Classical Composer Reaction/Analysis to FINAL FANTASY: ONE WINGED ANGEL | The Daily Doug Ep. 715

[@jairizard]

"I was not ready." On our first time hearing this, neither were any of us.

[@cloudsurfertom3268]

Very, very true! 😂

[@ohrusty]

Sorry, this made me giggle, because true, true. It's very... japanese in its unpredictability, haha.

[@cloudsurfertom3268]

@ohrusty oh it really is. That song hits you like a punch to the gut, Yoko Taro is an evil genius. How dare he male me feel so many of these emotions! 🤣

[@xxdad638]

And it was worst if ypu had not played before or even tryed against any Weapon

[@windhelmguard5295]

i was! to be fair though i had kor

[@miricobladetail9670]

Video game music (especially Final Fantasy) is insane. Imagine getting an entire professional orchestra together for crab battle number #2.

[@davidmarshall215]

I got into music composition and performance specifically because of Final Fantasy IX.

[@sonario0074]

​@squigeon7959 "It's not a god. It's just a crabble."

[@sexitach]

This made me laugh way to hard 😂

[@CheekyCheeky]

Hey now, the crab has a single black wing it deserves that orchestra

[@hobopew]

Let's not undersell the crab battles c'mon :p

[@CompleteProducer84]

Uematsu is an absolute musical genius who has composed some of the greatest melodies I have ever heard. Finaly Fantasy 6 and 7 are two of the greatest OSTs!

[@RazLightbringer]

You gotta add 8 and 9 as well as musical masterpieces 👌

[@CompleteProducer84]

@@RazLightbringer Yes, love those of course (as well as FFX). “Find Your Way” from FF8 is one of my favorite pieces from a dungeon. For me personally though 6 and 7 stand slightly above the rest so I always choose those. Probably a nostalgia thing

[@ak47dragunov]

@@CompleteProducer84 I don't believe Uematsu was the primary composer for X

[@thawolf5921]

The full original ending to 6 is his Opus. 16 bit or not, its so damn good.

[@CompleteProducer84]

@@ak47dragunov Yeah true, I forgot others were involved with X. I do know he did the absolute best piece though, To Zanarkand! (A cliche choice, but it’s that good)

[@guzhenn]

I absolutely love watching composers who are not very familiar with video games or anime listen to One Winged-Angel specifically because the song is such a masterpiece and always, always stuns the person listening for the first time. The song is wild, powerful, beautiful, and technically crazy. Uematsu is a legend, and his work in Final Fantasy always made me go "this is where the legendary classical composers of old would be today." I'm sure other people have mentioned it before, but watching Uematsu explain how he wrote the song in little bite sized pieces and then rearranged them like a scrambled puzzle is incredible.

[@daughteroftiaran]

This is *exactly* where the legendary classical composers would be today. I wish someone could play this for Mozart.

[@LordMalice6d9]

Isn't that all music composition in general? Rearranging all of the composed pieces into a more cohesive whole.

[@ericlopez6866]

I agree with you. If Bach or Mozart were alive today, they'd be doing videogame soundtracks for Mario, Zelda, Final Fantasy, Dark Souls, ect.

[@LordMalice6d9]

@@ericlopez6866 Donkey Kong Country also?

[@ericlopez6866]

@@LordMalice6d9 Skyrim, Secret of Mana, Donkey Kong Country, Morrowind, ect.

[@MrIndiemusic101]

This theme is basically the equivalent to the imperial march theme for movies. You hear the first couple of notes and know who and what is coming.

[@MANTASYNTH]

I always found the other music that plays when he appears at various earlier points in the game to be more menacing. You know, the one with the bell and the heartbeat. That would make my hair stand on end as a kid.

[@warden8508]

Couldn’t have said it better.

[@WRILLI4M]

@@MANTASYNTH you mean "Those Chosen By The Planet"? That one is ominous!

[@jacobbarnhart8770]

Facts.

[@andimaswindriasto5005]

well, Nobuo actually inspired by star wars theme, imperial march or sumthin like that

[@dininelbourne]

This piece was originally written without the rock band in mind. They were incorporated when the music was reworked for the film. I was actually at the concert where this version was premiered for the world. I had to scoop my melted face off the floor when they finished performing. Hands down my best concert experience.

