# Where are the good Asian Hans Zimmers?!



## wanmingyan (Nov 23, 2013)

As the topic implies, feel free to discuss it here! Asia is a market worth exploring! But what's stopping us? Or is there already an established market there?


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## Daniel James (Nov 23, 2013)

Right here LOL: http://youtu.be/RL8Mecgd9vQ?t=2m16s

Or here: http://youtu.be/RL8Mecgd9vQ?t=3m25s

-DJ


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## H.R. (Nov 23, 2013)

What exactly do you mean? As good as Zimmer or just like him in the manner of style ? We have a lot of good composers in Asia. One for say A.R. Rahman and billions of rip offers!


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## Madrigal (Nov 23, 2013)

> Right here LOL: http://youtu.be/RL8Mecgd9vQ?t=2m16s



Indeed, 

Having spent a fair amount of time in Asia, I eventually came to understand that culturally, most East-Asian countries do not value innovation or creativity as much as they value the ability to effectively imitate/recreate the work of "Masters". 

Masters can be anyone from Mozart to Apple, Louis Vuitton, Spielberg, etc.


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## Walid F. (Nov 23, 2013)

Most of my favorite composers are from Asia. Or more specifically, Japan. 

I'm not sure what this thread is about, really!


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## Walid F. (Nov 23, 2013)

"most East-Asian countries do not value innovation or creativity as much as they value the ability to effectively imitate/recreate the work of "Masters"."

What is this craziness? They value imitation more than innovation and creativity? Please do explain this, as I'm really interested in how you have concluded this! 

Asiatic countries have through history been an extremely innovative source of both technology, culture and art. I would say music counts in there as well.


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## germancomponist (Nov 23, 2013)

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101065706


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## FriFlo (Nov 23, 2013)

> Where are the good Asian Hans Zimmers?!



I found a female one at least ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-qMBS1frkM


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## Stephen Rees (Nov 23, 2013)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoko_Kanno


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## Madrigal (Nov 23, 2013)

> What is this craziness? They value imitation more than innovation and creativity? Please do explain this, as I'm really interested in how you have concluded this! Smile
> 
> Asiatic countries have through history been an extremely innovative source of both technology, culture and art. I would say music counts in there as well.



That came out wrong. I'm not actually saying that Asia doesn't innovate, nothing is further from the truth. What I meant is that Asian countries don't usually look down upon imitation. There is nothing wrong with copying as long as it's done well.

For example, in the Western world, if you're a film composer that writes "à la" Zimmer, other composers will most likely snob you by saying you're only imitating the work of another composer and lack your own style and vision.


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## germancomponist (Nov 23, 2013)

To be sneaky to deceive others, copy etc, these are all virtues there... .


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## mark812 (Nov 23, 2013)

Where are the good European Nobuo Uematsus?


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## toomanynotes (Nov 24, 2013)

Madrigal @ Sat Nov 23 said:


> > For example, in the Western world, if you're a film composer that writes "à la" Zimmer, other composers will most likely snob you by saying you're only imitating the work of another composer and lack your own style and vision.



Interesting, well one doesn't always get that impression with composer/sound designers on this forum. Shame. 
Does make one wonder where most of you folk would be without your sound libraries. Back to paper notation? hmmmm


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## toomanynotes (Nov 24, 2013)

H.R. @ Sat Nov 23 said:


> What exactly do you mean? As good as Zimmer or just like him in the manner of style ? We have a lot of good composers in Asia. One for say A.R. Rahman and billions of rip offers!


imo overrated who can't hold a candle to R. D. Burman


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## dcoscina (Nov 24, 2013)

germancomponist @ Sat Nov 23 said:


> To be sneaky to deceive others, copy etc, these are all virtues there... .



Please be joking....


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## germancomponist (Nov 24, 2013)

dcoscina @ Sun Nov 24 said:


> germancomponist @ Sat Nov 23 said:
> 
> 
> > To be sneaky to deceive others, copy etc, these are all virtues there... .
> ...


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## dcoscina (Nov 24, 2013)

germancomponist @ Sun Nov 24 said:


> dcoscina @ Sun Nov 24 said:
> 
> 
> > germancomponist @ Sat Nov 23 said:
> ...



Whew! 

=o


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## Justin Miller (Nov 24, 2013)

Does A.R.Rahman count?


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## Walid F. (Nov 24, 2013)

Madrigal @ Sat Nov 23 said:


> > What is this craziness? They value imitation more than innovation and creativity? Please do explain this, as I'm really interested in how you have concluded this! Smile
> >
> > Asiatic countries have through history been an extremely innovative source of both technology, culture and art. I would say music counts in there as well.
> 
> ...



Ah! Point taken.


