おかえり、おんがく。 ヤマハで“もっと”配信＆音楽を楽しもう

Q: That's amazing. And how do you feel about all of your fans, the Lu-knights?

Hmm... I don't think my streams would be the same without the comments from my Lu-knights and the conversations they spark. Perhaps you could say they are "priceless?" Oh gosh, I'm gushing!

Q: Compared to when you first debuted, do you feel closer to your viewers now?

To be honest, I wasn't sure how much I should put myself out there at first or how to connect with everyone. But everyone has been so kind and caring, so now I feel like I can say whatever!

Q: I'd like to ask you about your Electone. Could you tell us what model it is?

It's a Yamaha ELC-02. Electones are pretty heavy and hard to move around, but this one can be disassembled and carried. I chose it specifically because I wanted something that would be easy to move around as I sometimes I need to change the layout of my room for streaming.

Q: So you picked your Electone based on how you were going to use it for streaming?

That's right. I actually originally played the keyboard during live streams and I mentioned one day in passing that I can also play the Electone. Some of my viewers said that they wanted to hear me play that as well. I was even thinking myself that I'd like to debut the Electone on a stream some day.

Q: How did you get started playing the Electone?

We had a keyboard at home and so I started off by playing that. At some point I started learning the Electone as well. I don't even remember why I started with the Electone when I was already playing the keyboard. Maybe I just personally preferred it, or maybe my mom encouraged me.

Q: I suppose it's a common theme among musicians in that they can't remember whether they started because they liked music or because their parents made them. Is there anything specific about the Electone that you particularly like?

I mean, this is common knowledge for me now, but a lot of people who don't know about the Electone are shocked when they realize it can make so many different sounds. Some people even ask if I'm playing the soundtrack during my performance live streams! I love that the Electone allows me to produce something that sounds like a band or an orchestra all by myself.

Q: You play a lot of Ghibli music during your streams, right?

That's right. I like Ghibli, and I also like to play songs that people are familiar with and enjoy. Even back in my keyboarding days I often used to play "A Town with an Ocean View" from "Kiki's Delivery Service" as my finishing song.

Q: You said you started out with the keyboard, but what actually made you decide to start streaming instrumental performances?

There are a few other Hololive members who also stream instrumental performances and I thought to myself, "That's a good idea, I've got an instrument that I can play, so I might give it a go myself."

Q: What was your set up like when you first started streaming?

At first I had no idea how to live stream a performance so I just had a regular microphone set up but the sound quality wasn't very good. I did some research on my own and I also asked Mr Admin* if he could help me. I had so much trouble with the equipment and I felt so out of my depth! There's a lot of information out there on the internet which I've had to refer to.
*Himemori Luna's Agency Administrator

Q: What about now, are there still some things you need to work out?

Depending on where it's placed, sometimes my vocal mic will pick up the sound of my keystrokes instead of just my voice. I can't tell when it's happening at the time, but my viewers will hear a banging sound on their end so I'm forever fine-tuning my microphone placement. I keep an eye on the comments, which is how my viewers let me know that something's wrong, but it's something I'm still working on.

Q: It sounds like communication with your viewers really helps to improve the quality of your streams.

Hehe, I think you're right. It really feels like we're creating the stream together. Sometimes I'll find something to fix after the fact when I'm checking through my archives, but when people tell me in the comments about the keystrokes or other noise interference I can fix it on the spot.

Q: Around July 2021 there was a marked improvement in the sound quality of your Electone streams after you received some advice from Kanzaki Hiro. Can you tell us what he said?

I think Papa Hiro* had been watching some of my streams and he gave me some really specific advice. He told me, "If you connect the audio interface to this jack here, you'll get a better feed." I didn't quite understand what he was talking about at first. I was like, "What do you mean?" So he started teaching me. He was so thorough, he sent me an image of the Electone saying explaining exactly where I needed to connect the cable.
*Kanzaki Hiro, illustrator and Himemori Luna's character designer

Q: Compared to gaming or simply chatting with your fans, is there anything you feel that is unique to streaming the Electone?

I think a lot of people come to listen to the Electone when they're looking to feel better or they need help falling asleep. It's a more relaxed environment than gaming... and I think it's also more appreciated lol! They'll say, "Thank you so much for playing!"
I think there are also people who see it as coming to watch their daughter's recital. Some people have left comments saying things like, "Oh, my sister used to practice on the piano like this when we were kids," so I think they're kind of reminiscing about the past.

Q: I guess that's the great thing about streaming: you get to experience and enjoy the actual process of practicing something together with your viewers.

Sometimes I feel like I should only perform songs which I've practiced well and mastered. When I'm still practicing a piece I'm often muttering things to myself, "This finger goes here... This foot goes there..." lol. But a lot of my viewers said that they wanted to watch me practice as well.

Sometimes people will leave comments on my other streams saying they want to hear me play the Electone again and like, I'm kind of conflicted lol. I'm like, "No! I can't play something new just yet because I haven't practiced!"

Q: What's your biggest motivator when playing the Electone?

I think the biggest motivator is knowing that someone out there is listening to me. It's nice to practice on your own, but I really like having someone listen and be able to respond to me as well. When they cheer me on saying things like, "I want to hear more!" I'm like, "Oh! Okay, let's do it!"

Q: Do you have any Electone players you look up to?

There's no-one I particularly look up to, but there is this one amazing video by someone named maru who plays "Clash on the Big Bridge" (by Nobuo Uematsu) on the Electone. The music itself is quite difficult but the performance is mind-blowing! I'm like, "What is going on with the feet?!"

Q: We're having a promotion where anyone who comes into the Yamaha store for an Electone will receive a free original Himemori Luna clear file folder. Is there anything you'd like to say in closing to the readers of this interview?

I think most people have never seen an Electone in real life before, including those who watch my streams. I hope you can take this chance to go out and actually see what a real Electone looks like so you know what it is I'm actually playing!

Reporting and Writing: Yuuka Higaki
Images: Mai Otake