The poll should be self-explanatory, write thoughtful comments please.
I’s well aware that all of these composers aside Uematsu are probably unknown to you all, but with the games attached to them… should clarify a bit. I’m also adding a couple of their best hits so you can hone in on their particular style and discover them.
Call me anti-traditionalist if you wish, but I prefer Matsueda any day over Uematsu. If only she had done some really, REALLY sweet jazz like in Racing Lagoon, her best effort yet.
I can’t say I know all of them…I know some of them, but I’m obviously most familiar with Uematsu…yes I am biased in saying this because I’ve played a few others, but I must say he is the most original. If not, i must state my opinion that his music is <i>fabulous</i>…most of his tracks can just touch me emotionally, in such a way I can’t describe. Ayuh Chrono Trigger, FF6 and 7 are the most beautiful of the lot, in my ears…I can’t choose between them. Just wow. I love his music in those games. They chill and haunt me and that’s what music is all about-making an internal impact. At least to me it is.
I selected the “I don’t know” option. But I particularly liked the music from FF4-6, MQ, CT, and Rudora (which I haven’t played because of translation).
From the perspective of originality, I think that the MQ music is up there. It seems to have … I don’t know how to describe it … a sort of complexly structured style to it. The other FF games I mentioned seem a little more classical. And I thought that the opening song from Rudora was beautiful.
EDIT: By the way, which of those people was responsible for Time’s Scar?
I can’t decide between Sakimoto and Matsueda. I agree with DG in thinking that the Bahamut Lagoon music was great, but Vagrant Story also had some incredible tracks.
I’ve talked about this with DG (and he can testify to that), but Uematsu is overrated. He gained a lot of his current popularity by composing FFVII, and I’ve listened to OSTs that have much better music.
In any case, though, I’m a Mitsuda fan hands-down. I don’t know the names of anybody else besides him, Uematsu, and Yoko Shimomura (who I think is really mediocre).
Originally posted by Cidolfas Actually, I thought FF6 was much better than FF7.
Yeah, but a lot of gamers played FFVII as their first FF since it was the first one for PSX, so Uematsu earned a lot of fans by composing the music for it. I do agree with you that FFVI was a better OST.
Originally posted by Cidolfas
[b]Actually, I thought FF6 was much better than FF7.
In any case, though, I’m a Mitsuda fan hands-down. I don’t know the names of anybody else besides him, Uematsu, and Yoko Shimomura (who I think is really mediocre). [/b]
Blasphemy !! Shimomura has more skills than Mitsuda could shake a stick at !!
Look at Parasite Eve for example, that was just amazing in every possible way…
In my honest opinion, Mitsuda is just as overrated as Uematsu… to be frank, Chrono Cross, Xenosaga and Legaia Duel Saga didn’t grab me as much as Chrono Trigger and Xenogears…
And yes, I agree… FFVI was much better than FFVII, which had shitty sound programming.
I thought PE’s soundtrack was immensely boring, and KH’s was repetitive. Live A Live was neat though. On the other hand, I’ve yet to hear a Mitsuda soundtrack I didn’t like (except maybe Xenosaga, but I haven’t actually heard most of those songs as stand-alones).
Originally posted by Dragon God Look at Parasite Eve for example, that was just amazing in every possible way…
I hear you there! 8) listens to Consensus and Matrix
As for me, well… I haven’t played any recent FF games, so I haven’t heard the talents of many of these composers. However, I’m a big Nobuo fan, but that doesn’t mean I think he’s the most original. When I was playing FFX, I remember being able to tell what songs he did along the way. Same with Junya Nakano too; he’s great and all, but having just played Threads of Fate, I was able to find most of his music.
The songs that really touched me as different and unique (in a good way) were the ones by Masashi Hamauzu. He’s the one who composed Wandering Flame, correct? Most of his songs had a very different feel to them, and having never heard any of his previous work, I didn’t know what to expect.
Second would have to be Hitoshi Sakimoto. His music really only USED to work in the darker FF games, but he’s proving himself to be more musically diverse these days. Back in the days of Final Fantasy Tactics and Vagrant Story, all his music had a dark, medieval-sounding feel; even the happy themes had an aura of sadness to them. But since Legaia Duel Saga, he has started to show us what else he can do; namely, beautiful Celtic pieces and piano solos. If you get a chance, look for a song called “Funding the Worthless War” or “Lost Forest” by Sakimoto, and you’ll get a good idea of how far he’s come along.
Am I the only one who thinks it would be cool if Michiko Naruke composed the score for a Square Enix game? 8)
While we’re on the subject of Mitsuda, I think he’s somewhat overrated, but not nearly as much as Uematsu. I also think that the main problem with Mitsuda’s later music scores (Xenosaga or Chrono Cross) can’t match up to CT or Xenogears. I’m not saying either is bad; heck, I think they’re both good soundtracks, but Chrono Cross didn’t hit me like CT did.
From my perspective, there is no way that Mitsuda would be overrated, simply because I didn’t know who he was prior to reading this thread. :hahaha; I just happen to really like the song Time’s Scar.
Nobuo Uematsu, no contest, if it weren’t for a CD of music he composed that my frind had givin me as a going away present, I never would have made it through my move over a year ago. His music has always been able to comfort me.
However, Mitsuda also has good points, I can’t listen to a Midi of CT music without getting the tune stuck in my head.
