The Soundtrack

[Dravin]

What are your thoughts? What would you like to see and hear for the remake soundtrack? For me, I think they should bring Nobuo back to update it, hopefully to a full orchestral experience. I was lucky enough to be able to go to one of the Distant Worlds concerts (it came to Columbus a couple years ago, Nobou himself was there, too!), and it was just incredible. I just can't wait to hear the full FFVII soundtrack redone like that. What sorts of things are you guys looking forward to as far as the soundtrack goes?

 

[Dragonslayer Ornstein]

I was a real heavy fan of the style in AC and CC but I hope they find someone who can faithfully represent the scope and variety of Uematsu's compositions. Thumping techno won't really suffice for pieces like Reunion or Anxious Heart.

 

[Ⓐaron]

I don't really care who arranges the pieces, as long as they do them justice. Obviously it would be ideal to have Uematsu come back to arrange his own compositions and hopefully write new ones but plenty of other people have done justice to his pieces with orchestral arrangements in the past so I think it's plausible that someone else could do a good job as well.

 

[Animexcel]

It should be interesting to see how each track will be adapted with which instruments and the kind of arrangement they will have. That would be great if Nobuo could be on board to some extent to either compose new music or supervise. Keep the Gold Saucer music the same, haha. I'm curious what they'll do with One-Winged Angel this time. Hearing it played in the original compared to hearing it as an orchestral piece; each has its strengths.

 

[Jason Tandro]

I don't really care who arranges the pieces, as long as they do them justice. Obviously it would be ideal to have Uematsu come back to arrange his own compositions and hopefully write new ones but plenty of other people have done justice to his pieces with orchestral arrangements in the past so I think it's plausible that someone else could do a good job as well.

^ This. As long as it's based on Uematsu's original score, I'm not concerned with who orchestrates the HD version.

 

[Pixel]

I think it will be done in a more cinematic way, with music cued to certain scenes. I know from doing the audiobooks, you can't just plug FF7s soundtrack in and expect it to work. Id love to hear variations of character themes that can be used in different situations. Minimalist piano arrangements for quiet scenes.

And please, no awful vocal version of an existing theme, like Aerith's. Those are painful to listen to.

 

[Jason Tandro]

And please, no awful vocal version of an existing theme, like Aerith's. Those are painful to listen to.

Herein lies my major problem with Final Fantasy XIII / XIII-2's soundtrack. It's like 40% vocal pieces. Some of them are amazing, like Song of the Farseers (albeit its not so much vocals as it is "la la"), and some are cringe-inducing such as Sunleth Waterscape. Caius's Theme is also pretty sweet.

Don't get me wrong, vocals can work. Suteki Da Ne was gorgeous even if the faces Tidus and Yuna made during the cutscenes were very uncanny valley. But it should be used sparingly, not as the basis for the soundtrack.

So yeah... no vocals for FF7 if they weren't there already...

 

[Elisa Maza]

And please, no awful vocal version of an existing theme, like Aerith's. Those are painful to listen to.

This. And no original songs in the end, ala FFXIII. I still hurl when I remember how XIII and XIII-2 ended. UGH.

The trailer used the ACC OST style. I expect the same here.

 

[Jason Tandro]

^ GMTA, Elisa.

 

[Tetsujin]

If they orchestrate the majority of the OST which I expect them to, it wouldn't be Uematsu anyway as he always had other people handle the orchestrations.

However, I absolutely expect Uematsu to be there for the supervision of the new recordings, like Yoko Shimomura was for the KH HD ReMix soundtracks.

Also, maybe he'll compose some new music for cinematics or something.

 

[anxiousheart]

I'd like to see a mix of piano, orchestral and rock pieces for the game. I'd especially like to hear the Black Mages versions of 'Those who fight further' and 'Jenova' in battle. I agree about the vocals, although if it's done well like Suteki da ne and Eyes on Me I would forgive it.

I'd say maybe Rufus' Welcome would fit quite well with a vocal tune (especially Rufus since I remember them being some sort of lyrics in the first visit when Cloud has to wear the Shinra uniform).

 

[trash panda]

And please, no awful vocal version of an existing theme, like Aerith's. Those are painful to listen to.

Actually, there are two vocal versions of Aerith's theme that are acceptable. Rikki did a cover of Pure Heart that is actually a good composition, but her voice is very nasal and she ruins it (IMO).

Like I said, this version is very beautiful but I can't stand her voice. :[


Kate The Great/Erutan does justice to all FF songs that she covers. Her rendition of Aerith's theme is very good. I definitely wouldn't mind something like this being in the game perhaps in the ending credits, HOWEVER her death scene should have OG music.

 

[ForceStealer]

Oh I fully anticipate that there will be a pop song to go with it...but as long as it doesn't play over any existing themes, I'm fine. I don't really expect vocals over existing tracks...but who knows, I guess.

 

[Pixel]

I really like Kiss Me Goodbye and Why. but even those wouldn't fit FFVII.

