Genshin Impact’s Original Soundtrack:

Unraveling its Interplay of Regional Music, Game as a Medium, and Public Recognition

Music and/as Media

Guided by Professor Nour El Rayes

May 1, 2023

Abstract

Keywords: Genshin Impact, Game Music, Interactive Music, Adaptive Soundscapes, Public Recognition

This study delves into the distinctive musical landscape of Genshin Impact, an open-world role-playing game, examining the interplay between the game medium, technology, and the public recognition of its original soundtrack. Composed by Yu-Peng Chen and HoYo-Mix, the soundtrack demonstrates a diverse integration of regional musical instruments and styles, creating an immersive and adaptive musical experience that enhances gameplay. This research investigates how the composers draw from classical and film music traditions to create the soundtrack’s unique appeal and how the game medium and technology shape the public recognition of Genshin Impact’s music.

Employing a multi-faceted approach, the research methodology encompasses aspects such as incorporating regional instruments, adaptive and interactive music, and narrative function. The analysis will cover three aspects forming Genshin Impact’s musical landscape: environmental music that complements the context and enhances the exploration experience and immersion; the interactive component that sets it apart from film music; and the character-driven music that reflects the unique personalities of each in-game unit. By examining the role of technology in the implementation of adaptive soundscapes, the study aims to comprehend why Genshin Impact’s music feels more immersive than other game soundtracks. Additionally, the research explores the challenges and opportunities presented and constrained by the game medium regarding public recognition and appreciation.

Drawing from scholarly sources focusing on the distinctions between film and game music, this study analyzes Genshin Impact’s soundtrack within the broader context of classical and film music. The objective is to uncover the underlying factors contributing to its unique appeal and immersive power while addressing the impact of the game medium and technology on the music’s public recognition.

Introduction

When discussing games, the focus is often on gameplay, graphics, and storylines. However, the importance of game music is increasingly recognized, as it plays a crucial role in creating immersive and memorable experiences for players. Similarly, when discussing music, game soundtracks may not be the first topic that comes to mind for many people, but they have gained more attention and appreciation over the years, particularly as the quality and variety of game music have improved.

In this context, the present study focuses on the music of Genshin Impact, an open-world RPG developed by miHoYo, a Chinese gaming company founded in 2011, and Genshin Impact has become their most popular game. It was released for Android, iOS, Playstation, and Windows in September 2020. The game has gained huge public recognition, winning the best mobile game awards and the Apple Design Awards for Visual and Graphics in 2021. The game’s soundtrack, composed by Yu-Peng Chen, a Chinese composer who graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, has been working as a game composer for over a decade. With the music team, HoYoMix, the game’s music has garnered significant attention for its unique blend of traditional Western European orchestral music with world music influences, creating a rich, immersive soundscape that enhances the game experience. This research explores the factors contributing to the soundtrack’s appeal and impact on the game’s immersive power and public recognition.

Firstly, an open-world RPG (Role-Playing Game) combines role-playing elements with an open-world environment, allowing players to freely explore and interact with the game world. In Genshin Impact, players assume the role of a traveler journeying across the galaxy with their twin siblings. However, a mysterious and unknown god separates the twins, and the player’s character awakens on the shores of Teyvat, a vast and diverse land where the game’s story unfolds. The player begins a quest to reunite with their lost sibling, delving into Teyvat’s rich history, engaging with its inhabitants, and uncovering the secrets beneath the surface.

In crafting the music for Genshin Impact, the composer is tasked with several key objectives: creating environmental music that enhances the scenery and cultural context, developing storytelling music that accompanies the main questline, and composing characteristic music that imbues each unit in the world with its unique melody and musical motives. These elements work together to form an intricate and immersive musical landscape that complements the gameplay experience and plays a crucial role in shaping the game’s identity.

Chapter 1

Blending Orchestral and World Music:

Crafting Genshin Impact’s Diverse Sound Scape

At the time of this study, Genshin Impact has been available for two and a half years. Set in the vast land of Teyvat, the game currently features four distinct nations: Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, and Sumeru. The developers promise that eventually, there will be seven nations, each inspired by a real-world region. Mondstadt’s design is primarily influenced by Germany, with the name itself meaning “Moon City” in German. Liyue is based in China and translates to “Jade Moon” in Chinese, Inazuma is inspired by Japan, with its name meaning “thunder lightning” in Japanese, and Sumeru is a blend of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and Northern African cultures.

