International Digital Music Festival 2021: Review

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2021年12月12日，上海音乐学院国际数字音乐节的一场论坛、三场讲座围绕游戏音乐创作与行业发展为中心，并邀请了多位不同的身份视角的嘉宾，带领大家更深层次的认知游戏音乐行业的多元维度与行业发展趋势。
On December 12, 2021, a forum and three lectures were held at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music International Digital Music Festival, focusing on game music creation and industry development. The event invited guests from various perspectives to lead a deeper understanding of the diverse dimensions and industry trends of game music.

综述作者：彭晔瑜
Summary Author: Peng Yeyu

## Game Music Creation Summit Forum

10:30-12:00
上音歌剧院 管弦排演厅
游戏音乐创作高峰论坛
畅响未来——游戏音乐现状及发展趋势
主持人：安栋
嘉宾：蔡近翰、陈红、秦诗乐、秦键、张磊
10:30-12:00
Shangyin, Orchestral Rehearsal Hall
Game Music Creation Summit Forum
Resounding the Future - Current Status and Development Trends of Game Music
Moderator: An Dong
Guests: Cai Jinhan, Chen Hong, Qin Shile, Qin Jian, Zhang Lei

上午的游戏音乐创作高峰论坛，以作曲家安栋教授提出的：“为什么现在我们来讨论游戏音乐”为起点，展开了本次的话题。安栋教授谈到，目前游戏行业无论是其产业发展的不断完善，还是游戏音乐本身作为一个重要的文化输出渠道，上海音乐学院也由此关注并加入到游戏音乐行业，尤其是人才培养的重要一环中，始终坚持“培养与国际接轨的顶尖音乐创作人才”为初衷，联动行业一齐达到成为“天花板”的目标。
The morning Game Music Creation Summit Forum, starting with Professor An Dong's question, "Why are we discussing game music now?" explored the topic at hand. Professor An Dong mentioned that the game industry's continuous development and the game music itself as an important cultural output channel have led Shanghai Conservatory of Music to focus on and join the game music industry. Especially in the important aspect of talent cultivation, they have always adhered to the principle of "cultivating top-notch music creators who are internationally aligned" with the goal of reaching the "ceiling" in collaboration with the industry.

米哈游音乐总监/HOYO-MiX主理人蔡近翰，以行业从业者的角度，基于游戏行业的发展，与大家分享游戏音乐从业心得与展望。蔡近翰谈到音乐作为游戏中的重要一环，应该从以下3个方面来进行构建与突破：一、在审美上积极打破刻板。虽然游戏音乐具有很强的目的与功能性，但游戏为创作者带来的不仅是限制，也有无限的可能，游戏音乐制作人需要关注审美的演进，只有耳目一新的游戏音乐才能真正的站在前沿。二、实现文化共鸣与浸润。游戏音乐也应该是联系世界的一种途径，在米哈游的《原神》中，就用管弦乐为基底与世界各地民族乐器结合的方式，为用户带来沉浸的世界观以及文化认同。三、实现玩家的交互与再创作，游戏音乐通过二次传播可以覆盖到更广泛的人群，而良好的音乐社区氛围，以及游戏中交互设计带来的音乐创作的不设限，才能将游戏音乐在外部进行延伸。最后，蔡近翰也希望能够不断推动游戏音乐创作环境的改善，让更多的音乐创作者能够了解游戏音乐并加入其中。
Cai Jinhan, the Music Director of miHoYo and manager of HOYO-MiX, shared insights and outlooks on game music from the perspective of an industry practitioner. Cai Jinhan discussed that as an integral part of games, music should be constructed and breakthroughs should be made in the following three aspects: First, actively breaking stereotypes in aesthetics. Although game music serves a strong purpose and functionality, it brings not only limitations but also limitless possibilities to creators. Game music producers need to focus on the evolution of aesthetics, as only refreshing game music can truly stand at the forefront. Second, achieving cultural resonance and immersion. Game music should also serve as a means of connecting the world. In miHoYo's *Genshin Impact*, they combine orchestral music with traditional instruments from different cultures, creating an immersive worldview and cultural identity for users. Third, enabling player interaction and re-creation. Through secondary dissemination, game music can reach a broader audience. A thriving music community and the freedom of music creation brought by interactive design in games are necessary to extend game music externally. Lastly, Cai Jinhan hopes to continuously improve the environment for game music creation, allowing more music creators to understand and participate in game music.

