FFT A2 site - Sakimoto the composer?

[SakiMojo]

I hadnt heard that Sakimoto is doing the soundtrack for FFT A2, though he did FFTA so... anyway here's the official site and the theme music sounds like Sakimoto - GREAT music. http://www.ffta2.com/

Edit: After listening to the music loop a few times, I am really excited about this soundtrack. There are some classic Sakimoto touches in the music on the above site.

[SakiMojo]

does anyone know, is the song that plays on the FFT A2 site a remixed song from FFT Advanced 1 ?

[Jormungand]

Nope, it's not. Totally new composition.

Also interesting to note is that it's a MIDI-enhanced version...which increases the likelihood of a soundtrack release--why make MIDI versions unless people are going to hear them? Then again, could just be for the website.

[Ovelia]

There would be a soundtrack release if new compositions are enough to hold on at least one disc... that's what I think.

In FF12RW's case there isn't enough music, yet I still hope new songs can be published in one way or another... combining FFTA2 OST with those new songs in RW in one package would be fine.

[SakiMojo]

There would be a soundtrack release if new compositions are enough to hold on at least one disc... that's what I think.

In FF12RW's case there isn't enough music, yet I still hope new songs can be published in one way or another... combining FFTA2 OST with those new songs in RW in one package would be fine.

FFXII RW's tracks are simplified tracks from the FFXII OST. I how the entire FFT A2 soundtrack is the same quality as the fantastic melodies from the website, I'll buy it in a heartbeat!

[TerraEpon]

Considering FFTA2 is a totally new game, as opposed to a mere side story, I don't see why there wouldn't be a totally new soundtrack.

-Joshua

[Ovelia]

FFXII RW's tracks are simplified tracks from the FFXII OST. I how the entire FFT A2 soundtrack is the same quality as the fantastic melodies from the website, I'll buy it in a heartbeat!

There're 4 new tracks in RW though. One being totally new, the other three being extended version of FFXII tracks.

[Pastor Of Muppets]

The track on that site already sounds better than any of FFTA's battle themes to me. (the site track sounds like a battle theme to me)
It's FFT quality.

[SakiMojo]

The track on that site already sounds better than any of FFTA's battle themes to me. (the site track sounds like a battle theme to me)
It's FFT quality.

I agree, it's got more edge to it like the tracks on FFT. Not so light-hearted like the FFTA soundtrack.

[Ovelia]

Yes I agree with both of you. Although the battle themes in FFTA (except Ohkashi's) are still quite good in my opinion.

H3ll...I've been listening to this for three days already without stopping! The track got some resemblance from "A Chapel" and "Clan Headquarters", but it has more maturity, more adventuring spirit, more "meet your destiny" feeling.

I've been reading fantasy adventure novels with similar story settings as FFTA these days (a real world protagonist is sent to another fantasy world) and the song just fits the situation very well. :D

[gamemusicfreak]

Awesome music there! I get a certain chill when I hear some new game music for the first time, and it hit me as soon as I heard this just now.

[SakiMojo]

I go to this site almost daily to listen to the looping track. there are a few peaks in the song that give me the chills every time. This is his best track (imo) since "Boss Battle" from FFXII.

[SakiMojo]

Do you guys think the music quality for all the FFT A2 songs on the DS can be this high? The sound quality for the FFXII Revenant Wings songs I've heard on DS are noticalby lower quality than this song. (in cases there's any confusion, I'm talking about actual SOUND QUALITY, not the quality of the compositions.)

[datschge]

Sound quality on the DS mostly depends on the speaker which being in a portable are naturally weak, the DS Lite ones more so than the DS brick ones. Quality should improve when you use headphones or even your stereo instead. The sound quality of sequenced music on the DS should be (besides the number of channels, which is limited to 16) totally comparable to other modern hardware synth based music on other systems, as long as someone decent handled the samples/instruments editing.

[Jormungand]

Do you guys think the music quality for all the FFT A2 songs on the DS can be this high?
Nope. As I mentioned in a previous post, the BGM on that webpage is a MIDI version of the composition. The sound quality is much alike all of Sakimoto's other MIDI-enhanced recordings.

