Hey guys! JandiMan here.
Today I sat down with JY_S who is our music composer, and chat about many things related to music, from her personal background to the BGM of Mad World. Hope you guys have a great read!
Why did you decide to become a composer?
My childhood dream was to become a maestro, so I started playing the piano and violin, but I came to a realization that most maestros were originally either a professional pianist or a violist. I wasn’t very confident in becoming a professional in either of them. I was good but I never managed to reach the level of a professional, so I even thought about giving up music. Luckily my music teacher at the time suggested composing, and the rest is history.
Why game music?
I’ve loved the music in games since I was a kid. My uncle used to live with me under the same roof, and he was a game fanatic. One of the games he played was Final Fantasy and I felt in love with its music. That’s how I got interested in game music. Come to think of it, the games that stuck with me for a long time are usually the ones with great music.
What games do you play?
I love the Zelda series. From the old school Zelda I played on Gameboy and NDS, to the more recent ones that came out on Wii and Switch, I loved them all. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has to be the game I spent the most time playing.
What kind of music do you listen to? Any particular genre you like?
I actually don’t have any particular genre I prefer. I enjoy listening to all different kinds of music and I try to keep it that way. When I find a music that I really like, I listen to it for hours non-stop. Come to think of it, no music had me do that in my recent memory, which is unfortunate.
What are the things you consider more when you write music for games compared to other entertainment media?
Both the quality of music itself and how supportive it is to a particular scene or a map are important. It’s just a matter of which one you prioritize, and game music falls into the later, because when you write just music, you only focus on writing good music, but game music’s job is to help emphasize the feel of a particular map or scene, to raise the level of immersion. I think about those things when I write music for Mad World.
Where do you get your inspiration?
I don’t get an inspiration watching a scenery or things like that. I usually visualize images with given keywords. When I write music, my hope is that the people who listen to my music will visualize the same images.
What are the keywords or instruments that echo throughout the music in Mad World?
The concept of the setting of Mad World revolves around emotions like despair, darkness, and fear. I figured that string instruments would do a good job. I’m currently playing around with them in various ways to convey those emotions, and I have tons of fun doing that.
Will the BGM change depending on the situation?
Players will experience changes of emotions not only aesthetically but also through music. For example, if your character comes across an elite monster, the tone of the music will change to give more intensity. We are trying to add more of this type of circumstantial auditory changes.
Thank you for the interview! Is there anything you want to say to the fans before we leave?
Thank you for your patience, and I hope you get to experience the musical side of Mad World soon!
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