Interview conducted by Evan Kaigle of music4games.net, copyrighted by music4games.net.

NOTE: this is only a partial reprint of the interview, the full interview can be found HERE.

Music4Games ("m4g"): The Final Fantasy games have always had a wide variety of musical styles, have you ever thought of scoring a game using only an orchestral or electronic sound?
Nobuo Uematsu ("NU"): I have actually tried writing music using only traditional instruments (non-electronic/digital) with FFIX, but I failed.

M4G: Do you ever think of more actively pursuing a solo career?
NU: If there were other projects that involved writing songs with lyrics, I would be interested.

SM4G: In the USA the orchestras are having a terrible time because their subscriber base is quite literally dying and they are unable to fill the vacant subscriptions with a younger audience. Do you see a tangible impact on the revitalization of the orchestra as a result of a younger (gaming) audience?
NU: I think orchestra music is a wonderful thing, rich in musical expression. Despite that, the younger generation does not choose to support or favor orchestral music compared to other types of music. The situation is the same in Japan. But the responsibility lies with the orchestras - the classical music industry. They should get off their throne of authority and show people of all types and classes the beauty of orchestral music. They should educate others of the joy and wonderful nature of the orchestra in the way they understand. Classical musicians must realize that they are also entertainers before thinking that they are artists. Concerts like this upcoming one in Los Angeles (Dear Friends - music from FINAL FANTASY), I hope, will bring the younger crowd into this environment and in that sense it is a very meaningful even

M4G: Game music is huge in Japan; do you think it will ever gain a mainstream audience in America?
NU: When a "star" composer is born in the American game music industry, it may develop into something a bit more mainstream.