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I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?
BBB
Last edited by Bobbin Threadba; Jun 7, 2006 at 03:39 AM.
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How ya doing, buddy? - What we all do best -
Last edited by Spatula; Jun 7, 2006 at 08:40 AM.
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Well, the thing about the "love themes" in previous FF titles is that they always had some sort of role in the storyline as well. (Excluding FFX's, which just played during the underwater makeout scene.) In FF8, the love theme debut, it was the song Julia wrote for Laguna, which translated into Squall and Rinoa's love since it was a relationship they never had. In FFIX, it was a song that Garnet always sang. So, I guess, there wouldn't be as much impact with a song that probably isn't involved in the storyline (debunk me if I'm wrong), as well as one that doesn't show up anywhere else in the soundtrack as a main theme. It was mainly the producers saying hey we need to retain some ammount of tradition with an Uematsu love song.
What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now? |
Been listening to this soundtrack on the way to work and back (two hours to and two hours from... still took me two days to get through the OST!). Will probably keep on listening it for the coming couple of weeks at least. It's lovely, absolutely lovely. I used to dislike Sakimoto because his soundtracks, more than most others, remind me of movie scores, in the sense that I could never really appreciate the music until I'd seen the movie/played the game. I hated the FF Tactics and Advance soundtracks until I played the games.
But something's change since then. I don't know what, because his style of music still sounds the same to me, but this soundtrack just 'has it'. FELIPE NO |
On a related note, I'm still proding through and am working on disc 4 right now. Still, it's a real shame that the short version of the Road of Hope (basically Refrain) was used instead. Still the best track I've heard of the OST and Symphonic Suite. What, you don't want my bikini-clad body? - What we all do best -
Last edited by Spatula; Jun 7, 2006 at 06:14 PM.
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If there are any MIDI experts in this thread, would you care to hazard a guess about what libraries they're using here? I'm randomly clicking on tracks and the MIDI samples are incredible, at least to my ears.
Might this be the work of EWQLSO ? That's the highest quality library I can think of at the moment. Jam it back in, in the dark. |
I'm not certain that it's a commercial library. The woodwinds often sound like whatever Jeremy Soule uses though, which may or may not be EWQL or VSL. I personally use EWQL Gold, and get pretty similar results, so it's possible. Some of the tracks sound a little lesser in quality though, so it may be a mixture of things.
There's nowhere I can't reach. |
This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.
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Aye, I own several libraries legit. Not the one he linked, though. The standalone Gold is much less. It's still pricy, but worth it, if you're aiming to make a living at it
I don't want to drag this thread too off-topic though. How ya doing, buddy? |
You guys... the string sounds in this soundtrack are of a fairly low quality IMO. The only good sounds come from the lower strings, and even those aren't that great... the high strings are painfully bad! And the oboes/clarinets are tinny-sounding... you can get better sounds from Reason! I don't know why people are so amazed at the synths.
Edit: However the BRASS and PERCUSSION are excellent! Probably the best sounds I've heard in a long time. It's too bad that the more important string and woodwind sounds are... lacking in every aspect. Edit #2: In case you would like a comparison between the FFXII synths and MODERN-day synths (in other words, what SHOULD be used in such a high-profile game as Final Fantasy), I have uploaded a sample song from the Vienna Symphonic Library. Click here to get the file. So, why didn't Sakimoto use these sounds? They're readily available (I have access to them and I'm a lowly college student). Thoughts? I was speaking idiomatically. |
It hasn't bothered me. I've been too busy listening to the music to bother analyzing the quality of the synth. (Which doesn't seem that bad to me, certainly not bad enough to comment on.)
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Apparently, most of the technical work on the soundtrack was done at Hitoshi Sakimoto's home, not a recording studio. He apologises because of the additional noises (not too evident, IMO) in the liner notes.
Overall, I thought Keiji Kawamori did a good job with the synth and definitely seems to have a great future ahead of him (as bassist, arranger, and composer too). Excluding Dirge of Cerberus, I'd say the synth is the best of any Final Fantasy score, though I agree the string samples are a little weak. The in-game synth is a regression relative to the score, which is remastered. Because Hitoshi Sakimoto's work is so complex, it was impossible to implement it in its finest form in a PlayStation 2 score. Though some will disagree with me, I'd simply love to hear a pre-recorded full-orchestral Sakimoto soundtrack one day. Still digesting the soundtrack... It's definitely been 'yummy' so far. FELIPE NO |
The harp, and flute instruments synth samplings are better, though. What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?