[@SilentPsychopath]

I know the feeling. I was at the concert where they premiered Jenova's Theme from Remake for the first time and I still get chills thinking about it.

[@labrynna87]

"This piece was originally written without the rock band in mind." Maybe that's why I like the version from "Crisis Core" the most. :D

[@masquerader13]

Fun addition - I always thought the big hits were Stravinsky inspired; Uematsu says the inspiration was actually Jimi Hendrix’ Purple Haze. The rock band was inevitable 🤘

[@AttackGoose]

The way Uematsu and Soken are able to meld classical and metal is so absurd.

[@DragonDreamVNY]

That's right Uematsu did say his childhood dream was to be in a rock band. But ended up a Game music composer. And finally years later got to perform in a rock band The Black Mages. Love it when he guest appears on the Distant Worlds concerts

[@ArawnNox]

It's such an iconic piece of music. I was watching a friend play Kingdom Hearts and at the end of the arena, Sephiroth is the final boss. We're looking at each other saying, "It's a kids game. How hard can he be?" *Bum bum bum bum* One Winged Angel starts playing and we both go wide eyed and our cocky demeanor drops. My friend, totally deadpan: "I'm gonna die." And he did. A lot.

[@JanizMakudomaru]

Expect to die at the least 5 times against Sephy.

[@ArawnNox]

@@JanizMakudomaru I dont remember how many tries it took, but I do know it took a lot. XD

[@jasonlynch723]

Lmao I remember the arena ... you can't deny regardless of what game it is sephy knows how to make an entrance

[@lionobjs]

@@ArawnNox it actually took me a few DAYS to beat him, so don't feel too bad bruv lol.

[@CYB3R2K]

One of the easiest boss fights I've played. By that point you should be buffed enough and his attacking pattern is so predictable.

[@kiwisocks]

When the music changes at 9:54 and you say "Sorry, you don't win the game this time"...that is when Sephiroth uses his ultimate skill with a very long animation where a giant meteor destroys most of the planets and then the sun explodes, and then the final stage starts.

[@GenesisDG]

I remember when I was 7yrs old fighting Sephiroth watching that thinking....this is the craziest thing I have ever seen. I kept thinking... ok its gotta end. That was Uranus....ok ok NOW it has to end, that was mars....ok ok ok NOW it has to end, it hit the sun! ....wait... That SUN is exploding right now????

[@wren7195]

@@GenesisDG "F YEAH that was YOURanus, here let me show you what happens when someone drags a star across your face." In some ways it's sad it's a gravity attack, percentage based. I was in the forties when we first faced Seph and after Super Nova he just bloinked the party one after the other with one hit power attacks. I remember when I was a mid-teen girl running to my Dad nearly screaming "DAD HE has a CHOIR it's a VIDEO GAME HE HAS A CHOIR!!" Ahhhhh, such good times. *twitches remembering him showing up in Kingdom Hearts. Can't figure if it was the fact that he was Lance Bass or Very Much Not Safer For Work Sephiroth that made her lose it*

[@blackcid]

Final stage? what? There are no stages when this theme sounds in the original game.

[@kiwisocks]

@@blackcid I looked it up, and what I refer to as the two 'stages' are referred to as 'cycles' with step 7 varying on HP left. I used the non-technically correct gamer lingo, because from what I remembered of the fight, I never won if I got to a second supernova because of Heartless Angel🤷‍♀

[@TheRealAchilleZ]

you were right lol don't listen to him xD@@kiwisocks

[@juliansanchezharris5773]

Now.. imagine the one creating this masterpeice didn't even go in any music class/school when creating its original. Uematsu was a pure raw diamond

[@Nitram4392]

I think, that self-taught people have a more difcicult start, but in turn have a lot of potential for innovation, since they are not held back by pre-conceived notions.

