The 18° episode dedicated to the discovery of Research Centers, Museums and Recording Studios where electronic music in all its forms is studied and practiced. First: Museo del Synt Marchigiano – Italy (here). Second: SMEM Swiss Museum for Electronic Music Instruments – Swiss (here). Third: MESS Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio – Australia (here). Fouth: Nakatsugawa Korg Museum – Japan (here). Fifth: Museo della Farfisa – Italy (here). Sixth: VSM Vintage Synthesizer Museum – USA (here). Seventh: CIM: Colloquio di Informatica Musicale XXIII – Italy (here). Eighth: SoundMit – International Synth Event – Italy (here). Nine: EMEAPP – Electronic Music Education and Preservation Project – USA (here). Ten: EMS Elektronmusik Studion – Sverige (here). Eleven: Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST) – Swiss (here). Twelve: IEM Institute for Electronic Music and Acoustics, Austria (here). Thirteen: Center for New Music and Audio Technologies (CNMAT), USA (here). Fourtheen: Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA), USA (here). Fiftheen: Centro Mexicano para la Música y las Artes Sonoras (CMMAS), Mexico (here). Sixtheen: Institute of Sonology, Royal Conservatoire, Le Hague – Nederland (here). Seventeenth: CNRS – Science et Technologie de la Musique et du Son, IRCAM, Sorbonne Université, Ministère de la Culture – France (here). Today I return “virtually” to Japan to interview Hiroshi Hieida, researcher in Electronic Music and historian of the NHK Electronic Music Studio in Tokyo. Hieida, tells us about his research that focuses on preserving the historical memory of NHK and rediscovering and updating the philosophy and music created in this important Japanese studio. I would like to thank Sacha W. Bonaffini, of the labels Sleepers Records and All Horned Animals AHA, and Jeremy CORRAL, for help with the interview.
PAST / HISTORY
How was the NHK Electronic Music Studio born?
The NHK Electronic Music Studio was established in 1954 as a temporary studio by renovating the visitor observation room of NHK Hall in Uchisaiwaicho, where the first “experimental works” were produced. At that time, broadcasting stations only had one or two recording machines, so they borrowed oscillators and filters from the NHK Technical Research Laboratories, and volunteers from the NHK Music Department producers and engineers gathered to create works. They learned about electronic music from a special issue of the technical report of the North West German Broadcasting Station (NWDR) and began experimenting in an era without YouTube, SNS, or even fax machines. In 1956, the NHK Electronic Music Studio was officially opened in the Broadcasting Hall, and works were commissioned from various composers, with technical staff assembled for each work.
How was it structured?
The NHK Electronic Music Studio has three eras: the Electronic Music Room _ Shinbashi Uchisaiwaicho era (1955-1968), the Electronic Music Studio _ Jinnan 1 era (1968-1988), and the Jinnan 2 era (1989-1999).
Electronic Music Studio _ Uchisaiwaicho Era (1955-1968)
Early electronic music synthesized waveforms based on a theory called Fourier series to generate timbres. The Fourier series is a mathematical technique that approximates any periodic function with the sum of sine waves. Since sound waveforms are periodic functions, it was possible to create various timbres using Fourier series. However, synthesizing only sine waves could not produce diverse timbres. Therefore, the engineers at the NHK Electronic Music Studio not only pursued the diversity of sound materials but also focused on researching sound processing technology. Various signal sound generation circuits were developed, and sound processing technology evolved. The NHK Electronic Music Studio introduced a wide variety of equipment, including oscillator groups, formant devices, and introduced recording/playback machines. Technicians used these devices to create, process, and edit various timbres. In the production of works, sound materials were first created and then processed and edited using various formant devices. Then, each voice part was created by tape editing according to a design drawing called a timing conte. Finally, multiple voice parts were played simultaneously to complete one musical piece.