上海音乐学院副教授秦诗乐，以作曲家与教育工作者的双重身份，就游戏音乐的人才培养体系进行的阐述。他谈到，从教学问题上来看，游戏音乐因为其属性、呈现方式及行业情况的特殊性来看，属于一个专门的艺术门类。而目前国内的大部门音乐专业院校，基于没有关于游戏音乐的系统性课程，而是以讲座、论坛等专题性内容为主，因此基于人才的培养仍然存在着较大空间。关于音乐创作内容上，秦诗乐认为创作者应该具备开阔性的思维，才能不被AI、大数据所替代。
Qin Shile, Associate Professor at Shanghai Conservatory of Music, provided an exposition on the talent cultivation system for game music from his dual roles as a composer and an educator. He mentioned that from an educational perspective, game music belongs to a specialized art form due to its unique attributes, presentation methods, and industry conditions. However, most of the major music schools in China currently lack systematic courses on game music and mainly focus on lectures and forums as special topics. Therefore, there is still considerable room for talent cultivation in this field. Regarding the content of music creation, Qin Shile believes that creators should possess broad-minded thinking to avoid being replaced by AI and big data.

NExT Studios音频设计总监张磊则谈到，游戏音乐行业应该呈现出缤纷多彩的生态，也一直存在需要突破的空间。张磊认为中国游戏音乐行业自发展以来，呈现出三个阶段：第一阶段是音乐表达对硬件机能的妥协，比如红白机时期的八比特音乐风格；第二个阶段则是游戏音乐的新时代，即对其他关联性行业，如影视配乐的借鉴、学习与竞争；第三个阶段则是达到令人震撼的效果，包括了游戏音乐创作的非限制性，玩家主导游戏的视角、剧情、表达，同时以亲自参与到游戏音乐的创作中来。
Zhang Lei, the Audio Design Director at NExT Studios, discussed the need for the game music industry to present a vibrant and colorful ecosystem, as well as the ongoing need for breakthroughs. Zhang Lei believes that the Chinese game music industry has gone through three stages of development: The first stage was a compromise between music expression and hardware capabilities, such as the eight-bit music style during the era of the Nintendo Entertainment System. The second stage was the new era of game music, which involved learning from and competing with other related industries, such as film and television scoring. The third stage aims to achieve stunning effects, including non-restrictive game music creation, player-driven perspectives, narratives, and expressions, while actively participating in game music creation.

星海音乐学院音乐科技系教师、上海音乐学院博士秦键通过线上连线的方式，为大家带来以《基于交互性视角的游戏音乐专业人才细分特征与趋势探讨》为题的内容分享。秦键基于游戏音乐创作与实现以及交互性特征，认为游戏音乐专业人才培养可分为三大类：音乐样本创作人才、技术音频人才、复合型设计人才。对于游戏音乐行业的发展趋势，秦键认为行业将对更精细化的音乐制作、更复杂化的音乐设计以及从业者的职能进一步明确提出要求，因此在人才培养上可以不拘泥于作曲家这一细分，而是结合行业特点，培养更加精细化的专业技能。
Qin Jian, a teacher at the Music Technology Department of Xinghai Conservatory of Music and a Ph.D. student at Shanghai Conservatory of Music, shared his insights on the topic of "Exploring the Characteristics and Trends of Game Music Professionals from an Interactive Perspective" through an online connection. Based on game music creation, realization, and interactive features, Qin Jian believes that the cultivation of game music professionals can be divided into three categories: music sample creators, technical audio professionals, and hybrid design professionals. Regarding the development trends in the game music industry, Qin Jian believes that the industry will demand more refined music production, more complex music design, and further clarification of practitioners' roles. Therefore, talent cultivation should not be limited to the subdivision of composers but should combine industry characteristics to cultivate more specialized skills.

