"Travelers' Musings" — Behind the Scenes of the Music of Inazuma | Genshin Impact
HOYO-MiX's specialty is making music that is both suitable for the relevant product and refreshing to listen to It has been our goal since the beginning Like the music of Liyue, the music of Inazuma is a harmonious fusion consisting of elements from traditional instruments as well as orchestral music One significant difference is the influence of traditional Japanese music Many of the melodies are based on historic Japanese melodies Inazuma's traditional Japanese instruments and orchestral music Performed by the traditional Japanese folk musicians and the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra Traditional Japanese instruments, such as the shakuhachi, the koto, the shamisen, the taiko drum, among others Are present throughout all of Inazuma's music These instruments closely follow the traditions of classic Japanese music while also adding a modern touch To honor the heritage of these musical elements We also performed variations on some familiar pieces For example, the battle theme of Inazuma that everyone is familiar with And the theme of the Electro Archon, which pays homage to "Sakura, Sakura" This will make listeners experience familiarity and novelty all at once Special thanks to Sony Music We invited Japan's renowned Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra Along with famous conductor, Kurita Hirofumi Miyano Sachiko, who is in charge of music production And some of the best folk performers and singers in Japan On this particular occasion We liaised with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra remotely through online communication The recording process took about one and half months, Four months in total, if preliminary communication is also accounted for This is a remote, online collaboration I believe the most challenging part of the process was the increase in time and energy needed to communicate There's something I have on my end that I need to discuss With the Oboes and Clarinets on measure 55 No, don't do a crescendo on measure 55, just do a diminuendo there Please turn on the metronome for measure 97 Okay I will cue you guys in from the beginning (From measure 97) And I will lead you all the way from measure 1 to measure 99 Okay, metronomes on Start at measure 97 How was the performance? What do you think? Mr. Chen, what do you think? What I really liked that time was the French Horn on measure 105 The way those three horns came in - ♪ da da da ♪ Would it be possible to bring their sound out a little more? Just project a little louder. I felt the sound was a little soft there Measures 105 and 106 -Here -Yes I want the French Horns 1, 2, and 3 to play together Is there a score (where you all play together?) -If there isn't -No, there isn't Okay, in that case If they don't have a score, then... Okay No problem Okay Also, we could do a glissando To give it the feeling of combat Okay, got it Sorry to keep you waiting Let's accentuate the grace note then glissando over to the higher notes Accentuate the grace note? Yes, then connect with the main notes Understood So go with the glissando? -Yes -How will we go about it? Like this: So we want to reflect the sensation of battle How should I put it... give it an epic feeling -Just like the Inazuma battle theme? -Exactly, that sort of feeling Then let's play it so he can hear it Alright, great Thank you Thank you very much That sounded good This kind of exchange will change to 4 to 5 minutes at a time So the collaboration had a rough start as a result I have a very small- -Thank you, everyone -Request -I think it's okay -Maybe w—we could... -Is this okay? -We could communicate in advance No problem I don't think it's necessary to play the smaller percussions, like the mokugyo For this part, I think the midi sounds might be more suitable Because I feel the percussion sounds might not be as well suited So we don't need to play? -Is it this piece? -Yes -Alright, they can relax for now -Okay, let them take a break Sir, do you want them to stop playing for this piece or for the whole program? Just for this piece Got it Sorry, this doesn't have anything to do with the performance just now But we just received a request To give the percussionists a break for this piece It has nothing to do with the playing The small percussions, I mean Of course Like the castanets Castanets and tambourines...
The more specific, the better I'm just going to say that for this piece, we don't need that kind of percussion This way, the musicians' feelings wouldn't be hurt Then we can send home the percussionists for today -Is that what you mean? -Yes After hearing the whole conversation, Mr. Chen felt that using computer-generated sound Would help him get closer to his vision Okay, so If this piece does not need percussions Then we will tell them that they can leave But this may adversely affect the morale of the musicians Originally (through drilling and repetition) they were motivated to give their best performance today So could I trouble you to help alleviate the situation during the break? If you don't bring this situation up with the composer in advance It will be very rude to the musicians if a situation like this suddenly surprises them afterwards For them to have practiced rigorously all day Only for them to be told that they won't be needed This piece needs a lot of musicians, right? We have expended a tremendous amount of effort to bring all kinds of musicians here Alright, that'll be all Now I hope you'll all be able to manage your time so you guys don't go over again If we take any longer, the orchestra will have already clocked off I understand, sorry I also understand That the active performance of the musicians and the conductor will certainly be affected But I think it is only during these difficult times that we will truly be able to deepen our trust in each other For instance, at the end of the collaboration I try my very best not to meddle with the final product Because of the trust I have put in Japanese music producer Miyano-san, for her valuable perspective in the live music scene She would take the initiative to offer advice on how to improve the music And then the conductor, Kurita Hirofumi, would conduct according to the content of the score If there was something that he was not sure about, he would ask Miyano-san In this case, the efficiency of our collaboration improved a lot When the orchestra takes a break, I would listen to the recording of what they just played If there is room for improvement, we would wait until the next day to bring up what needs to be improved Through this mutual collaboration, I believe I have learned a lot Thank you all very much! It was performed beautifully, and that's all that matters Could— Could you please thank the producer for me? -The performance was beautiful -Thank you very much Okay, I'll pass that along Are we taking a break now? Oh, I forgot. I must thank the conductor He handled everything really well and did an amazing job I also have to give a shout out to the orchestra. Thank you Are we taking a break now? He asked me to tell you that the performance was great. It was breathtaking
