Noriko Matsueda
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese former video game composer. She is best known for her work on the Front Mission series, The Bouncer
, and Final Fantasy X-2
. Matsueda collaborated with fellow composer Takahito Eguchi
on several games. Composing music at an early age, she began studying the piano and electronic organ
when she was three years old. She graduated from the Tokyo Conservatoire Shobi, where she met Eguchi.
She joined Square
(now Square Enix
) in 1994, where she created music for nine games. Her last credited work was Final Fantasy X-2s piano arrangement album, Final Fantasy X-2 Piano Collection from 2004, after which she decided to leave the company alongside Eguchi. She composed mostly jazz music for the scores she worked on.
, Japan, Noriko Matsueda began creating music at an early age. She received a scholarship in music at the age of three and went on to study the piano and electronic organ
. Matsueda took various composition and performance courses at the Tokyo Conservatoire Shobi, where she also met long-term collaborator Takahito Eguchi
. She joined Square
in 1994, where her first assignment was to score the 1995 title Front Mission
alongside Yoko Shimomura
. She subsequently contributed the track "Boss Battle 1" to Chrono Trigger
, arranged by Nobuo Uematsu
. Matsueda's first solo work was Bahamut Lagoon
, which also represented her first collaboration with Eguchi, who arranged
and orchestrated
"Theme of Bahamut Lagoon ~ Opening" for the bonus disc of its original soundtrack. In 1996, she created the composition "Tower Block" for the multi-composer game Tobal No. 1
. The following year, she created the soundtrack to Front Mission 2
.
In 1999, Matsueda and Eguchi made their first major collaboration by scoring the RPG racing game Racing Lagoon
, with synthesizer programmer
Ryo Yamazaki
providing three tracks. Matsueda was responsible for all the music except the battle, opening, and ending themes. They collaborated again on the soundtrack to the PlayStation 2 title The Bouncer
in 2000, whereas the two took a more equal share of the music. A large amount of the compositions produced was not used in the game and there were also many post-production demands. Afterward, Matsueda created 25 pieces of background music for Square's PlayOnline
viewer used for Final Fantasy XI
and Tetra Master.
She reunited with Eguchi to create the soundtrack to Final Fantasy X-2
in 2003, with Matsueda contributing most of the setting themes. Having replaced Final Fantasy
s regular series composer Nobuo Uematsu
to create a work entirely different from the predecessor Final Fantasy X
, their score has become one of the most criticized soundtracks in the series. However, despite the negative response and a low budget, it was commercially successful. The following year, she worked on Final Fantasy X-2s international version
Final Fantasy X-2 International + Last Mission and provided three arrangements to the Final Fantasy X-2 Piano Collection album. The Piano Collections album was her last credited work, and she has since left Square Enix along with Eguchi.
, lounge
, and ambient
. For the scores that she collaborated with Eguchi on, she was responsible for most of the jazzy tracks, while Eguchi provided the majority of the electronic music
. Matsueda has said that the best qualities of a composer are their curiosity and sensitivity, and that watching many things, listening, touching, and feeling are important factors in composition. When asked why she creates music, Matsueda replied that she feels it is an appropriate way to express herself.
She cites George Gershwin
, Herbie Hancock
, Chick Corea
, Igor Stravinsky
, and Gustav Mahler
as musical influences. When composing music for games, Matsueda draws inspiration from all parts of the game, including the story, the world view, the personality of the characters, the graphics, and the tone of color. She has stated that she makes the music thinking about the goal of the sounds for the game and its total balance.
The Bouncer
is a beat 'em up for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console. It was co-developed by Square and DreamFactory. The game features character designs by Tetsuya Nomura and music by Noriko Matsueda and Takahito Eguchi....
, and Final Fantasy X-2
Final Fantasy X-2
is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square for Sony's PlayStation 2. It was released in 2003 and is the sequel to the best-selling 2001 game Final Fantasy X...
. Matsueda collaborated with fellow composer Takahito Eguchi
Takahito Eguchi
is a Japanese video game composer and arranger. He is best known for collaborating with fellow composer Noriko Matsueda on numerous soundtracks, most notably The Bouncer and Final Fantasy X-2. He became interested in music when he was six years old after hearing his neighbor playing the piano...
on several games. Composing music at an early age, she began studying the piano and electronic organ
Electronic organ
An electronic organ is an electronic keyboard instrument which was derived from the harmonium, pipe organ and theatre organ. Originally, it was designed to imitate the sound of pipe organs, theatre organs, band sounds, or orchestral sounds....
when she was three years old. She graduated from the Tokyo Conservatoire Shobi, where she met Eguchi.
