Final Fantasy VII: Original Soundtrack

The Final Fantasy VII Original Soundtrack is a four-disc compilation of the music contained in Final Fantasy VII. There are 85 tracks distributed on four CDs with music composed, arranged, and produced by Nobuo Uematsu.
==Development==
Called by Uematsu his "greatest harvest" in terms of creativity, the soundtrack, despite its length, was composed in a period of eight months, as opposed to the bi-annual period of producing that had become the standard regarding the previous original soundtracks. The Final Fantasy VII soundtrack was innovative in that it was the first game in the series to include a track with digitized vocals, "One-Winged Angel", which has been described as Uematsu's "most recognizable contribution" to the music of the Final Fantasy series.
Uematsu has said that the transition from SNES to PlayStation made him look forward to what he could do with the new hardware, and was happy they were able to experiment with things they hadn't been able to do prior to the development of Final Fantasy VII. One thing that came up in the early stages was that the developers wanted to include a theme song with lyrics, but it never really happened, apart from "The One-Winged Angel", but Uematsu doesn't consider this song as the game's theme song in the sense they had originally envisioned. Uematsu has also noted the part of experimenting with new ways to insert and apply music was the best thing to happen with Final Fantasy VII to him personally.
Despite it being possible to record CD quality music for PlayStation games, Square decided to do the music for Final Fantasy VII with the PlayStation's internal chip because as far as sound quality goes, the developers felt the hardware was more than capable with its higher dynamic range than the Super Famicom, and 24 simultaneous music output channels (the Super Famicom had 8), allowing for more complex compositions. Eight channels would be reserved for sound effects, leaving 16 for the music.Final Fantasy VII Interviews - Squaresoft Collector's Video 1997 The sound effects were recorded in the studio, but the music is all the console's internal chip putting less demand on the read access time of the CD-ROM; faster load times were prioritized over better sound quality.
The team wanted to have a soundtrack with no repeated music to mimic movies, although depending on the scene the tempo or the intensity might change. As Final Fantasy VII is a long game some music is repeated, but the overall goal was to make it as cinematic as possible in that regard.
From the first Final Fantasy up to Final Fantasy V the music had a European atmosphere, but Final Fantasy VI had started to break away from that, and Final Fantasy VII had a whole new image, one of "a dirty city of the future." Uematsu personally likes many different styles of music, and saw Final Fantasy VII as a chance to show parts of himself he hadn't been able to express before.
The field music (titled "Main Theme of Final Fantasy VII") has a unique flavor compared to Square's RPGs of the past. Uematsu intentionally eliminated the uptempo meant to encourage the player to embark on a journey. Instead, some parts rise melodiously and some parts make the player feel insecure, creating various expressions within the same field of music. Uematsu hoped players would get a different feel from it compared to previous RPGs and has described it has this his own "experiment." A music theory analysis of "Main Theme of Final Fantasy VII" was written by Video Game Music Academy in 2014.
He used keyboard and guitar for the basic compositions, and read the story and script as he composed. Due to the volume required of the soundtrack Uematsu worried he would run out of time. He'd first compose a theme, then program it in, and then revise it. There was no guarantee the PlayStation hardware would have the kind of sound he was looking for, and the sound quality was sometimes very different. For that reason there ended up being many unused songs.
Final Fantasy VII: Original Soundtrack peaked at #3 in Japanese music charts, the first time music from a game placed in hit charts in Japan.EGM2, August 1997, interview with Nobuo Uematsu
The Final Fantasy VII series greatly expands the body of musical works of the Final Fantasy VII universe. Nevertheless, the most popular themes among fans remain a part of the original soundtrack, which include "Prelude", "Those Who Fight", "Fight On!", "J-E-N-O-V-A", "Cosmo Canyon", and the previously mentioned "One-Winged Angel".
==Track list==
The English track names have been adapted from the iTunes tracklisting.
===Disc 1 (73:59)===
# — 3:12
#: Plays during the introduction screen.
# — 3:59
#: Plays before and after the attack on Mako Reactor 1 and during the battle against Guard Scorpion.
