Music is incredibly useful in Star Ocean. The variety of effects can make the gameplay so much better, and save you a lot of money on healing items. It also helps characters more readily learn Talents, which is hard and time consuming. Below is a quick list of each song’s effects for your convenience.
Clarinet:
Clarinet 1: 4 black slimes
Clarinet 2: 3 Hound Forms + Gabrielle (hard, but great EXP and items)
Harmonica:
Increases the encounter rate. Harmonica 2 causes a higher encounter rate than Harmonica 1.
Trumpet:
Decreases the encounter. Trumpet 2 lowers it further than Trumpet 1 does.
Sax
Makes MP increase. Sax 2 makes the party’s MP increase at a higher rate than Sax 1.
Guitar
HP will increase as the song plays. Guitar 2 makes their HP increase more rapidly than Guitar 1.
Trombone
HP and MP increase as song plays.Trombone 2 heals faster than Trombone 1.
This is incredibly useful and helps save items.
Violin
Increases the chance of learning a new Talent when performing a related skill outside of battle. Violin 2 is better than 1.
Warning: Using Violin can freeze the game.
To avoid the bug:
When you gain a talent you will get a message stating you gained the talent and got 50 SP. DO NOT PRESS THE A BUTTON UNTIL THE VIOLIN SONG IS FINISHED.
Shamisen
As far as I know only obtainable by hacking, so annoying. It increases your Fol as it plays, Shamisen 2 does so faster than Shamisen 1.