Akira Yamaoka
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| Akira Yamaoka | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | February 6, 1968 |
| Origin | Niigata, Niigata |
| Genre(s) | Rock, Soundtrack, Ambient, Industrial |
| Occupation(s) | Soundtrack composer, Guitarist, Silent Hill series' producer |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, keyboard, piano, Drum machine, Sampler |
Akira Yamaoka (山岡 晃 Yamaoka Akira, born February 6, 1968 in Niigata, Japan[1]) is a musician and video game composer, having scored dozens of titles released by Konami. Yamaoka attended Tokyo Art College[2], where he studied product design and interior design. He joined Konami on September 21, 1993, after previously being a freelance music composer.
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[edit] Biography
He is most well known for his work for the Silent Hill series of video games, for which he composed all the music and sound effects in the whole series (excluding Silent Hill: Play Novel for the Game Boy Advance and "Esperandote" in Silent Hill, composed by Rika Muranaka). Since Silent Hill 3, he is playing a more important role as the series' producer, also continuing with his music composition working.
Yamaoka's sound commonly contains strong melancholy undertones and generally identifies with the dark ambient, industrial, and trip-hop genres. Since Silent Hill 3, he also started working in collaboration with Mary Elizabeth McGlynn and Joe Romersa for vocal compositions.
Much of his work from previous titles has been compiled for the 2006 Silent Hill movie adaptation, directed by Christophe Gans.
His music from Silent Hill 2 was performed live in 2005 at the third Symphonic Game Music Concert in Leipzig, Germany. Yamaoka also performed music from Silent Hill at the world-premiere of PLAY! A Video Game Symphony on May 27, 2006 in Chicago, Illinois, and accompanied the orchestra with an electric seven-string guitar. He also composed songs for KONAMI's Bemani series, which has also featured tracks from Silent Hill.
His first original album, iFUTURELIST, was released in January 2006.
[edit] Personal life
Before working as a video game composer, Yamaoka initially sought a career as a designer, but instead became a musician after studying product design at Tokyo Art College[2].
In 1993 he joined Konami to work on the game Sparkster: Rocket Knight Adventures 2[2]. When Konami began searching for a musician to compose Silent Hill's score, Yamaoka volunteered because he thought he was the only one capable of making the soundtrack. [2]
[edit] Influences
Yamaoka cites among his influences Angelo Badalamenti (best known known for his soundtrack work with David Lynch), Metallica, and Depeche Mode.[2]
When asked if his studies at Tokyo Art College had helped him in his musical career, he replied[2]:
"At that time, Mick Karn of Japan, Steve Strange of Visage, and a lot of other musicians combined the notions of Art and Music with their own new style. I got really influenced by that. Therefore, every time I write songs, I try to combine Art and Music."
[edit] Credits
| Game Title | Year | Console | Role | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SmartBall also known as Jerry Boy |
1991 | Super Famicom | Assistant Composers | Unsure of this credit. |
| Sparkster: Rocket Knight Adventures 2 | 1994 | Sega Mega Drive | Composer | Akira Yamaoka's first project at Konami. With Kazuhiko Uehara, Masahiro Ikariko, M. Matsuhira and Michiru Yamane. |
| International Superstar Soccer also known as Perfect Eleven |
1994 | Super Famicom | Composer | Konami requested a break beat club sound like The Prodigy. |
| Snatcher | 1994 | Sega CD | Sound Design | |
| Vandal Hearts | 1996 | PlayStation | ? | Did some sound design??? |
| Castlevania: Symphony of the Night | 1997 | PlayStation | Drum Programming. | Received a Special Thanks in the credits. |
| Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus | 1997 | PlayStation | Sound Producer | Possible composer of DEMO MOVIE and/or Title Screen? |
| Kensei: Sacred Fist |
1998 | PlayStation | Composer | Name mentioned in the credits. |
| Road Rage also known as Speed King |
1998 | PlayStation | Composer | Was originally assigned to port the arcade game's music, but instead composed all new original music. |
| Dance Dance Revolution 2ndReMIX | 1999 | Arcade, PlayStation | Composer | Composed "Love This Feelin' (Remix)".