# — 3:26
#: Plays inside each of the mako reactors.
# — 4:00
#: Plays in several areas, such as Sector 8, the train graveyard, Gongaga, and Nibelheim. It also plays in Kalm after the Meteor is summoned.
# — 5:23
#: Plays during Tifa's flashbacks and in the 7th Heaven before the party leaves to attack Mako Reactor 5.
# — 3:22
#: Plays as the background to Sector 7 and the 7th Heaven after Cloud agrees to attack Mako Reactor 5.
# — 2:25
#: Plays in a number of areas, including when escaping from Reno in the Church after Aerith introduces herself to Cloud. Also, during the revisit of Sector 7 and during the climb to the top of the Sector 7 Plate.
# — 2:26
#: Plays at the plate interior and several underground areas. It also plays in the Icicle Cave in Gaea's Cliffs.
# — 4:13
#: Plays during cutscenes involving Shinra Electric Power Company and the battle against Proud Clod.
# — 2:38
#: Plays during all normal battles.
# — 0:53
#: Plays after winning a battle.
# — 5:09
#: Plays in the Sector 5 slums church, and in Aeris's house.
# — 2:20
#: Plays in any room or cutscene the Turks appear in.
# — 3:21
#: Plays in Sector 5 and Sector 6 Slums as well as Mt. Nibel and in the crashed Gelnika.
# — 2:34
#: Plays in Wall Market and Rocket Town.
# — 4:22
#: Plays in the Honey Bee Inn. It also plays during the Mog House Minigame.
# — 1:20
#: Plays during cutscenes involving either Jenova or Sephiroth and in the &$#% Room at the Honey Bee Inn.
# — 2:10
#: Plays in Don Corneo's Mansion.
# — 3:51
#: Plays in the Shinra Building.
# — 3:22
#: Plays during most boss battles.
# — 1:26
#: Plays when Red XIII introduces himself to the party.
# — 4:47
#: Plays during the motorcycle minigame.
# — 2:11
#: Plays on multiple occasions, most notably when the party first leaves Midgar, as well as in some towns and during some cutscenes involving the entire party. It also plays in Mt. Corel.
===Disc 2 (63:34)===
# — 6:31
#: First theme on the world map.
# — 3:42
#: Plays in various towns such as Kalm and Junon as well as the Weapon Seller's House.
# — 0:08
#: Plays during a rest at an inn.
# — 3:09
#: Plays on multiple occasions, most notably during the Nibelheim Incident flashbacks and Cloud and Tifa's night under the Highwind before entering the Northern Cave.
# — 2:53
#: Plays in the Chocobo Farm.
# — 0:35
#: Plays when the chocobos dance at the Chocobo Farm.
# — 3:44
#: Plays during a battle encounter with a chocobo and during the snowboarding minigame.
# — 3:24
#: Plays while riding a chocobo on the World Map and in the Chocobo Sage's house.
# — 3:02
#: Plays in the Mythril Mine, Ancient Forest and the Sleeping Forest among other locations. It also plays in the Junon underwater tunnel.
# — 3:51
#: Plays during fights at Fort Condor.
# — 2:09
#: Plays during Rufus's welcoming ceremony, the marching minigame and from there on after in Junon until Part II.
# — 3:23
#: Plays on the ship from Junon to Costa del Sol.
# — 4:04
#: Plays in the Shinra Building after the party escapes from the cells and in the Cave of the Gi under Cosmo Canyon. Also plays in the Spooky Hotel in the Gold Saucer.
# — 2:18()
#: Plays during battles against Jenova∙BIRTH, Jenova∙DEATH and Helletic Hojo, and during the descent to Jenova∙SYNTHESIS.
# — 0:31
#: Plays when the game is over.
# — 2:23
#: Plays in Costa del Sol.
# — 3:33
#: Plays in North Corel.
# — 3:03
#: Plays during Barret's flashbacks at Corel.
# — 1:55
#: Plays in the Gold Saucer.