[Ovelia]

Well, the DS can do some good quality music like Taiko no Tatsujin which I played recently using streaming (?), but that may take up too much cart space and/or memory, I'm not sure...

If sequenced, then the quality would not be as high as the official site BGM. I just hope Sakimoto wouldn't use so many channels in his compositions like what he did in FFXII which makes the in-game sound considerably worse... :D

[SakiMojo]

Nope. As I mentioned in a previous post, the BGM on that webpage is a MIDI version of the composition. The sound quality is much alike all of Sakimoto's other MIDI-enhanced recordings.


Sounds slightly higher quality to me than his midi enhanced tracks (like Radiant Silvergun). this song sounds closer to FFXII ost quality.

[Ovelia]

Sounds slightly higher quality to me than his midi enhanced tracks (like Radiant Silvergun). this song sounds closer to FFXII ost quality.

It IS FFXII OST quality, which is also his enhanced MIDI sound in these few years, as Sakimoto began using streaming media whenever it is available (in FFXII's case it's not because of memory restraint) since Stella Deus in 2004.

[SakiMojo]

new background music track on www.ffta2.com !

[Lierre]

new background music track on www.ffta2.com !

I've not followed this game, but now it seems replaced by a new version of "Salikawood", which is of course from FFXII. While I'm not sure who's the arranger, it's not an awful arrangement. Due to the entire track becoming slower, however, its rapid santur (or hammer dulcimer) arpeggio sounds somewhat erratic and inappropriate. The tribal percussion becomes more Japanese-ish but isn't fused well with other elements. I also think its strings chord line is rather unsophisticated.

If this is from Sakimoto, it's a tad rush job (...but if he had had time, he'd not have reused the old materials, to begin with).

[Jormungand]

Yeah Lierre, this kinda sounds rushed. And the strings patch used is poorly manipulated (with the delayed attack unmodified), and the actual file doesn't even loop properly. Very strange...

[Ovelia]

It seems that the soundtrack from this game will be out in Nov 28th! That's certainly good news.

[Pastor Of Muppets]

Here is the TGS trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkmH5ENAdmI

Also, squareenixmusic (http://www.squareenixmusic.com/) has a track from the game up on their homepage.

[SakiMojo]

Here is the TGS trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkmH5ENAdmI

Also, squareenixmusic (http://www.squareenixmusic.com/) has a track from the game up on their homepage.

The music in the trailer is obviously by Sakimoto as well. Why doesn't cocoebiz have FFT A2 listed in Sakimoto's discography?

[Lierre]

Cocoebiz discographies are generally updated by individuals, and they are sometimes too busy to keep it up-to-date. Also, for an official website, definitive confirmation is required to write something rather than speculation, although even Cocoebiz has to depend on third party sources (and ironically, even then, Cocoebiz or many English websites are basically faster than Japanese official sites). Sakimoto working on FFT A2 was announced by the developer in April, though.

I finally bought DSL and will buy this game. The preceding title was just fine, although I know many people hate it. As far as music goes ... while I think the preceding score features Sakimoto's melodic strength, I personally don't like what I've heard so far.

[SakiMojo]

Cocoebiz discographies are generally updated by individuals, and they are sometimes too busy to keep it up-to-date. Also, for an official website, definitive confirmation is required to write something rather than speculation, although even Cocoebiz has to depend on third party sources (and ironically, even then, Cocoebiz or many English websites are basically faster than Japanese official sites). Sakimoto working on FFT A2 was announced by the developer in April, though.

I finally bought DSL and will buy this game. The preceding title was just fine, although I know many people hate it. As far as music goes ... while I think the preceding score features Sakimoto's melodic strength, I personally don't like what I've heard so far.


Yeah, FFT A was "kiddied up" basically. It has none of the depth, emotion, or power of the FFT OST. The first song that was playing on the FFT A2 website was fantastic though, but it's been replaced with one of Sakimoto's more somber melodies..