Electronic Music Studio _ Shibuya Jinnan 1 Era (1968-1988)
In 1968, with the relocation to the Shibuya Broadcasting Center, a new electronic music studio CC-500 was built on the 5th floor of the main building, reaching its peak around the Osaka Expo in 1970. Composers commissioned for the Expo’s art exhibition produced electronic music in parallel at the Broadcasting Hall and Broadcasting Center. Until the early 1980s, the electronic music produced here was supported by NHK engineers who assisted in the production of works, creating a unique sound world. Even after synthesizers were introduced to (the media, etc.) in the late 1960s, the NHK Electronic Music Studio did not actively introduce them. This was because synthesizers were considered “universal instruments” at the time, an extension of existing instruments. The NHK Electronic Music Studio aimed for free music not defined by instruments and did not want to be bound by the constraints of synthesizers. For example, a piano can only produce piano sounds. Similarly, synthesizers also had fixed timbres and functions depending on the specific manufacturer and model, limiting the freedom of sound creation. The NHK Electronic Music Studio focused on creating unique sounds by combining various sound equipment. Engineers were passionate about creating sounds with their own hands rather than relying on synthesizers. The dream of the NHK Electronic Music Studio was to create music not defined by instruments. The NHK Electronic Music Studio was a place that explored the possibilities of future music by making the most of past technologies in an era when analog technology was mainstream.
Electronic Music Studio _ Jinnan 2 Era (1989-1999) After Wataru Uenami retired.
During this period, the NHK Electronic Studio underwent downsizing due to internal restructuring. The studio actively introduced new equipment such as digital samplers and DAWs, moving away from outdated analog gear to embrace diversification and break free from manual production. However, alongside technological innovation, there was also a shift in values regarding music production.
The spread of digital technology offered composers new possibilities of expression, marking the beginning of a divergence from the long-held philosophy that ‘the studio determines the direction of composition. Function surpasses aesthetics’ (Wataru Uenami).
The studio, which had its origins in the dawn of radio broadcasting and reached its golden age with the development of FM stereo broadcasting, gradually saw its role diminish as it struggled to keep pace with the wave of digital technology. This era provides us with profound insights into the impact of technological innovation on music culture, and the relationship between aesthetics and function that changes with the times. We aim to objectively analyze this history, not as a relic of the past, but as a crucial lesson for considering the future of music culture.
What kind of equipment was in the NHK Electronic Music Studio?
• Material sound source generation device (a device that creates sound sources necessary for electronic music instead of instruments).
◦ 6-series sine wave oscillator, variable low-frequency oscillator, monochord, white noise generator, function wave oscillator, etc.
• Musical tone formation device (a device that creates changes and musical tone effects corresponding to the performance process of musical instruments).
◦ Modulation device (parallel modulator, ring modulator, etc.), rhythm formation device (AM modulator), envelope formation device, gate circuit, expander.
◦ Frequency band control device (HPF, LPF, OBPF, MBPF, FBPF, (selector, rejector), vocoder).
◦ Frequency band expansion/modulation device (variable speed tape recorder/player, eccentric capstan).
◦ Reverberation adding device (echo room, steel plate echo, tape echo, electronic echo).
• Music composition device (a device that performs the musical composition of electronic sound materials).
◦ Channel-free audio adjustment console (audio synthesis, mixdown), tape (recorder/player) for recording, editing, and pitch change adjustment (mono, stereo, multi, variable speed recorder), disc player, etc.
• In 1962, an analog (1-inch) 6-track tape recorder/player (vacuum tube, Sony) with tape speeds of 38 cm/sec and 76 cm/sec was introduced.
• Centralized jack panel, operation keys, multi-remote control, large listening device, level meter, cathode ray oscilloscope, etc.
What could be done at the NHK Electronic Music Studio?
