent on your playlist vs. non-game music? If applicable, what kind of music do you listen to outside of VGM? If you don't listen to mainstream music (i.e. not VGM, film, or anime soundtracks), why is that so?

I'd estimate that it's a good 25%. I also listen to classic rock, folk, indie, world, 80s, and a smattering of stuff in-between.

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5. How do you feel about music that was not published as an official album? How much of a problem is it to you if you want to listen to it? Also, do you actually buy official albums or strictly download them illegally (or a mix of both)? Do you think these albums are adequately priced?

I tend to prefer "official" music (tracks from official albums or directly ripped from games), for reasons I don't entirely understand. I surmise that a lot of it possesses a more "polished" feel. But it's never prevented me from looking over doujin sites to see if there are any interesting remixes of tracks I know and love.

I've never purchased a VGM album except for the FFX OST, which I got on clearance at an import shop in California that was closing its doors.

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6. Which genres/styles do you mainly listen to? Which do you avoid?

I'm unsure what this means, so I'll answer as best I know. I prefer the up-tempo stuff, pieces that feel energetic or triumphant. Also, tracks with complex, layered effects appeal to me.
I'm not so keen on military-themed music, Asian vocals, or symphonic pieces recorded so as to sound as if played in a performance hall.

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7. If one of these genres also exists in non-game music, do you also listen to it from that category? If not, why?

I guess some trance and techno music applies. I'm not a hardcore fanatic but I like some of the more melodic electronic music out there.

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8. Video gaming had a reputation for a long time of being a childish or geeky hobby, and a part of it persists today. Inevitably, to a certain extent, the music also fell under this denigrative categorization (especially retro chiptunes). Do you think VGM is as valid as any other music from a listener's point of view? Additionally, are you fully comfortable about mentioning you listen to VGM when you discuss with someone who isn't into gaming?

VGM is a more recent phenomenon. Even other modern genres have their roots as far back as the 60s, when mellotrons and moog synthesizers were the rage. People have had time to accept these things into everyday life. Video games have only recently hit their stride as far as media credibility (and controversy) goes. The relative infancy of the modern industry no doubt causes some people surprise when they learn that the musics themselves are a multi-million dollar sub-industry. This perspective will shift in coming years, of course. Those in power now grew up during a time when "Rock'em Sock'em Robots" were modern technology. In another 20 years, the 8-Bit NES crowd will be in control of culture, and there will be a much more lenient attitude toward VGM.

I freely admit that I listen to VGM. My coworkers know it. I've let them listen to my ipod as demonstration that what I'm hearing is indeed of high quality, and perhaps surpasses the music in their own CD players.

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9. How would you compare game music from the past (aka chiptunes, up to the SNES era) and modern material?

Apples and oranges. How would you compare a coffee house jam band to the London Symphonic Orchestra? Both are capable of producing enjoyable sounds, but you have to acknowledge the technical and aesthetic limitations imposed upon each by the tools (or lack thereof) at their disposal.

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10. During its infancy, VGM was unique in part because of its electronic sound coming from limited sound chips. Today, any kind of instruments can be used and thus this uniqueness doesn't always persist. Do you believe VGM should sound different from other music categories? If so, how could this be achieved nowadays?

Not really, no. The greatest, and most appealing, feature of VGM is that it's not limited to one particular style. It's any style the composer prefers. Often, it's a fusion - rock and jazz; synth and strings; pop and classical, etc. If it can be envisioned, it can be done. R&B is forever limited by its style, and is therefore always going to be primarily drums and bass. VGM is capable of transcending genre specifications. Why should it even try to be defined by any particular sound, anyhow?

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11. Most gamers don't particularly care about game music (or at least, to the extent we do). Thus, it's most probably not part of their playlists. Some producers believe that players would prefer to hear their favorite mainstream songs while playing rather than original music, hence the use of licensed material. What is your opinion about this?

I wouldn't say they don't care. They just don't feel a need to make it a seperate experience. Some people don't live their life with a strong focus upon music, and that's fine. VGM is just as much for them as it is for serious listeners, as the music is primarily intended to be an in-game experience. VGM enthusiasts are just a corollary phenomenon.
For some games, licensed music is fine, as it lends a tailored quality to the sound. I'd be upset if it became the industry standard, or if developers began to head-hunt unknown bands and license one or two tracks from each rather than hire on experienced composers. However, this doesn't seem to be the trend, as Japan's artistic vision is much different than America's and they still strongly value originality.

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12. Other producers, which aren't as radical, may still hire a composer, yet ask him/her to create something that sounds extremely close to popular music. This does not make highly unique VGM, yet it can still be very enjoyable and is a creative process. Do you see a problem in this?