最后，Bilibili版权音乐负责人陈红，则基于自身工作内容，聚焦音乐发行行业，为大家介绍了以海外发行为主的音乐发行特点。陈红认为音乐发行应该关注用户的音乐品味、积极研究用户行为。陈红举例谈到，不同的国家、地区对于音乐的需求有极大的差异，音乐的发行应该与不同的用户群体进行共鸣，呈现多样化的发行策略，并结合线下活动、场景、试听会等多元手段，达到更加良好的音乐发行效果。
Lastly, Chen Hong, the Head of Copyright Music at Bilibili, focused on the music distribution industry based on her own work and introduced the characteristics of music distribution primarily focused on overseas markets. Chen Hong believes that music distribution should pay attention to users' music preferences and actively study user behavior. She mentioned that different countries and regions have significant differences in music preferences, and music distribution should resonate with different user groups, employing diverse distribution strategies. This can be achieved by combining offline activities, venues, listening sessions, and other means to achieve better music distribution results.

## Division of Work and Process in Game Music Design and Production

14:00-15:00
上音歌剧院 管弦排演厅
游戏音乐创作讲座
游戏音乐设计制作的分工与工序
主讲人：张磊
14:00-15:00
Shangyin Opera House, Orchestral Rehearsal Hall
Lecture on Game Music Composition
Division of Work and Process in Game Music Design and Production
Speaker: Zhang Lei

下午的第一场讲座中，来自NExT Studios音频设计总监张磊通过自身多年的从业经验，为大家分享了游戏音乐行业的现状与个人心得，同时为大家清晰的介绍了游戏音乐行业不同构成与基本的工作流程。
In the first lecture of the afternoon, Zhang Lei, the Audio Design Director at NExT Studios, shared the current status and personal insights of the game music industry based on his years of professional experience. He also provided a clear introduction to the different components and basic workflow of the game music industry.

讲座的开始，张磊简单的介绍了自己的从业经历，曾任职滚石音乐制作人，后进入育碧正式开启了游戏音乐的行业生涯，并于2017年加入NExT Studios就职，多年的从业经验也让他对行业构成与发展有着更为深刻的认知，因此本次讲座分为游戏音频团队的构成、游戏音乐设计制作的流程，以及回头想想和未来的样子三大部分进行展开。
At the beginning of the lecture, Zhang Lei briefly introduced his professional background. He previously worked as a music producer at Rock Records and later entered Ubisoft, officially embarking on his career in game music. In 2017, he joined NExT Studios, and his years of experience have provided him with a deeper understanding of the industry's composition and development. Therefore, his lecture was divided into three main parts: the composition of game audio teams, the workflow of game music design and production, and reflections on the past and future.

关于游戏音频团队，张磊谈到根据不同公司或项目的需求，目前行业中呈现出五花八门的团队构成方式，比如基于项目内部的音频团队，服务于不同项目组的音频中台团队，以及不包含专职音频团队的外包工作模式。虽然中国游戏行业规模的足够庞大，也呈现出了如此不同的音频团队构成，但张磊认为，基于项目内部的音频团队能够分工清晰和更加有效的实现项目的运转的结果呈现。而对于作曲家，张磊则认为作曲家不应受到in-house的限制，正是由于作曲家独特的身份与工作特性。
Regarding game audio teams, Zhang Lei mentioned that there is a wide range of team compositions in the industry based on the diverse needs of different companies or projects. This includes in-house audio teams within projects, audio center teams serving different project groups, and outsourcing models that do not include dedicated audio teams. Although the Chinese game industry is large enough to accommodate such diverse audio team compositions, Zhang Lei believes that in-house audio teams can achieve clear division of labor and more effective project operations. Regarding composers, Zhang Lei believes that they should not be restricted by an in-house approach due to their unique identity and work characteristics.