Okay, I'll pass that along I just heard from the composer He said the performance was breathtaking He's far too kind He says thank you very much The composer extends his gratitude I should be the one who's grateful. Please convey my thanks to the composer Towards the end, there were a few pieces that really moved me They handled the emotions very well and delicately And it was a huge surprise because there were two pieces, one of which began with marimbas The way I composed it was so difficult, I did not dare let the marimbas perform So I thought about having two versions Nevertheless, they insisted on performing anyway Then I thought to myself, "They practiced very hard for this" And after they practiced many times, I could tell that they really put in the effort He must have practiced a lot to play it perfectly without a mistake It is a very difficult marimba part I was very worried about it at first Mainly about how I should go about it Actually, I should have asked him if we could have Asked them not to play and then play the version without those instruments for the time being Right, I should have said that, instead of just saying that I did not want to include that instrument That might have hurt their feelings Right, I'll keep that in mind next time When three days' worth of recording was completed without a hitch, I sighed in relief This time, we used a lot of traditional Japanese instruments The score shows how well the instruments were used The end result was in line with the composer's vision All that we have to do is bring that original vision to life as perfectly as we can And try to put what each of us wants to express into each note From this point of view, I think the recording result was a resounding success Because Mr. Chen, a Chinese person, composed Japanese-style pieces I think it's something that most Japanese people would consider out of the ordinary The Japanese-style melodies sound Japanese, but not entirely Japanese and have a timeless, transcendental beauty to it And that actually provides a great listening experience Japanese musicians are known to be sticklers for detail For example, all the musicians handle the notations with great precision. It's very impressive What impressed me the most was the sheer number of musicians There was hardly any extra noise during the recording They took care not to make any sound other than the music from their instruments While recording a very quiet piece If I didn't know any better, I'd think that everyone was holding their breath Just so they could make the music clean and clear Thank you everyone for your hard work I learned that battle music from previous regions is a hit with players For Inazuma's battle music, I spent a long time thinking about how to compose it This time I composed one more than usual So I think there are now four different battle themes for the open world in total Different combinations of instruments play different rhythms For example, one song only uses traditional Japanese folk instruments like that of the Taiko drum, the Shamisen, and the Shakuhachi But in terms of musical form, I adopted the rhythmic style of modern electronic music There's a build up and a drop Another combat piece is also based on traditional Japanese folk instruments Together with orchestral parts and vocal elements There's also a battle piece that revolves around the passionate rhythm of the Taiko drum In addition, the long melodical lines of Inazuma's theme song are handled by the strings Let's try to create a sense of perseverance While simultaneously conveying a feeling of sadness and melancholy We are going to record the 27th time from the same position. Please get ready
There are two schools for the koto: Ikuta-ryu and Yamada-ryu I play in the Ikuta-ryu style, and thus I play the koto with square picks And when playing, you have to lean a little to the left That is pretty much the difference between Ikuta-ryu and Yamada-ryu For Yamada-ryu, you are upright in front of the koto and you use rounded picks This time, there were a lot of pieces that included changes based on varying melodies But there is still something that ties everything together The music (in this performance) relied heavily on pentatonic scales that are characteristic of traditional Japanese instruments It is full of grandeur It was as if one could feel the (imposing) nature of the music That 25-string koto in the back will be having its 30th birthday this year Playing this instrument regularly is my life's work And there are so many pieces in this performance whose expressions only the koto can convey That really made me feel that my persistence was worth it Ok, for 92's ♪ da-da-da ♪, for each ♪ da-da-da-da-di-di-di-di♪ Could you make those a bit shorter? Also uh... the duration of each note Is rather inconsistent. They should be played fully I was unsure if I could correctly utilize the unique sound of the classic Japanese shakuhachi The shakuhachi part gives the impression of Mysterious sounds that emerge from nature during an intense fight As well as the notion of the surreal, powerful, earthly, and so on The piece tells a story that is full of ups and downs The vibrato from the shakuhachi Comes from a special technique called "tremolo" where the player shakes their head while playing During the performance, I employed a lot of tremolo techniques to adjust the intensity of the vibrato Because there is a lot of tremolo parts in this piece, with each tremolo part being different I hope everyone can try to feel these differences Through remote communication, we were able to make the recordings together with the Chinese producers We play here, and they listen there The first time we got feedback, we were able to go over the finer details While making the song. I think this way Helped me appreciate the joy of creating something together and enjoy the performance more When I normally play, I always put my hands