In studios with modern cutting-edge digital technology, complex and sophisticated computer programs are central to music production. However, program development takes time, and even after completion, flexible customization is difficult. As a result, composers basically work with the same program, and the program may restrict music production. On the other hand, the philosophy of the NHK Electronic Music Studio was that technology should follow aesthetics (musical thinking) in music production. Constrained analog technology became the driving force for free thinking and unique music creation. A noteworthy point of the NHK Electronic Music Studio is that composers with diverse ideas challenged these issues from their respective musical perspectives, and engineers flexibly responded to the composers requests and collaborated to realize musical works. As a result, a wide variety of compositional styles were born from this studio. Currently electronic music is usually produced using digital technology. However, analog and digital technologies have different properties, and from a musical and aesthetic point of view, one cannot completely replace the other. Music heavily depends on materials. The NHK Electronic Music Studio is a project that answers the question, “What kind of music can be created with analog technology?”. The NHK Electronic Music Studio was a place where composers and engineers collaborated to pursue the answer to this question. The NHK Electronic Music Studio made the most of “past technology” and explored the possibilities of sound and music that “new technology” could not bring. The results of this exploration continue to show us new possibilities of music even now. I repeat: the essence of the NHK Electronic Music Studio was the philosophy that technology should follow aesthetics (musical thinking) in music production. While analog technology naturally has constraints, this philosophy was only possible because it was analog technology.
Was it possible to conduct research at the NHK Electronic Music Studio at that time?
I don’t understand the meaning of the question, “What to research.” As a broadcasting station facility, it is a facility for producing broadcasting programs. For research, there is another organization, the NHK Technical Research Laboratories. However, wasn’t what was being done at the NHK Electronic Music Studio constantly an experiment with sound, not research? “In Search of the Origin of Sound,” which Wataru Uenami gave it, expresses just that. It seems that the pioneers of electronic music were constantly pursuing and chasing how sound is born and how it becomes music. Not only physics, science, and technology, but also through ideas and philosophy. It was a sound laboratory that gave life to bloodless physical phenomena?
Did the NHK Electronic Music Studio pay attention to gender issues in electronic music?
There were no particular gender issues.
Was the NHK Electronic Music Studio open to collaboration with institutions, associations, and research centers?
Here again, the name of NHK Music Department director Wataru Uenami comes up. He had connections with many institutions, associations, and research centers. This is evident in “The Logic of the Olympic Campaign,” which he produced for the Tokyo Olympics, and many electronic music works performed at the 1970 Expo. His connection with Kasuga Taisha Shrine in Nara is the reason why he was able to convey the essence of Japanese culture to Stockhausen and Eloy.
PRESENT / FUTURE
How did your research begin?
My teacher, Professor Hiroshi Shiotani, was the first chief engineer of the NHK Electronic Music Studio and played a technically important role in the dawn of electronic music production. At that time, there were many technical challenges in electronic music production, and as chief engineer, Professor Shiotani collaborated with composers to pursue artistic expression. Professor Shiotani discussed music with composers and taught the importance of learning music to the technical staff. After he retired from NHK, he established the Department of Music Engineering at Osaka University of Arts with Wataru Uenami, where I learned music production. Later, Hiroshi Shiotani passed away suddenly in 1993. At that funeral, I listened again to “Music of Sine Waves by the Ratio Sequence of Prime Numbers,” which he produced, and thought that this music should be passed on to future generations, so I decided to produce a CD in 1993:
https://sound3.buyshop.jp/items/72395677
When did you first become interested in the history of the NHK Electronic Music Studio?
In 1974, when I was a high school student, I learned about electronic music and the NHK Electronic Music Studio in a special issue of the quarterly magazine “Transonic” called “Technology Space.” I learned that the NHK Electronic Music Studio was the mother body of Osaka University of Arts Music Engineering, and I took the entrance exam there.
How did you restore the memories of the NHK Electronic Music Studio?
The NHK Electronic Music Studio made the most of “past technology” and explored the possibilities of sound and music that “new technology” could not bring. The results of this exploration continue to show us new possibilities of music even now. The legacy of the past may actually be a door to the future. We want to convey this to the younger generation of today.
Are historical archives of the NHK Electronic Music Studio available on social media?
Currently, historical archives of the NHK Electronic Music Studio are not available on social media. However, we are conducting research and preparation for publication. I am a student of Hiroshi Shiotani and Wataru Uenami, the first chief engineers of the NHK Electronic Music Studio, so I am from a generation that directly knows the “sound” of the studio. I also have experience producing programs at NHK and deeply understand the “sound of NHK.” However, when our generation is gone, it may become difficult to pass on to future generations the attitude of pursuing the “origin of sound” of the studio. The archives are scheduled to be published on social media when the memories of the studio become the skeleton. Until then, we will continue to inherit the spirit of the studio through activities such as producing new albums and concerts.
