Discussing the importance of arrangement

[Raizen1984]

I brought this up in another topic but didn't feel like completely derailing it with my negativity.

As is probably well known now, Nobuo Uematsu no longer arranges his own work. He clearly did in the past; if the description "Composed, Arranged, and Produced by Nobuo Uematsu" on old Square albums wasn't enough proof, Uematsu's work has always had a certain "flavor" that is unique to him. It is not something that can be replicated by an engineer or synthesizer operator. It is his voice.

Keeping my opinions of his current musical ability aside, I am dismayed that his music is no longer "his music". If someone buys a CD that says "Composed by Nobuo Uematsu", they would logically assume they were getting something that sounded like him, because they like him and his unique voice. But nobody has gotten that since 2006, when he started hiring a group of flunkies to do the work for him.

What self-respecting composer would write hours of music for a game, and then have someone change it? Is it too much work? I doubt we'll get an answer straight from the source, so all I can do is speculate. Maybe someone who is actually a composer, and understands the process of composing and arranging, can enlighten me.

Anyway, I'd like to know what you all think. How has Uematsu's decision affected your view of his music, and as a professional musician? How much do you believe the arrangers (in both film and games) take away or possibly even add to the original vision? Is arrangment a seperate skill that not all composers have, or like to do? Am I putting WAY too much importance on this issue?

[Cedille]

Not sure what he lets others do is called arrangements. Perhaps he rather just let others actualize his vision. Anyway, aside of Last Story, all of Uematsu's recent albums still sound very Uematsu-ish to me, and I don't much care if somebody else is involved, at least, to lesser extent than how boring all of his post-FFXI soundtracks are. Even his other activity such as Inumimi-ke Shinzoku Kaigi or Earthbound Papas (oh maria~) is atrocious.

[Datschge]

Making music at its most simplified abstraction involves three stages: composition (making the melody), arrangement (splitting up the melody and assigning the parts to specific instruments, adding accompaniment for additional instruments depending on the overall sound desired) and performance (the actual execution of the instruments). With music in general people doing all the work alone (similar to what may be called "auteur" style for movies) can be traditionally be considered an exception, it's only with the advent of modern technology that a single person without the help of others can create and execute music from the scratch with the complexity of ensembles. Early game music further complicates this as already the compositions are strictly bound to technical limitations, meaning at the early stage of composing game music the acts of composing, arranging and performance were more often strongly interlinked than not. So traditionally many game music musicians have been creating music in auteur style due to technical necessity. And I'm sure among the game music musicians there still are proportionally the most auteur style composers of any industry.

Afaik until FFX Uematsu followed the auteur style of creating music, so he composed, arranged and "performed" (adapted to the game system's synthesizer) the music on his own (though in Square's case one needs to clarify the kind and degree of involvement of the so called "synthesizer programmers" which may cover some parts of arranging and performance). After that time he started to delegate for all his music, which is something most artists and music producers do.

I personally am a huge fan of the auteur style in any area of art so I have a huge respect for artists and musicians who actually do most or all parts of their work on their own instead delegating (conversely I'm usually disappointed whenever some work attributed to some artist was actually the work and/or idea of one of his assistants). One extreme example for this in the field of game music I'm aware of (being a crazy fan and all) is Motoi Sakuraba who still does all the necessary steps himself, which (as is the case for his last solo albums) involves composition, arrangement, playing, recording and mixing the instruments on his own. So the only parts he actually delegates (if he gets the budget to do so) is performance for instruments he doesn't play as well as staff typesetting for those musicians.

[GoldfishX]

Originally Posted by Datschge

One extreme example for this in the field of game music I'm aware of (being a crazy fan and all) is Motoi Sakuraba who still does all the necessary steps himself, which (as is the case for his last solo albums) involves composition, arrangement, playing, recording and mixing the instruments on his own. So the only parts he actually delegates (if he gets the budget to do so) is performance for instruments he doesn't play as well as staff typesetting for those musicians.

I just think it's ironic I lost interest in both composers when they moved onto emphasizing live instruments. I can draw a line in the sand for when I lost interest in them and haven't regained it:

Uematsu: Blue Dragon
Sakuraba: Star Ocean 3 (I've found everything prior to this, I like a lot)

Gimme their synth guitars/orchestras over their live guitars/orchestras anyday. They have more charm.

[Xenofan 29A]

Originally Posted by Datschge

Making music at its most simplified abstraction involves three stages: composition (making the melody), arrangement (splitting up the melody and assigning the parts to specific instruments, adding accompaniment for additional instruments depending on the overall sound desired) and performance (the actual execution of the instruments).

Close, but I would change those descriptions a little. Composition is not limited to melody. It almost always involves accompanying harmonies and counter-melodies as well. Arrangement is adaptation for the instruments involved, and yes, perhaps changing aspects of melody/harmony in order to fit those instruments' particular characteristics.

Originally Posted by Datschge

One extreme example for this in the field of game music I'm aware of (being a crazy fan and all) is Motoi Sakuraba who still does all the necessary steps himself, which (as is the case for his last solo albums) involves composition, arrangement, playing, recording and mixing the instruments on his own. So the only parts he actually delegates (if he gets the budget to do so) is performance for instruments he doesn't play as well as staff typesetting for those musicians.