[@ZaCloud-Animations___she-her]

@@Nitram4392 Yeah. Some of the absolute greatest music creators out there were self taught. Like Yoko Kanno & Toby Fox (And, in my biased opinion, my sister @remixedcat 😸). They're unbound by convention & their musical imaginations are free to wander, so their pieces are unique & special.

[@excrono]

@@Nitram4392Classically untrained composers can bring the most divergent ideas to music. Uematsu composes in a style that is aligned with communicating feeling that resonates and connects with the audience. It’s a rejection of the logical music theory based approach where convention dictates to use these chords here with these instruments.

[@SlideIX]

⁠​⁠​⁠@@excrono”communicating feeling that resonates and connects with the audience” Exactly this! Uematsu’s work evokes emotion for players in a way that sticks with them especially when coupled with the stories of each game. Having said that each piece stands on its own as great music and its why he is so revered by musicians and gamers alike, he created music we can like on its own and fall in love with when playing the games.

[@lmj2k]

This is arguably one of the best known pieces in video game music. A fun fact: One-Winged Angel is usually the encore piece at concerts on the Distant Worlds tour, featuring music from the Final Fantasy series. The conductor, Arnie Roth, also encourages the audience to participate in this piece. It’s quite impressive to hear a concert hall full of nerds singing, “Seph-I-Roth!” on cue from the conductor whenever it comes up in the song.

[@akhronik1784]

Been a part of that crowd of nerds twice, planning on a third. I've been to other big concerts, but nothing ever gave me the same feeling as listening to One Winged Angel along with other fans. It just hits different.

[@rkahaog2]

I got to see it when they came to my town and got a record signed by Arnie Roth and Nobuo

[@zorantaylor3190]

How hilarious would it be if one time he got them to sing "Arnie Roth" instead...

[@viralshark]

This piece hits so much harder when you understand the character of Sephiroth. The moods accurately depict all the angles of his character development; militaristic, compassionate mentor, graceful but deadly in battle.... then the twists and turns where his psyche turns evil, manipulative, menacing, instilling dread in the player. SUCH a masterpiece, one of my favorite pieces of music of all time, easily.

[@spiritualrealitycheck]

Spot on👍🏻

[@wiseSYW]

for most of us who were teenagers at the time, one winged angel is the first time we realize orchestra can go well with heavy metal

[@projectomnia1997]

Definitely the case for me, gave me a whole new appreciation for classical forms of music hearing One Winged Angel for the first time back in 97.

[@thyrhere]

I was 18 when this game came out. I'm now 45. It's the reason I bought the ps1, and remake the ps5. Amazing it still hits hard all these years later

[@Amocoru]

And then Dream Theater opened our minds.

[@thenonexistinghero]

It didn't have metal in the original game and there were games that did an excellent job combining orchestra/classical with metal long before this version showed up in Advent Children.

[@schmutzonya5659]

Nah Metallica with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra walked so this could run

[@swave7019]

I remember getting to sephiroth when I played. I was overleveled for the the difficulty, but hearing the first 20 seconds of this song I remember very well thinking "Am I about to lose? Can I even win?" Ive never had music make me question myself like that. Amazing experience

[@daughteroftiaran]

This is exactly how I felt too.

[@seekittycat]

I love how Uematsu, who didn't even know music at the time, looked at video games and thought "this is the type of music video games deserve". He went back to the classics, to some of the best songs of all time and though yup this is what kids should hear when swinging swords and throwing fireballs. The game makers can barely fit anything in game cartridges back then but they decided music deserves the space.

[@misterturkturkle]

there are 16 mainline final fantasy games and a whopping _81_ spin offs/sequels and the infamous Uematsu was *never* formally trained in music. he was largely self-taught but took great heaps of inspiration from music of all genres

[@DanIel-fl1vc]

"To Zarnakand" "Melodies of life" "Liberi Fatali" "Eyes on me" They're more complete than the infinite loop music that appears in most of the games.

[@Romess1]

I second these picks, some of the most profound songs ever written.

[@Zharf]

Home Sweet Home

[@Romess1]

@@Zharf lol as I read this I just played it on the guitar a few minutes ago

[@ChriSX13]

where is the magnum opus that is dancing mad

[@darthdodge]

most of the music from ff14 as well

[@heytallman]

You NEED to get to more Nobuo Uematsu, I would LOVE to hear your take on Dancing Mad. Uematsu is a genius.