"Love This Feelin'" was remixed by U1-ASAMI under the pseudonym of Chang-Ma. |
| Silent Hill | 1999 | PlayStation | Sound Director Sound Producer Music Composer & Arranger |
With Rika Muranaka (composed "Esperándote"). |
| beatmania IIDX 4th Style | 2000 | Arcade, PlayStation 2 | Composer | Composed "250bpm", "Diamond Jealousy", "Love Will..." and "Minimalian".
"Love Will..." was composed under the pseudonym of riewo. |
| Gradius III and IV | 2000 | PlayStation 2 | ? | Possibly composed the "DEMO MOVIE1" and "DEMO MOVIE2" music??? |
| beatmania IIDX 5th Style | 2001 | Arcade, PS2 | Composer | Composed "In My Eyes" and "Rislim".
Both songs were sung by ric. |
| Silent Hill 2 | 2001 | PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC | Sound Director All Music & Sound Effects |
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| Contra: Shattered Soldier | 2002 | PlayStation 2 | Sound Director Music Composer Sound Effect Design |
With Sota Fujimori (music composer). |
| beatmania IIDX 7th Style | 2002 | Arcade, PlayStation 2 | Composer | Composed "Bring Her Down", "i feel..." and "Love Me Do". |
| beatmania IIDX 8th Style | 2002 | Arcade, PlayStation 2 | Composer | Composed "Bit Mania" and "Dancer".
"Dancer" was composed under the pseudonym of De Vol. |
| DDRMAX2: Dance Dance Revolution 7thMIX | 2002 | Arcade, PlayStation 2 | Composer | Composed "i feel...". |
| beatmania IIDX 9th Style | 2003 | Arcade, PlayStation 2 | Composer | Composed "昭和企業戦士荒山課長" [Shōwa Kigyō Senshi Arayama Kachō], "ライオン好き" [Lion Suki] and "Rislim -remix-".
"Rislim" was remixed by Hisashi Nawata. |
| Dance Dance Revolution ULTRAMIX | 2003 | Xbox | Composer | Composed "In My Eyes" (downloadable by purchasing Ultramix Song Pack #1). Received a Special Thanks in the credits. Song In my Eyes remixed by Midihead in Ultramix Song Pack #2. |
| Silent Hill 3 | 2003 | PlayStation 2, PC | Game Producer Sound Director All Music & Sound Effects |
With Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (credited as Melissa Williamson. Vocals on "You're Not Here", "Letter - From the Lost Days" and "I Want Love") , Joe Romersa (vocals on "Hometown") and Interlace ("Rain of Brass Petals").
Game includes limited edition soundtrack CD. |
| beatmania IIDX 10th Style | 2004 | Arcade | Composer | Composed "Space Fight" and "システムロマンス" [System Romance].
"システムロマンス" was composed under the pseudonym of Hiroshi & Chiiko. |
| beatmania IIDX 11: IIDX RED | 2004 | Arcade | Composer | Composed "Awakening" and "Injection of Love".
"Injection of Love" was composed under the pseudonym of Akira Shintani, and featured Sanae Shintani as the vocalist. |
| Dance Dance Revolution EXTREME | 2004 | PlayStation 2 | Composer | Composed "You're Not Here" and "Your Rain (Rage Mix)".
"You're Not Here" originated from Silent Hill 3. |
| Rumble Roses | 2004 | PlayStation 2 | Composer | Composed "Pluck the Roses!" and "I'm too virtuous". |
| Silent Hill 4 | 2004 | PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC | Game Producer Sound Director Music |
With Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (vocals on "Tender Sugar", "Your Rain", "Room of Angel" and "Waiting for You ~ live at "HEAVEN'S NIGHT" ~ (unreleased tunes)") and Joe Romersa (vocals on "Cradle of Forest", music supervision and lyrics).
Pre-orders received soundtrack CD. |
| pop'n music 12 Iroha | 2004 | Arcade | Composer | Composed "April Fool's Song" and "Ryusei Honey".