# — 3:24
#: Plays when the player first meets Cait Sith in the Gold Saucer and during prominent scenes featuring him.
# — 5:42
#: Plays in the Corel Prison.
===Disc 3 (73:24)===
# — 3:38
#: Plays in Cosmo Canyon.
# — 4:10
#: Plays during scenes at Cosmo Canyon Observatory when Geisel Bugenhagen explains about the Planet and the Lifestream.
# — 3:22
#: Plays during scenes in Cosmo Canyon when Red XIII discovers the truth about his father.
# — 3:00
#: Plays upon meeting Yuffie and during prominent scenes with her.
# — 3:39
#: Sephiroth's leitmotif, it plays during the dragon battle at the start of the flashback to the Nibelheim Incident, at the Shinra Mansion in Nibelheim, and during the final fight with Sephiroth. The theme has ominously chiming bells and beating drums, and later a choir chants with some rising guitar strings.
# — 2:58
#: Plays in basement of Shinra Mansion, when meeting Vincent, and during Lucrecia's flashback.
# — 3:02
#: Plays when meeting Cid and during prominent scenes featuring him.
# — 1:19
#: Plays when the party steals the Tiny Bronco from Rocket Town.
# — 4:27
#: Plays in Wutai.
# — 1:37
#: Plays when Yuffie steals the party's Materia.
# — 1:50
#: Plays in the Chocobo Square of the Gold Saucer.
# — 2:57
#: Plays during the Chocobo Racing minigame, and in Mideel when near the White Chocobo.
# — 0:44
#: Plays if the player wins a chocobo race. Also plays after successfully stopping an enemy attack at Fort Condor in all versions after the original PlayStation version.
# — 0:47
#: Plays if the player loses a chocobo race.
# — 2:37
#: Plays during the play at Gold Saucer.
# — 3:01
#: Plays on the Round House ride in Gold Saucer during the date scene. It also plays briefly when Tifa sees Cloud again in Mideel.
# — 3:51
#: Plays in the Temple of the Ancients.
# — 3:51
#: Plays in the City of the Ancients.
# — 4:55
#: Plays during scenes with Aeris and Sephiroth in the Forgotten City and during the subsequent battle with Jenova∙LIFE.
# — 4:54
#: Plays in the Great Glacier and Icicle Inn.
# — 7:15
#: Plays in crater at top of world and is the second and final theme when walking on the world map.
# — 3:46
#: Plays when Shinra finds the Promised Land.
# — 1:34
#: Plays in Temple of the Ancients when Cloud briefly loses control of himself while looking at the mural of Meteor as well as when Tifa travels into Cloud's subconscious.
===Disc 4 (68:56)===
# — 2:43
#: Plays during the FMV with Barret shows Tifa the Meteor, when Cloud is going through various obstacles when trying to reach the upper plate to get to Shinra headquarters, and in Junon after acquiring the Highwind.
# — 2:46
#: Plays during Weapon appearances.
# — 3:46
#: Plays during flights with the Highwind and after the player beats the Mog House game in Gold Saucer.
# — 4:10
#: Plays on the submarine.
# — 2:20
#: Plays in Bone Village and Mideel.
# — 4:30
#: Plays in Mideel when Cloud is hurt, and in Rocket Town after Meteor has been summoned.
# — 2:32
#: Plays when Tifa realizes Cloud's deepest memory when both are submerged in the Lifestream.
# — 2:51
#: Plays during battles in the Battle Square, when Cid and the party try to stop the runaway train from hitting North Corel and on the World Map when Diamond Weapon appears.
# — 3:10
#: Plays when the party is launched into space.
# — 0:49
#: Plays during the rocket launch cutscene.
# — 2:57
#: Plays during non-battle scenes in Fort Condor, and in the Materia Caves.
# — 1:28
#: Plays during the FMV where the cannon destroys the shield of the North Crater.
# — 3:54
#: Plays in the Northern Cave.
# — 3:56
#: Plays during the battle with Jenova∙SYNTHESIS.
# — 3:57
#: Plays during the battle with Bizarro∙Sephiroth.
