<p>===========================================================</p>
<p>J@pan Inc Magazine Presents:</p>
<p>M U S I C M E D I A W A T C H</p>
<p>Commentary on Japan's music technology news</p>
<p>===========================================================</p>
<p>Issue No. 126 </p>
<p>Tokyo<br>
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<p>CONTENTS </p>
<p>++ FEATURE: Nintendo and Taito Take Music Games in New Direction </p>
<p>++ NOTEWORTHY NEWS:</p>
<p> ** Kenwood releases new stereo system with AMG Lasso on SD card</p>
<p> ** Taito demos mobile game for playing classical music</p>
<p> ** Label Mobile starts new service for anime and game music</p>
<p> ** Roland announces Sonar V-Studio 700</p>
<p> ** Yamaha to release two new iPod docks </p>
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<p>-----------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>++ FEATURE: Nintendo and Taito Take Music Games in New Direction </p>
<p>After more than three years of media speculation since its initial unveiling at<br>
the Tokyo Game Show 2005, Nintendo's highly anticipated 'Wii Music' finally<br>
hit stores on October 16 in Japan, followed by a US release four days later. In<br>
Japan, the game was heavily promoted during the weeks leading up to its<br>
launch, including a special demonstration by Nintendo's famed game producer<br>
Shigeru Miyamoto at the Nintendo Fall 2008 Conference in Tokyo on<br>
October 2. </p>
<p>Music 'rhythm games' such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band have gained<br>
mainstream popularity in the US and Europe recently, and many people<br>
have come to associate music games in general with this type of game.<br>
The basic object of a rhythm game is to press certain buttons at specific<br>
times corresponding with the music, with points awarded based on the<br>
accuracy of a player's timing. Japan has been saturated with these types<br>
of games for over a decade, however, and rhythm games are available<br>
here for just about every conceivable theme. In fact, Guitar Hero itself<br>
is essentially a slick adaptation (repackaged nicely for the US market)<br>
of Konami's Guitar Freaks game, which first appeared in Japan in 1998,<br>
and is now on its sixteenth iteration. </p>
<p>With Wii Music, Nintendo appears to have wisely stayed away from the<br>
well-worn rhythm genre, choosing instead to forge a whole new path in<br>
music games. Rather than award points based on rhythmic accuracy, the<br>
purpose of Wii Music is to allow people without any musical training to<br>
participate in collaborative music-making and musical improvisation. The<br>
game allows players to perform music using the Wiimote and nunchuck,<br>
and is able to simulate 60 different instruments, including the violin, piano,<br>
guitar, trumpet, harps, sitar, marimba, and various drums and percussive<br>
instruments. </p>
<p>One of the main features of Wii Music is the multi-player 'jam mode', in which<br>
up to four players can join together in different kinds of jam sessions. At the<br>
most basic level (quick jam), instrument parts are assigned randomly, and<br>
allows everyone to quickly get into the game and play somewhat together.<br>
In the custom jam, players choose instruments, style and venue, and the game<br>
becomes a much more realistic simulation of an actual jam session. One key<br>
difference, of course, is that the music made by each player is always adjusted<br>
by the program to fit the context of the song being played. Unlike in a real<br>
session, it's hard to hit a dissonant series of notes. </p>
<p>It is still a bit early yet to gauge the general reception of Wii Music.<br>
According to Enterbrain, which compiles sales data for Japanese games,<br>
Wii Music sold a respectable 50,000 copies in its first day on sale in Japan,<br>
at a unit price of JPY 5,800 (USD $50). Reviews have been mixed, with<br>
detractors pointing primarily to the overabundance of public domain songs,<br>
and not enough variety in song selection. Several critics have also said that<br>
the game might be good for families with young children, but most adults<br>
will likely tire of playing with the instruments in a matter of hours. </p>
<p>Of course, much of the Wii remote functionality for this kind of game can<br>
be handled by today's mobile phones in Japan. Just as Nintendo was readying<br>
its Wii Music launch, Taito showed up at the Tokyo Game Show with a live<br>
orchestra on stage all playing their... mobile phones. This eye-catching<br>
demonstration was done to promote Taito's upcoming mobile game 'Chokkan<br>