together at the beginning and at the end One is to thank the guests for coming to hear me play The other is to be thankful for everything that happens during the performance There are many types of shamisen The one I play is called the Tsugaru-jamisen, one of the bigger shamisens out there When I received the score, I was not sure if I could play it It looked difficult. I thought to myself, "Could I do it?" It was intimidating Even with the adjustments, I still could not get the intended effect the composer was looking for He confirmed the rhythm and tone And I was fearful that the intervals could not keep up with the rhythm It was very difficult, although the prelude was not too bad He says that, simply put, the Tsugaru-jamisen Is very masculine and cool, with an air of rusticity It has a feeling of power But if it is a thin kind of style Then another type of shamisen Might be more appropriate for your desired expression and feeling OK If it is not possible to get the desired result even after recording many times Then for today, we could just do the stuff at the end Because I think if we continue to work through it for 30 or 40 more minutes The performance itself won't change much What Mr. Chen is looking for is tone and feeling
Which, sometimes, is not what the Tsugaru-jamisen's expression of power is suited for But there are also times when it fits perfectly This recording was also the most challenging recording in my career This was an opportunity to introduce traditional Japanese folk music to the world, which put a lot of pressure on me I hope I can meet the expectations of the composer Even though we are just getting started I hope I can fully comprehend the intentions of the composer And through hard work, let my performance become part of his worldview Excuse me. You guys are already playing rather well That's how I feel. Thank you very much. Really! Mr. Chen always says: "Sorry for making my compositions so difficult to play!" Special thanks to the shamisen players For Genshin Impact's music, the requirements for the shamisen players were tremendously high It was incredibly demanding, so all four musicians spent a lot of time practicing They spent a lot of time during recording going over their parts again and again So it seems that the shamisen musicians have a lot a patience Of course, the end result was nothing short of amazing Okay, we'll keep going until we hit that "wa!" moment, then we can take a break, okay? Okay Call out if you make a mistake Okay If you guys are not synchronized, I will have you stop Okay The first piece took about six hours to record At this rate, I wondered if it was going to take 18 more hours to record the remaining four pieces But then everyone steadily got into the groove during the recording process After they figured out what Mr. Chen wanted to express from from the first piece Then the second, third, and fourth pieces went by easily Because each part is recorded separately For example, since we could not record together with the symphony orchestra It became very difficult to get the rhythm of each part right This part sounds like a touring car This part is challenging The next sound starts from the ♪ tic ♪ -Ah, the ♪ tic ♪ -Is it a ♪ dum dum dum ♪ kind of feeling? -Yes ♪ dum dum dum ♪, ♪ tic ♪ and ♪ tic ♪ ♪ Dum tic tic dum tic dum tic ♪ Yup Okay, I just figured it out This Is played like this From a technical standpoint, it's very difficult If the two are not properly coordinated, it's going to sound weird Maybe if we just used one drum, it'll be easier Sorry, we'll just use one Good news, Leo. One taiko drum will be enough Really? Although it's an iconic Japanese instrument, the sound it emits does not sound very Japanese This made me feel a sense of novelty How would I put it? In a sense, it feels like going back to one's roots It's a very meaningful work from this point of view It really makes us feel like the instruments we're playing came straight from the Silk Road Mr. Chen's pieces, in this respect, give people a feeling of grandiosity
So When we are playing the Taiko drums, we are very aware of the sound of the beats That will create a feeling of transmission to the end Mr. Chen says it's OK on his end The recording for the kodo is complete The performance of the kodo on the taiko drums was brilliant Because the rhythm of this fight song is very complex I did not expect them to be able to accurately coordinate their rhythm with that many people The sound of the taiko drums being played by a dozen kodo at the same time, is very textured These are the kodo, the taiko drummers They're here, but not exactly here to sing They've come to lend a helping hand I thought it was a good idea at the time, then The collaboration turned out well As for me, I wanted to write An unconventional piece that flows seamlessly, which is probably played only with taiko drums Because the tones and temperament of the taiko complement The content in our game, so there will always be an opportunity So when that time comes, we may have to rely on everyone's efforts once again Please take care! We will! And you as well! He says to "take care" Thanks! The main client of this composition is in China And the project itself involves Japanese-themed music and many Japanese musicians Final adjustments to the sound were made in the UK It is, well and truly, a global effort And I am honored to be a part of it Genshin Impact is an online game that was launched globally The passion and enthusiasm of creators and producers around the world Has reached every part of the world In a way that is profound Players will be able to feel it in-game Whether it's from heartwarming scenes or by exploring the open world The music will always be an inseparable part of the game Hopefully, the soundtrack will be an amazing experience for players A musical collaboration is also, in equal parts, a cultural exchange Especially when it comes to playing musical pieces in the moment Everyone has their own personality and understanding, and I believe mutual trust and respect is essential I must say, the end result is fantastic Through this collaboration, I think it can be said That I'm very happy to be able to deepen the cultural exchange between China and Japan with music I will be very happy if the soundtracks recorded this time Can give Genshin Impact fans around the world a great experience Thank you very much It is a cross-cultural exchange of traditions, but it is also not just restricted to tradition I hope to convey to the players that "This is Genshin Impact"
2021-09-25 17:04
