Hitoshi Sakimoto

Originally Posted by BurningRanger

Naoshi Mizuta. Every track he wrote for Final Fantasy XI, and even for it's first expansion (I haven't listened to the others) sounds uniquely different without being completely inappropriate

Hearing you musically mature (at the very least, that's what I read), I'd really like to know how you think Mizuta's music differs from piece to piece. Regarding FFXI's field themes, Mizuta's composition process is pretty much as follows.

1) creating ostinato with unplugged guiter or xylophones
2) creating a theme with woodwinds
3) and then repeating the two again and again...to the end

Of course, Mizuta's instrumental use is easily wider than Sakimoto, who tends to definitely stick to orchestral music. However, if Mizuta's xylophone were marimba, kalimba or balafon, and his woodwind were flute, panpipes or mizmar, I would always feel his field themes are plain similar and samey for the above reason. Also, the same goes for his battle themes.

I'm not attacking or countering your hatred to Sakimoto. For that matter, since I like both composers an awful lot (Mizuta's latest two expanstion scores were quite boring though), I'd hate to see this thread going to be Sakimoto vs Mizuta, and I personally don't think it's a good idea to cite other composers to bash someone you hate. However, as you seem to have confidence in your musical maturity to an extent and think music is explicable, I'd appreciate it if you explain to us how Mizuta is good and how Sakimoto is bad on an academic level.

Originally Posted by BurningRanger

But how can someone listen to Final Fantasy X, with its vibrant Okinawa-inspired melodies that reflected a world full of life and sorrow

As much as I'd agree the entire FFX score portrayed the wider range of emotions and locations, which I think you tried to say, just out of curiosity, what tracks from FFX do really have Okinawa-inspired melodies or are composed on the pentatonic scale of the land? Because the FFX's world was like tropical locations and its soundtrack fitted the game, it doesn't mean its soundtrack does sound like Okinawa. Indeed, the entire FFX soundtrack does't remind me of especially tropical locations, let down Okinawa (it's quite easy to pick up the masterpieces of that nature, such as "Besaido island" though).

Jam it back in, in the dark.

BurningRanger, I think you're just stating that you dislike his compositions and you personally felt many of FFXII themes out of the place or emotionally poor, rather than discussing about his music on an academic level, which I believe you initially required us to offer. As some of members said, it's a matter of preference. You say this thread isn't a 'Sakimoto hate' thread, but why not? As long as you, the thread starter, are constantly claiming his music is just garbage or dreck on an unilateral level, it's doomed to be so. I'm not saying it's wrong to have the thread of that kind, but I'd appreciate it if you don't pretend to be fair, objective or musically matured enough to explain your hatred on an academic level.

That said, I'd fully agree many of FFXII area themes didn't fit the landscapes at all and most of sequences themes were forgettable, especially after FFX and FFXI (the sequence themes from FFX were awesome and the area themes from XI fitted the game incredibly). "Delmasca Estersand" for a sand theme and "Phon Coast" for a coast theme were just dreadful treatments. I'm pretty certain many people will disagree over it, though.

It's totally another story, but I've recently noticed Sakimoto love is hard to find in comparison with other major composers, while there're too many Sakimoto detractors here and there. Indeed, there exist people who always cite Sakimoto as a bad example just to praise something they love. What is even worse, they rant even when we just post news related to Sakimoto or when we just vote Sakimoto in the popularity poll. I've seen the administer of a certain gamemusic website to be asked not to cover Sakimoto anymore. I'm pretty sure someone will come to this thread soon and start to insult Sakimoto and accuse Sakimoto fans of loving his music only because it's technical (of course it's just his prejudice ). Hatred toward Sakuraba or Kenji Ito is also very available..., but I still think hatred toward Sakimto is much bigger. Therefore, I regard Sakimoto as the least accessible composer of all major SE-related composers. By 'accessible', I don't intend to be an elite, but I dare to say Sakimoto couldn't meet mass demand.

Originally Posted by Mr. Maul

I highly recommend that you listen to Sword Maniac, Gradius V, Legaia Duel Saga, Magical Chase, or Hyper Street Fighter II Remixes. With these scores, it'll become evident that Sakimoto is well-versed in the fields of old-school (but hardly derivative) synth music, energetic electro-acoustic shooter scores, exotica, funk, jazz, and even an exotic form of rock. His popular orchestral works (FFXII, FFT, Ogre Battle, Tactics Ogre, etc.) are just one facet of him. Sakimoto is very versatile on both a discreet and subtle level.

However, aren't those titles far less popular games than FFs are? One reason why I adore Uematsu is that he has composed about 10 FF soundtracks in a variety of genres and has always pleased several million people. Even his experiments were also still accessible. On the other hand, when Sakimoto works on major games, he does stick to orchestra and indeed he confessed he had avoided to compose traditional folk music in FFXII. I personally think Gradius V wasn't so freshing, aside from Four to the floor (even which I think Sakimoto had rarely used). The orchestra + Roland XV-5080 synth + sampled beats isn't unusual Sakimoto. Nontheless I'd agree Legaia Dual Saga had some celtic, jazz, folk pieces and his earlier works sound different (Magical Chase and Sword Maniac included).

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Saga Frontier II is not Sakimoto's work.

Originally Posted by Mr. Maul

You referred to his instrument use as limited without indicating you were talking exclusively about his works.

Okay, so I'll blame Sakimoto for not having the heart to show his diversity in major works rather than for being poor instrumentals-wise.

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

niki, you surely know how much percentage of his popularity would Nobuo Uematsu have without FFs (as much as Uematsu is one of architects who made FF such a huge game). Without illegal download (perhaps it can be legal in some countries), I'm pretty sure few people would heard the Blue Dragon soundtrack. What you talked about Sakimoto can apply to all composers.

Indeed, we know why you bothered to say it for Sakimoto. As you mentioned first, you simply can't understand the craze around Sakimoto at all and then felt liking inflaming Sakimoto supporters. So, you said 'people hear Sakimoto's music not because it's good, but because it's from FF or other franchises'

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

Originally Posted by niki

I just personally see it as the true explanation of Sakimoto's recognition, rather than his actual talent.

Well, probably I can't read your points correctly, but you're now saying Sakimoto is recognized well because he has worked on SE games, but I thought you initially said no small Sakimoto fans loved his music not because he had a talent, but because he had worked on SE games. The name of Final Fantasy and other franchises certainly help composers to be recoginzed worldwide, but it depends on thier actual talents whether they are loved or hated. Like Matsueda and Eguchi, they can fail. Indeed, I can't disagree Sakimoto also failed, since those who dislike Sakimoto's works prior to FFXII are most likely to dislike the FFXII soundtrack too.

Quote:

But still, driving the train of success from day 1 isnt the same thing as jumping in when it has already reached full speed.

That sounds to me as if Sakimoto owes his entire popularity to only one FF production, or Sakimoto deprived Uematsu of FF fanbase. Like Uematsu, Sakimoto also has contributed to the games led by Matsuno and majority of his current fanbase consists of fans from those games, rather than FFXII. If you assume Sakimoto jumped to the popular composer after FFXII, but it's plain wrong. According to mixi, his fanbase is still even smaller than Ito, Shimomura and Kikuta after FFXII.

Originally Posted by niki

And again, I am not being scornful when I say this. That's the way things work and there's nothing wrong with it.

So, I really can't understand how come you bothered to post it, though there was nothing wrong with it and we could say the same thing for every composer...


EDIT:I also think GFX's description hits the nail, as far as composer's recognition goes.

I was speaking idiomatically.