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Nobou Uematsu Q&A

As you almost certainly know, Nobuo is the genius behind the soundtracks for many of the games in the Final Fantasy series. His work has garnered legions of fans all over the world, mountains of critical acclaim, and established him as one of the biggest names in video game music.

Anwell: When did you become interested in music? What inspired you to pursue it as a career?

Nobuo Uematsu: When I was 10 years old, I saw a performance of the Wiener Sängerknaben and cried for the first time listening to music. Classical music seemed difficult to learn on my own, but I thought pop/rock music might be possible.

Volkneron: How did you get started making music for the Final Fantasy series?

Nobuo Uematsu: At the time I was the only one at the company in charge of music, so there was no choice.

MeepRawrz: Which Final Fantasy soundtrack was your favorite to work on?

Nobuo Uematsu: Every composition is like a child of mine, so it’s hard to choose a favorite.

Stay Sane Inside Insanity: Are there any activities that give you inspiration?

Nobuo Uematsu: I take Jazz organ lessons and am in a recorder ensemble group that plays renaissance music.

pyroknight1: When composing music for specific game environments, do you get to try them out ahead of time, or do you have to compose without seeing them?

Nobuo Uematsu: In many cases the actual game environments are not ready to be tried out by the time I have to start composing. Instead I use character images and drawings to imagine what the story will be like.

windy_angel14: Who is your favorite Final Fantasy character and why?

Nobuo Uematsu: Chocobo. It’s so cute, isn’t it?

Dead Sea Sclerosis: Would you say that your own personality is reflected through the music you create in a Final Fantasy game, or do you try to separate yourself from your work in order to adapt the music towards the feel of the game?

Nobuo Uematsu: Not in every song I try to reflect my own taste. However, whether intentional or not, my personality should be reflected in some way.

Elthane: If you could compose the music for any other game or movie franchise, which would it be and why?

Nobuo Uematsu: It’s difficult to choose out of already established franchises. If I were to make a movie of my own, I would definitely compose myself.

elven doll: Who is your favorite composer of video game music and what game has your favorite soundtrack?

Nobuo Uematsu: Same answer as the one about my favorite soundtrack. There are many good game music composers around me and it’s hard to choose a “favorite.”

Elementkyrie: What is your favorite hobby outside of music?

Nobuo Uematsu: Cooking with my Dutch oven, watching movies on my 150 inch screen, kayaking, daydreaming by the light of a candle lantern (all of which I haven’ done lately for being too busy), and drinking wine and beer at the end of day (which is the only daily habit that I’ve been able to keep up). There are still so many other things, but I can’t write them all out.

Tenko72: How is making video game music different from making other kinds of music?

Nobuo Uematsu: Technology has improved a lot and it seems there isn’t much difference. However, I feel not too many video game projects assign a “musical director”.

SweetPrinze: How long does it normally take you to compose a song?

Nobuo Uematsu: I usually compose several songs simultaneously, so it’s hard to tell how much time it “normally” takes to finish composing one song. Probably about 2-3 days a song, on average I guess.

MHHornfreak: What are your opinions on composing with computers?

Nobuo Uematsu: Very convenient. When I used it for the first time, I felt “now I have my own orchestra!”

Forktastic: Was it hard transitioning from making simple NES music to composing with a whole orchestra?

Nobuo Uematsu: I was rather thrilled and excited, so I don't remember having much difficulty in transitioning.

the_sullen_grey: What other kinds of music do you listen to in your free time? Are there any artists you admire?

Nobuo Uematsu: Jazz, rock, classical music, ethnic music… you should come and see my CD storage. It’s probably got more CDs than a small record shop. No trendy music, though.

Avesta Damael: Do you have any tips for young, aspiring musicians?

Nobuo Uematsu: Respect people around you, have your own aesthetic value, and do not give up.