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?

Sounds from interactive media, usually instrumentals. Classically highly melodic. Often compared to movie music, but it differs insofar as it can have a much higher impact of (and for) immersing into a fantasy world if correctly used.

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

Music styles/genres not served sufficiently elsewhere.

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

The majority of VGM I listen to is from games I'll never play.

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?

If ignoring (baroque) classic and jazz, nearly 100%. I feel that mainstream music tends to be overenginered away from actual music toward superficial production value, limiting itself to what easily sells.

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?

Considering I run snesmusic.org (and try to support emulated VGM archives for other systems than SNES) I guess I actively promote music that was not published as an album. For me it makes zero difference whether VGM got an "official" release or not, it's cultural work, likely the biggest constant source of newly composed music nowadays, and I consider it a necessity to respect it as such and preserve it for the future.

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

I'm pretty focussed on baroque and it modern siblings (jazz, prog, experimental melodic electronica) nowadays.

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 try to, but for me there are more misses outside games media than makes me feel worth the effort.

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?

Naturally. Music is music is music. But it's also natural for people to question new and experimental takes outside of what they usually expect. The medium "game" constantly changed the technical circumstances for music in its rather short lifetime, so unlike the other entertainment medium "movie" it didn't have the time to gain common respect for a specific constant quality.

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

For a long time music styles and genres for the medium "game" were defined through technical limitations, usually putting the focus purely on compositions (think baroque). Nowadays the limitations are more and more lifted, so the performance aspect is more and more dominant (this is a rather usual occurant in music history).

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?

No. VGM shouldn't differ just for the sake of it. However different synthesiser, just like any instrument, ask for specific treatments. This can result in new styles and genres, and those deserve to be preserved. But this is in no way limited to the medium "game".

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?

Altogether I don't believe movie goers or TV watchers care proportionally more about the music during the visuals than gamers would. In visual media music becomes especially memorable in key scenes if done right, this is true regardless of movies, TV shows or games. There reportedly is a lack of respect for music on the side of game productions, so music for key scenes in games may not be used as efficiently as in other media. But games being capable of immersive interactivity would ideally be capable of this way more than any other medium existing.

Using licensed material is about the worst way to go about it as it may create the feeling of a generic common moment instead that of a memorable key moment.

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?

Targeting a specific style or genre should not be an issue as long as the musician is capable of executing it convincingly. The usual problem is one of a disconnect between visual and aural side. Ideally during the development of a game not only the visuals affect the aural side but also vice versa. Music as an afterthought, just like licensed material, is a missed opportunity.

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?

One has to realise that music in movies only gained critical respect once it kept regularly delivering new works for classical instruments/ensembles while infusing medium specific adaptions, allowing for a continuity of "classical" musicology. Music for the medium "game" can get there that way as well. But this won't work by just copying the movie music blueprint but has to incorporate game medium specific adaptions as well.

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?

Ambient music has its use (movies are also full of it, and they are mostly glossed over there as well). Adaptive music systems are an unbeatable strength of the game medium if used right, so it shouldn't be dismissed outright. My belief is that music is instrumental to directly and efficiently provoking a specific mood, more so than any visual or text ever can, so I consider actually unnoticable music to be a missed opportunity.

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 nowadays mostly play games for the music, not vice versa. The cases where I dislike the music the disliking applies in-game as well, which can be due to overuse, repetitiveness of composition and/or being too short while looping.

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?

Offering a unique feature can be a competitive feature. This also applies to game genres and the music style and genres used within them. Lack of variety in music will have the same effect as lack of variety in games etc.

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?

My impression is that Japanese game developers often tend to include way more separate pieces in games of comparative lengths. Also composers may be more regularly involved at an earlier point of the game development, potentially allowing for more interaction between visual and aural sides. Both cases would be nice to see applied everywhere.

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?

Force game developers to start with the music and develop the games around it instead the other way around.

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

Intelligent, complex music.

Jam it back in, in the dark.