I could see them maybe having a song for the date scene. Make it really cute.

 

[Dragonslayer Ornstein]

You guys seem to want it, right? By that merit alone it wouldn't be tremendously offensive depending on where they put it. Speaking of expanding on content instead of just remixing it, do you think this'll go beyond the typical FFVII ordeal and stretch into the story after?

 

[Kashkabald]

Just hope you can use the original soundtrack if you want to

 

[Dragonslayer Ornstein]

Wouldn't it feel extremely out of place with the new assets?

 

[trash panda]

I could see them maybe having a song for the date scene. Make it really cute.

As long as they don't change the song on the gondola ride. Interrupted by Fireworks is one of my favorite songs OF ALL TIME. XD



I'll never be satisfied.
I srsly cannot wait to see what they do with Jenova's theme.

 

[Ite]

I hope very much for a remastered and orchestrated soundtrack that features synth and rock elements when appropriate. The sound cues in the OST are to my liking, especially J-E-N-O-V-A which blends a synth pad, techno arpeggios, a drum kit and a full orchestra *and makes it feel like a unified composition* more often than not in AC/C and beyond it was one or the other taking turns in the spotlight. I would rather maintain the original spirit of the pieces.

Well actually I am a stick in the mud and want a very specific and impossible to achieve update of particular elements but I think that goes for everyone.

"The Promised Land" is one exception to my OG purism that track is one of Uematsu's all-time best and any iteration of it, choir/piano/orchestra/synth chimes would make me squee.

 

[Channy]

I really hope they do what they did with X/X-2. Just very gentle remastering with some elements that help add some pop to certain tracks. I hope to God that they bring Nobuo back... The AC OST was fab, but the CC OST was like 30% rehashed themesong. What songs there were, were great, but... Yeah.

 

[Octo]

And please, no awful vocal version of an existing theme, like Aerith's. Those are painful to listen to.

oH GOD I HADN'T THOUGHT OF THIS :o

But yeah, as long as the tunes are the same but improved. And appropriate to each one eg: The Gold Saucer music should still be irritating because thats the kind of place GS is, so don't make it into some elaborate classical thingy.

 

[ForceStealer]

I hope very much for a remastered and orchestrated soundtrack that features synth and rock elements when appropriate. The sound cues in the OST are to my liking, especially J-E-N-O-V-A which blends a synth pad, techno arpeggios, a drum kit and a full orchestra *and makes it feel like a unified composition* more often than not in AC/C and beyond it was one or the other taking turns in the spotlight. I would rather maintain the original spirit of the pieces.

Well actually I am a stick in the mud and want a very specific and impossible to achieve update of particular elements but I think that goes for everyone.

"The Promised Land" is one exception to my OG purism that track is one of Uematsu's all-time best and any iteration of it, choir/piano/orchestra/synth chimes would make me squee.

Agreed, everyone is so afraid of them over-rocking the soundtrack I think they're forgetting about the tracks that really call for it.

For instance, something like Weapon Raid NEEDS to be orchestrated, or Jenova Absolute or On that Day, Five Years Ago.

However, tracks like Still More Fighting, JENOVA, Mako Reactor SHOULD be synth-rock, they'd lose a lot of their oomph simply being orchestrated. Even Cosmo Canyon I think should be a hybrid, I always thought orchestrations totally lack the power of the synth drums and electric guitar in the original. I'm sure orchestra drums could simply be mixed better and be more forward, but that electric guitar makes for such a good juxtaposition.

@PIxel regarding Why and Kiss Me Goodbye.

I actually like both of those songs too, but as you said, neither fit. Kiss Me Goodbye completely clashes with FFXII in every way. Why was less out of place but the scene still would have been better unaccompanied.

 

[Obsidian Fire]

^^Yeah, FFVII has a really diverse OST when you really get down to it. There's a lot of places where there's this orchestrated music with full-on electric above/beneath it.

Which is probably why I like Beyond the Wasteland ACC version so much, it really blends both well...

 

[X-SOLDIER]

I do have to say that the trailer using Beyond The Wasteland was friggin' fantastic, so I look forward to seeing them use track from some of the other pieces of the Compilation in some format (orchestrated or otherwise) and tying them in to the main game.

Also, along the lines of what Force was saying, there are ups and downs to just orchestration, and I think that Crisis Core did a good job finding a middle ground with its soundtrack for the most part. One of the things that ALWAYS stands out for me is that I love both the original Jenova & the Advent Children Jenova piece, but they're both very differently appealing for me. (I think that it'd be cool if Birth, Life, & Death all got a slightly different remix of the main Jenova theme, and then Synthesis for Jenova Absolute).

X

 

[lithiumkatana17]

I think the vocal arrangements for the other FF games were absolutely great, and they fit in well with the games' atmospheres. That being said, I think just taking the original soundtrack and fully orchestrating it would be sufficient for the remake. I really don't think it needs any vocal themes.