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N-Philes: Let's talk MIDI for a second. Although most have praised the music of Metroid Prime, The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker and other Nintendo titles, many reviewers were disappointed that these scores were composed entirely in MIDI, saying it took away from the overall experience of the game. Can you explain to our readers in what ways MIDI is inferior to other music composition applications? Do you think Nintendo is holding itself back by continuing to use MIDI? Is there a future still for MIDI, specifically on the next generation consoles? Should there be?djpretzel: Well, first, a technical correction: MIDI is just an interface - it doesn't impose any limitations on sound quality in and of itself, and even for redbook audio scores, it was almost certainly used for sequencing before the final mix was mastered. So, it's not really a question of 'To MIDI or not to MIDI' - either way, MIDI is used. What you're essentially talking about is the difference between a game having a pre-recorded score versus some sort of MOD-like format that triggers samples on the hardware itself. There are definite advantages to this approach - for example, a musical composition could more readily alter the tempo, key, volume or other aspects in specific relation to what the play was doing onscreen, in real-time, making things more interactive than simply triggering recorded passages of music. On the flipside, as a general rule, something that's pre-recorded is going to sound more professional and have the ability to surpass sonically anything the built-in hardware could realistically play back. So, it's a question of context - for points in games where the soundtrack needs to react quickly and elaborately to what the player is doing, using on-board sound generation is totally appropriate, and really the only option. For an overture or music that plays during a cinema, title screen, or which simply doesn't have to reflect specifically what the player is doing, pre-recorded audio has more advantages.
I don't think either technology will be going away or usurping the place of the other any time soon, as both fill very valuable roles.
N-Philes: Is it a goal of yours to someday write music professionally for computer and videogames?
djpretzel: It's something I'd love to do, definitely, but I wouldn't call it a goal, as I already have a career as a software developer. I've sort of 'saved' music for my free time, where I don't have a boss or deadlines or have to make artistic compromises. Plus, I'm already busy running OC ReMix!
N-Philes: If you could compose a soundtrack for any classic Nintendo title remade on the Nintendo Revolution, what game would you choose?
djpretzel: Well, I *want* to see them remake Kid Icarus, because... it's about damn time the franchise was resurrected. But, musically, I'd rather do one of the Zelda games, probably A Link to the Past or Ocarina of Time.
N-Philes: What will future video and computer game music be like?
djpretzel: I think that there'll be more commercialization and bigger names getting in on the business, especially in the US and Europe, and more usage of licensed music like with the recent Need for Speed games... those are trends that have plusses and minuses, obviously. I think the real fascinating thing will be more interactive audio, stuff that reacts to the gaming environment and isn't just background music. Also, with Dolby support, hopefully much more will be done with positional audio so that the experience rivals that of a home theater - more and more people are hooking their game systems up to HDTVs and 5.1 or 7.1 receivers, so games can and should start taking advantage of that.
N-Philes: Where do you see OC ReMix in ten years?
djpretzel: Still going strong! There's so much potential not only in the more known games, but also in many games that have been overlooked but which had exquisite soundtracks. Creatively, there's infinite variation and endless possibilities. As the Internet itself develops and new technologies come along, we'll incorporate them into the site, but the core concept - rearranging computer and video game music from yesterday, today, and tomorrow - will be just as viable and (hopefully) energizing a decade from now as it is today.
Thank you very much for your time Mr. Lloyd. Best of luck on your future endeavors, and by all means, give us a jingle the second you discover more on the secrets of the universe.