She joined Square
Square Co.
was a Japanese video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. It merged with Enix in 2003 and became part of Square Enix...
(now Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
) in 1994, where she created music for nine games. Her last credited work was Final Fantasy X-2s piano arrangement album, Final Fantasy X-2 Piano Collection from 2004, after which she decided to leave the company alongside Eguchi. She composed mostly jazz music for the scores she worked on.
Biography
Born in TochigiTochigi, Tochigi
is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Despite its name, it is not the capital of Tochigi Prefecture; the capital is Utsunomiya.The city took its current form on March 29, 2010 when the old city of Tochigi merged with the towns of Fujioka, Ōhira and Tsuga from Shimotsuga District to form...
, Japan, Noriko Matsueda began creating music at an early age. She received a scholarship in music at the age of three and went on to study the piano and electronic organ
Electronic organ
An electronic organ is an electronic keyboard instrument which was derived from the harmonium, pipe organ and theatre organ. Originally, it was designed to imitate the sound of pipe organs, theatre organs, band sounds, or orchestral sounds....
. Matsueda took various composition and performance courses at the Tokyo Conservatoire Shobi, where she also met long-term collaborator Takahito Eguchi
Takahito Eguchi
is a Japanese video game composer and arranger. He is best known for collaborating with fellow composer Noriko Matsueda on numerous soundtracks, most notably The Bouncer and Final Fantasy X-2. He became interested in music when he was six years old after hearing his neighbor playing the piano...
. She joined Square
Square Co.
was a Japanese video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. It merged with Enix in 2003 and became part of Square Enix...
in 1994, where her first assignment was to score the 1995 title Front Mission
Front Mission (video game)
is a tactical role-playing game developed by G-Craft and published by Square Co., Ltd., and was released in Japan on February 24, 1995 for the Super Famicom. Front Mission is the first main entry and the first entry overall in the Front Mission series...
alongside Yoko Shimomura
Yoko Shimomura
is a Japanese video game composer. She has been described as "the most famous female video game music composer in the world". She has worked in the video game music industry since graduating from Osaka College of Music in 1988...
. She subsequently contributed the track "Boss Battle 1" to Chrono Trigger
Chrono Trigger
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1995. Chrono Triggers development team included three designers that Square dubbed the "Dream Team": Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Square's Final Fantasy series; Yuji Horii, a...
, arranged by Nobuo Uematsu
Nobuo Uematsu
is a Japanese video game composer, best known for scoring the majority of titles in the Final Fantasy series. He is considered as one of the most famous and respected composers in the video game community...
. Matsueda's first solo work was Bahamut Lagoon
Bahamut Lagoon
is a Japanese tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square for the Nintendo Super Famicom on February 9, 1996.It was never officially released outside of Japan, but it was unofficially translated into English...
, which also represented her first collaboration with Eguchi, who arranged
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
and orchestrated
Orchestration
Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra or of adapting for orchestra music composed for another medium...
"Theme of Bahamut Lagoon ~ Opening" for the bonus disc of its original soundtrack. In 1996, she created the composition "Tower Block" for the multi-composer game Tobal No. 1
Tobal No. 1
is a fighting game for the PlayStation developed by DreamFactory and published by Square in 1996. The game was DreamFactory's first release, as well as Square's first release on the CD-based console....
. The following year, she created the soundtrack to Front Mission 2
Front Mission 2
is a tactical role-playing game for the Sony PlayStation developed by G-Craft and published by Square Co., Ltd., and was released in Japan on September 25, 1997. Front Mission 2 is the second main entry and the third entry overall in the Front Mission series...
.
In 1999, Matsueda and Eguchi made their first major collaboration by scoring the RPG racing game Racing Lagoon
Racing Lagoon
is a 1999 video game developed and published by Square. The game is unique in that it combines street racing with role-playing elements. The game's story follows a new member of a street racing team in 1999 Yokohama, Japan as he tries to learn about his forgotten past and a mysterious race that...
, with synthesizer programmer
Synthesizer programmer
In video game music, a synthesizer programmer - or a manipulator - helps a composer by choosing the right instruments to play the music inside the video game....
