Uematsu wrote notes based on character designs and screenplays, creating a general picture of the pieces' moods. In regard to Final Fantasy VIII, Uematsu did not prefer to use multiple sources to find MIDI instruments-"I could be coming up with a great melody in the very moment"-instead using a Roland SC-88 synthesizer for the entire score. Nobuo Uematsu's usual influences include Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Simon and Garfunkel, and Elton John.
The music of the video game Final Fantasy VIII was composed by regular series composer Nobuo Uematsu.