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Miscellaneous Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: yarLson on 2011-04-15 02:01:15

Title: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: yarLson on 2011-04-15 02:01:15
(http://img864.imageshack.us/img864/508/finalfantasyviivoicesofk.jpg)


Has anyone ever heard this album?! It just arrived from amazon today and its amazing.4$ cds, 45 tracks and they all appear to be awesome so far.
I'm thinking about putting this in my game  :-D

here are a couple of tracks from it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng9eXWhf6Y4&playnext=1&list=PLF7D286A16694F1EF&fmt=18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vi8WmfzdS3Y&fmt=18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX0btKdei18&fmt=18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qmQtTf93n4&fmt=18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n63sSipTzII&fmt=18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VZ48Uem8Ac&fmt=18

edit: I just realized that this probably belongs in general discussion  :o
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: Tenko Kuugen on 2011-04-15 04:19:23
thats from OCR, iirc.
I got the album somewhere too, but hasn't that been out for quite a while? I had replaced quite a few of my ingame tracks with songs from the album, but also used other game music. ( Like the FF6 boss theme remixed by SSH for normal boss fights )
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: Covarr on 2011-04-15 04:26:05
I didn't know this was on Amazon! O_o

Anyway, about a third of the arrangements are really good, a third are decent, and the rest aren't. It's quite the mixed back.
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: DLPB_ on 2011-04-15 08:29:06
Can't say I am that fond of it.  Few sound good, most are generic, and unfortunately this composer fell into the trap of making it sound way way unlike the actual music. Those that I consider good are few and far between, and I certainly wouldn't shell out for it. The synth is basic sound, it doesn't add anything, and in fact, I think it takes away from the original.  I don't understand with most of these what I am getting out of them that I didn't with the original?

I consider albums of this quality to be like buying a painting from someone who tried to replicate monet, and you know it is based on monet but it is so amateurish that you are best off sticking with the actual painting, and you miss absolutely nothing. 

If you like it, fair play.  I don't :P   I load it up and I think "yeah I know this tune." and then close it off.  It doesn't make me want to listen to more, because after the first 5 seconds I am pretty sure what will follow for the other 3 minutes.  I have seen some good remixes out there too., so I know it can be done to a standard I enjoy.

Perhaps I am just harsh, but I know a lot of people don't bother speaking out. Well I have.  Emporer's New Clothes springs to mind too often.

edit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acRa0oZmp04&feature=related

This is supposed to be Crazy Motorcycle?   1 example of many.  IT sounds bloody awful, nothing at all like the original, and is just an ear sore.  I don't get how someone can go from the original with its melody and beat, to that travesty.   Words fail me and sadly,  it is not an isolated problem. 

Why would I want to listen to that, when I have the original sat here 100X better....  A remix needs to be more than just for the sake of it.  It has to add something new and stick to what worked.  Not blow the original out of the way with a bull dozer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAbd5Xl5WwU&feature=related

Another example.  Tifa's theme.  The original hits you in the heart, has feeling...  this is just a collection of noises (which are completely inappropriate to the actual music) with something reminiscent somewhere in between.  Seriously, I could do better than that with a pan and spoon. 

I didn't mean to rip it apart like that... but that's what happened.     :mrgreen:
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: Covarr on 2011-04-15 17:10:12
unfortunately this composer fell into the trap of making it sound way way unlike the actual music.
You realize that t his was done by quite a few people, right? Unfortunately, this is pretty typical of what comes out of OCR nowadays.

Probably the best on the album is this mix of Jenova themes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXZ2i6FMJyM). It's also one of the few that makes an attempt at something other than pseudo-techno.
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: DLPB_ on 2011-04-15 17:26:19
A Foray into the Eastern Horizons

That is my favourite (not sure if it is on those albums)

Red XIII Redux
Ascension to Cosmo Canyon


Are not bad.  A few others are OK. 
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: Vgr on 2011-04-15 18:19:18
Every Story Begins With a Name. Jenova Returns. Black Wing Metamorphosis. The Crossroads.

Thos are my favs
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: Mirenheart on 2011-04-15 22:48:15
I downloaded it for free from the site it originally came from, OCRemix.org
http://ocremix.org/album/1/final-fantasy-vii-voices-of-the-lifestream

And no, its not pirating, because OCRemix is the place that originally released it.
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: Covarr on 2011-04-16 03:48:28
Well, I just looked it up on Amazon and it's not there. So I'm confused. Unless yarLson is in Canada or something, I think Amazon has different stock per country.
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: BloodShot on 2011-04-16 04:42:02
Quote from: DLPBurke
It sounds nothing like Crazy Motorcycle and in fact, is crap.
I see you commented on it there as well as here

Well said. I hate OCremix. I feel like I do a better and more faithful, (and actually bearable) job sitting there playing FF7 songs by ear on my violin.

OCremix has some lucky ones. The rest are garbage. One person, or many, all it does is show how many people have horrible taste in music for half of them.
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: Tenko Kuugen on 2011-04-16 20:07:34
suddenly: opinions everywhere

http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01715/
this for example is a remix thats better than the original. Not just 'as good as' but better.
Enjoy your opinions. And enjoy having mine shoved down your throat like yours is shoved down mine.
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: Kudistos Megistos on 2011-04-16 20:28:51
suddenly: opinions everywhere

http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01715/
this for example is a remix thats better than the original. Not just 'as good as' but better.
Enjoy your opinions. And enjoy having mine shoved down your throat like yours is shoved down mine.