Classic' which will be released in November for NTT DoCoMo handsets<br>
(see newsbrief below). Not to be outdone, Yamaha has also recently partnered<br>
with KDDI to help develop a new series of phones that can double as music<br>
instruments. With these phones, Yamaha and KDDI have abandoned all<br>
pretense of making a game, instead treating the mobile phone as a legitimate<br>
musical instrument. </p>
<p>Like Nintendo with Wii Music, Taito and others are now taking the music<br>
game genre in a whole new direction. The basic idea of these new releases<br>
is to treat the controller or mobile phone as a musical instrument, and have<br>
the player actually participate in the process of making music. This could be<br>
a very tough sell, however. The appeal of rhythm games such as Guitar Hero<br>
is that they are simple and goal-oriented, and allow you to feel like a rock<br>
star while playing a game. They are first and foremost games that anyone<br>
can play, and the actual musical component is minimal by comparison. For<br>
the average casual game player with no particular interest in playing an<br>
instrument, a game like Wii Music or Chokkan Classic can be a bit<br>
confusing. And the sight of orchestra players blowing on their game<br>
controllers or a band on stage jamming with mobile phones just seems a<br>
bit... well, you can judge for yourself: </p>
<p><a href="http://vision.ameba.jp/watch.do?movie=1154373" title="http://vision.ameba.jp/watch.do?movie=1154373">http://vision.ameba.jp/watch.do?movie=1154373</a></p>
<p><a href="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9o556od8IsI" title="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9o556od8IsI">http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9o556od8IsI</a> </p>
<p>While it is unlikely that Wii Music will ever be a huge hit on the scale of<br>
Guitar Hero, Nintendo nonetheless deserves credit for being the first<br>
company to market this new type of music game to the mass market.<br>
Music game developers have long wrestled with the issue of how to make<br>
a game that captures the essence of real musicianship, yet is accessible to<br>
non-musicians. Several companies in Japan and the West were established<br>
with lofty ambitions of making innovative music games that allow<br>
non-musicians to experience the joy and thrills of playing music. After a<br>
few attempts, though, most of these companies eventually settle into a<br>
pattern of releasing some variation of the tried-and-true rhythm game.<br>
Harmonix, the developer of Guitar Hero, is a good case in point. </p>
<p>With Wii Music, Nintendo has at least taken a big step toward closing<br>
the gap between making a game that is both musically challenging and<br>
interesting, while at the same time remaining accessible to everyone.<br>
At the very least, the game will introduce hundreds of thousands of<br>
people to the basic concepts of jam sessions and musical improvisation.<br>
It's also exciting and refreshing to see a major release for a music game<br>
that actually has something new to offer. </p>
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<p>-----------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>++ NOTEWORTHY NEWS: </p>
<p>** Kenwood releases new stereo system with AMG Lasso on SD<br>
card</p>
<p>In brief: Kenwood has announced the release of a new mini-component<br>
home stereo system that uses the AMG Lasso Local Edition music<br>
recognition system via an SD card to identify and provide metadata for<br>
CDs and MP3 files. Previous standalone systems without a network<br>
connection have required a hard drive for CD recognition. The new<br>
Kenwood system signals a move toward inclusion of Lasso in lower-<br>
priced standalone devices. AMG Lasso is licensed exclusively in Japan<br>
by Rainbow Partners.</p>
<p>Source:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.kenwood.co.jp/newsrelease/2008/20080912_02.html" title="http://www.kenwood.co.jp/newsrelease/2008/20080912_02.html">http://www.kenwood.co.jp/newsrelease/2008/20080912_02.html</a> </p>
<p>** Taito demos mobile game for playing classical music</p>
<p>In brief: On October 10, Taito unveiled a new mobile music game at<br>
Tokyo Game Show 2008. The new game, called 'Chokkan Classic',<br>
allows the player to perform music by moving their fingers in front<br>
of infrared sensors on the handset. The game can simulate various<br>
instruments found in classical orchestras, including violin, flute and<br>
cello. Taito says the game is scheduled for release on NTT DoCoMo<br>
in November.</p>
<p>Source:</p>