[Lierre]

Um, my last post was really confusing. I meant, I've not been impressed by FFT A2 music so far. New compositions are derivative, and arrangements from FFXII and FFTA are not different from their originals at all.

I like both FFTA and FFT score, but in some departments I prefer FFTA. Part of the reason is that while the former game has a more coherent story and lighter setting which Sakimoto's music effectively accompanies, the latter has, on the other hand, a very incoherent story where superficial classism and predictable medieval fantasy gave me little. In addition, I personally feel Saso and Ohkoshi are stronger contributors than Iwata (his works in FFT got much more formulaic than TO).

I wonder, of two CDs, how many tracks are newly composed by Sakimoto. Those playing the demo reported besides "Companions That Surpassed Their Tribe" and "Painful Battle", yet more tracks from FFTA were reused (e.g. "At the Bar"). FFT A2 has a considerable chance of being by far the weakest effort from Sakimoto.

[Ovelia]

I actually quite like the three A2 original compositions as far as we know, so I am looking forward to it (and the game also: I played the GBA one for over 100 hours, and don't think it's bad at all; just a bit too easy)

[Lierre]

http://www.ffta2.com/

Who the hell composes this? o.O

This bagpipes accompaniment is abysmally sketchy. I can hardly believe Sakimoto releases a piece of music this awful... although the samples quality is exactly what we get from him, and the entire song really resembles to "The Royal City Of Rabanastre". I really really really hope this isn't by Sakimoto. This is composed by a certain Basiscape employee, right?

As an official forum, I'd like to post something less nagative, but...

[Jormungand]

As much as you probably don't want to hear this, I'm almost positive this is Sakimoto's work. Everything about it has his usual traits, particularly if you listen to the strings (arco parts). The percussion (well, one drum) is very similar to what we have heard in Legaia 2, both in instrument and rhythm. The only thing that doesn't strike me as his style is the contour of the melody itself... aside from his more recent fondness of triple-meter, it doesn't really sound like a Sakimoto melody. If it isn't Sakimoto (and I highly doubt that), it's someone trying very hard to imitate him.

As for the "bagpipe"... the background chords sound fine, but the same sample is being used for the melody, and it doesn't sound anything like a bagpipe. To me it sounds more like a shawm.

[Lierre]

Oh, thanks for a great clarification. It’s a shame there is at least one track that I’ll surely hate. As for bagpipes, since it had been used in FFT (and “Strange World Ivalice” from FFTA?) and the instrument sounded like a double-reed, I assumed it was used again.

My shallow rants aside, it seems Panelo’s Theme” and “Gathering Allies”, with some jingles, make reappearances in FFT A2. The arrangements are likeable.

[Jormungand]

I should clarify, I wasn't saying you were wrong about the bagpipes. Those background chords really do sound like bagpipes and, as you pointed out, very reminiscent of their use in the FFT prologue tracks. But the same sample was used for the melody and it just doesn't sound right. I wonder what the intention was... :\

Anyway, I'm really reluctant about the game itself as I hated the first. The job system was totally ruined with secondary commands being 100% effective and jobs being race-specific. Not to mention I can't stand stories that are about as deep as Blue's Clues.

I need depth, self-reflection, violence, betrayal, all that great dramatic opera stuff. :p Otherwise, what's inspiring me to save the world as I know it? Some whiny kid battling with his harrowing preteen trials? No thanks, I'll let the world rot.;) [/rant]

[Lierre]

I see.

Well, this time Sakimoto is asked to use a certain instruments (http://www.famitsu.com/interview/article/2007/04/11/668,1176272159,69981,0,0.html)which is related to the story a bit. I think that is a hurdy-gurdy since moogles of that ilk make appearances in the game. When I heard the track, it reminded me of "Mabure Home" (CC) and some pieces from Crystal Chronicles. Perhaps FFT A2 has an element of early music if mostly dominated by his usual orchestral music.

[Ovelia]

The timbre of the string synth must be Sakimoto's!

Well, I don't think it is that unlikable, EXCEPT for that weird sample carrying the main melody...