[@JovanDacic]

Seconded. The time signatures and instrumentation alone will make a facial expression worthy of a thumbnail image. 🤯

[@Donassa]

Thirded, it is a musical journey! Listening through all the stages should be inspiring to any music scholar.

[@m4r_art]

Fourthed

[@MagusKali]

Fifthed.

[@brennenn7728]

Sixthed

[@drautch]

This song hits so hard that if you watch streamers reacting to fighting Sephiroth at the end of the remake most of them don't panic when they see Sephiroth landing they panic when the song decides they should xD Uematsu is a madlad.

[@carlotta4th]

Also for that beautiful, crazy, UNSKIPPABLE cutscene where he throws a supernova at you. xD

[@275dpr]

Wonderfully put

[@rodrigomoreira2629]

True and real, also panicked and rightfully so xD

[@udiar]

There are two songs so far that cause me panic in the gaming world because they mean you'll be fighting. Sephiroth's theme and Cynthia's theme from Pokemon

[@ShidouK]

One of the most amazing experiences I have ever had was listening to Uematsu perform this version of this song live with the World Philharmonic Orchestra and The Black Mages.

[@Accidental_Awesomeness]

I hate you.... and that's coming from a place of jealousy lol 😂😂 but in all seriousness I'd love to see it live with the black mages and the orchestra.

[@kawaiifluff2025]

Saw then and uematsu asked us all to sing the "sephiroth" parts 😊

[@WillowEpp]

I didn't expect algorithm to bring me here, but I'm glad it did. It's always super charming to get impressions on music I've loved for decades from musicians and composers who've never even been to the same planet!

[@enti3l]

One WInged Angel is great and the most popular track from FF7, but I think the most interesting one is Jenova's Theme (often written as J-E-N-O-V-A). You should give it a listen too, especially the orchestral arrangements of it.

[@kcrknp]

Played this game when it came out, I was 12 and the Jenova song is the one that stuck with me. Very nostalgic.

[@joelsmith5938]

Glad you mentioned that one. Really the highlight of the soundtrack for me. It comes out of nowhere, sonically, and it has such a strange fusion of musical elements.

[@connorj.dunckel4223]

Birth of a god is the winner for me

[@pendalink]

@@connorj.dunckel4223 Birth of a god is peak

[@ryanscottadkins]

The battle music theme is my favorite that guitar riff is killer

[@thoma9410]

Now it's time for some "Dancing Mad." I got to meet Nobuo Uematsu during one of the Final Fantasy concerts. He gives off such humble and wise vibes.

[@consensus889]

He does have a metal band called The Black Mages that does covers of FF music. So I think this of the song perfectly shows his love for both classical and metal music. Edit: he used to run that band it ended years ago, his current band is Earthbound Papas

[@thenecrosanct4906]

Used to. The Black Mages split up 14 years ago. He now plays in Earthbound Papas.

[@darkguardian50]

This the Black Mages version here actually. He used Black Mages for I think 2 songs on the Advent Children soundtrack.

[@thenecrosanct4906]

@@darkguardian50 No, just the one song. They had never released a version of their own before on the 3 albums they released.

[@Mercman1010]

The live version with the full orchestra and choir is legendary

[@consensus889]

Ah thanks for the info added a note to my original comment @@thenecrosanct4906

[@SWISS-1337]

This is why the original and remake are amongst my absolute favourite games ever played. The game and music were made with so much passion and talent. This song matches Sephiroths sheer power and ability, and anything less wouldn't have done him justice. It's really nice to see someone who's an expert experience this piece for the first time.

[@hanabananarama]

I want you to know when we were kids and played it in 1997, it wasn't this version, but this is how we heard it. Song gives me chills!

[@iamplaceholder]

He knows this...that's why he mentioned it was the AC version.

[@hanabananarama]

@@iamplaceholder Yes, he knows this wasn't the version we had, but my point was that this is how it sounded to us because it was that magical. I wasn't trying to tell him information he already knew.