<p><a href="http://mainichi.jp/enta/mantan/news/20081011mog00m200004000c.html" title="http://mainichi.jp/enta/mantan/news/20081011mog00m200004000c.html">http://mainichi.jp/enta/mantan/news/20081011mog00m200004000c.html</a> </p>
<p>** Label Mobile starts new service for anime and game music</p>
<p>In brief: On October 20, Label Mobile opened a new mobile service<br>
specializing in anime and game music. The new site is available initially<br>
on NTT DoCoMo, to be followed soon by KDDI (au) and SoftBank<br>
Mobile. There is no monthly subscription fee, and songs are priced<br>
between JPY 100 to 500 (US$1 to $5).</p>
<p>Source:</p>
<p><a href="http://it.nikkei.co.jp/mobile/news/index.aspx?n=NN001Y573%2017102008" title="http://it.nikkei.co.jp/mobile/news/index.aspx?n=NN001Y573%2017102008">http://it.nikkei.co.jp/mobile/news/index.aspx?n=NN001Y573%2017102008</a> </p>
<p>** Roland announces Sonar V-Studio 700</p>
<p>In brief: Roland announced this month that in January 2009 it will begin<br>
selling a new integrated hardware/software music production system that<br>
includes a dedicated console controller, an audio interface box, and the<br>
Sonar 8 Producer software package. The integrated system will be released<br>
under the name Sonar V-Studio 700.</p>
<p>Source:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.roland.co.jp/news/0395.html" title="http://www.roland.co.jp/news/0395.html">http://www.roland.co.jp/news/0395.html</a> </p>
<p>** Yamaha to release two new iPod docks</p>
<p>In brief: Yamaha recently announced the release of two new speaker<br>
docks for the iPod. The PDX-50 features a wireless unit which allows<br>
the iPod to be used as a remote control, while the PDX-30 requires the<br>
iPod to be docked while playing. Both docks come with 2 full-range<br>
8cm speakers. The PDX-50 will go on sale in mid-November, while<br>
the PDX-30 is schedule for release in early December.</p>
<p>Source:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.yamaha.co.jp/news/2008/08100301.html" title="http://www.yamaha.co.jp/news/2008/08100301.html">http://www.yamaha.co.jp/news/2008/08100301.html</a> </p>
<p>Music Media Watch is written by Steve Myers, president of Theta Music<br>
Technologies, a Tokyo-based developer of music-related software<br>
(<a href="http://www.thetamusic.com/" title="www.thetamusic.com">www.thetamusic.com</a>).</p>
<p> -----------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>The 9th METROPOLIS HALLOWEEN GLITTERBALL is on again!</p>
<p>In the seven years since its unholy birth, Metropolis'<br>
'Glitterball' has mutated into the monster it is today:<br>
Japan's largest and most rockin' Halloween party!</p>
<p>The no-holds-barred celebration boasts a frighteningly fun<br>
atmosphere thanks to 2,000 revelers decked out in all manner of<br>
scary, sexy and crazy costumes.<br>
With its signature open bar, food buffet and free-for-all<br>
dance floor, the Metropolis Halloween Glitterball is a<br>
must attend event for any self-respecting beauty or beast<br>
in Tokyo. Get your Freak ON!</p>
<p>Wear a costume to win great prizes!</p>
<p>WHAT: Metropolis Halloween Glitterball<br>
- All-you-can drink, eat, meet and dance!</p>
<p>WHERE: Club Womb, Shibuya<br>
WHEN: Thursday, October 31st<br>
TIME: 19:00 - 24:00<br>
FEE: 2,500yen (Tickets available online, at Lawson ticket<br>
and at participating outlets)</p>
<p><a href="http://metropolis.co.jp/glitterball/glitterball2008.htm" title="http://metropolis.co.jp/glitterball/glitterball2008.htm">http://metropolis.co.jp/glitterball/glitterball2008.htm</a></p>
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Entrepreneur Association of Tokyo Seminar-Tuesday, November 4th</p>
<p>Speaker: Mr. Ricco DeBlank, General Manager of<br>
The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo and The Park Residences</p>
<p>Seminar Title: 'Passion to Serve'</p>
<p>Are you interested in improving your customer service?<br>
If so, then don't miss EA-Tokyo's November seminar with<br>
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<p>Hailing from the Netherlands, DeBlank joined The Ritz-Carlton<br>
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<p>He served as the General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton,<br>
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<p>Date/Time: Tuesday, November 4th 7:00 pm<br>
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Language: English<br>
Website: <a href="http://www.ea-tokyo.com/" title="http://www.ea-tokyo.com">http://www.ea-tokyo.com</a></p>
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