"KYOSUKE HIMURO" LX-60
"MEMORABILIA MUSIC BOX"

[Interview] Kyosuke Himuro model appears in the new generation music box "Muro Box"

We summarized and translated a Japanese interview to present you the story behind the special and limited edition of Muro Box for the famous Japanese singer, Kyosuke Himuro.

This interview was published by Barks, a Japan Music Network on  2020.12.22.

Interviewer/ text provider= Shinichi Takeuchi

The interviewees are: Manami Tabata of Warner Music, who started this  collaboration project, and Naoki Hirabayashi of Relaxante, who is the distributor of Muro Box in Japan.

How the special and limited version of Muro Box was brought to life?

Tabata:
Kyosuke Himuro turned 60 in October 2020, but when he reached his 60th birthday, he was wondering if he could make something to commemorate as a record company, and something that couldn’t be released at normal times. I personally like music boxes, but I wonder if I can make Mr. Himuro’s music box … but I think that the conventional ones are boring, and if I do, the most advanced ones are good. When I was looking for it, I found Muro Box. “This is perfect for Himuro-san’s memorial.” So when I suggested to Mr. Himuro, “Why don’t you make a state-of-the-art music box to commemorate your 60th birthday?”

With the Muro Box app, you can add more songs and enjoy it like a musical instrument. It would be fun to enter Himuro-san’s favorite songs and listen to them on the music box, and I think parents and children can enjoy composing with the app. In that way, people who bought it can enjoy it freely, so I thought it was really good. Also, Muro Box has a very profound feeling, and it is also nice as an interior. It’s cool and beautiful just to decorate. It’s only expensive (laughs), but I was really attracted to it. I thought it was a perfect “memorial item”.

The close shot of programmable music box Muro Box metal plate with the special customized laser engraving text and logo for Mr. Himuro's fans.

What are the unique features in this special edition of Muro Box?

Tabata: 
There are two types of normal Muro Box, one with bright coloring and one with dark coloring, but Mr. Himuro has a black image color, so I asked him to use a special black coloring. The wood box and metal plate have special laser engraving on its original design, giving it a special finish that seems to be a souvenir. It also contains a serial number of this unique limited edition.

Hirabayashi:
Its sound is like an old-fashioned music box. However, the cylinder part is unique, which makes it possible to play any music within the range of 20 sounds that the music box originally has. This cylinder already patented in the United States, Taiwan and China. Technically, I think the biggest point was the development of this cylinder. The sound of the cylinder changes depending on the material, and if heat is trapped inside the cylinder, the durability will deteriorate, so it seems that there was trial and error in finding a material with good sound and excellent durability.

Also, the music box doesn’t play at such a fast tempo, right? Speaking of music boxes, you probably think of songs with a relaxed tempo. But thanks to this special cylinder, Muro Box can handle tempos from BPM 30 to 240. In the app, you can set the tempo freely.

programmable music box Muro Box was displayed in the hall for fans of Mr. Himuro to watch.
Photo source: Warner Music marketing team gave this image access permission to the Japanese distributor of Muro Box, Relajante.
Muro Box-N20 Limited Edition: The priviate playlist arranged by the music arranger of Kyosuke Himuro. Only the users of this music box can find this private playlist on their app to listen to it from the music box.
This private playlist is only accessible for the owners of this special edition of Muro Box.

How many songs are pre-installed in the Muro Box before shipping?

Tabata: You can listen to Mr. Himuro’s songs by pressing the switch on the main unit even outside the app. In addition, I’m thinking of uploading songs to the app as needed. If you purchase “KYOSUKE HIMURO” LX-60 “MEMORABILIA MUSIC BOX”, you will be able to import music files that are not included in the main unit. When new songs are announced in the future, I would like to add them as well, and if you use the app, you can play them in the order of your favorite songs.

This time, the MIDI sound module is produced by Mr. Tessey, who is familiar to Himuro fans. Tessey, who participates in the tour as a manipulator and makes the opening SE of the tour and is familiar with Mr. Himuro’s songs, entrusts the arrangement of the music box. You’ve already made a lot of MIDI sound modules, but now you’re at the stage of figuring out which song suits your music box. 

Surprisingly, the rock color is strong, and fast-paced songs are good. The music box had a slow tempo image, so it was a surprising discovery. On the contrary, even ballads are not suitable for music boxes, and there are many parts that cannot be understood without actually listening to them. At the stage of repeating trial and error, such as making it like that, listening to it, and fixing the bad parts. I want you to look forward to which song will be included. By the way, we plan to prepare at least 35 songs, including the songs that will be included in the main unit and the songs of the app.

How to purchase this special edition of Muro Box?

Interviewer:
You mentioned earlier that it’s a little expensive, but if you can enjoy it for a long time by linking with the app, it may not be an expensive purchase.

Tabata:
I think so. I think some people will be surprised at the price of a music box! However, Muro Box is completely different from the image of music boxes so far. There was talk of “like an instrument”, but I personally think of it as an instrument and one of the speakers. You can play it like an instrument, or you can think of it as a new speaker that lets you listen to your favorite music with the tone of a music box.

On top of that, I think it’s perfect for these days when I spend more time at home because of the COVID-19 disease. Whether you’re reading at home or just relaxing with a cup of coffee, listening to music on Muro Box should be a great relief. I think it’s perfect when you want to relax at home. Moreover, it can be remotely controlled with a smartphone.

"KYOSUKE HIMURO" LX-60 "MEMORABILIA MUSIC BOX"

Released in June, 2021 
Price: 66,000 yen (tax included)
* Reserved product / Limited time offer
■ Body size: 13.5 cm x 13.5 cm x 10.5 cm, weight 1045 g
■ Certification of conformity with technical standards for wireless equipment (TELEC) has been acquired
■ The Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law (PSE mark) is included 
■ Included items: USB Type-C charger, Japanese manual, warranty card, outer box

Next Story: Sidney Hsieh Bought Muro Box for Enriching His Family Life with Memories (US)

Read More