[@dantshort]

PLEASE listen to the original version of Dancing Mad before an orchestral version. You have to know and understand the limitations he was working with to be able to fully appreciate what a masterpiece it is. Then go and listen to the Distant Worlds version to hear the music that it always was under the bleeps and bloops.

[@NovaKnight]

So much this. Same with the opera scene in FF6. He made midi opera. And it's great.

[@NickGreyden]

Indeed. This is really needed to fully appreciate what he did with what little he had to work with.

[@Average_Brad]

Why can I only give this 1 thumbs up !?

[@MagnaKay]

@@NovaKnight THIS, EXACTLY THIS. And yeah, the opera is well worth it.

[@cweaver8518]

@@NovaKnightI still enjoy the midi opera WAY more than the updated versions

[@clintdavis1452]

I'm glad you're listening to this! To be honest, I know people love this version, but the original from the game itself just has tons more clarity for the melody and motifs

[@CompleteProducer84]

Agreed - When it comes to video games, the original is almost always the best version. This is because there is a charm and uniqueness to the original synth instruments that cannot duplicated by a live band and orchestra. One of the best things about Uematsu is his synth instrument choice - the synthetic flute sound, brass sound etc. those things are lost in translation in a band

[@innocentsmith6091]

I get why they wrote new lyrics for it, but the old ones, despite just being copypasta'd from Carmina Burana, still worked, and just sound better to me.

[@Aquatarkus96]

I think that may be nostalgia talking. The advent children arrangement is a MUCH fuller sounding arrangement overall and the guitar solo is killer... And I should mention I grew up with the original version for most of my childhood.....

[@-Gax-]

​@@Aquatarkus96 It's not nostalgia. It's style difference. A lot of people listen to this song frequently and you cannot get nostalgia from something you never removed from your life for a significant period of time. When everybody talks about Pokemon nostalgia, I don't get it. Even though I've been playing from day one, because I play every generation onceish a year. But back to my point 😂 A real orchestra and band is never going to sound like a PS1 sound chip. There will be another bunch of people who prefer the orchestral version the symphony haz performed without a band. Others prefer this version. They offer different things, but the original commenter is right. The original PS1 version will give you the best sound motifs for the original intention. Like it or not, this is a rewrite. It's an absolutely phenomenal rewrite, though.

[@skaughtii]

Agreed, original version always takes the cake for me 100%.

[@ZombieLicorice]

It's a pleasure to see someone who is knowledgeable about music react with excitement about a song you already love

[@Dillonxman25]

My thoughts exactly!

[@Slop_Dogg]

This is the theme of a character named Sephiroth, you can hear the chorus chanting his name. He’s completely lost his mind & gone genocidal, but he wasn’t always that way. The bit at 9:54 has always felt like the composer showing just a little bit of the man the character once was, before that small light is quickly snuffed out & consumed by madness again.

[@ggGoldgg]

Thank you for reminding me of one of my favorite pieces of music to date.

[@Doug.Helvering]

I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching and listening, and thank you for the Super Thanks, I am so thankful for your support!

[@dkcmetal1]

Hell yeah!! I've been waiting for Doug to tackle this one since he started video game stuff.

[@VinlandicSoul]

Nobuo Uematsu is a modern day musical genius! Close to 30 years later, and I still can’t listen to this tune without tears coming to my eyes 🥹 Glad you enjoyed this! 👏👏👏

[@walteranurantha5014]

Same. Especially the truce at the beginning, as if the angel just descended down from heaven after back cleaving the most powerful entity in the universe in an anime plot twist way.

[@AlfredoElizondoLife]

I can’t picture this game and this universe with out these music, is just amazing.

[@Vitericus1]

The whole, "let's make a stew" idea is exactly it. It's one of the big reason's I listen to Japanese bands/composers on such a regular basis. Pop song? Let's throw some heavy metal guitars in there; Metal song? Let's add a shamisen solo. There's just a lot of creativity. I got to meet Uematsu-san at a fan convention once; funny guy. He didn't want us to know he majored in English, since he needed two translators because, "I'm terrible at English..."

