How skillful is Yasunori Mitsuda?

Actually I want to ask your opinion or share your thoughts about Mitsuda's skill as composer. Of course he's reputable, his compositions are amazing and memorable, but sometimes I questioned his skill as arranger. I mean, not all VGM composers graduated from music college. Uematsu is great example. Even though he's one the most famous composer all the time, he actually study little about arranging compositions, resulting he never arranged his own compositions, FF piano collections arranged by Shiro Satou, later by Hamauzu. 20020220 arranged by Hamaguchi.

Perhaps because Mitsuda also didnt take formal music college, he is not capable enough to write the long-awaited Chrono Trigger Symphonic Suite? It's totally different if we compare him to Sugiyama or Koji Kondo. These senior composers actually do most all their arrangement themselves, Though I bit questioned whether Kondo is really the arranger of Legend of Zelda Hyrule Symphony, since rpgfan & gmr write two different names.

I'm dont underestimate him. no. in fact I really adore him for creating beautiful music in Chrono Series, but well, I really hope someday he will arrange Symphonic Suite for Chrono Series.

Mitsuda and Uematsu are proofs that great composers dont necessarily come from music college.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I know that one. Ocremix.org Chrono Symphonic is nice, though I expect it to be more classical. It's too cinematic imho.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Now, I begin to question myself why I'm creating this thread...

But maybe just like Onyx said, Mitsuda doesnt intend to orchestrate the chrono trigger symphonic.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Free.User

Don't you mean "later by Hamaguchi"?

Oh yeah, I forgot that one. Btw I also heard that Hamauzu is arranging piano album features Mitsuda's compositions, no?

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Mr. Maul

Well, Hamauzu did FFX PC and a selection of people did FFX-2 PC, though Hamaguchi was the arranger of the PS1 Piano Collections.

Sorry off topic, PS1 = Phantasy Star? Playstation1? Just curious

Originally Posted by orion_mk3

It's why there are jobs called "orchestrator" and "synthesizer programmer." While it's true that some composers can do it all themselves, it doesn't make the music inherently better or more skillful.

Now I see Mitsuda in clearer view. Maybe it's wrong to compare him with classical trained composers such as Sugiyama, Hamauzu, and Shimomura. He's more savvy as synthesizer and composing simple music with ornament from the syntesizer itself. One of Hamauzu's weakness is his lack of making memorable tunes, he's a brilliant arranger, but not really impressive when making themes. But look at Mitsuda, his chrono trigger compositions have become legend now.

Oh yeah, I heard Mitsuda also a brilliant user of synthesizer operator (manipulator? sampling maker?) a job which requires high skill in VGM world I think.

I was speaking idiomatically.