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

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

I would tell them it is music composed for the purposing of portraying all the inherent elements within a video game.

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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 listen to VGM on a standalone basis because I really enjoy it. Elements I dislike include some VGM not working quite so well out of context, and on the flip side, I like it when it works well out of context. Aside from that, I enjoy the mixture of instrumental (mainly) and vocal performances. Sound quality, to me, is not that big of an issue.

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

Most of the music I listen to comes from games I haven't played. Of course, listening to some might inspire me to pick up a game, should it be released in the US.

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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?

Let's see. VGM probably represents 70-75% of my total listening. I also listen to some J-rock, a lot of instrumental music by various artists, and a few foreign bands, such as Rammstein. For the most part, I don't listen to mainstream music because it is all starting to blend together and most of it doesn't intrigue me in the slightest. There are a few exceptions though.

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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 have no problem listening to a gamerip. It provides a nice insight into something that may never get a soundtrack release. As for official albums, I buy some, but for the most part, I acquire them by other means. I'm not made of money, but if there is an album I like, I'll eventually pick it up. On the other hand, I'll usually preorder an album by a favorite composer without having heard it. So far, it's payed off.

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

I listen to every style of VGM under the sun. I'll give anything a chance for at least one listen.

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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?

As for non-VGM, I tend to avoid most of it. I mainly gravitate towards rock, Asian inspired compositions, and fusion jazz.

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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 definitely a valid style of music. As for comfortability, I'm not the most comfortable when talking with people who aren't into gaming, however, there are a few people I've talked to about it and they seem to continue on with their life. They don't dismiss it, but at the same time, they don't really support it. Hard to describe.

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

Oh, that's definitely a mixed bag. Both eras of music have their ups and downs. Some of the older stuff doesn't age well, but at the same time, I'm sure looking into the past a few years from now, some of the modern stuff won't age as well either.

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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?

I don't necessarily think that VGM should sound different than other musical categories. Music is the spice of life and VGM seems to have a whole spice cabinet full. It has a variety of styles and each one, usually, fits quite well.

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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?

All depends on the game really. For sports games, I can understand licensed soundtracks. I can also understand it for GTA. Driving around as in a real city, people who listen to the radio tend to listen to stuff that is licensed. As for other games, I think composed music is the best way to go.

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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?

I don't see a problem in this. If that's what a producer wants, he should be able to get it.l

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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'm not a big fan of Western VGM. There are very few pieces that I enjoy. The games in the West do tend to be more cinematically focused, but I think the music fits to a degree.

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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?

Yes. I think that ambient soundtracks tend to lose strength outside of context. Given I listen to most soundtracks on a standalone basis, I tend to veer away from those.

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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?

Hmm, not that I can think of. There are certain parts of certain sections of Chrono Trigger that work well in game, but are horrible out of context (i.e. A.D. 2300).

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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?

While some music may sound the same, I think each soundtrack brings a bit of uniqueness to the table. How much all depends on the composer.

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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?

Yes. I tend to enjoy Japanese VGM much more than Western VGM. It's much more catchy, melodic, and less cinematic for the most part.

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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?

I'm not sure if it will ever get better in the West. I'd have to say more enjoyable music though.

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

Descriptive, Fun, Enjoyable

Jam it back in, in the dark.