Not always. It depends upon who is hired and how much potential we know that individual to otherwise possess. If you hired Yack and told him to compose a very cinematic soundtrack, then yes, I'd feel his talents were being wasted. However, if a producer chose carefully, and selected, say, Tommy Tallarico for the same project, I'd consider it an apt choice.

New direction is always nice but it's not necessary in every single game. "Eternal Arcadia" was a very traditional RPG OST in most regards, but that did not prevent it from exuding total quality. Small innovations within established conventions work just as well.

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13. A popular trend these days (notably in the West) is to make games that are very cinematic in nature, mimicking Hollywood down to the use of (usually) orchestral cinematic music. How do you feel about this? Since these two media are converging when it comes to telling a story on screen, should games (and their music) be any different from films? If so, how?

I don't like it, as it encourages the producers to borrow directly from the film's score. I'm not a big fan of cinematic music because much of it is so identical and overwrought. It also seems to minimalize the musical contributions a composer would make, often forcing them to arrange someone else's work, or cutting the VGM composer out of the process completely. It saves a few bucks in production but the loss of original content is often apparent.

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14. Certain producers and composers believe that the perfect music should not be noticeable unless it's not there. Another way to formulate this would be to say that the music shouldn't be in the forefront to avoid distracting the player. In practice, this often results in the use of an adaptative music system, playing an ambient (see "usually unmelodic") track when nothing special is going on and then loading a more dynamic cue when action kicks in. When listened to on a stand alone basis, these soundtracks often make an inconsistent experience (unless for huge ambient fans). What do you think about this?

Depends upon the game. For some games, you definitely want ambience. "Metroid Prime" would be kind of awkward with thumping eurodance music, wouldn't it? On the other hand, ambience would seem quite dull in a racer. That's when you want something original and cool to groove to. At least I do.

Frankly, this "perfect music" theory sounds like a cop-out used by composers who know their work isn't very original and want a convenient excuse for their lack of acclaim.

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15. VGM is inevitably linked to the games it comes from. In fact, it's created to suit them in the first place! Is there any soundtrack which you regard very lowly from a listener point of view, but that you found worked well in-game? If possible, how could it have been more enjoyable to listen to while still working as well in-game?

I'm gonna go with Culdcept here. To listen to it alone, it's pretty bland. Kenji Ito doesn't take many adventurous liberties, that's for sure. However, the game was quite fun and had many moments of intense concentration. Those are times when I'm not thinking about the music, so the low-key accompaniment was very appreciated. It was definitely better than awkward silence, or worse, a highly distracting melody. It all worked as fully intended; it's just not going to earn points for novelty.

The only way to have improved the Culdcept OST would've been to insert more interesting tracks in places that didn't require such concentration. You could have something cool in the "pause" mode, or on the "profile selection" screen. There were opportunities missed, definitely.

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16. Do you think there is too much music sounding the same? If so, could this be because there are too many similar games? If the games weren't to change, how could the music become different without sounding out of place?

Yeah, shmups. This could be due to the fact that only a few producers bother with shmups still, and they're content to stick with the same composers each time. Personally, I think the shmup genre could explode again if it was backed up with stellar audio but that doesn't seem to be the majority opinion.

The other area of non-originality seems to be RPGs now. I remember when RPGs were the go-to for great music but it seems they've hit a plateau and are no longer seeking progressively better music. It's all fading into the background lately. Even when top names are attached, it feels like they've been ordered to tone down the originality in favor of a more atmospheric quality. Seeing as I rarely have the time for RPGs anymore, I can't say I appreciate this trend at all.

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17. Do you notice any difference between VGM created in Japan, America and Europe? If so, what does one do better or worse than the others, and vice versa?

Other than the names attached to said pieces, and what I know of the respective composers' oeuvres, not particularly. I suppose that I'm not such an encyclopedia of VGM knowledge that I can instantly make such distinctions.

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18. VGM is a lot more popular in Japan than it is in the West, with album releases being a good indicator. How could things get better in the West on that matter?

For starters, VGM could be acknowledged as a legitimate musical genre. Here in America, we've got Billboard charts for just about every imaginable genre. Gospel, Bluegrass, World Music, Dance, Modern Classical, Folk - you name it, there's a Billboard chart somewhere. But not for VGM, probably because the VGM fanbase is considered a "secondary" audience.

Some sort of chart and ranking system would make VGM feel like a valid musical genre. The only issue would be that this would be a ranking based upon source and not musical style. That may not sit well with some folk.

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19. If you had to sum up in three words what you expect from VGM, which would you choose?

Finesse. Innovation. Unpredictability.


That took me the better part of 90 minutes.

Jam it back in, in the dark.