Author Topic: FF7 - A faithful soundtrack remake  (Read 13940 times)

soliloqueen

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FF7 - A faithful soundtrack remake
« on: 2017-02-24 03:11:31 »
I got sent here by a friend. I've been poring over uematsu's interviews, composition notes, etc for over a year now, figuring out exactly what he intended with every song. From what I can tell, the FFVII soundtrack isn't symphonic, it's orchestral rock. Even though it only rarely uses standard rock instruments, that doesn't make it a symphonic soundtrack. Orchestral rock is mixed and paced differently, and I intend to mix it like orchestral rock. That means chamber ochestra, solo instruments, SMALL section sizes, relatively dry.

Is there any interest in a complete FFVII soundtrack remake that's compatible with the PC version of the game? I've started working on one. Just trying to sit all the instruments in Prelude in one mix right now. The strings like to fight with the woodwinds a lot.

http://picosong.com/GL2N/

And this proof-of-concept fanfare:

http://picosong.com/Gj5N/

Some instruments will be real, some synthesized. Whatever I can swing! But I'm dedicated to getting a real choir for One-Winged Angel and I've already poked around about it (my aunt is a professor at a music school so it shouldn't be difficult to russle up a latin choir). I intend to do the whole soundtrack and have it be loop compatible.
« Last Edit: 2017-02-24 03:28:11 by soliloqueen »

EQ2Alyza

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Re: FF7 - A faithful soundtrack remake
« Reply #1 on: 2017-02-24 08:03:02 »
If you turn up a finished product, I'll be sure to include it in the official Catalog for 7th Heaven :)

soliloqueen

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Re: FF7 - A faithful soundtrack remake
« Reply #2 on: 2017-02-24 21:08:31 »
Thank ya kindly!

Kaldarasha

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Re: FF7 - A faithful soundtrack remake
« Reply #3 on: 2017-02-25 13:05:58 »
If you remake the music, please adapt this version of one winged angel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYtouh-MDr4
It's the best version I heard so far. Sadly it has some noise at the background which makes it a bit dirty.

I also recommend taking a look at the revision of bitsymphony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjxcEtV7zdE&list=PLMuzFojU54xbsu24a_cnWziu0qR7_HJR2&index=3

soliloqueen

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Re: FF7 - A faithful soundtrack remake
« Reply #4 on: 2017-02-27 03:50:14 »
If you remake the music, please adapt this version of one winged angel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYtouh-MDr4
It's the best version I heard so far. Sadly it has some noise at the background which makes it a bit dirty.

I also recommend taking a look at the revision of bitsymphony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjxcEtV7zdE&list=PLMuzFojU54xbsu24a_cnWziu0qR7_HJR2&index=3

The bitsymphony tracks sound good but they don't have...What's the best word? Impact? Dynamics? They're pretty level in volume all the way through and I don't think it lends well to the style of the songs. They're mixed like orchestral music when the soundtrack is symphonic rock.

Danix

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Re: FF7 - A faithful soundtrack remake
« Reply #5 on: 2017-03-03 10:58:13 »
I love those two pieces you've made so far! Probably the closest to the originals I've heard out of all the VII OST remakes that are on Youtube. Would love to hear how you do "Fight On!". Who knows, it might turn out better than the arrangement the guys at Square Enix are working on for the VII Remake. :P I know we haven't heard anything made from them yet, but I have a feeling they're gonna take too many liberties when remaking the music, like with the FFX Remaster.

jasmer

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Re: FF7 - A faithful soundtrack remake
« Reply #6 on: 2017-03-03 15:28:22 »
VERY interested!  I love fan covers, but a lot of FFVII covers lack the "punch" some of the original pieces had.  Covers of the ending theme often display this in several parts like the northern crater bit, when meteor is falling on Midgar, and it's especially sad missing all the oomph when the Lifestream comes in to kick ass and chew bubblegum. A lot of pieces seem to lose some staccato (which may or may not have been intended and a technological/sample issue?) and I find I miss it.

Your fanfare sample was great. I googled FFVII fanfare remaster and the first two I came across have soupy, lackluster intros. Yours is punchy just like the original.  Love it!