No-one is shoving their opinion down your throat. They're just stating their opinion. Stop being butthurt just because people don't like something you like.

BTW, that music was horrible. Why do they have to make everything techno? Techno just doesn't work for ominous music like Shinra Company.
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: DLPB_ on 2011-04-16 21:28:18
http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01715/

Again.  The mood and original feel is important and this remix loses it.   Certainly not better than the original imho, but at least better than those other 2 which even I could beat.

I am certainly not going to kiss the feet of the remixer or not say what I feel because I might hurt someones feelings.  We are talking about music remixes here.. and all I can see from the vast majority is mediocre rubbish.  Slapping sounds together like that one above comes across to me as trying to look "cool" and in reality butchers the tune.

BTW, that music was horrible. Why do they have to make everything techno? Techno just doesn't work for ominous music like Shinra Company.


Precisely.  It is another example of inappropriate genre and instruments slapped together.
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: yarLson on 2011-04-16 22:39:15
Well, I just looked it up on Amazon and it's not there. So I'm confused. Unless yarLson is in Canada or something, I think Amazon has different stock per country.

it was a used copy. Not sure if it's even legit or if I got scammed but it was only a few bucks so it's not important. At least discs are clean. There was only 1 though when I got it. Anyway, after hearing the whole thing, I agree that a lot of them are pretty lame but I always expect that with a compilation album so whatever. I really like some of them and it makes a decent addition to my collection of game music. Definitely not the best, I much perfer the nobuo uematu's piano collections over most of this stuff. Really loved the underwater song on this album though, and the chocobo song.
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: Aeris on 2011-04-17 06:38:30
They.
Wrecked.
Aerith's.
Theme.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlrZVdE0YAw


seriously. are we in FF8 dancing? Geez. they completely ruined her 2 Themes (Death and Flowers Blooming in the Church) lol. some tracks are okay, i kind of like the Jenova mix, but it reminds me of Final Fantasy 12 -_-  the first 5 seconds or so, are when the Boss Fight first starts in 12. and i agree with DLPB, Tifa's theme was completely wrecked. they took a song that had so much meaning, and heart per say, and turned it into... well, trash. i think Buried in the Snow had a nice passive feel to it originally as well, and this remake was kind of fresh and nice, but really wouldn't fit well where it went in the game. lol. eh, maybe i'm ranting but i really dislike these songs, especially if they were ever going to be used in FF7.
 and no, that is not Nostalgia talking lol.
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: Kudistos Megistos on 2011-04-17 11:36:45
Careful, if we keep on criticising them, one of them will see it and come here complaining that we don't understand or appreciate their creativity and musical talent 8)
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: Covarr on 2011-04-17 19:03:27
a generic beat and the same overused synths is not creativity. It's textbook bland dance.
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: Kudistos Megistos on 2011-04-17 19:06:16
a generic beat and the same overused synths is not creativity. It's textbook bland dance.

That was my general point.

Bloody GarageBand. Now everyone thinks he's Mozart just because he can take a tune and add a drum machine to it. >:(
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: DLPB_ on 2011-04-17 20:38:34
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNF1Gh4wAq4

That's a remix that adds something.
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: Aeris on 2011-04-17 20:53:24
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNF1Gh4wAq4

That's a remix that adds something.

You sir are correct. this was really well done.
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: BloodShot on 2011-04-17 23:11:06
I thought Crisis Core had some pretty good remixes. Sure they are official, but still

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHYegqLmppw I thought this was a pretty good remix of Fighting, as it kept a lot of what I liked about the original, but slightly changed it. Still like the original better, but this ones pretty faithful, and IMO, a good example of how a remix should be done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUylFjeQg5o < my fav
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: DarkFang on 2011-04-17 23:13:17
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUylFjeQg5o < my fav

That's epic.
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: Kudistos Megistos on 2011-04-17 23:21:49
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUylFjeQg5o

God-tier
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: The Seer of Shadows on 2011-04-17 23:49:09
This is my personal favorite remix, although you may or may not agree with me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: Vgr on 2011-04-17 23:50:50
^ XD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUylFjeQg5o < my fav

Part of Fulfilled Desire, looped.
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: DLPB_ on 2011-04-17 23:56:08
God-tier

seconded.  very well done.  Seifer quality stamp of approval.

This is my personal favorite remix, although you may or may not agree with me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0

That one is bloody brilliant!  Very good remix.
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: The Seer of Shadows on 2011-04-18 08:28:25
Wow, thanks for agreeing with me :) I'm actually a little surprised.
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: Armorvil on 2011-04-18 09:00:53
I'm glad I'm not the only one who dislikes most tracks from VotL.

As a side note, this is IMO the best version of Highwind takes to the skies (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8iYDjRP1Go). I removed the piano part so it could loop, and put it into my game thanks to FF7 Music =)
Title: Re: Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream
Post by: Marc on 2011-04-18 14:22:18
I would agree that most songs on ocr are in my "2 stars out of 5" category in WMP.

However, there are some real gems in there.  I've replaced most songs in the game with remixes from OCR/AC/piano version/orchestrated versions but some are much better stock then remixed.  I did edit about 15 or so of them to fit in game in audacity as one of my criterias is that it ressembles closely the original.  And I despise trance which OCR is rampant with.