# — 6:54
#: Plays during the battle with Safer∙Sephiroth.
# — 9:44
#: Plays in the ending.
# — 6:19
#: Plays in the credits.
==Credits==
The credits are all written only in English. The Chorus credits are for One-Winged Angel.
Composed, Arranged and Produced by Nobuo Uematsu
Presented by DigiCube
==Liner notes (translated from the original Japanese)==
There is one thing common in all the Final Fantasy games. None of them are complete. All of the games are results of staffs from all around the world trying their 200% effort and ambition. Too much ideas are packed in, while the game becomes blurred and unfocused. New ideas are being incorporated, but only dry and arid works come out. I think that is what we need to focus on to improve right now. Still, as a staff of SQUARE, I really don't think it is a big problem in the long run. If I were to compare it with a plant, the FF will be a plant given premium nutrition, water, and light without the care of a gardener. The branches will just extend in their own way, in any direction. A spring clean-up is necessary. The Final Fantasy series is nearing its spring clean-up. The flower might blossom in the next work, or maybe later. Though, we are confident that we will someday present you a COMPLETE work.
Well, speaking about the incompleteness of Final Fantasy, the music in it is not an exception. Still, I have put out everything I have right now so I began to see what I really need to work on in the new environment. It think that was the greatest harvest this time. Let me thank every staff, every SQUARE member, my family, and friends. I am also grateful to you fans, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you very much.
:Nobuo Uematsu
==Limited edition==
A limited edition of the Final Fantasy VII: Original Sound Track was also released. The set includes illustrated liner notes with several pictures of Uematsu's workspace, various CG and battle shots from the game, messages from Nobuo Uematsu, Square producer Tadashi Nomura, and Digicube music director Kensuke Matsushita, and a discography, alongside several pages of text. The set comes in a black box with the Final Fantasy VII logo engraved on a thin metal plate.
The Final Fantasy VII limited edition soundtrack is one of the rarest Final Fantasy soundtracks.
Final fantasy 7 limited edition soundtrack.jpg|Limited edition cover.
Ff7 limited edition.jpg|Limited edition set.
Ff7 limited edition disks.jpg|Limited edition discs.
== Final Fantasy VII Original Soundtrack Revival Disc ==
Final Fantasy VII Original Soundtrack Revival Disc is the complete soundtrack for Final Fantasy VII on a blu-ray disc with high-quality audio. It includes the ability to view game visuals with the music. MP3 files are also included on the disc for portable music devices. 
== Music samples ==
==Sheet music==
Published by DOREMI Music Publishing, the book contains Asako Niwa's piano arrangements for the music on the Final Fantasy VII: Original Soundtrack, arranged to sound as much as possible like the originals on the piano. The difficulty level is beginner to intermediate.
==Behind the scenes==
An excerpt from Haydn's "The Creation" is played in President Shinra's office as Sector 7 plate collapses.
"Rufus' Welcoming Ceremony" makes a cameo appearance in Final Fantasy IX in the Evil Forest. It also briefly appears in Final Fantasy X.
When asked to name his favorite three tracks from the soundtrack, Nobuo Uematsu named the overworld theme, the Desert Canyon theme and Aerith's Theme.
The original 1998 trailer of Final Fantasy VII features a piece of music called "Final Encounter" by Steve Baker that isn't featured in the game or soundtrack.http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/197341-final-fantasy-vii/63347725
==See also==
*Final Fantasy VII Vinyl Limited Edition
*Final Fantasy VII Remake Original Soundtrack
*Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy VII Vinyl
==External links==
*Official Site - Final Fantasy VII Original Soundtrack Revival Disc
*VGMdb - Final Fantasy VII Original Sound Track
*VGMdb - Final Fantasy VII Original Sound Track (Limited Edition)
*VGMdb - Final Fantasy VII Original Sound Track reprint
*VGMdb - Final Fantasy VII Original Soundtrack Revival Disc
==Citations==
de:Final Fantasy VII: Original Soundtrack
fr:Final Fantasy VII Original Soundtrack