Final Fantasy XV music speculation

[Jormungand]

I had a more detailed post written before and now it's been eaten by the ether, so here's the abridged version:

• an old article rumors Shimomura to be the sole composer; I doubt it
• I think FF15 will have multiple arrangers, maybe some additional composers
• past FF soundtracks are 4-disc affairs; Shimomura's longest is maybe KH2, which had multiple arrangements of Disney originals, and some tracks were handled by an orchestrator
• Shimomura hasn't done anything in recent years approaching the length of a typical FF soundtrack
• doubtful she's still working on XV, after all, Kingdom Hearts III is a thing
• with the change in director, more music is probably being requested
• recent trends, especially the XIII series, substantiates the expectation that multiple arrangers at least will be present
• or maybe it'll just be a half-size FF OST given the switch to action genre... after all, there's not a bit of music to be heard in the field, and so much of the music, thus far anyway, is performed live

The FFXV demo has the following music cues:

-main title theme "Somnus" (live piano + string ensemble)
-a little bit of the main FFXV theme (not Somnus... the OTHER one, the orchestral waltz with the prelude at the end)
-a short cue as Noctis wakes up and surveys the Duscae region... quite beautiful (live orchestra)
-main battle theme (live orchestra)
-main battle theme-night (remix of the main battle theme... seems to retain the live strings but adds live electric guitar, a louder piano part, and drum loops)
-boss-ish theme, same from a trailer from long ago (live orchestra)
-tension, enemy in sight, short loop (synth)
-fanfare, very short, no loop (synth)
-chocobo theme, folk-blues style (live harmonica + typical blues rock ensemble, in the game it's mixed to sound as if coming from a radio)
-camp theme, instrumental bossa nova style (live)
-somber theme at the end of the demo (live orchestra)

The tension theme doesn't sound like Shimomura really. The chocobo theme was probably arranged by someone else. Same with the fanfare and camp theme. Otherwise, typical Shimomura is on display, though I think her battle theme is quite nice. It's got the same rhythm she uses in all her battle themes, but here she attempts more interesting development.

Since the new director, Hajime Tabata, seems to favor Takeharu Ishimoto, I think he's a likely candidate to have taken over any extra music or arrangements. Mitsuto Suzuki possibly, as well. Mizuta is out as not only is he handling the music for the new FF iOS RPG by Takashi Tokita, but he is also likely working on the music for the final FFXI expansion.

[Falk]

lol

Spoiler:

I know answers to a shit ton of those

edit:
here's something more useful than me being a cryptic goofball

http://www.novacrystallis.com/2015/0...pisode-duscae/

You missed three:
- Gas station music - similar overall feel to the Chocobo arrangement
- Two cues associated with the summon

Originally Posted by Jormungand

-main battle theme-night (remix of the main battle theme... seems to retain the live strings but adds live electric guitar, a louder piano part, and drum loops)

Drums were actually played by this guy. I guess it's to his credit that he's so precise it sounds like a loop.

[GoldfishX]

Originally Posted by Jormungand

Since the new director, Hajime Tabata, seems to favor Takeharu Ishimoto, I think he's a likely candidate to have taken over any extra music or arrangements. Mitsuto Suzuki possibly, as well. Mizuta is out as not only is he handling the music for the new FF iOS RPG by Takashi Tokita, but he is also likely working on the music for the final FFXI expansion.

*sees this and PRAYS for Shimomura*

[LiquidAcid]

Assuming that all compositions are by Shimomura, my list of arrangers/orchestrators would be this one:
Sachiko Miyano
Natsumi Kameoka
Kaoru Wada
Kentaro Sato

[Jormungand]

Originally Posted by Falk

http://www.novacrystallis.com/2015/0...pisode-duscae/

Alright, so that orchestra recorded 9 tracks total? The wording at the end could either mean for the whole game or for just the demo.
1. Somnus (I don't remember if the older vocal Somnus theme is the same arrangement)
2. waltz theme
3. main battle theme
4. summon
5. Duscae region intro
6. boss battle
7. demo end movie theme

I'd venture that the final battle and ending themes would also have been live orchestral affairs.

You missed three:
- Gas station music - similar overall feel to the Chocobo arrangement
- Two cues associated with the summon

Ah yes, I did miss those. Ah, the demo I watched didn't have the summon so I didn't get to hear it... but I think I only heard one cue? As for the gas station, yeah, it's certainly the same arranger and group of performers as the chocobo theme.

Drums were actually played by this guy. I guess it's to his credit that he's so precise it sounds like a loop.

Yeah, I watched a demo where the music was clearer and hear the live drums.

Originally Posted by LiquidAcid

Assuming that all compositions are by Shimomura, my list of arrangers/orchestrators would be this one:
Sachiko Miyano
Natsumi Kameoka
Kaoru Wada
Kentaro Sato

According to the article Falk posted, Shota Nakama was the sole orchestrator. Of course given Shimomura's penchant for piano music Miyano could certainly still be involved.

[LiquidAcid]

Originally Posted by Jormungand

According to the article Falk posted, Shota Nakama was the sole orchestrator.

Oh, bummer -- well, I'm still waiting for something by Nakama that surprises me. Maybe he uses that chance for FFXV.

[Falk]

9 cues were for the demo. Remember that recordings don't equate to production don't equate to number of tracks. Sometimes recorded cues get grouped up a certain way just to make the process more efficient.

I should know. I engineered and mixed the majority of the music in the demo. :P

Other comments:
Miyano does more orchestral stuff than she does piano-centric stuff. On the recent Final Fantasy side she did XIII-2, but not LR. I think God Eater 2 is more typical her arranging style though.

Any other involvements (or rather, not), no comment because NDA. Sorry. :P

[Datschge]

I'm sure everyone appreciates your insight, Falk, especially if you keep talking on your own whenever there's no NDA.

[BlazingRain]

Originally Posted by Jormungand

Since the new director, Hajime Tabata, seems to favor Takeharu Ishimoto, I think he's a likely candidate to have taken over any extra music or arrangements. Mitsuto Suzuki possibly, as well. Mizuta is out as not only is he handling the music for the new FF iOS RPG by Takashi Tokita, but he is also likely working on the music for the final FFXI expansion.

I don't think Tabata favors Ishimoto. It's just that Ishimoto was the "PSP somposer," and Tabata was the "PSP director," so they ended up working together a few times. Tabata directed The 3rd Birthday without music from Ishimoto, and Ishimoto composed for Dissidia and Birth By Sleep, neither of which were directed by Tabata, so my guess is their association isn't specifically because of Tabata wanting to work with Ishimoto, like how Nomura likes to work with Shimomura, or Kitase likes to work with Hamauzu.

I'd prefer the soundtrack remain a one composer affair (and still expect that - it could be filled out with others arranging her themes if she's not up to a 4 disc work), but if there is to be collaboration, my choice would go to Suzuki. He really hit his contributions to LR out of the park, and was easily the best part of The 3rd Birthday's soundtrack.

[dissident93]

I'd be very surprised if she was the sole composer for both Kingdom Hearts III and this.

[BlazingRain]

KH III isn't going to be released for some time, will most likely be a significantly smaller soundtrack than FF XV (if we're judging by past games in both series), and the music isn't usually worked on nonstop throughout a game's entire production. Didn't Hamauzu complete XIII's soundtrack in just a year?

It's hard to say whether or not she'll remain the sole composer, but I don't think it'd be surprising if she was.