[@tatecheddar]

Hell yeah! I met him on his birthday during one of the Final Fantasy concerts they were doing several years back at an orchestra house in Omaha.

[@Ytinasniiable]

This is why I generally love the power and progressive metal genres as well as more obscure bands like Diablo swing orchestra They never feel limited in what sounds they can incorporate

[@morganqorishchi8181]

When you find out Uematsu has never taken a musical class in his life and is entirely self-taught through sheer determination, this song goes even harder. You can tell this was the work of someone with an incredible passion for music and a sonic vision. Seeing a classical composer go, "I am bowled over by that... I was not ready" and saying "I don't think I've ever heard this done quite so well" makes me smile. He doesn't need formal education to be an incredible composer. It's so good seeing his work recognized by other composers.

[@scherzolentviane3970]

I stumbled across this when taking a break from a composition, and I am so happy I did. "One-Winged Angel" was what got me into music, and hearing that it's still blowing people away makes me so, so happy. Thank you for the fun video!

[@alastairfults1420]

You, my good sir, have opened the Pandora’s box of video game music. Uematsu covers an extremely wide variety of musical styles, instrumentation, arrangements , themes and is even a fascinating demonstration of how to make the most out of whatever technology is available at the time. For me personally he is as influential to my love of music as was Zappa and Dream Theater. I look forward to you diving into his catalog. I’m sure everyone is screaming Dancing Mad at you right now so I am going to also: DANCING MAD!!!

[@bounce6958]

Yes. I instantly thought, oh he hasn't heard Invincible from World of Warcraft. Which is the tip of the iceberg there.

[@chris8520]

Thanks for finally listening to Nobuo Uematsu. He's my all time favorite composer. This song was actually so massive that there was a significant load time before the final Sephiroth encounter. I'm sure it's not even there on the later re-releases, but I remember being scared that my game might had crashed back in the day.

[@ascott615]

Nobuo Uematsu is a delightful rabbit hole of delight. He has he normal Final Fantasy music then he made a separate group called the Black Mages that took that music and added the modern electric rock instruments and this version of One Winged Angel is one of those pieces. He also wrote a operetta for one of the games, The man is a master in his craft. His magnum opus IMO is Dancing Mad. The quality of music he got out of midi on the Super Nintendo is astounding, and the arranged full orchestral versions are masterpieces.

[@misterturkturkle]

dancing mad is his magnum opus in his own opinion.

[@danobra]

I've written a story that was published on Bandcamp called C'mon Newcomer about how Nobuo Uematsu's music (specifically the Bombing Mission song from FFVII) changed my life entirely. The dude is a genius and it cannot be denied that things he does have this strong identity and hit you in the feels exactly how he planned them to. I don't have words to describe Master Uematsu's work. It's just... You know... It's... godddamn, guys... You know

[@SquaresoftGurl]

I just found your channel with this video, and I love it. I am a classically trained opera singer (dramatic coloratura soprano), and I also wrote my dissertation on "One-Winged Angel." I am also a big video game and anime nerd. I am so pleased that the Western music world is catching up on decades of music they have been robbed of simply because it's in a medium people didn't take seriously for a long time. I have had the incredible good fortune to speak with Uematsu-san and pick his brain on his methods, inspirations, and legacy. Long comment long, your enthusiasm in broadening your musical horizons has brought a smile to my face and a new subscriber to your channel. 💜

[@mystical_grace]

Never has a piece inspired such excitement and dread as One Winged Angel. Every time I hear it I think "Yes! Time to fight Sephiroth! The hardest boss!" Then I go "Oh. I have to fight SEPHIROTH."

[@RangerMcFriendly]

That was me with Remake a few days ago. Man that final battle was so amazing.

[@Oshin8tor]

This is so accurate 😂

[@parker469a]

Platinum Match in the first Kingdom Hearts exemplifies this feeling especially after getting hit with Heartless Angel the first time.

[@mystical_grace]

@@parker469a *winces* Kingdom Hearts II was just as bad. My anxiety was through the roof during that fight.

[@kyleevans5806]

This has got to be one of the best reactions to One Winged Angel I've ever watched.