"Ryusei Honey" was composed under the pseudonym of Akira Shintani, and featured Sanae Shintani as the vocalist. |
| beatmania IIDX 12: HAPPY SKY | 2005 | Arcade | Composer | Composed "Empty of the Sky" and "tant pis pour toi". |
| Dance Dance Revolution EXTREME 2 | 2005 | PlayStation 2 | Composer | Composed "INSIDE YOUR HEART" and "INJECTION OF LOVE (HINA MIX)" a Karaoke version of the song "INJECTION OF LOVE" from beatmania IIDX 11 IIDX RED. Also produced arrangements of "I will Survive" and "Oops!... I Did It Again". |
| Rumble Roses XX | 2005 | Xbox 360 | Composer | Composed "My Rose", "Your Rose" and "I'm too virtuous (Spencer's Dream Mix)".
"I'm too virtuous" was remixed by Sota Fujimori. |
| iFUTURELIST | 2006 | n/a | Composer | Composed entire album. His first original album. |
| Silent Hill | 2006 | Film | Executive Producer Composer |
Music included in the movie was originally composed by Yamaoka for the Silent Hill games. Some of the tracks however were remixed for the movie. |
| beatmania IIDX 13: DistorteD | 2006 | Arcade | Composer | Composed "iFUTURELIST," a single from the iFUTURELIST album, and "Heavenly Sun" which was collaborated with a fan. |
| Dance Dance Revolution STR!KE | 2006 | Playstation 2 | Composer | Composed "iFUTURELIST (DDR VERSION)", a single from the iFUTURELIST album, and "INJECTION OF LOVE (e)" an English version of the song "INJECTION OF LOVE" from beatmania IIDX 11 IIDX RED. |
| pop'n music 14 FEVER! | 2006 | Arcade | Composer | Composed "popdod". |
| Silent Hill: 0rigins | 2007 | PlayStation Portable, Playstation 2 | Game Producer Composer |
Composed 26 original tracks |
| Silent Hill V (working title) | 2008 | PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 | Game Producer Composer |
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| GuitarFreaks 3rdMIX / Drummania 2ndMIX | Arcade, PlayStation | Composer | Composed "Love This Feelin'" and "POWER DUNKER 2000X". | |
| Bugi | PlayStation | ? | ||
| Winning Eleven | PlayStation | ? | ||
| beatmania IIDX 14: GOLD' | 2007 | Arcade | Composer | Composed "Play back hate you" and "ヨシダさん" [Yoshida-san]. |
| beatmania IIDX 15: DJ Troopers' | 2007 | Arcade | Composer | Composed "Shift" and "マチ子の唄" [Machiko no Uta]. |
[edit] Studio Gear
[edit] Hardware
- Roland JD-800
- Roland JP-8080
- Roland TB-303
- Roland MKS-80
- Roland DJ-70
- Roland VP-9000
- Sequential Circuit Prophet-5
- Oberheim OB-MX
- Memorymoog
- Ensoniq VFX
- Akai VX-600
- Korg Prophecy
[edit] Software
- Emagic Logic Audio
- Emagic EXS24
- Emagic amt8
- Phrazer Infinity.
[edit] Guitars
- Ibanez UV-777-P-BK
[edit] Trivia
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Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones. |
- Yamaoka has stated that Silent Hill 2 is his favorite game in the Silent Hill series.[3]
- He wrote the main theme of Silent Hill 2 "Theme of Laura" in just three days. [1]
- Made over 200 different footstep sounds for Silent Hill 2 [1]
- He also wrote the theme of 101%, the main show of the French TV channel Nolife.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Akira Yamaoka's IMDB profile. imdb.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-16.
- ^ a b c d e f Interview with Akira Yamaoka. spelmusik.net (July 2002). Retrieved on 2007-07-16.
- ^ Konami: The Silent Hill 4 Interview. games.kikizo.com (September 6, 2004). Retrieved on 2007-07-16.
[edit] External links
- iFUTURELIST (Japanese)
- Akira Yamaoka - Official Blog (Japanese)
- Comprehensive Akira Yamaoka Profile at Square Enix Music Online
- Interview with Music4Games
- Go Game Music Interview
- Composer profile at OverClocked ReMix
- RocketBaby's interview
- Monitor Web TV interview
- Spelmusik.net interview
- Spelmusik.net interview #2
- Kikizo Games interview
- Game Informer Online GDC 2005 interview
- Akira Yamaoka Archives (Japanese)
- Akira Yamaoka - Cradel of Forest (Italian)
- Akira Yamaoka discography at MusicBrainz