In crafting the music for each nation, composer Yupeng Chen and the music team HoYoMix create a unique soundscape that reflects real-world inspirations and supports the game’s narrative and immersive experience. Using traditional orchestral music as the foundation, they add world music elements that evoke a sense of diverse cultures, enriching the game world and enhancing the player’s emotional connection to each region. This approach to composition allows the music to represent the distinct identity of each nation and become an integral part of the storytelling and world-building within Genshin Impact.

Mondstadt

Named after the region, the piece Mondstadt (see Appendix 1) begins with a traditional orchestration of strings playing delightful pizzicatos in G Lydian Mode, with the harp and woodwinds joining a few measures later. Coloraturas alternate between flutes, harps, and bassoons, adding a sense of playfulness and lightness that mirrors the city’s atmosphere of freedom and joy. This creates a familiar, happy classical marching tune reminiscent of medieval European music, which reflects Mondstadt’s architectural silhouette and vast meadow plains.

 At bar 38, the horns join in, introducing the second theme and modulating the piece into F major. This creates a bright, sunny vibe, evoking images of Mondstadt’s windmills and open spaces. Then, the magic happens at bar 53: following a half cadence in F major, the regional theme emerges with the piccolo and, most notably, the acoustic guitar, maraca, tambourine, and xylophone in F Lydian Mode. These instruments, reminiscent of traditional European folk music, evoke a mixed breeze of the countryside soil and fresh air, reinforcing the sense of freedom and connection to nature that defines Mondstadt.

The closing theme begins at bar 77, with the horns playing a warm F major melody, painting a picture of a beautiful sunset as a busy day in Mondstadt comes to an end. As the music builds on the closing theme, more instruments join in, culminating in a victorious, glittering fanfare that captures the city’s spirit and resilience. As the first region every player encounters, Mondsdat’s music is enjoyable and matches most of their experience with western inspired fantasies with swords and magic. Such instrumentation is found in games like The Witcher 3 and Assasin’s Creed, which share a commonality with medieval European culture. Maybe Mondsdat’s music sounds cliché and repetitive, but it is the game’s foundation. And as the exploration continues, the player will encounter the second nation, Liyue.

Liyue

 The second region, Liyue, introduces a fascinating landscape based on China, and local customs differ significantly from Mondstadt. The piece Liyue (See Appendix 2) is played when the player reaches Liyue Harbour. Unlike the Lydian mode in Mondstadt, it uses the Pentatonic system that represents traditional Chinese music in C Gong, which means the scale degree of C is the first note in the pentatonic scale. The orchestration also takes a foundation from Western Orchestral music, but in this piece, right from the start, we have the Chinese Traditional Instrument Guzheng after the short glissando of the harp in bar 1. This plucked-string instrument features a pentatonic tuning system and acts like a conversation between two people, one usually assisting the melody, laying down the harmony for which later comes in bar 10, the Dizi and Pipa. Dizi is a traditional Chinese musical instrument replacing the flute from a Western orchestra. Its sound is graceful and crisp, and its melody is distinct due to its unique tone. Also, Pipa is a plucked-string instrument that holds like a stand-up guitar. As described by China’s Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi’s poem “Pipa Xing:”( variously translated as “Ballad of the Pipa”)

Thick strings clatter like splattering rain,

Fine strings murmur like whispered words,

Clattering and murmuring, meshing interweaving sounds,

Like pearls, big and small, falling on a platter of jade.

Translations by Michael Fuller (p.284, 2018)

As it fits the context of Liyue in the game, a region with thousands of years of history that still embraces modern advancements, the music effectively conveys the fusion of the old and the new. The piece even blends in contemporary styles, like using the drum set and electric bass starting in bar 18, creating a landscape where tradition meets the new. As the music continues in bar 60, all the Chinese instruments, the drum sets, and the electric bass drop out. It is a transition and build-up of warm tunes featuring the horns, leading it into a closing theme in B pentatonic in bar 73. The repetition of this melody brings back the Chinese instruments, drum set, and electric bass, with fanfare and warming melodies, ending triumphantly in E major. The piece depicts the prosperity and booming aspect of the harbor, showcasing the lively atmosphere and cultural richness of Liyue. Across the sea, we have the third region, Inazuma.