Yasunori Mitsuda also does this. He has essentially taught himself orchestration, mixing, and mastering techniques since he left Square, although because of time constraints, he gives some of the orchestration duties to Kameoka.

Uematsu's recent work is of varying quality, to be sure, but I don't think it's all that much different from in the past. In other words, he was almost always (FFVI aside) somewhat uneven. There was a bit in the interview in the liner notes of the Lost Odyssey soundtrack where, talking with Sakaguchi, he said (paraphrasing): "I never listen to music and think, 'that's bad'. I like to take in everything I can."

When I read that, it all suddenly made sense. Musical arrangement takes specific skills and specialized education that, unlike Mitsuda or Sakuraba, Uematsu is just not interested in learning. He's focused on the big picture, and the details are just not as important to him. He can continue to compose in the way he always has, and delegate these more technical aspects to coworkers. And he's always done this, from back when handed orchestration for the PSX/PS2 FFs to Hamaguchi.

I thought Lost Odyssey was a pretty strong soundtrack. Blue Dragon and Last Story were pretty weak, but each had its good moments, and FFXIV was a mixed bag, but again, some good stuff. Uematsu's composing the way he always did, and if there was a low point, it was in some of the more filler-ish bits on the FFIX and X scores, which were just dull beyond all belief at times.

[Datschge]

Originally Posted by GoldfishX

I just think it's ironic I lost interest in both composers when they moved onto emphasizing live instruments.

Not ironic at all. The change of focus is a really stark one indeed. E.g. Sakuraba's ability with arranging and mixing instruments has improved tremendously since the switch, but there is no doubt that as a result of that the kind of reckless rawness earlier works had (to a fault, he abused choir pads before that point) has gone missing on the way. When he is "lazier" some of it returns (e.g. Tales of Hearts, Mario Tennis games) but I'm afraid as a general signature style it's part of his past.

Originally Posted by Xenofan 29A

Close, but I would change those descriptions a little. Composition is not limited to melody. It almost always involves accompanying harmonies and counter-melodies as well. Arrangement is adaptation for the instruments involved, and yes, perhaps changing aspects of melody/harmony in order to fit those instruments' particular characteristics.

Well yes, of course the parts are not as clearcut as I wrote it. I just think melody (and maybe I should also include rhythm) is what any unique composition can call its own, everything else can be done in arrangements and even during performance. And for me a melody needn't be monophonic to be called that but could include any complexity, just in the rawest sense. (I actually often describe Sakuraba's music not as compositions but as performances he keeps recording upon until the arrangement for a tune is complete. So the distinction between the three stages is really more an abstract than a practical one.)

Originally Posted by Xenofan 29A

Yasunori Mitsuda does this. He has essentially taught himself orchestration, mixing, and mastering techniques since he left Square, although because of time constraints, he gives some of the orchestration duties to Kameoka.

Hm, I didn't mean to single out Sakuraba in case it came across that way. I'm sure there are a lot of others (especially in the game industry) doing it that way (and technology makes it easy for anyone to go "full scale" on his own, just think of all the one-man indie games). It's just that I often find other prolific popular game music composers hard to follow as they are often organized in groups, at an own company and the likes at which point there's often a lack of documentation (due to unreleased or not thoroughly credited music) to tell either way. Sakuraba's reclusive one-man approach to everything just makes him an easier showcase for my point.

[Xenofan 29A]

Originally Posted by Datschge

Hm, I didn't mean to single out Sakuraba in case it came across that way. I'm sure there are a lot of others (especially in the game industry) doing it that way (and technology makes it easy for anyone to go "full scale" on his own, just think of all the one-man indie games). It's just that I often find other prolific popular game music composers hard to follow as they are often organized in groups, at an own company and the likes at which point there's often a lack of documentation (due to unreleased or not thoroughly credited music) to tell either way. Sakuraba's reclusive one-man approach to everything just makes him an easier showcase for my point.

Yeah, I didn't take it that way, and I'm sorry if that's how it came across. I also prefer Sakuraba's older stuff in general compared to his mid 2000s work, but I've thoroughly enjoyed his music from the last year or so (Kid Icarus and Dark Souls).

Originally Posted by Datschge

Well yes, of course the parts are not as clearcut as I wrote it. I just think melody (and maybe I should also include rhythm) is what any unique composition can call its own, everything else can be done in arrangements and even during performance. And for me a melody needn't be monophonic to be called that but could include any complexity, just in the rawest sense. (I actually often describe Sakuraba's music not as compositions but as performances he keeps recording upon until the arrangement for a tune is complete. So the distinction between the three stages is really more an abstract than a practical one.)

You're right, of course, and that's probably a great description of Sakuraba's working method. In that sense, it resembles Jazz, built through improvisation. Mitsuto Suzuki also works in an improvisatory manner, playing around with elements in real time, adding and subtracting things until the balance is right. On the other hand, all composition has its roots in improvisation (even if you compose in your head, so to speak, you still play around with things in real time).

There are examples of compositions where every single element is necessary for their identities (eg. classical orchestral works), and compositions where the only things constant from performance to performance is the melody and basic harmonic structure (eg. pop songs, Jazz standards). It all depends on whether the elements depend on each other, or whether one or two of them is uniquely important, to the exclusion of the others.