[Lierre]

Wait, most tracks seem to be streamed? A huge amount of ROM space to store note/articulation samples, or incredibly skillful manipulators would be requisites to accomplish such a high sound quality on the DS sampler. To me, at the very least, this sounds far much better than sequenced ASH tracks. As much as a 64 megabyte ROM having streamed music is unlikely, this explains why VGMtrans didn't detect so many tracks.

The preceding games developed by the same team have been very disappointing sound-wise (Knight of Lodis = three PSGs and two samplings, FFTA = two PSG and some samplings), but I think FFT A2 is one of the foremost achievements in terms of audio quality.

[Lierre]

Masaharu Iwata, Noriyuki Kamikura, Mitsuhiro Kaneda and Kimihiro Abe are credited in this game as arrangers or the like. Their roles are most likely the same as FFXII RW: to trivialize previous music so that the DS sampler could sequence it. Yes, music is sequenced. Though there are some tracks that sound at the same level as FFXII soundtrack (especially "Ozmone Plains), putting on headphones, we can easily hear aliasing or quantization noise. All that said, I think FFT A2 is a remarkable work as far as sound quality goes.

I can't ever believe that a soundtrack will be released this month. More or less than the half of themes are just recycles, and the new materials are normally bland, with a few of exceptions. However, my assessment is always changed after soundtrack releases.

[Lierre]

http://www.square-enix.co.jp/music/sem/page/cd/cd_top/

56 tracks included...?

Of FFTA, "Main Theme", "Save/Load Menu" (US/EU version only), "Companions That Surpassed Their Tribe", "Magic Beast Farm", "Unhideable Anxiety", " Bell of Victory", "Engage", "Gathering Allies", "Wind of Hope", "Wounded Comrades", "Gained Fruit", "Painful Battle", "Sleep of Defeat", "Level Up", "Law Card", "Mysterious Shop", "Beyond the Wasteland". 13 tracks (4 jingles excluded).

Of FFXII, "Ozmone Plains", "Salikawood", "Mosphoran Highwaste", "Panelo’s Theme", "Boss Battle", "Nativity". 6 tracks.

I, however, never thought new tracks would amount to good 37... it's 20 to 25 at most. I think much of one disc is a coverage of sequenced tracks.

[Lierre]

http://www.square-enix.co.jp/music/sem/page/ffta2/pop_interview/index.html

Well, as I told you all along *cough*, music is streamed. More specifically, according to Sakimoto, battle themes are streamed (and I doubt that is totally exclusive to battle themes, despite his statement).

Let's pretend that I posted nothing on November 2nd *cough*

Regarding this matter, anyway it's too bad that Basiscapes generally wasted the chance of arranging FFXII/FFTA legathy. While those from FFXII/FFTA hardly could be called arrangements because of them being almost identical to the originals, none of them comes off the better one. If they had been sequenced, they could have won kudos for duplicating Sakimoto's layered VSTi&sampler works.

On an unrelated note, it's really surprising to know the DS sampler is inferior to the GBA one in terms of the number of usable samples (or maybe Sakimoto refers to how well GBA could do software sampling).

[Lierre]

http://shopping.yahoo.co.jp/p:554507:domain=music;page=details;diskno=1
http://shopping.yahoo.co.jp/p:554507:domain=music;page=details;diskno=2

Of FFTA, "Main Theme", "Companions That Surpassed Their Tribe", "In the Bar", "Engage", "Gained Fruit", "Gathering Allies", "Mysterious Shop", "Unhideable Anxiety", "Ritz", "Beyond the Wasteland", "Bell of Victory", "Magic Beast Farm", "Bookmark"(Law Card?), "Painful Battle", "Wounded Comrades" and "Sleep of Defeat" are reused.

Of FFXII, "Salikawood", "Ozmone Plains", "Mosphoran Highwaste", "To the Peak", "Boss Battle", "Panelo's Theme", "Naivety", "To the Place of the Gods" and "The Sky Fortress Bahamut" are reused.