关于游戏音乐制作的工序，张磊谈到游戏音乐制作区别的传统音乐制作行业的线性工序，其目标是追求在恰当的世界、用恰当的方式、触发恰当的素材。比如以育碧的《孤岛惊魂》为例，音乐设计定义音乐在游戏中的职责功能，以及玩家可以从音乐中获得的信息，因此根据游戏中的不同世界观、人物设定等来设计所需要的音色、乐器等主要声音素材，并以此为基础与音乐制作、作曲家进行良性的沟通。张磊也在现场展示了在同一素材、条件和约束下，不同的作曲家表现了完全不同的音乐创作结果。张磊也谈到，目前NExT Studios正在尝试一种新的音乐创作方式，即在不同游戏中运用同一个主题进行不同风格化的呈现方式，由此构建品牌特性，也基于玩家自行建立联系和编故事的空间。
Regarding the process of game music production, Zhang Lei discussed the differences between game music production and the linear process of traditional music production industries. The goal of game music production is to create appropriate worlds, trigger appropriate materials, and do so in appropriate ways. For example, in Ubisoft's *Far Cry* series, music design defines the responsibilities and functions of music in the game, as well as the information players can gather from the music. Therefore, based on different worldviews and character settings in the game, the necessary sound materials such as timbre and instruments are designed, and this serves as a basis for effective communication between music production and composers. Zhang Lei also demonstrated on-site how different composers can create completely different musical compositions using the same materials, conditions, and constraints. Zhang Lei also mentioned that NExT Studios is currently exploring a new approach to music composition, which involves using the same theme in different games but presenting it in different styles. This helps to establish brand characteristics and allows players to establish their own connections and narratives.

最后，张磊延续上午高峰论坛中谈到的内容，提出对未来流行音乐创作趋势的看法，首先是创作过程中对音色的极致追求和实时音色调制的普及；第二则是对音乐音响化的进一步探索；第三是基于对象的音乐创作和更夸张的动态缩混。张磊认为，未来的游戏音乐始终需要探索的是让玩家能够产生震撼的效果，这也是每一位游戏音乐从业者需要不停探索的方向。
Finally, continuing from the discussions in the morning summit, Zhang Lei expressed his views on the future trends in popular music creation. He highlighted the pursuit of extreme sound quality and the popularization of real-time sound modulation during the composition process. He also mentioned further exploration of music spatialization and object-based music composition, as well as more exaggerated dynamic mixing. Zhang Lei believes that the future of game music will always be about creating shocking effects for players, and this direction requires constant exploration from every game music professional.

## Design Concepts and Production Insights of *Genshin Impact* Game Music

15:15-16:15
上音歌剧院 管弦排演厅
游戏音乐创作讲座
《原神》游戏音乐设计理念与制作心得分享
主讲人：陈致逸
15:15-16:15
Shangyin Opera House, Orchestral Rehearsal Hall
Lecture on Game Music Composition
Design Concepts and Production Insights of *Genshin Impact* Game Music
Speaker: Chen Zhiyi

米哈游《原神》项目音乐主负责人陈致逸以《原神》游戏音乐的音乐产出全流程为主要内容，并向大家介绍了结合自身工作经验而总结出的游戏音乐创作观念。
miHoYo's *Genshin Impact* project music director, Chen Zhiyi, focused on the complete process of music production in the game and shared his concept of game music composition based on his own work experience.

