Today, I am once again shown myself upon the world of TL to request and ask for suggestions in regards to my current situation. First, I'll start with my background situation of this briefly before the actual deal.
I'm currently taking a music history core class, despite my lack of interest on music history, simply because it's required for all and any majors at my school. So I cannot escape from it whatsoever! So in this class, each student must do a mandatory 10 minute presentation on a piece of music of the student's choice to present with music, explain the music, reasons of why I chose and like the music, background info on the music, etc. Thus, I have decided to pick "Liberi Fatali", the opening music of FF8 game where I simply fell in love with the music itself from the first moment I have ever listened...
So my dilemma is this: I have searched google and wikipedia and so on, in order to find every single source of info in regards to the music. However, there's no article just on this one particular music and I feel like I won't be able to last 10 minutes in presentation which I feel is important for me to do so. So for all of you FF8 lovers, fan, and everyone else who are willing to help out there, PLEASE GIVE ME SUGGESTIONS, THINGS, ANYTHING (such as the instruments used for this music which I don't think I can name all 100%...) you can say that I can add to talk about. Thank you!
Note: I do have a sense of what I want to talk and present about but I tend to ask for feedback quite often to hear other people opinions, thoughts, ideas, suggestion. Thanks!
As a bonus, I will post the actual music itself that can be easily found on youtube (which I can't use so I dled a MP3 file for presentation).
Took a quick look at the Japanese wiki, don't see anything. When the den of otakus doesn't give you any information you know you are kind of screwed
I'll take a look at my cd collection later to see if there are any interviews with Uematsu or anything, but don't get your hopes up. I don't remember anything of that kind.
Hmm... yea, this is a bit hard. I've been looking continuously and even now, I just can't seem to find the history of this piece. I know it's a Latin choral (wiki told me that) and it does sound like an ordinary orchestra but I'm not exactly sure what instruments they are exactly for this one music. But nonetheless, thanks guys and I encourage anyone else to help me out with this since I tend to be a bit nervous when I present in front of whole class for 10 minutes....
On March 14 2010 10:48 SchOOl_VicTIm wrote: Hmm.. the only one I can think of is take the lyrics http://faqs.ign.com/articles/589/589063p1.html and try to explain how they are connected to the story or something. Good luck.
Yep, definitely I'll be mentioning how the music ties with the opening scene. I just need to figure out how to filler this in 10 minutes..... thanks!
Shouldn't this be a no-brainer by drawing in all sorts of tangential information? Also, it makes it kind of difficult for us to help you if we don't have a sense of what you're planning on talking about.
On March 14 2010 11:29 d3_crescentia wrote: Shouldn't this be a no-brainer by drawing in all sorts of tangential information? Also, it makes it kind of difficult for us to help you if we don't have a sense of what you're planning on talking about.
So my dilemma is this: I have searched google and wikipedia and so on, in order to find every single source of info in regards to the music. However, there's no article just on this one particular music...
But yea, you're right, I could sorta wing it 10 minutes. But I still wanted feedback and open suggestions which is the purpose of the thread plus what I quoted from the OP above....
*Edit* As for what I am planning on talk about, basically I'm thinking breaking the discussion of presentation into 4 parts:
1. The song I chose, why I chose it, my interest onto this song, etc 2. History of the music, game, composer of the song, background detail of it! (main purpose of this thread)
*Plays song in class*
3. Identify and mention the parts of the music such as the instruments, sections, etc. How it connects to the game itself. (also need help on) 4. Final food for thoughts, questions, etc....
At least that's what I am thinking of thought I'm still deciding if I should go with #2 first or #3 first then 2, or when I should play the music... etc...
10 minute presentation on this? Personally, I think you'd be doing yourself a service if you picked a more traditional "classical" piece with lots more depth to it. It probably would also be easier for you to research as there are a lot of places you could find info on Beethoven's 5th or 9th or Brahms 4 even.