As much as it's really glad to see "Ritz" and "To the Place of the Gods" receiving another renditions, I can swear I didn't hear them (plus "To the Peak") during the gameplay. Maybe they weren't presented in the game, or were used in only a few quests. One of my complaints with A2 score is Basiscape didn't always take stronger tracks from the previous soundtracks, nor thier arrangements were so good (I know they had to avoid some of those tracks which had been used in RW, though), but I look forward to hearing a new "Ritz" and don't mind pay money for it.


Edit: Or "Bookmark" can refer to the save/load menu theme exclusive to US/EU version.... That was of course not released in the Japanese game and soundtrack, but reused in A2. If this is the case however where the A2 version of "Law Card" is gone?

[Lierre]

Hell, this album doesn't have track-by-track arrangement credits which I really looked forward to reading because it's very important to grasp more of each employee's personality. As for arranged tracks, the samples used in those arranged track, to me, sound like exactly the same as what Sakimoto previously used. I mean, most arrangements come off being slightly retouched by other person who however had no idea as to how to tweak Sakimoto's sequence data, let alone improving it.

Despite being in the official forum, I'd go so far as to say their "arrangement" just stands for a small excuse for shamelessly reusing previous materials, like Ogre Battle 64. A more varid arrangement would really have saved this soundtrack, and I think at least Kaneda (and perhaps Kamikura, based on Romeo x Juliet?) was capable of it.

All that said, the biggest disappointment is, they mistagged "Law Card" as "Ritz". I mean, although "Ritz" is officially listed as being included in this soundtrack, it's just someone's mistake ...sigh. I really, really, really looked forward to hearing the track (it's easily one of the best tracks on FFTA).

Surprisingly, Mitsuhiro Kaneda contributed one track to this album, but the booklet says it's (2-42) ... where the hell is it (2-42)? Along with the case of "Ritz", again, the production and edition staffs did a terrible job. By the way, "To The Peak" is one of the few track which I actually think is arranged, and improved. Is it his?

Were not for this mistagging, I'd not be too harsh on this album. But my rate is 2/5. Nonetheless, "Determination" is awesome (a bit too short, though) and I find some other good tracks here and there.

[Lierre]

Well, I'm pretty sure Disc02 Track20, "Before and Behind" is Kaneda's.

[Jormungand]

30-some original tracks and a bunch of reproductions from FFXII and Tactics Advance... hmm, worth the buy?

[Lierre]

For the sake of Kaori and Cocoebiz, I have to say everything is worth buying. :p In all seriousness though, for me, despite unnecessary jingles and a lot of unappealing tracks, FFT A2 is probably the best album of all 2007 releases (at least, better than Odin Sphere and ASH which I'm hardly motivated to hear anymore after purchases).

I still think it's anywhere as good as the preceding album which I think easily Sakimoto's best light-hearted soundtrack, though. Also, my hearts still aches to hear a "Ritz"...

[Razakin]

Surprisingly, Mitsuhiro Kaneda contributed one track to this album, but the booklet says it's (2-42) ... where the hell is it (2-42)?
That's just probably 2-24. Square Enix really did fumble with this soundtrack's booklet production, where's the arranger breakdown. :D

[Lierre]

Yeah, on a numeric side, it's most likely (2-13) or (2-24). (2-13) was however included in the sampler CD distributed at TGS, and I think Sakimoto was solely credited to that (otherwise another track would have been taken). (2-24) is, while it may be hard to associate this track with Sakimoto, and Kaneda is exactly the one who would excel at such (on an unrelated note, I suspect it's Kaneda who composed, or arranged those acoustic guitar-led tracks on RxJ), the 'hurdy-gurdy' track which Sakimoto told anecdote about in an interview. More specifically, Sakimoto was asked to compose a track by using a hurdy-gurdy, but he eventually created his original timbre based on dulcimer and whatnot because he didn't know what instrument a hurdy-gurdy was. He still didn’t explicitly state it's his, though.

Either way, unless there is an official correction, any speculation couldn’t be right. I however personally think 2-20 “Front and Back” pretty much corresponds with what I think of Kaneda.