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Jam it back in, in the dark. |
Try the 128 Giza Plain. It's my favorite track in the entire album. But I admit that, the quality of the string is low.
How ya doing, buddy?
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Here's an example of something realistically put together in one's own hypothetical home studio after about 3 days of work using a modern sample library (well, several.) You don't have to like it, but I think it's a more realistic approximation of how things could sound using a relatively accessable library. And you'll notice, not too different. (Though the orchestral thing doesn't start until after halfway through.) So, anyways, I think the debate over synth quality is silly. (Especially because they're not synths anymore, despite all the technical talk about synth operators.) As Piccolo said, what we should really be discussing is the music This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it. |
I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body? |
I believe the reason we're discussing the "synth" sounds (it's easier to refer to them as synths, although we could say "samples"), was because that was the ONLY detriment to Sakimoto's music. Absolutely wonderful soundtrack except for that. Unfortunately, it's a big detriment because it is the way the music is protrayed to us. I've heard it said that 50% of the music comes from the performance (something I tend to agree with somewhat), and here it's lacking. I was speaking idiomatically. |
I'm kind of lost in the discussion since I'm not exactly very music literate ... but as far as I'm into the soundtrack, it sounds really amazing! It has the whole grandeur feel there is to FFXII. I think FFXII has an amazing huge world just like that of FFXI and I think the music complements the settings perfectly! It's very unlike other FFs whereby there are some repeats of common themes but I think nonetheless, the feel of the music is right!
Though I would have appreciate if they had used the piano more though. I'm a sucker for piano versions of the music! It's so light yet so sad! Still, the Final Fantasy XII soundtrack is amazing. It's close to 100+ tracks and I think most of them sound really pretty. Too bad I have no imagery but I can picture it's the perfect fit. The only complain though I have is that the mood of the music in the OST seems to be too consistent except for the occassional battle themes and tracks. I would expect more ups and downs as with previous versions of FF. What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now? |
Love it so far, especially the remix of the FF5 track.
FELIPE NO
Last edited by Nogib; Jun 8, 2006 at 11:56 PM.
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At the moment I listen to the OST and in my opinion it was good for the Final Fantasy music that the composer has changed. Hitoshi Sakimoto did a very good job! Nothing against Uematsu-san but Sakimoto-san gives fresh air to the Final Fantasy Sound Adventures... *g*
What, you don't want my bikini-clad body? Best Song Contest 2014 Winner Musashi: Samurai Legend - Aeolic Guardian composed by Masashi Hamauzu Me @ last.fm | Ultimate Video Game Composers List | VGM Lounge (German) |
Wow, I was profoundly impressed by this soundtrack. I had never heard any complete score by Sakimoto, except the occasional Vagrant Story track (but not enough to grasp distinctive features of this author.)
My take on this album is that it's simply fabulous. And I say that even though I have yet to listen to its entirety. It is grandiose, epic, very dense. I have really appreciated this pompous feel it creates and, given the unconventional nature of XII, I'm certain it provides a very moving soundtrack to the narration. Two tracks I like to great extents so far are Boss Battle, Little Rascal and Phon Coast. Boss Battle is simply gorgeous, especially the part beginning at 0:56. Little Rascal and Phon Coast feature lovely melodies and grand orchestrations. Jam it back in, in the dark. |
What I really love about this score (I've been listening to it nonstop for several hours at work) is how effectively it evokes grandeur and liveliness. It's quite a spirited score and the original melodies are very inspiring. The term grand is definitely appropriate for this music.
There's nowhere I can't reach. |
This just keep getting and better whenever I listen to it. The final battle theme, words cannot describe its beauty. I can just imagine having a party fighting some truly epic battle, and have that song play at the same time. That must be pure bliss. That part from 4.13 to about 4.50 has got to be one of the most beautiful bits of music ever composed.
Other faves: the boss battle, Secret Practice, Penelo's theme, Rebellion, Ozmone Plains, the FF V song, Mosphoran Highwaste, and Kiss me Goodbye. Why are they making us wait so long for the PAL release? *pout* Wanna play now!!
This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.
Last edited by Dallista; Jun 9, 2006 at 05:04 PM.
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Say, did anybody else notice that the main drumline in the final battle theme is exactly the same as the drumline in Ultima the Nice Body?
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