Final Fantasy's Prelude is Simply Genius

How Nobuo Uematsu embraced simplicity, and in 30 minutes created one of the most iconic pieces of video game music - Final Fantasy’s Prelude.

Game Score Fanfare is a show that celebrates music in video games, an aspect so overlooked as that's often the point: to work without you even realising it's there. I look at games through the lens of its score, discovering the unique perspective and roles that music can bring.

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LINKS:

Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mittopotahis

Support the channel on Patreon: www.patreon.com/gamescorefanfare

The Prelude sheet music used in this video was by deviantArt user xxxplizit.
xxxplizit.deviantart.com/art/Final-Fantasy-Prelude-109851982

Footage from FF IX, X, XIII and XIII-2 is from the YouTube channel Shirakko. You gotta check out their gameplay stuff, the quality is exceptional (often 4K!), no watermarks or silly commentary. Just the pure experience. The channel was a life-saver for this video (getting HD PS3 footage is actually really hard!!)
www.youtube.com/Shirrako

Thanks to 8-Bit Music Theory for reading over the script and making sure I somewhat sound like I know what I'm talking about.
www.youtube.com/8bitmusictheory

Interview with Nobuo Uematsu:
"Diggin' in the Carts - The Role of Role Play - Ep 5 - Red Bull Music Academy Presents" from Red Bull Music & Culture
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUrcYA-TkzQ

"Interview: Final Fantasy Brave Exvius composer, Noriyasu Agematsu" from GameAxis
gameaxis.com/interviews/interview-final-fantasy-brave-exvius-composer-noriyasu-agematsu/

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Music featured in this video. All tracks composed by Nobuo Uematsu, unless otherwise specified:

0:00 - Prelude - Final Fantasy I
0:04 - The Prelude - Final Fantasy V
0:07 - The Prelude - Final Fantasy IX
0:10 - Loop Demo - Final Fantasy XII (Hitoshi Sakimoto & Nobuo Uematsu)
1:29 - The Prelude - Final Fantasy VII
2:30 - The Prelude - Final Fantasy II
2:41 - The Prelude - Final Fantasy IV
3:24 - Prelude ~ Discoveries - Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (Masayoshi Soken & Nobuo Uematsu)
3:32 - Loop Demo - Final Fantasy XII (Hitoshi Sakimoto & Nobuo Uematsu)
3:44 - Prelude - Final Fantasy X
4:23 - Disquiet - Final Fantasy XV (Yoko Shimomura)
4:32 - The Sunleth Waterscape - Final Fantasy XIII (Masashi Hamauzu)
4:42 - Crystalline Chill - Final Fantasy XV (Yoko Shimomura)
5:15 - Stand By Me - Final Fantasy XV (performed by Florence & The Machine, original song by Ben E. King)
5:37 - Eclipse - Final Fantasy XIII-2 (Mitsuto Suzuki)
5:59 - Anxious Heart - Final Fantasy VII
6:53 - Prelude - Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius (Noriyasu Agematsu & Nobuo Uematsu)
7:11 - Great Voyage - Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius (Noriyasu Agematsu)
7:35 - Secrets in her Eyes - Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius (Noriyasu Agematsu)
7:57 - The Ghostship (Phantom Forest) - Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius (Noriyasu Agematsu)
8:09 - DUEL!! - Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius (Noriyasu Agematsu)
8:20 - Moment of Recall - Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius (Noriyasu Agematsu)
8:56 - Prelude (Remix) - Final Fantasy VII Demo

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Games featured in this video:

0:00 - Final Fantasy: Dawn of Souls (GBA)
0:04 - Final Fantasy IV: The After Years
0:08 - Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (Gamecube)
0:10 - Final Fantasy XII (PS2)
1:29 - Final Fantasy I (NES)
1:36 - Final Fantasy IV (SNES)
1:38 - Final Fantasy VI (SNES)
1:40 - Final Fantasy VII (PS1)
1:43 - Final Fantasy IX (PS1)
1:46 - Final Fantasy X (PS4 remaster)
2:24 - Final Fantasy II (NES)
3:24 - Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (PC)
3:33 - Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age (PS4)
3:42 - Final Fantasy X (PS4 remaster)
3:52 - The Legend of Zelda (NES)
3:58 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo Switch)
4:23 - Final Fantasy XV (PS4)
4:31 - Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)
5:37 - Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3)
5:59 - Final Fantasy VII (PS1)
7:04 - Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius (iOS + Android)