Ryo Yamazaki
Ryo Yamazaki
is a Japanese synthesizer programmer and occasional composer of video game music currently working at Square Enix.-Biography:Yamazaki has created several compositions for Front Mission 4, Front Mission Online, and Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII...
providing three tracks. Matsueda was responsible for all the music except the battle, opening, and ending themes. They collaborated again on the soundtrack to the PlayStation 2 title The Bouncer
The Bouncer
is a beat 'em up for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console. It was co-developed by Square and DreamFactory. The game features character designs by Tetsuya Nomura and music by Noriko Matsueda and Takahito Eguchi....
in 2000, whereas the two took a more equal share of the music. A large amount of the compositions produced was not used in the game and there were also many post-production demands. Afterward, Matsueda created 25 pieces of background music for Square's PlayOnline
PlayOnline
PlayOnline is an online gaming service created by Square Co. , and is used as a hub for many of the online PC, PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 games the company publishes. Currently, the only game supported by the service is Final Fantasy XI...
viewer used for Final Fantasy XI
Final Fantasy XI
, also known as Final Fantasy XI Online, is a MMORPG developed and published by Square as part of the Final Fantasy series. It was released in Japan on Sony's PlayStation 2 on May 16, 2002, and was released for Microsoft's Windows-based personal computers in November 2002...
and Tetra Master.
She reunited with Eguchi to create the soundtrack to Final Fantasy X-2
Final Fantasy X-2
is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square for Sony's PlayStation 2. It was released in 2003 and is the sequel to the best-selling 2001 game Final Fantasy X...
in 2003, with Matsueda contributing most of the setting themes. Having replaced Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
s regular series composer Nobuo Uematsu
Nobuo Uematsu
is a Japanese video game composer, best known for scoring the majority of titles in the Final Fantasy series. He is considered as one of the most famous and respected composers in the video game community...
to create a work entirely different from the predecessor Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square as the tenth title in the Final Fantasy series. It was released in 2001 for Sony's PlayStation 2, and will be re-released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in 2012...
, their score has become one of the most criticized soundtracks in the series. However, despite the negative response and a low budget, it was commercially successful. The following year, she worked on Final Fantasy X-2s international version
International version
In video games, an international version is a relocalized version of a previously released title in its native territory that has gained additional features and contents in foreign releases...
Final Fantasy X-2 International + Last Mission and provided three arrangements to the Final Fantasy X-2 Piano Collection album. The Piano Collections album was her last credited work, and she has since left Square Enix along with Eguchi.
Musical style and influences
Matsueda is noted for her jazzy style, which she often incorporated into the soundtracks she worked on; she also touched on genres like jazz fusionJazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
, lounge
Lounge music
Lounge music is a retrospective description of music popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It is a type of mood music meant to evoke in the listeners the feeling of being in a place — a jungle, an island paradise, outer space, et cetera — other than where they are listening to it...
, and ambient
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
. For the scores that she collaborated with Eguchi on, she was responsible for most of the jazzy tracks, while Eguchi provided the majority of the electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
. Matsueda has said that the best qualities of a composer are their curiosity and sensitivity, and that watching many things, listening, touching, and feeling are important factors in composition. When asked why she creates music, Matsueda replied that she feels it is an appropriate way to express herself.
She cites George Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
, Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
, Chick Corea
Chick Corea
Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer.Many of his compositions are considered jazz standards. As a member of Miles Davis' band in the 1960s, he participated in the birth of the electric jazz fusion movement. In the 1970s he formed Return to Forever...
, Igor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
, and Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler was a late-Romantic Austrian composer and one of the leading conductors of his generation. He was born in the village of Kalischt, Bohemia, in what was then Austria-Hungary, now Kaliště in the Czech Republic...
as musical influences. When composing music for games, Matsueda draws inspiration from all parts of the game, including the story, the world view, the personality of the characters, the graphics, and the tone of color. She has stated that she makes the music thinking about the goal of the sounds for the game and its total balance.