讲座的一开始，陈致逸为大家展现了《原神》中的不同音乐素材片段。作为一款开放世界游戏，《原神》包含了多元的玩法，因此在音乐呈现上也极其丰富。比如针对不同的区域文化特性，在音乐上也选择了不同的调式、音阶、乐器来进行差异化呈现。而在不同的游戏交互界面，也结合不同的场景进行音乐制作，例如在游戏登录界面中，基于同一音乐主题但在不同的时间段，进行与时间和画面匹配的不同风格和配器的变化，在不同的场景中呈现了不同音乐气质。而在不同的音乐功能上，比如游戏内容的场景化音乐和作为宣传的音乐内容，也会基于功能性进行差异化的创作，以此达到相应的目标并得到更好的效果。
At the beginning of the lecture, Chen Zhiyi presented different music excerpts from *Genshin Impact*. As an open-world game, *Genshin Impact* features diverse gameplay, and its music presentation is accordingly rich. For example, in response to the cultural characteristics of different regions, different scales, modes, and instruments were chosen for differentiated musical presentation. In different game interaction interfaces, music production was tailored to match different scenes. For instance, in the game login interface, variations in style and orchestration that corresponded to different time periods were used based on the same musical theme, resulting in different musical qualities in various scenes. Different music compositions were also created based on functionality, such as scene-specific music within the game and promotional music, in order to achieve specific goals and produce better results.

陈致逸也基于自身的从业经验，分享了游戏音乐制作的流程，包括：做框架打草稿、Midi编曲制作、乐谱制作、乐队实录、混音、母带制作以及OST音乐命名与插图设计共计7个流程。陈致逸也着重强调，由于游戏音乐制作有严格的工作周期，因此尤其在乐谱制作这一步需要谨慎对待，包括演奏法等细节的确认，才能确保在制作周期内有效完成。
Drawing from his professional experience, Chen Zhiyi shared the process of game music production, which includes creating a framework and drafting, MIDI composition and production, sheet music creation, live recording with an orchestra, mixing, mastering, as well as naming the OST tracks and designing cover art—a total of seven stages. Chen Zhiyi emphasized the importance of careful handling, particularly during the sheet music creation stage, due to the strict production timeline of game music. Attention to detail, including playing techniques, is essential to ensure timely completion within the production cycle.

讲座中，陈致逸也通过大量的视频资料与大家分享了他在音乐制作过程中与不同国家的乐团、乐手的合作经验，并谈到创作中的“化用”理念，即吸取西方音乐元素的精髓，化作自身音乐创作的内功，从而呈现出个人特色。例如在《原神》音乐创作中，使用改良的古筝来演奏更复杂的和声和半音阶，将不同音乐文化进行融合和再创作，其根源是类似于“海派文化”的一种包容接纳的精神。
During the lecture, Chen Zhiyi shared a wealth of video materials, showcasing his collaborations with orchestras and musicians from different countries during the music production process. He also discussed the concept of "adapting" in composition, which involves drawing on the essence of Western music elements and incorporating them into one's own music composition to showcase personal characteristics. For example, in the music composition for *Genshin Impact*, an improved version of the guzheng was used to perform more complex harmony and semitones, merging and reinterpreting different musical cultures. This approach stems from a spirit of inclusiveness and acceptance, similar to the "Haipai" cultural philosophy.

## Crossing Music Styles and Cultures

10:30-12:00
上音歌剧院 管弦排演厅
跨越音乐风格与文化——
全球化与数字化时代游戏音乐创作的机遇与挑战
主讲人：Thomas Parisch
10:30-12:00
Shanghai Conservatory of Music Opera House Orchestra Rehearsal Hall
Crossing Music Styles and Cultures: Opportunities and Challenges in Game Music Composition in the Era of Globalization and Digitalization
Speaker: Thomas Parisch

虽然由于疫情原因，杰出作曲家及音乐制作人Thomas Parisch未能来到现场与大家分享，但通过视频讲座与线上连线互动的方式，为大家带来了一场关于游戏音乐创作之于当代全球化、数字化社会以及对创作者的意义，同时结合自身从业经验，为致力于投身游戏音乐创作的年轻作曲家提供参考方向。
Although renowned composer and music producer Thomas Parisch couldn't attend the event in person due to the pandemic, he provided a video lecture and online interaction to share his insights on the significance of game music composition in the contemporary globalized and digitized society. Drawing from his own professional experience, he offered guidance and reference points for aspiring young composers venturing into game music composition.