[@fatlahbazooka]

Uematsu is a massive prog rock fan. A lot of his tracks show a strong influence of King Crimson, ELP and also Deep Purple.

[@-Zeth-]

The original midi have more of that sound

[@boxedorloose1454]

Jerry Goldsmith even more.

[@MaRodney07]

Masayoshi Soken is another BRILLIANT composer and he works on Final Fantasy XIV..so many fantastic songs for the entirety of the mmo...between the grand boss musics to the atmospheric area songs everything is just brilliant

[@DonCactuar]

Uematsu and Final Fantasy were my introduction to discover/enjoy classical music when I was around 8 and first popped Final Fantasy VIII. That intro with Liberi Fatali completely blew my mind. At that point FF games didn't include voiced protagonist, everything was text based for the adventure. Therefore the music played a huge role in conveying the different moods of the story. I'd always cherish the opportunity I had to watch the Distant Worlds Orchestra World Tour perform when they came to Buenos Aires. One-Winged Angel was the final song and all of us in the audience performed the vocals as a huge choir. Really powerful and memorable moment. Hope we can see you giving it a go to more songs from the series. Maybe now that a new game of the FFVII series is launching (29/02), Aerith's Theme would kinda be the 'counterpoint' to Sephiroth's theme. From Uematsu, i think Liberi Fatali from FFVIII, Dancing Mad or Opera-Maria & Draco from FFVI would be interesting pieces for you to listen. Outsides Uematsu's work but still in the series, Apocalypse Noctis (from FFXV/ Yoko Shimomura), The Beggining of The End (from FFType-0 Takeharu Ishimoto). If you happen to be interested on more, I'd recommend giving it a go to the Distant Worlds albums which include orchestral arrangement of many great songs from the series. Cheers!

[@reach17-CH]

10:15 "Where is this going" In the original game, this is usually the part of the fight where Sephiroth attacks you by blowing up the entire solar system

[@Jettison42]

AND IT TOOK FOREVER TO DO SO. I distinctly remember pacing the room while waiting for it to finish, I was so on edge

[@missbelled6700]

@@Jettison42 payback for all the times we made the poor little playstation run that 2x knights of the round animation

[@sukrannurtek796]

@@missbelled6700 oh especially when fighting with emerald weapon. I remember watching videos while summons doing their things XD

[@kura2ninja944]

In the context of the version he is listening to, this is where Cloud sliced Sephiroth to death again with the Omnislash v5.

[@Cleverconveyence]

I always wondered how they managed that, because I still remember the music entering that moment right as he unleashes Supernova. I was 12 the first time. And I'm pretty sure it did that a few other times too. Was that a happy accident, or was that them dialing it in through play testing?

[@Kipex]

Love this version. What I didn't love is how old I felt when you said Advent Children came out in 2005.

[@mrsgamer9218]

Wait what?.....

[@epicwalrus7183]

Nope. I refuse 😂

[@alphaenemyplus8376]

Nobuo is just the greatest game composer ever. Final Fantasy VI's overworld theme, aka Terra's Theme. It's an awesome example of what I think he's best at, which is leitmotif composition. Preferably orchestrated, though I love the old 16 bit midi version, would be incredible to see a reaction to. There's one done by an independent group called Orchestral Fantasy that's not only faithful, but it adds a key modulation that makes it just explode. Short, too, under 4:00.

[@GameslordXY]

Greatest composer of all time period. Gaming and beyond.

[@alphaenemyplus8376]

@@GameslordXY though for me to get behind THAT argument, but he should be in the running.

[@Raezialien]

Soken: do you know lahee?

[@Lylantares]

yeah, he nailed the leitmotif before it became a major thing in cinema OST. Well, John Williams did it before him as a recurring technique, but then again the whole FF dev team back then were huge Star Wars fans.

[@oliverallen2565]

⁠@@Lylantaresreally? Didn’t know that.

[@John_Doe4269]

I mean, the first notes are literally "What if The Rite of Spring and that song from Psycho had a baby?" - which, to be fair, is actually a pretty good way of describing the character this song's about.