Ragna

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Re: FF7 - A faithful soundtrack remake
« Reply #7 on: 2017-03-11 08:53:17 »
Very nice Prelude!
As long as you're releasing true lossless audio (FLAC or whatever) with track duration
similar to the original soundtrack... I at least will be very pleased with your work, probably.

And if you're not gonna sell it, you should at least put up a system to accept donations or something.
I think you can do so for example... here: https://bandcamp.com/

And if you want some other FF7 OST example you can compare to this version too: https://dracula9antichapel.bandcamp.com/album/final-fantasy-vii-arranged-soundtrack
Please note, I am in no way affiliated with that site or that Dracula guy. Just trying to give you some additional chances to success.

soliloqueen

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Re: FF7 - A faithful soundtrack remake
« Reply #8 on: 2017-03-18 16:43:44 »
I love those two pieces you've made so far! Probably the closest to the originals I've heard out of all the VII OST remakes that are on Youtube. Would love to hear how you do "Fight On!". Who knows, it might turn out better than the arrangement the guys at Square Enix are working on for the VII Remake. :P I know we haven't heard anything made from them yet, but I have a feeling they're gonna take too many liberties when remaking the music, like with the FFX Remaster.

Uematsu said Fight On! is hair metal so it's going to be hair metal. I know it's not going to fit with the rest of the soundtrack but that's not my call. If he says it's hair metal, it's hair metal.

The song actually makes a lot more sense if you imagine it as hair metal.

Here is my favorite Fight On! Remake:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d8LO2swXz8

Mine might potentially be similar
« Last Edit: 2017-03-18 16:48:20 by soliloqueen »

Danix

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Re: FF7 - A faithful soundtrack remake
« Reply #9 on: 2017-03-19 19:11:25 »
Uematsu said Fight On! is hair metal so it's going to be hair metal. I know it's not going to fit with the rest of the soundtrack but that's not my call. If he says it's hair metal, it's hair metal.

The song actually makes a lot more sense if you imagine it as hair metal.

Here is my favorite Fight On! Remake:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d8LO2swXz8

Mine might potentially be similar
Compared to the others it's good, but I think the organ and that digital instrument at 1:06 could sound better. Also hope yours doesn't drown out any instruments like bass or orchestra strings. In the original, I can hear every instrument loud and clear for the entire song.

soliloqueen

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Re: FF7 - A faithful soundtrack remake
« Reply #10 on: 2017-04-09 20:51:15 »
figured i'd give you guys an update/insight into the creation process

this is the beginning of the current version of Forested Temple, but it's unmixed. The instruments and tracks are cut and time and beat-aligned and everything is ready to go (except the bass, which isn't done yet, and the tubular bells which are the wrong pitch), but they're all blindly placed on top of each other. No volume, no panning, no compression, no reverb. This is what a track sounds like before mixing

http://picosong.com/iRFG/

The string articulation at the beginning sounds unfortunate with synth strings so i told myself i'd never do this song unless I could get a full recording of the sequence, which i managed to, so i'm excited to do this track.

Danix

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Re: FF7 - A faithful soundtrack remake
« Reply #11 on: 2017-04-10 00:21:59 »
figured i'd give you guys an update/insight into the creation process

this is the beginning of the current version of Forested Temple, but it's unmixed. The instruments and tracks are cut and time and beat-aligned and everything is ready to go (except the bass, which isn't done yet, and the tubular bells which are the wrong pitch), but they're all blindly placed on top of each other. No volume, no panning, no compression, no reverb. This is what a track sounds like before mixing

http://picosong.com/iRFG/

The string articulation at the beginning sounds unfortunate with synth strings so i told myself i'd never do this song unless I could get a full recording of the sequence, which i managed to, so i'm excited to do this track.
It sounds great even before mixing, nice work! Sounds just like the original, but with higher quality instruments. I look forward to hearing the final version and more pieces. :D
« Last Edit: 2017-04-10 00:30:41 by Danix »

soliloqueen

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Re: FF7 - A faithful soundtrack remake
« Reply #12 on: 2017-04-10 20:45:21 »
The instrument tracks are now all complete, but still no proper mixing. Still not done.