作为获得多项游戏音乐大奖，并为多款热门游戏创作音乐的作曲家，Thomas Parisch认为在当下，游戏音乐已经具备一种独立艺术形式的价值，同时游戏音乐风格因其没有边界的特性，也给作曲家提供了极为广阔的创作空间。因此Thomas Parisch也给出来的对于游戏音乐作曲风格的建议，他认为游戏音乐作曲需要着眼于不同的文化和风格，只有不断地像多元文化学习，才可能扩展自己的创作边界，拥有更广泛的艺术构思。面对跨文化音乐创作，Thomas Parisch也介绍了他的创作路径，首先是进行深度研究，了解音乐文化并熟悉文化中的乐器，同时与音乐家进行即兴合作，共同探究更多的可能性，并最终确定音乐中最为核心的概念，并贯穿于整个音乐创作过程中。
As an award-winning composer who has created music for numerous popular games, Thomas Parisch believes that game music has evolved into an independent art form with its own value. The boundless nature of game music styles also provides composers with a vast creative space. Parisch suggests that game music composers should embrace different cultures and styles, constantly engage in multicultural learning, and expand their creative boundaries to foster broader artistic concepts. When it comes to cross-cultural music composition, Parisch shared his own creative process, which involves conducting in-depth research to understand musical cultures, familiarizing oneself with cultural instruments, engaging in improvisational collaborations with musicians to explore more possibilities, and ultimately defining the core concepts that permeate the entire music composition process.

讲座中Thomas Parisch还结合图表的方式展现了他过去创作中风格和文化交叉融合的案例，比如在游戏《只只大冒险》中的片段《漫游森林》，采用了印度风格的音乐音响来描绘森林中的木质感，而音乐音乐风格则主要体现在复合节拍与印度乐器本苏里长笛的使用。在他的另一个作品，为《王者荣耀》创作的作品《王者冰刃》中，则巧妙的结合了中国乐器二胡和琵琶，以及中国二胡独奏乐曲《赛马》，共同构造与游戏相匹配的史诗感与中国文化风格。
During the lecture, Parisch used visual charts to showcase examples of his past works that incorporate cross-cultural influences. For instance, in the game *Biped*, the track "Roaming the Forest" uses Indian-style music and soundscapes to depict the wooden atmosphere of the forest, with a focus on complex rhythms and the use of the Indian Bansuri flute. In another work, "King's Ice Blade," composed for the game *Honor of Kings*, Parisch ingeniously combines Chinese instruments such as the erhu and pipa, as well as the erhu solo piece "Racing Horses," to create an epic sound that matches the game's style and Chinese cultural elements.

最后，Thomas Parisch也给予青年作曲家一些具有实用性的建议，首先是始终充实自身的理论和技术，不断提升自己；其次是形成一种结构化思维，形成在工作过程中的支柱，他认为就自身而言，他的支柱是古典音乐；最后是要勇于跳出舒适区，不断地接受新的风格与素材，尽可能的挑战极限，同时不要忘记为剧情服务、为场景服务，让音乐创作更加平易近人。
Lastly, Parisch offers practical advice to young composers. First, he emphasizes the importance of continually enriching one's theoretical knowledge and technical skills to enhance personal growth. Second, he encourages the development of structured thinking as a pillar of the creative process. For Parisch, classical music serves as his personal pillar. Lastly, he urges composers to step out of their comfort zones, embrace new styles and materials, and push their limits while always keeping in mind the need to serve the narrative and scenes, making the music composition more accessible to the audience.