What is your current relationship with the Japanese government as an archivist and researcher?
There is absolutely no relationship. We have no connection with the Japanese government. We are only known to some broadcasting enthusiasts. The broadcast is a program called “Contemporary Music.” Much of Japanese electronic music was produced for broadcasting on this program. The presenter and director of this program was the late Wataru Uenami. He was an indispensable presence in the activities of the NHK Electronic Music Studio. He cut out connected many composers and engineers, contributed to the birth of many masterpieces, and supported the operation of the studio. The NHK Electronic Music Studio produced more than 120 electronic music pieces and was used for the production of background sounds and sound effects for numerous television programs and radio dramas. The studio closed in 1999 with “Decomposition II: Beyond the Gate” asits last work.
Can you write me about the project of the series of compilations: the first The Beginnings of Japanese Electroacoustic Vol.1 – Electronic Music Room 1955-1968 (2LP) released this year; the second series (1968-1974) planned for next year; the third series (1975-1986) planned for the year after?
“In Search of the Origins of Sound”: Transcending Time, Transforming Form.
Thirty years ago, the esteemed Wataru Uenami inscribed the title “In Search of the Origins of Sound” for us. At that time, as the shift from LP records to CDs occurred and music digitization advanced, we believed that “In Search of the Origins of Sound” would endure for eternity. However, in recent years, we’ve felt a strong sense of crisis as the way young people listen to music has gravitated towards subscription services and YouTube, diluting the concept of “owning” music. This led us to the idea of a vinyl LP revival. By preserving these works in the physical medium of LP records.
We believe “In Search of the Origins of Sound” can survive until the end of humanity. However, LP production requires over one million yen. Thus, we opted for crowdfunding. In fact, the first installment of “In Search of the Origins of Sound,” a collection of works by Hiroshi Shiotani, was conceived at his funeral. We realized we, his students, should share his achievements, which went unnoticed during our student days. We raised funds from classmates, seniors, and juniors, producing 500 CDs, the minimum order at that time. Unable to distribute all 500 copies, we took them to a record store where John Zorn happened to listen, sparking a significant response.
Consequently, the CD became a rare item, unavailable even on Amazon. Our crowdfunding campaign, launched last February, surpassed its 1.5 million yen goal, raising 2.5 million yen from 239 backers, a resounding success. The first release was a double LP, featuring 11 carefully selected tracks from the Electronic Music Room (1955-1968) era.
This May, we’re launching the second installment, focusing on the Electronic Music Studio (1968-1974) era, around the time of Expo ’70. Next year, we aim to release the third installment, covering the Electronic Music Studio (1975-1986) New Wave era.
Currently, Soundohm is the only overseas distributor, but we also offer direct-to-consumer sales.
We invite you to add these works to your libraries and share in the legacy of Japanese electronic music.
Are there any ongoing or future projects to preserve the story and the legacy of NHK Electronic Music Studio?
NIPPON Electronic Music 70th Anniversary Project
1) 15 February J C Eloy ‘GAKU NO MICHI Material’ Completed（end)
2) May undecided Kyushu Institute of Design
3) 17 May Crowdfunding vol.2 Oto no Hajimari wo Motomete (2) Around the Time of Expo
4) 31 May & 1 June Kyoto Rohm Theatre North Hall 2days
5) 8 & 9 July In memoriam: Joji Yuasa ‘Ikon 5ch → final’ 2 days
5) 27 & 28 September ’70EXPO Festival Square 4 composers selected Matsudaira/Matsushita/Ichiyanagi/Kosugi
⑥Nov. Osaka University of Arts
⑦ Nov 27 28 NIPPON 70th anniversary of electronic music
⑧ 14 Feb 15 Solo exhibition of electronic music ‘Maki Ishii’ 90th anniversary of his birth.
If there is a chance to participate in electroacoustic festivals in Europe, by all means.
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