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Mizuguchi, Matsuura and Music
Posted by Brian Ashcraft at 5:10 PM on February 13, 2008
Rez creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi and PaRappa the Rapper mastermind Masaya Matsuura are smart guys. They say smart things. This time, they're chatting up music — so essential to their games. Dig this exchange:
Mizuguchi: ...What is music? Music has many elements, so how can we cut and separate and remake the parts in the process of game design? So then, game designers have to know what is fun, what is the essence of music?Great stuff. The rest of the dialogue over at Game|Life is worth checking out as well. Do it, you won't be sorry.Matsuura: Essence of music, I don't know. I really don't understand the essence of music. I've been composing music for thirty years, and I still don't understand what music is. But I'm still looking for the certain shape of my music. Anybody who can define the existence of music, I really respect.
Mizuguchi: Yeah, I agree with you. Music is like a universe -- many, many elements. Lyrics, chords, rhythm, beats, playing, listening. Emotionally, you feel something. When I was 11 years old, I listened to my first Beatles music. I couldn't understand English, but I felt emotion or something, sort of... I want to love somebody! It's the power of music, of chords... very physical things, very emotional things. Not logic -- I don't know, maybe logic. If I understand the lyrics, and it's a new chemistry. Music, we have a long history with music, but new music is coming still. I don't know why. It's a universe. Amazing.
Interview with Miz and Matsuura [Game|Life]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
BtownDesignGuy
Posted 5:06 PM 16/2/08
This quote reminds me of this video I once saw of John Cage, saying, "What is music?" Something to the effect of, "Is music anything more than sounds arranged in a specific order? Do sounds need to be arranged at all? Is this music? Do we have music? Why, if this is music, you can make music just as much as I!"
I can't find it on Youtube or Google, though. Which disappoints me, because it deserves to be here.
BtownDesignGuy
josh924
Posted 5:06 PM 16/2/08
@ABigSmall: Holy crap, you're right! I never realized that Parappa outdates beatmania by a year. However, its safe to say that beatmania was the first peripheral based rhythm game, but ultimately, beatmania, DDR, GH and RB owe their existences to Parappa.
josh924
ABigSmall
Posted 5:06 PM 16/2/08
eck! Just looked up PIU on Wikipedia. Yes, I've heard of the Koreanized DDR "Pump," but not "Pump It Up" hahah
ABigSmall
ABigSmall
Posted 5:06 PM 16/2/08
@josh924: PaRappa the Rapper, designed by Maatsuura, was released in Japan in 1996. Beatmania came out in arcades in '97. DDR came out in '98. Never heard of PIU.
ABigSmall
josh924
Posted 5:06 PM 16/2/08
Before the interview starts, Chris Kohler says that Matsuura and Mizuguchi created the rhythm game genre, but doesn't that honor go to beatmania, DDR, or maybe PIU?
Anyways, great read! I love when artists talk about their philosophies on games, music, and/or movies, so I definitely loved that interview.
josh924
BPM VII Crisis Core
Posted 5:06 PM 16/2/08
Hmm... So Matsuura is a penguin...
A long-lost relative of yours, Witzbold? ;P
BPM VII Crisis Core
Black-Dog-Howls
Posted 5:06 PM 16/2/08
@Kcet: Not really, since it can't be spoken universally. The universal language is us ourselves. Everything living has something in common that makes up that language. The materials that comprise our being and the vast universe around us.
That is the universal language.
Black-Dog-Howls
Kcet
Posted 5:06 PM 16/2/08
"I couldn't understand English, but I felt emotion or something, sort of... I want to love somebody! It's the power of music, of chords... very physical things, very emotional things."
soo true, 'cept in my case i would replace english with japanese but the overall point still stands, music transcends language barriers, it is in esscence, THE universal language
Kcet
myxylplyx
Posted 5:06 PM 16/2/08
Music is a better platform than language to express feeling and emotion.
myxylplyx
Dudemeister
Posted 5:06 PM 16/2/08
@Kirbytheslayer: No Disassemble:
Agreed. They sound like loonies but these two are the smartest on the block.
Dudemeister
ABigSmall
Posted 5:06 PM 16/2/08
Music means what you feel it means.
ABigSmall
Black-Dog-Howls
Posted 5:06 PM 16/2/08
They must get high off of Jazz.
Black-Dog-Howls
Kiwi Kamikaze
Posted 5:06 PM 16/2/08
I love these guys. I'm glad someone understands music isn't just about lyrics or just one thing. It's all about harmony.
Kiwi Kamikaze
SpishackCola
Posted 5:06 PM 16/2/08
They're totally high. Now make my Meteos DS sequel please Miz, I don't want to have to go buy that Disney lameness.
SpishackCola
SwordandSorcery
Posted 5:06 PM 16/2/08
sounds like a discussion previously only held in smoke filled garages, and you know the smoke im talking about.
SwordandSorcery
Kirbytheslayer: No Disassemble
Posted 5:06 PM 16/2/08
Proof that genius is crazy.
Kirbytheslayer: No Disassemble
TheCleaningGuy: is Maximum Risky!
Posted 5:06 PM 16/2/08
I love these people. Great conversation, I've been asking myself what music really is for years.
TheCleaningGuy: is Maximum Risky!
CeeJay005
Posted 5:06 PM 16/2/08
Collab. NOW.
CeeJay005