 Inazuma

 An exploration of the music of Inazuma reveals a fascinating blend of traditional Japanese elements interwoven with Western orchestration, producing an immersive soundscape that’s deeply evocative yet subtly exotic. The central piece, Inazuma (See Appendix 3), is a testament to this unique musical convergence. It introduces a blend of historic Japanese pentatonic systems, employing traditional instruments like the Shakuhachi, Koto, Shamisen, and Taiko drum, set against Western orchestral arrangements.

The piece begins with an introduction played on the Koto, a Japanese version of the Guzheng, featuring melancholic glissandos in D minor pentatonic ending in A. The first theme emerges in bar 5, brought forth by the Shakuhachi, using the Akebono scale—a tonal system without a tonic—that renders the city’s atmosphere unstable and depressing. The unique tonal quality of the Shakuhachi, devoid of a fixed pitch, introduces a soundscape distinct from the previous nations, creating an auditory experience that feels familiar yet not entirely Japanese.

By bar 22, the orchestration repeats the first theme, introducing the resonant Taiko drums, the sound expanding with the strings as if transitioning from a narrow alley into a city awash with cherry blossoms. The second theme, starting in bar 40, is played by the Koto in the key of A, and then echoed by the woodwinds. This fusion of classical form with a fresh style is reinforced when the flugelhorn revisits the first theme in bar 63.

Using chromatic scales mimicking Shakuhachi’s sound creates a juxtaposition of alienation and warmth, exemplifying a form of musical exoticism reminiscent of composers like Rimsky-Korsakov and Ravel. This exoticism stimulates the player’s imagination, enhancing their immersion in the game world. By bar 80, a new descending motive begins to signify a shift in power dynamics, symbolizing the conflict between the people and the government. This tension reaches a climax at the fortississimo in bar 103, followed by a triumphal outburst of the first theme in bar 112. However, the unresolved ending with a resonating chord in bar 126 leaves the story open-ended, driving players to discover the narrative behind this magnificent music.

In conclusion, the music of Inazuma, while based on traditional Japanese forms, is a unique blend that subtly deviates from strict authenticity. As noted by the conductor of the Inazuma soundtrack, this results in a soundscape that sounds familiar but not entirely Japanese—an intentional choice by the composer Yupeng Chen. This approach exemplifies musical exoticism, crafting a unique and engaging auditory experience that enhances the player’s exploration of the game world, regardless of their familiarity with traditional Japanese music.

 Sumeru

 Sumeru, the latest region in Genshin Impact, offers an auditory journey that reflects a unique blend of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and North African cultures. Featuring instruments such as the Sitar, Bansuri, Tabla, Ney, and others, the regional music of Sumeru utilizes a tonal system that melds the double harmonic scale with melodic motives drawn from traditional South Indian music. The musical landscape of Sumeru presents a distinctive narrative, an exotic convergence of cultural elements that sets it apart from its counterparts.

In this vein, Sumeru’s orchestration calls to mind Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, yet the diverse cultural elements manifesting in the music set it apart, giving it an idiosyncratic flair. This intricate fusion of rare in-game music accentuates the player’s immersion in the captivating world of Genshin Impact.

The design of Sumeru is a testament to the game’s global reach and the diverse interests of its player base. The region draws inspiration from a unique amalgam of cultures—Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian. While this demographic can likely differentiate between the cultural inspirations behind Germany (Mondstadt), China (Liyue), and Japan (Inazuma), the distinctions between Middle Eastern and North African cultures might be less apparent. This decision is not arbitrary; it reflects an understanding of the game’s predominantly anime-inclined audience.

Further enriching the auditory experience is the geographical duality of Sumeru, divided into desert and rainforest terrains. This division mirrors the region’s history, recounting a desert kingdom and a forest realm merging under one ruler. The shift in music between these contrasting landscapes underscores the complex nature of Sumeru, as seen when the player enters Sumeru City, nestled in the rainforest area, and hears the track Sumeru. This diversity in cultural influences and the region’s dualistic nature create a complex and intriguing musical landscape that enhances the player’s immersion.

Although my analysis of Sumeru’s regional music is limited by the lack of an officially released music score, it is essential to note the focus on the game’s music as it pertains to the visual aspects, akin to film music. However, the critical distinction that sets Genshin Impact apart from film is its interactivity, providing a unique element to the auditory experience

Chapter 2

Interactive Music in Genshin Impact

Engaging Players through Adaptive Soundscapes

In the previous chapter, the primary focus was on the environmental and narrative aspects of Genshin Impact’s music, which shares similarities with film scores composed by greats like John Williams and Hans Zimmer. However, its interactivity is a crucial element that sets game music apart from film music. While film music supports the story and visuals, game music can adapt and respond to the player’s actions and the changing environment. Genshin Impact’s music excels in its environmental and storytelling support and its immersive quality, primarily due to the interactive nature of the game’s musical landscape.

