Kubota Osamu on being a game composer/musician

If you’ve been playing Granado Espada up until now, chances are you’re most familiar with the music behind the dark, dangerous maps to the more laid back, pristine ones. Admittedly, GE is one game that has a plethora of musical scores that will get you in the mood, whether it’s just power levelling or going on raids.

Here’s a rather interesting article I was able to read in the net about one of GE’s music composers, Kubota Osamu. The interview, done by Jayson Napolitano of OSV, did a spectacular job on detailing his life and works. For the uninitiated, Kubota-san was also behind the music of the PlayStation game, Beatmania, among others.

Here’s some interesting tidbits about Kubota-san, as based from the interview:

• GE’s creator, Hakkyu Kim, is a fan of Kubota Osamu’s music and has contacted him to create music for the game.
• Kubota-san worked with the Asian Philharmony Orchestra in China to come up with the orchestra scores for the game.
• Kubota-san’s wife plays Granado Espada.
• He’d like to bring his music to cinematic MMORPGs, something similar to Final Fantasy or Evangelion.
• He experimented with the use of vocals in his music (check out Odyssey and Maya, the background music for the Al Quelt Moreza and Ustiur jungle maps respectively). The consonants and vowels used in the vocals do not mean anything in any native language.
• Granado Espada is his favourite project!
• Kubota-san speaks English, French, Japanese, Korean and Chinese! He’s a French literature graduate.
• His current projects include the Korean MMORPG, NED Online, as well as a Japanese video animation, entitled switch.
  

Read more about the interview here!

the music of granado espada

One of the many things I like about GE is its one-of-a-kind soundtrack that perfectly fuses trance, pop, classical and dance music. I like to listen to as much musical genres as I can, and thanks to some good friends, I've been introduced to quite a lot. Seeing these various genres in one game soundtrack is nothing short of pure genius. This is also one of the reasons why I like advancing to higher levels because you can get to take quests in various areas, and thus get acquainted with the diverse background music (BGM) that goes with it.

Although my characters are still at level 35, I've already quite a handful of favorite tracks to listen to. Below are just a few of my personal picks:

Granado Espada - Kim Junsung

This is the music you'd get to hear first prior to logging in the game. When the log in page appears, this classical piano piece sets the mood for the game's romantic backdrop.

Barracks - Kim Junsung

After logging in, you're immediately transported to the Barracks, and this is the accompanying track for the said location. Even if you're not a huge fan of orchestra music, you'll definitely find yourself humming to its tunes.

Supercooled Girl - SoundTeMP

This is the music you'll hear upon leaving the Cite de Reboldoeux's walls and venturing into the Queen's Gate. It has a light, catchy beat that picks up as the song progresses.

Beyond Hope - S.F.A.

If you were able to view one of the official video teasers of the game prior to POBT, then you know this song. Or if you've spent long hours leveling in Al Quelt Moreza, you've probably heard this playing in your mind as you sleep. Hehehe. I love the sound of string instruments, especially the violin, and this track is one of my most frequent LSS (last song syndrome). There's also the nice mix of synthesizers and percussions, giving it a semblance of "texture".

Odyssey - Kubota Osamu

This chorus song is usually heard upon arriving at Al Quelt Moreza Nartex. It has a bit of an epic feel to it as well. The electric guitar and piano medley is just amazing.

Forget-me-not - SoundTeMP

I've spent countless days in Al Quelt Moreza Parsonage, and this is one of those songs that I usually hear in that specific area. Everytime I hear this music, I'm always reminded of my level grinding stuggles in the game.

Aria de Coimbra - Kim Junsung

One of my top favorites. I like the operatic feel of this track. It really sets the mood and is a perfect romantic BGM in one of the game's picturesque towns.

Trancephobia - SoundTeMP

Definitely one of my favorite trance songs in the game. You'll be able to hear this cool track in Tetra Grand Corridor.

Temptation - Kim Junsung

This definitely has an Egyptian feel to it. Hehehe. Since I've been spending a lot of time in Tetra Golden Road, I can practically hear this in my sleep. XD

Andalusian Rhapsody - SoundTeMP

I haven't been to the location where you can hear this particular track, but I'm growing fond of this BGM. The guitar, flute and synthesizer mix depicts a brooding, yet light atmosphere whenever I hear this track.

Nangman Trance - SoundTeMP

Definitely and absolutely my top favorite in all the GE tracks I've heard so far. It's upbeat, eclectic music keeps me awake, and the fact that it's a fast song makes me want to be in the rush as well.

Violin of Death - S.F.A.

As previously mentioned, I love the sound of violins, and this track particularly highlights the drama and urgency violins connote. The heavy drums and electric guitar adds to its mysterious and playful ambiance. Does anybody know what location can you hear this music?


A bit of trivia:

I've recently learned (through Wikipedia) that SoundTeMP is not one person, but actually a team of Korean musicians who create music for online games. They've also composed BGMs for Ragnarok Online and Flyff (Fly for Fun). Kim Junsung, the musician behind the opening track of Granado Espada (the one in the log in page) and other in-game music, is also part of the team.

And I was able to scour the Net for a picture of Kubota Osamu!

And as an added bonus, I'd like to share a link to some of the music that can be found in-game. Check out this place to listen to a vast array of GE tracks, which unfortunately cannot be downloaded. :P Veya likewise has a playlist up in her blog as well, so do check it out and comment on some of the game's fantastic tracks.

I'd rather buy the original album anyway. I'm pretty sure it's a big bang for my buck. Mwehehehe.

There are still a lot of fantastic in-game music that I'd like to talk about, but we'd get to that once I advance to much more better locations. ^_~