FEATURES: Koji Kondo's GDC 2007 Presentation
Introduction and Rhythm
March 13, 2007
Digg this articleThe man behind the unforgettable Mario and Zelda themes discusses his more subtle, yet critical additions to game music: interactivity.
Koji Kondo gave his first talk in the US on the subject of interactive music in games. While GDC has been trying to get Kondo to speak for the past ten years, this was the first time that Kondo’s schedule allowed for the talk. Kondo is best known for his genius music compositions found in Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda, and it is through these two game series that the composer demonstrates the interactivity he has brought to game music. Though fans of his work will have noticed the details in many or all of the examples he presented, many in the audience, including other game music composers, had not realized the subtle, yet important touches he had added to his work. In this way, Kondo hoped to inspire video game composers and developers to add an interactive element to their music. Kondo focused on what he saw as the three main points of game music: rhythm, balance, and interactivity.
First, Kondo briefly discussed rhythm. The rhythm in music comes from having an understanding of the rhythm of the game. Kondo used the universally known Super Mario Bros. to demonstrate this point. The motion and pace of Mario is captured in the music, while the sound effects, such as jumping, power-ups, and fireballs, are intended to add to the experience in a seamless fashion. He believes that the music should fit to the game, and not vice-versa, and that music in Mario games enounces the action while the music in Zelda is specifically designed to give an ambient feel.
Kondo feels that some composers, even though they may go as far as incorporating orchestra recordings, do not take the time to make the music fit the actual timing of game. This music instead matches the timing of the conductor and forces a disparity upon the player. Kondo stated, "If the music doesn't reflect the rhythm of the game, it might as well be piped in from a source outside the room." He also stressed that he strives to make each piece of music recognizable within the first few notes, immediately giving the player a signal as to their location or status within the game.
