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

1. If you had to describe what VGM is to someone ignorant on the subject, what would you say?
It's music composed especially for video games and interactive entertainment. I'd make sure to be clear on the difference between original songs and licensed tracks (which I don't consider VGM).

2. Why do you listen to game music on a stand-alone basis? What elements do you like or dislike from it?
I listen to VGM because I play video games; exposure to games is what has introduced me to most of the composers I follow. There's also the sheer volume of material produced--for instance, a major band might release one album every 1-2 years, while a VGM composer might do anywhere from 2-10 games a year (with 70+ minutes of music per project many times!).

3. Do you listen to music from games you haven't played?
Yes. Often it's because I'm a fan of a particular composer, but occasionally games with terrific music aren't playable for one reason or another (never localized, suckage of donkey testicles, etc.). It also takes a lot less time to scan through a playlist of VGM than it does to play, and beat, a game. But I always like music that I've heard in context better.

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 say my playlist is 50-60% VGM, with 30-40% film and the remainder pop or techno. I don't generally listen to mainstream stuff because it typically bores me; the amount of sameness in modern pop is sickening.

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 do wish more albums of VGM would be produced. I understand that it's not always economically feasible, but even a digital download or free tracks at a composer's site would be something. This isn't a huge problem, as enthusiast game rippers are extremely diligent in getting the material out there. I prefer to buy when I can, but this isn't always an economic reality--Japanese imports in particular are ludicrously overpriced, while domestic releases tend to be more sane.

6. Which genres/styles do you mainly listen to? Which do you avoid?
I tend to like orchestral and techno, though there are great songs from every genre in VGM. In general, I dislike stuff that sounds too much like popular music, whatever the genre, but especially rap.

7. If one of these genres also exists in non-game music, do you also listen to it from that category? If not, why?
Yes, I collect film scores (which are extremely similar to VGM on many levels), and have some techno albums, though I find the recent trend toward trance disturbing.

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 as valid as any other form; its diversity means that there's literally something for everyone. I will admit that I get uncomfortable discussing VGM with people unfamiliar with it; this is one of the things that led me to GFF.

9. How would you compare game music from the past (aka chiptunes, up to the SNES era) and modern material?
They're judged by different standards; I love many chiptunes and many songs played on real instruments. I think a lot of this has to do with what one was exposed to early on; my first console was an NES, so I'm used to 8-bit sounds as well as the later CD-quality stuff found in the Nintendo Playbox 360.

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?
I think that it can sound different, but that doesn't mean it must. There's certainly a lot more room for people to experiment in combining unique sounds, which is great. But traditional is fine too.

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?
Licensed music is the devil. I think it should be confined to games that have broad but shallow appeal, if that. If given the choice, I always want to hear stuff that was written specifically for a game. Why not hire a popular group to do an original song for your game, if your music budget is that big?

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 so much. Due to the huge volume of music that's created, there's always gonna be some derivative stuff. If it fits well and is fun without directly plagiarizing, no harm no foul.

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?
It's only relatively recently that the technology has even been capable of this sound, so it seems to me a natural trend (though certainly not confined to the West). Since I also collect film music, I have no problem with this. It doesn't automatically make the music good, and I don't think it's right for every game, but if it fits, why not? Some games are inherently filmic.

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?
I think that dynamic music is the most exciting possibility for VGM as distinct from any other form. It's tough to write something that can change at any time due to player input, and it's completely different than writing for films or popular songs. The problem is listening to the stuff apart from the game without the dynamic changes. Ideally the music would be arranged for an album, but such is sadly not always the case.

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?
Generally this is true for highly ambient scores (Silent Hill comes to mind). Super-ambient and industrial tracks can work wonders for a setting yet lose their appeal when divorced from it.

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?
There are many similar games with a lot of similar music. Such is true in films and popular music too--it's just the nature of the beast. You don't always have to do something startlingly original to be effective (though it helps!).

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?
I enjoy it all. Japanese stuff tends to be very lush yet almost invariably synthesized, while Western stuff has a split personality, with some marvelous live stuff right alongside droning trash. There are plenty of good and bad composers and good and bad scores on both sides of the pond.

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?
More album releases! People can't buy and appreciate what isn't for sale. I have trouble understanding why Puki Poyo Umbrella Drink Attack! gets a full 5-disc OST release, while western scores (even those by "name" artists) get squat.

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

Jam it back in, in the dark.