Stray Souls Interview: Legendary Silent Hill Composer Akira Yamaoka Joins the Workforce

When Jukai Studio formally opened its doorways in 2022, there was by no means any doubt about which undertaking they wished to sort out first: an untitled horror idea close to and pricey to their hearts that may finally grow to be Stray Souls.

To make Stray Souls, the crew recalled their all-time favourite horror video games and requested themselves, “Why can we love them? What makes these video games so memorable?” Though quite a lot of favorites have been mentioned at size, it was the Silent Hill franchise that universally sat atop of everybody’s checklist.

The Stray Souls mission was clear: create a very immersive participant expertise impressed by the classics of the style. To perform this, the crew prioritized nice audio, and for that, they turned to none apart from Akira Yamaoka, whose work on the Silent Hill collection is iconic. Along with veteran indie composer Pete Wicher, the crew have created a soundtrack to be extraordinarily happy with and one we’re positive gamers are going to like.

To have a good time this all-star collaboration, we sat down with the legend himself and requested Akira about his creation course of.

Your music has been extensively praised for its capability to evoke feelings and set the tone for a recreation’s environment. Are you able to share your method to composing music that creates emotional impression in video video games?

I feel it’s necessary to speak with plenty of individuals, learn plenty of books, watch plenty of motion pictures, and use that each one as a reference. Musical creation might be seen as a talent, so it may be discovered, however with a view to evoke feelings and environment, you will need to take into consideration the way it makes you’re feeling.

People have many feelings, and every individual is totally different. To evoke such an array of feelings, it is advisable to take into consideration them as you encounter them by means of speaking with many individuals, studying many books, and watching many motion pictures. You possibly can’t simply meet individuals and skim books, although. It’s additionally necessary to think about issues from your individual perspective.

As a composer, how do you collaborate with recreation builders and different members of the artistic crew to make sure that your music enhances the general gameplay expertise?

It’s crucial to attain a deeper understanding of the sport’s path and contents, and never simply make music as a result of it’s your job. Music shouldn’t be created as ordered. You want a deeper understanding of the sport. Due to this fact, I feel you will need to discuss quite a bit with the sport builders.

Your work is very regarded for its revolutionary use of unconventional devices and sounds. Are you able to discuss your means of incorporating unconventional parts into your music and the way it enhances the storytelling in video games?

I take into consideration how the essence of a sound is felt. When making music, you often use the piano for a ballad or a guitar for a rock music, however I feel one thing so simply conceivable will not be the essence of sound. You have to take a sound and actually take into consideration how the listener will really feel after they hear it.

Take, for instance, the metallic clang of a building website, or, then again, the sound of water flowing down a river. Begin with the sensation you get from that sound, and use it to create music, and I feel you’ll get one thing that evokes emotion from the listener.

Along with composing music, you have got additionally been concerned in sound design for video video games. Are you able to share your insights on the connection between music and sound design in creating an immersive audio expertise for gamers?

After all, the linchpin of recreation creation is creating leisure, so I feel it differs from a musician creating music. You first should consider what could make the sport extra enjoyable and extra fascinating, so inevitably, simply making music turns into much less necessary. In different phrases, it’s essential to create a sure “one thing” the human ear can decide up from the sport.

Should you’re a musician, you possibly can simply make music, however as a recreation composer, your job is to consider what makes the sport extra enjoyable and extra fascinating as you create sounds and music. I imagine the sport sound designer is chargeable for music, SFX, voice, and all sounds coming out of your TV or monitor.

What evokes you to create such distinctive and atmospheric soundscapes for horror video games?

I feel it’s a sure incongruity. Folks received’t really feel uneasy in a steady atmosphere. You possibly can’t evoke concern with a phenomenal chord development and the imaginings it offers the listener. It can also’t be too incongruous. I feel you want simply the smallest trace of incongruity to make the listener assume “one thing’s unsuitable” or “one thing appears unusual.”

Your music has a definite and recognizable fashion. How do you keep your creative imaginative and prescient whereas additionally adapting your music to suit the distinctive necessities and constraints of various online game tasks?

That may be a nice query (laughs). I feel possibly it’s as a result of I don’t imitate. After all, at first you’d imitate somebody and attempt to create an environment like that, nevertheless it’s crucial to go on to create your individual factor. Nonetheless, generally your creation is probably not accepted, so it is advisable to have your individual philosophy. It’s worthwhile to ask your self why you create such music when composing.

Even for those who create one thing utterly authentic, in case your distinctive philosophy isn’t injected into it, it is going to be however mud within the wind. That’s why I feel it’s so necessary to proceed to ask myself “why am I creating this music?” again and again. To essentially ponder it.

What do you attribute to your success as a music composer for video video games, and what recommendation do you have got for aspiring composers who wish to enter the trade?

I imagine an enormous issue will not be counting on your self too closely and assembly many new individuals and encountering new works. Being concerned with Silent Hill had a big impact on me. Assembly the Silent Hill crew additionally contributed to my success.

I feel the perfect recommendation I’ve for somebody wanting to interrupt into this world could be to create your individual sound design philosophy. Tackle plenty of small jobs and grasp the alternatives

that you’re given.

You’ve labored on numerous tasks past video video games, reminiscent of movies and music albums. How do you adapt your artistic course of when composing for various mediums, and what challenges and alternatives do you encounter when working in various creative contexts?

I feel it might be that in any of these works, sound will not be crucial factor. For video games, motion pictures, TV, and anime, crucial issue is their creative benefit. Music will not be crucial issue.

Because the sound director, I need to take into consideration how I can contribute to this work. How can I improve its creative benefit? I have a tendency to interact with all content material creation with that in thoughts. That’s all.

Stray Souls is coming to Xbox Collection S|X and Xbox One this fall! Try our brand-new trailer to listen to Akira Yamaoka’s authentic music “Splintered Minds” from the Stray Souls soundtrack.