http://picosong.com/iq5J/
« Last Edit: 2017-04-10 20:47:26 by soliloqueen »

stavstav

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Re: FF7 - A faithful soundtrack remake
« Reply #13 on: 2017-04-12 11:57:58 »
I got sent here by a friend. I've been poring over uematsu's interviews, composition notes, etc for over a year now
oh really?
Orchestral rock?  You mean like queen "We are the champions"?

jasmer

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Re: FF7 - A faithful soundtrack remake
« Reply #14 on: 2017-05-14 22:43:49 »
The instrument tracks are now all complete, but still no proper mixing. Still not done.

http://picosong.com/iq5J/
This sounds fantastic!

DeGuzzie

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Re: FF7 - A faithful soundtrack remake
« Reply #15 on: 2019-02-25 03:42:40 »
If you turn up a finished product, I'll be sure to include it in the official Catalog for 7th Heaven :)

   I don't want to step on any toes, but this thread is exactly on topic with what I was searching. I just wanted to ask a few quick questions.

   I am practicing mixing and am using Final Fantasy tracks as my projects since there are reference tracks even though the reference tracks I am using are from the original OST with midi and all.

   After discovering the modding community here and knowing that the music can be modded in the game how does anyone go about contributing the work? What format does the music need to be in for it to be modded into the game?

   My first project is the Victory Fanfare. In regards to this specific track the music loops indefinitely after the first couple of measures. So if this track were introduced to the modding community, does the intro for Victory Fanfare need to be separated from the loop sequence of the rest of the music? Does my track starting at 0 seconds and ending at 4 seconds need to be separated from the rest so the loop doesn't include the introduction of the fanfare? https://soundcloud.com/hath-a-way-there-1/ffvii-55-mix-draft?in=hath-a-way-there-1/sets/practice-mixes

   Can I submit one piece at a time for the community or does the entire OST need to be supplied to be available to the community?

*Edit* Grammar
« Last Edit: 2019-02-25 03:46:40 by DeGuzzie »

Bynyl

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Re: FF7 - A faithful soundtrack remake
« Reply #16 on: 2019-02-27 00:34:45 »
   I don't want to step on any toes, but this thread is exactly on topic with what I was searching. I just wanted to ask a few quick questions.

   I am practicing mixing and am using Final Fantasy tracks as my projects since there are reference tracks even though the reference tracks I am using are from the original OST with midi and all.

   After discovering the modding community here and knowing that the music can be modded in the game how does anyone go about contributing the work? What format does the music need to be in for it to be modded into the game?

   My first project is the Victory Fanfare. In regards to this specific track the music loops indefinitely after the first couple of measures. So if this track were introduced to the modding community, does the intro for Victory Fanfare need to be separated from the loop sequence of the rest of the music? Does my track starting at 0 seconds and ending at 4 seconds need to be separated from the rest so the loop doesn't include the introduction of the fanfare? https://soundcloud.com/hath-a-way-there-1/ffvii-55-mix-draft?in=hath-a-way-there-1/sets/practice-mixes

   Can I submit one piece at a time for the community or does the entire OST need to be supplied to be available to the community?
You don't need to split the songs into their intro and their looping section. The tracks within the game are played from start to finish, at which point a metadata in the music files called LOOPSTART tells the game to repeat the track from the position defined by said metadata. The tracks need to be encoded in a format called Vorbis (.ogg files), you can use Audacity for this, it's free and easy to use, and you can encode the LOOPSTART metadata using this software too.

To mod your songs into the game you only need to replace the ogg files in the "music_ogg" folder of the game with your own tracks. The files need to have the exact same names; the track for the Fanfare would be named "fan2.ogg", for instance. I would advice that you take a look at this folder and mess around with the files to infer how the music in this game works; you can use MediaInfo to see how the tracks are encoded and how they use the LOOPSTART metadata, among other things.

Hope this helps! :D
If you want your work to be included in someone else's project or catalog I'd advice you to ask them directly... or you can also make a thread of your own ;D you can check out mine if it's of any help.