As mentioned before, each region in Genshin Impact boasts a unique landscape. In Mondstadt, players encounter diverse terrains, such as plains, cliffs, and ruins, with different music accompanying each area. Liyue features subregions, like villages and inns, each with a characteristic theme that reflects the environment. Similar experiences can be found in both Inazuma and Sumeru. The open-world nature of the game allows players the freedom to explore as they please, and the environment-specific music significantly enhances the level of immersion.

Moreover, the composer adapted the music to the game’s accelerated time system, where one real-time minute is equivalent to one in-game hour. Consequently, each region has unique compositions for daytime and nighttime. The same melodic and motivic structures are used, but the nighttime versions feature slower tempos and softer dynamics. Additional music is introduced during dusk and dawn, resulting in four different tunes corresponding to different times of the day. To accommodate the game’s time system, each composition is designed to last less than six minutes, cycling through the four different tunes every six in-game hours. This thoughtful implementation of music dramatically contributes to the overall gaming experience.

Furthermore, Genshin Impact’s music system incorporates interactive battle music that transitions seamlessly between exploration and combat. For instance, when players enter an underground cave filled with crystals and ores, they hear the tranquil and melancholic piece, Stories of Remote Antiquity, which features a gentle piano accompanied by soft strings. However, the music dynamically shifts to Inevitable Conflict upon encountering an enemy in this region. This composition maintains the same melodic structure and duration as Stories of Remote Antiquity but transforms into a thrilling and engaging symphony with piano and orchestral elements. This transition occurs smoothly, picking up where the player left off in the more subdued version. Once the battle concludes, the music seamlessly returns to the more peaceful exploration theme.

This interplay between exploration and battle music highlights the composer’s ability to create two distinct versions of the same melody, each with different orchestrations and emotional impacts while ensuring a smooth and immersive transition between the two within the context of the game. Such a similar composition technique could also be found in the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. In Skyrim, the exploration music shares thematic elements with the combat music, allowing for a smooth transition between the two. The combat music maintains the game’s overall atmosphere while becoming more intense and fast-paced to reflect the action. Comparing Genshin Impact’s music to Elder Scroll, Genshin’s piece focuses more on its narrative function than on ambient sound. It is hard to ignore Genshin’s music during a battle since it is full of characteristics and melodic structure is more cantabile than harmonic.

Chapter 3

Public Recognition and the Evolving Perception of Game Music

Following a comprehensive analysis of Genshin Impact’s music, it is essential to address the topic of public recognition. While game soundtracks have gained increasing attention and appreciation over the years, there still exists a disparity in recognition compared to other forms of music. The gaming medium can sometimes limit the reach and appreciation of game music to those who actively engage with the game itself.

One challenge game music composers face is that their work may primarily be appreciated by the player base. In the case of Genshin Impact, composer Yu-Peng Chen’s work has garnered widespread acclaim, but the recognition is mainly limited to the game’s extensive player base, which skews the perception of the music’s reach and influence.

To better understand and appreciate game music, it is essential to consider its broader implications and potential as an enjoyable and valuable art form outside the context of the game. Companies like miHoYo and Nintendo are taking action by releasing original soundtracks as standalone albums and having their pieces performed in concert halls, thus elevating the status of game music.

Conclusion

This analysis demonstrates game music’s artistic and emotional significance, using Genshin Impact as a prime example. The discussion shows how Yu-Peng Chen’s compositions contribute to the game’s immersive experience by creating a unique musical landscape for each region, adapting to the game’s accelerated time system, and seamlessly transitioning between exploration and combat music.

By acknowledging the broader implications and potential of game music, the industry, and the public can work towards elevating its status and fostering further innovation and exploration in this diverse field. Changing the perception of game music can lead to increased opportunities for composers, broader audience appreciation, and the potential for new collaborations and innovations within the medium. Emphasizing the artistic and emotional significance of game music, as demonstrated in Genshin Impact, ensures it receives the recognition it deserves, contributing to a richer and more diverse musical landscape for all to enjoy.

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