Alas here's my quick analysis of it (I've beaten the game like 4 times but I've never really listened much for the harmonies of this opening piece) -
-Sopranos open the piece repeating the tonic note the whole first phrase. The piece is in a-minor (i double checked) in 4/4 time. There is lots of space and room between each time the sopranos sing their lines. Makes sense since in this whole first section there will be lots going on in between those lines. -This opening line will be a motif throughout the rest of this first section. -The string basses come in repeating (pedaling) the tonic and dominant notes throughout this first section -tenors repeat the soprano line exactly (with the octave shift) -a good example of musical layering. with the whole orchestra gradually building up the texture of the harmony the soprano comes in an thickens the texture of the melody -[1:00] comes the B section of the piece. And also a key change! To D minor. -Even with the key the melody emphasises the A tonic note constantly coming back to it. -[1:12] The composer uses the brass section to play a melody which at first stays in Dm but then repeats it and uses tritone substitution to modulate to G#m. -[1:16]We're now in G#minor and this is the second phrase of the B section. Melody is now a diatonically rising line going up once every measure. -[1:45]Key is now Eb-minor. Interestingly enough the melody is now a diatonically descending line going down once every measure. -[1:57]Modulates to back to D-minor. Kind of just repeating some old themes throwing in some new outlines like with the horn. -[2:17]I like how he threw in material from [0:28] except now its in the trumpets and in D-min. -Near the end he kind of just throws all his old material really compact this time. -Piece ends with an F-Major Chord. Holds the fourth though with no third. Gives a feeling that its just the beginning of a journey and not the end. (sorry I got lazy near the end. I have a lot of homework to finish :/)
On March 14 2010 11:40 StarN wrote: -Sopranos open the piece repeating the tonic note the whole first phrase. The piece is in a-minor (i double checked) in 4/4 time. There is lots of space and room between each time the sopranos sing their lines. Makes sense since in this whole first section there will be lots going on in between those lines. -This opening line will be a motif throughout the rest of this first section. -The string basses come in repeating (pedaling) the tonic and dominant notes throughout this first section -tenors repeat the soprano line exactly (with the octave shift) -a good example of musical layering. with the whole orchestra gradually building up the texture of the harmony the soprano comes in an thickens the texture of the melody -[1:00] comes the B section of the piece. And also a key change! To D minor. -Even with the key the melody emphasises the A tonic note constantly coming back to it. -[1:12] The composer uses the brass section to play a melody which at first stays in Dm but then repeats it and uses tritone substitution to modulate to G#m. -[1:16]We're now in G#minor and this is the second phrase of the B section. Melody is now a diatonically rising line going up once every measure. -[1:45]Key is now Eb-minor. Interestingly enough the melody is now a diatonically descending line going down once every measure. -[1:57]Modulates to back to D-minor. Kind of just repeating some old themes throwing in some new outlines like with the horn. -[2:17]I like how he threw in material from [0:28] except now its in the trumpets and in D-min. -Near the end he kind of just throws all his old material really compact this time. -Piece ends with a D-min chord with a third on top. Feels like the piece as a whole isn't over which makes sense since its only the beginning of the game (sorry I got lazy near the end. I have a lot of homework to finish :/)
HOLY Sh1t. Give this guy a medal. Wow, this is amazing. Are you like a music major or studying music?!?
[edit] Last chord is F Major chord without a third holding a fourth (Maybe an F Major 11 but some people don't really "believe" in 11th chords)
Yeah I'm a music performance major here at UNC Chapel Hill. I'm nothing amazing I'm sure there are smarter people in the theory area than me but I have taken three years of theory and am currently taking my first real music analysis class.
On March 14 2010 12:03 StarN wrote: [edit] Last chord is F Major 11 chord. (An F major chord without a third holding the 4th)
Yeah I'm a music performance major here at UNC Chapel Hill. I'm nothing amazing I'm sure there are smarter people in the theory area than me but I have taken three years of theory and am currently taking my first real music analysis class.
Oh wow, I am amazed. It is definitely something to be praised upon especially in TL imo where majority of the people are engineering students and etc. Not to make any offensive marks of that, but I'm also surprised that there's a music student in TL as well which I find it impressive.
I'll definitely am planning to use these analysis as reference and also to shock my professor who thinks I know nothing of music, if that's ok with you. I do also wish to mention and credit you after my presentation in class if that's also cool with you. Is there a preferred way to address/refer you at the end when I give my presentation? ^_^
StarN's post aside, I suppose you could talk quite a bit about the development and evolution of VGM as a whole as background context - since this is one of the earlier games with CD-quality audio it allows for far more options in music. It means that the in-game music has better sample quality, but more importantly (in this case) it allows for pre-recorded pieces, which obviously have a greater range of expression than MIDI instruments.
I dunno why you're so surprised that TL has music students; just check out the classical music thread =/
Oh alright, thanks StarN! I think I should be able to gather up for the most parts to present by Monday but thanks again!
Good suggestion d3_crescentia. That's also another interesting point to discuss, thanks!
As for why I am surprised, I know about the countless music thread but everyone listens to music and I really didn't realize or expect anyone on TL that focus music on analysis basis in contrast to just simply listening for hobby purposes. I just don't find music students very common here (rather, never met a music student in TL until now), let alone anyone into broadcasting media field like me as well.
I just want to say that FF8 is absolutely amazing and I approve.
Would you be allowed to talk a lot about the composer rather than just the one song? Because I'm sure there's a ton of information about Nobuo Uematsu on the internet to where you could talk about him a lot. Not sure if you need to focus on the actual song or not though for your presentation.
Thanks guys! I noticed the song was used in the Olympics which is another thing I'll mention! :D
Well I could mention about composer but I can't focus it on that topic more than the music itself. The presentation gotta be mostly in talk about the music being display or at least related to it some sense... so yea, I gotta focus more on actual song..... =/
Well, it is what the OST said and on the wiki and everywhere else.... but I suppose I can mention that Arrian. I don't think Nobuo Uematsu didn't really focus on making the latin precise...
Giving a quick bump if anyone can really help at this instance of how to pronounce "Liberi Fatali". It'll be pretty fail if I don't know how to say it out loud in class when I'm giving a presentation IN 2 HOURS!!! So guys, please, help help help and give me an easy-to-read pronunciation of the title of this song. THANKS!
Oh, and I got the materials all prepared to present so a big thanks for those who all helped!
Look, the composer is Nubuo Uematsu, its played by a complete orchestra, it has a lot of bach influence... as every single theme in FF composed by Nobou.
Its a complete orchestra with a latin choral.
I think i had the cello partiture somewhere in my room... if i find it i scan it and upload it in a nice pdf.
He's done the soundtrack of pretty much every Final Fantasy game there is. (FF1-9 was his work, then he did a bunch of tunes for Final Fantasy X and only a few for FFXI.)
Among one of his first works are King's Knight for the Famicom.
EPT