Discography
| Video games | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Co-worker |
| 1995 | Front Mission Front Mission (video game) is a tactical role-playing game developed by G-Craft and published by Square Co., Ltd., and was released in Japan on February 24, 1995 for the Super Famicom. Front Mission is the first main entry and the first entry overall in the Front Mission series... |
Composition/arrangement | Yoko Shimomura Yoko Shimomura is a Japanese video game composer. She has been described as "the most famous female video game music composer in the world". She has worked in the video game music industry since graduating from Osaka College of Music in 1988... |
| Chrono Trigger Chrono Trigger is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1995. Chrono Triggers development team included three designers that Square dubbed the "Dream Team": Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Square's Final Fantasy series; Yuji Horii, a... |
Composition | Yasunori Mitsuda Yasunori Mitsuda is a Japanese video game composer, sound programmer, and musician. He has composed music for or worked on over 35 games, and has contributed to over 15 other albums... and Nobuo Uematsu Nobuo Uematsu is a Japanese video game composer, best known for scoring the majority of titles in the Final Fantasy series. He is considered as one of the most famous and respected composers in the video game community... |
|
| 1996 | Bahamut Lagoon Bahamut Lagoon is a Japanese tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square for the Nintendo Super Famicom on February 9, 1996.It was never officially released outside of Japan, but it was unofficially translated into English... |
Composition/arrangement | |
| Tobal No. 1 Tobal No. 1 is a fighting game for the PlayStation developed by DreamFactory and published by Square in 1996. The game was DreamFactory's first release, as well as Square's first release on the CD-based console.... |
Composition/arrangement | Yasunori Mitsuda, Masashi Hamauzu Masashi Hamauzu is a Japanese video game composer who was employed at Square Enix from 1996 to 2010. He is best known for his work on the Final Fantasy and SaGa series. Born into a musical family in Germany, Hamauzu was raised in Japan... , Junya Nakano Junya Nakano is a Japanese video game composer who was employed at Square Enix from 1995 to 2009. He is best known for scoring Threads of Fate and co-composing Final Fantasy X. He has also worked as an arranger for Dawn of Mana and the Nintendo DS version of Final Fantasy IV... , Ryuji Sasai Ryuji Sasai is a Japanese former video game composer and bass guitarist. He is best known for his work on Xak, Final Fantasy Legend III and Final Fantasy Mystic Quest. Sasai is noted for his rock style. His musical career came about when he was 15 years old and he formed a band... , Yasuhiro Kawakami Yasuhiro Kawakami is a Japanese video game composer and sound programmer who was employed at Square from 1991 to 1999. He created music for three games and was the sound programmer for Rudra no Hihō... , Kenji Ito Kenji Ito , also known by the nickname , is a Japanese video game composer and musician. He is best known for his work on the Mana and SaGa series, though he has worked on over 30 video games throughout his career as well as composed or arranged music for over 15 other albums, concerts, and plays... , and Yoko Shimomura |
|
| 1997 | Front Mission 2 Front Mission 2 is a tactical role-playing game for the Sony PlayStation developed by G-Craft and published by Square Co., Ltd., and was released in Japan on September 25, 1997. Front Mission 2 is the second main entry and the third entry overall in the Front Mission series... |
Composition/arrangement | |
| 1999 | Racing Lagoon Racing Lagoon is a 1999 video game developed and published by Square. The game is unique in that it combines street racing with role-playing elements. The game's story follows a new member of a street racing team in 1999 Yokohama, Japan as he tries to learn about his forgotten past and a mysterious race that... |
Composition/arrangement | Takahito Eguchi Takahito Eguchi is a Japanese video game composer and arranger. He is best known for collaborating with fellow composer Noriko Matsueda on numerous soundtracks, most notably The Bouncer and Final Fantasy X-2. He became interested in music when he was six years old after hearing his neighbor playing the piano... and Ryo Yamazaki Ryo Yamazaki is a Japanese synthesizer programmer and occasional composer of video game music currently working at Square Enix.-Biography:Yamazaki has created several compositions for Front Mission 4, Front Mission Online, and Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII... |
| 2000 | The Bouncer The Bouncer is a beat 'em up for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console. It was co-developed by Square and DreamFactory. The game features character designs by Tetsuya Nomura and music by Noriko Matsueda and Takahito Eguchi.... |
Composition/arrangement | Takahito Eguchi |
| 2003 | Final Fantasy X-2 Final Fantasy X-2 is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square for Sony's PlayStation 2. It was released in 2003 and is the sequel to the best-selling 2001 game Final Fantasy X... |
Composition/arrangement | Takahito Eguchi |
| 2004 | Final Fantasy X-2 International + Last Mission | Composition/arrangement | Takahito Eguchi |
| Other works | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Co-worker |
| 2002 | Final Fantasy X Vocal Collection | Composition | Takahito Eguchi, Yoko Shimomura, Naoki Masumoto, Takeharu Ishimoto Takeharu Ishimoto is a Japanese video game composer, synthesizer programmer, and musician currently working at Square Enix. He joined Square Enix in 1999 as a synthesizer programmer on Legend of Mana, and worked for them on several games. In 2002 he moved to become a composer, beginning with World Fantastista... , and Nobuo Uematsu |
| 2004 | Final Fantasy X-2 Piano Collection | Arrangement | Takahito Eguchi, Hiroko Kokubu, Masahiro Sayama, and Febian Reza Pane |