What do you think of Final Fantasy Music?

[Stenir]

I'll have to dig out some of my own music with RPG flair. I was reading all the posts from earlier, and I have to say that everyone has made good points.

IMO, you can't compare a full score from a video game to, say, a symphony by Beethoven. You might be able to generalize the two and compare, say, a piece of music from a game where there's a stream and some exploration there to a piece of music meant to invoke the idea of a stream. That's about as close as you can compare on the outside.

But we are musicians, and we discuss things on a in-depth thinking pattern, right?

Find a file of Liberi Fatali or use the earlier file given of One Winged Angel. Pick at it, not for the thought of it being bideo game music, but for being a piece of music itself. Try doing all the theory nitpicks we've all come to love. Then do the same to a Beethoven Symphony. Take what you've learned about the pieces, and compare those.

I.E., Don't try to compare an Orange with an Apple or a Banana. Compare it fruit to fruit, seed to seed.

[Aephion]

I love Uematsu's work, because in, for example, Final Fantasy 8 the music really supports the game as if it were a movie; the music creates the tension at the right moments, and the flow from piece to piece have been really well coordinated

In any event, the music definitely hasn't missed it's goal ^_^

Note: I've played more, but FF8 is the only game I've finished

[Lunatique]

I'm a gamer just like others here. I have my favorite game scores, and FF is not on that list. I don't think the music is bad, it just doesn't resonate with me the same way some of my favorite game music did.

[Rykua]

In my personal opinion, I like Final Fantasy 6 better. Terra (or Tina, lol) Theme easily beats most other songs out there. To be perfectly honest, I don't consider One-Winged Angel to be that great. I mean, yeah, it's great and all, but, it isn't as good as others make it out to be. Take Liberi Fatali (FF8), The Extreme (FF8), The Fierce Battle (FF6), The Decisive Battle (FF6), or the Opera part of FF6 (including that live performance at some Los Angelus orchestra... wicked awesome).

I also have to agree with everyone here about the Uematsu vs. Classical composers debate.

Let me point an example.

John Williams, before he became a composer for music, wrote a concerto (I forget for which instrument). It was written for the purpose of concerts, and was not meant to be a soundtrack to a movie. Would it seem fair, then to compare it to, say, the theme of Superman, Hedwig's theme, or something else?

You also have to realize that the former's limits is only limited by the sky, whereas the latter has limitations (you cannot make a fiery sounding piece with dissonant chords, minor seconds, and tritones to the situation of a gentle babbling brook flowing through an orchard).



I have a hunch... that if Uematsu was composing a song in his spare time... not an FF song or a video game song... but just a concerto or smoething, it would be better than most of his works. Why? Because he's not limited by the situation he has to be composing for.

[Gopher]

Just thought I'd chip in my 2 cents. Everyone has an opinion, right?

While I'm not personally a fan of the FF series (I go as far as chrono trigger - FF seems too to be too much of a random series of coincidences for me, and the storyline gets lost in translation) I do definitely appreciate the little music I heard from them. It's not totally my favourite in general (for some reason I'm still getting off very well from the Starfox Assault music) but definitely good stuff, especially the themic work.

I agree on the VGM-vs-Classics stuff too. It's like comparing a fighter jet to a bomber and wondering why the fighter has different performance. Same techniques, similar materials, similar processes, but totally different applications. Game music is "applied music". A fair amount of classical was what you could call "pure" music - music for music's sake, without any constraints except the ones imposed by the composer. Applied music has external forcings which make you write in a certain way, some of which might not be your specialist area.

[ThisLife]

I have to agree, the scores for Final Fantasy VII rocks! I love it and it keeps me more inclined to play.

________________
Roger
2007 Chrysler Sebring Sedan by Chrysler USA

[sean009]

The music of this game is just superb,this helps me to make in game.

[FoxyDawn555]

The music of This game is just aweeeeeeeeesome. Likes it a lot.

[melissa009]

I m addicted to this game and music of this game is just superb