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## wanmingyan (Nov 27, 2013)

Thanks everyone for their views on this issue! Considering how big Asia is, it is possible to say that the film/media scoring industry in Asia is still developing? (Not as developed as LA?) Let's discuss the future possibilities of the development of that industry in Asia where more of today's youth/younger generation need to be more aware of!

-WMY


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## Neifion (Nov 28, 2013)

I think Tan Dun's work on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Hero was very well done.

Joe Hisaishi's work on Hayao Miyazaki films like Spirited Away and the recent game Ni No Kuni are outstanding.

Yoko Shimomura's and Nobuo Uematsu's work on the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts franchises.

And even though he is American, Jeremy Zuckerman and his Track Team have an enormous appreciation for and knowledge of various Asian performance styles, as demonstrated in their fantastic Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra series. Seriously, the latter half of Korra Season 2 almost brought me to tears via the music alone.

I've always been interested in Asian musical styles, and spent some time in the ethnomusicology department at the University of Hawaii (playing Gamelan was fun, though it took a while to grasp the strike-then-dampen-as-you-strike-the-next-note). I'm really looking forward to Embertone's Chang Erhu (I don't work for Embertone, I swear!)

From my experience, being in America, it seems that Asian film music is definitely growing exponentially, to the degree that we are seeing it largely incorporated in Hollywood, even in movies that aren't Asian in their subject matter (i.e. Michael Giacchino using the erhu for Spock's theme in Star Trek 2009). As for young Asian composers, in Asia, cultivating the industry there, I obviously can't say. But one thing I've heard a lot is that Hollywood is it's own animal, and that the film and film music culture is way different over in Asia. That's why Disney didn't end up building a Walt Disney Studios park as the second gate to Tokyo Disneyland; for the exact reason that the Japanese film studios aren't the glamor-and-glitz attractions for the public that they are in America. Don't know how relevant that is to contributing to the young composer culture out there, but take that as it is.


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## Tanuj Tiku (Nov 28, 2013)

Bollywood is probably bigger than anything in Asia. It is second only to Hollywood in terms of number of films made and the size of the industry. 

It is also growing incredibly fast. We have FOX, Viacom 18, Sony, Warner Brothers, Disney(just took over a big Indian production house). Plus some nice local production houses. The guys from Hollywood are still figuring out but growing fast. They are however only looking to make Indian based films - not imposing a Hollywood style or anything like that. 

Reliance Entertainment (owned by Anil Ambani - an Indian) invested $3 billion into Dreamworks to help Spielberg buy back his company. Spielberg was down recently and did a press conference and met many Indian film makers. They are trying to get things moving here as well with some collaborations. 

I think Bollywood makes over 900 films a year. 

Most of them are not any good. Many imitations but there is a lot of original content as well. Some fantastic musicians and composers in this country.

But as you said, it is still developing. 

Hollywood invented a lot of the stuff so its not easy to beat that! Plus America dominates world culture in many ways. 

And we are only 66 years old since the British empire came to an end. Its a young country with most of the population being very young. 

There is lots and lots of work here. Lots of new things happening. Most dont work, some do - same kind of thing.

A.R Rahman changed the scene of Indian music after R.D Burman passed away. But after a decade of his existence in Bollywood, many new composers inspired by him started creating wonderful music. 

He showed India at the time that change was possible in the music scene. Of course, he is immensely talented. 

Of course, most scores get temped with Hans's music - It is very difficult to fight that. But there are people like us who want to create original content and are fighting everyday to make things happen. 

If you want to hear some good fusion of new music happening in India - A good place to start is to watch Coke Studio India - Season 2 onwards (available on Youtube with full episodes). Season 1 was not really great - they were still finding some ground.

Or listen to the new MTV Unplugged India stuff.


Tanuj.


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## wanmingyan (Dec 12, 2013)

*Re: The Asian Music Industry*

Wow! Thats quite some information from Tanuj and Neifion! I hope that this thread can be used to further discuss the Asian Music Industry!

1st Question: How would support of local talents help to bring development to the music/media industry?

I realize that some citizens here in Singapore seem to be more aware of the international music scene (namely K-Pop and American Pop) and local music seems to compose of only 5% of their music palate. (Thus: causing the career prospects in music in Singapore to be slightly less attractive...)

2nd Question: Is there a way to raise the long-term** awareness of people towards local music (of any country)? What seems to be the problem in countries such as mine? :0

Please feel free to voice your views and opinions! I won't hunt you down for anything you say as i understand how everyone has their view on different issues! :D


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## jgarciaserra (Dec 12, 2013)

Ok, a little offtopic. Joe Hisaishi it's one of the most great composer in Asia.


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