It's strange to think that even today, forays into musical experimentations in 1994 still sound fresh and unique, but even within the more conventional spheres of musical normality, Uematsu's grasp of composition still hold firm of course, the dominant musical style is one that can be best described as western classical, probably one of the most widely-used genres in game soundtracks. ![]() The distinct plodding mechanical rhythms and infectiously catchy bassline make up a highly enjoyable track, and is still one of the most unique and underrated pieces of the entire series. Another notable example of experimentation in the soundtrack is "Magitek Research Facility," instantly recognisable for its use of rhythmic clanging and grinding industrial sound effects, very reminiscent of the track "Metal On Metal" by the highly influential German electro band Kraftwerk. While other Chocobo themes in the series are more hard-line and straightforward with their musical pastiches, "Techno de Chocobo" gleefully takes exception to this rule, and is all the better for it - it's by far one of the most interesting and enjoyable Chocobo themes in the series. ![]() Take, for example, "Techno de Chocobo," which takes the familiar Chocobo theme tune and adds peculiar siren-like sound effects, bouncy chiptune-inspired soundfonts and odd cosmic synthesiser flourishes throughout to create a curious amalgamation of techno, chiptune, rock and funk. Genres such as rock, opera, ragtime, jazz, techno and even baroque make appearances, as well as many tracks that are more difficult to assign to any one particular genre. There is an abundance of tracks that dabble in unconventional styles or experimental sounds, and rarely does Uematsu miss the mark with these compositions. One of the best features of the soundtrack for Final Fantasy VI is the surprising amount of musical variety for a game where, at the time, game music had only begun to spread its wings and establish itself as an endeavour to be taken seriously. This means, then, that even for a game that was uncomfortably caught in the gap between fuzzy artificial MIDI synthesisers and pseudo-convincing sounding musical instruments, Final Fantasy VI has, perhaps unsurprisingly, held up remarkably well. The point is that melodies are timeless - and the best ones have a habit of staying with the listener long after the track has finished playing. Even 8-bit chiptune music, while generally less complex and developed musically than its modern counterparts, is still worth listening to outside of a mere historical or nostalgic basis. It is now the norm for consoles to be able to reproduce the sound quality of live instruments and vocals with painfully high fidelity, but even music from what may be considered a bygone era of technology still shows signs of vitality. Though, of course, it must be taken into consideration that music, unlike games (generally speaking), doesn't age. It's been over two decades since one of his most celebrated soundtracks, Final Fantasy VI, was released, but does it still hold up? The short answer is yes, it does - and then some. Long-time contributor to the ever popular Final Fantasy series, Uematsu's oeuvre is both expansive and varied, his name often regarded as a byword for quality game music. For those familiar with video game music, composer Nobuo Uematsu needs no introduction.
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