[@ShadowWulfGaming]

I'm in tears hearing you react to this, growing up, FF7 has been a huge part of my life, as well as music in all levels and forms, hearing your praise for music from a medium I live in really means a lot. Thank you for checking out this piece and analyzing it, it means a lot to hear a lot of what I studied broken down into the realms I love

[@helenafarkas4534]

supposedly, for this specific song, he had a dozen to 16 or more musical phrases, each no more than a few bars and totally disconnected from each other that he'd written down piecemeal, and then got the idea to stitch them all together like a puzzle into a single composition. that's why it shifts so suddenly and has all those twists and turns. this is the only song he's done like that. which is why it's so unique and instantly recognizable to fans.

[@leonidasvonsparta]

It's a journey

[@ilicia_08]

The Advent Children version of One Winged Angel is my absolute favorite! Ever since 2005 and it STILL gives me chills! That guitar throughout is beautiful and the solo omg it is just 🤌🏻❤ Uematsu also likes bluegrass. You can hear its influence in Final Fantasy 10.

[@thejonathandoan]

You know you've got something good on your hands when a "Video Game" soundtrack is so bloody amazing that you go out and buy the CD - back when they were available - even though it was an import and cost a boatload of money...this soundtrack is one of the greatest of all time. Thanks for covering it, Doug!

[@jacobbarnhart8770]

The absolute joy on your face as you watched this - brings more joy into this world. Thank you for this. The gaming world salutes you!

[@AbyssalCleric]

So fun thing I found out about this song when watching a documentary. He said that as he was making the song bits and pieces of it would come to him at different times and when he thought he had all of it down he then had to lay all the music down and arrange it into the way it's played out now.

[@TheKrensada]

You have entered the world of Nobuo Uematsu. One of the greatest video game musicians ever. first time I heard this I got chills.

[@SinHurr]

One of the greatest -video game- musicians ever

[@GenyaArikado]

Nobuo is not only one of the greatest video game musicians of all time....IMO he is the second besst musician of all time! Nr 1 i Yoshiki and third is Motoi Sakuraba

[@AlyxDerNarr]

Masayoshi Soken is another AMAZING Final Fantasy composer. He is extremely versatile as well.

[@scantor8648]

A Long Fall was composed from a hospital bed! The man is a god of music!!

[@KikoKay-Kay]

Yeah for sure. But I would say that his work on FF16 (Find the Flame for example) is more representative of his amazing work. His work on 14 is incredible, but he tends to lean towards simpler more pop/rock stuff in that game.

[@ladyazem13]

Close In The Distance will forever be my favorite piece from FFXIV, it provides an incredibly emotional end-cap to 10 years of story and memories. I got to hear it live from JCM at a convention a couple years ago and the whole group of friends that I was with, which consisted of FC mates were crying.

[@AlyxDerNarr]

@@ladyazem13 Close in the Distance is incredible. Top 3 Soken songs for me for sure.

[@hybridh9702]

soken really built on what uematsu started

[@ANunes06]

As much as I love this orchestral arrangement, the midi composition using 1990s tech is a *modern marvel of musical craftsmanship*. It's like if Rite of Spring was originally performed on a kazoo and was still an absolute banger.

[@Lylantares]

Uematsu also brought the SNES sounds to maximum level. But to put it is his words: If you only got a few lines, you have to focus on clear, distinct melodies

[@artiegatsby4879]

One of my favorite things in the world is watching someone getting blown away by this soundtrack. watching you absolutely vibe just made my week. You're just wonderful, immediate sub, I'm hooked.

[@n2games94]

If I ever see you in real life, I would love to shake your hand. You bring a lot of joy to my daily routine, I love hearing you break down my favorite tunes into theory and to know how deeply something I've come to take for granted is appreciated by someone that is so masterful at their craft. You're a good egg, Doug. You should do conventions

[@PWBS-yc6xi]

You gotta do Dancing Mad from FF6 next. It’s Nobuo Uematsu’s greatest work

[@matt566]

second this

[@yuviiiaa]

third this

[@MaiaNetliss]

Dancing Mad is too iconic to not do. I hope he does the original or the version done for FFXIV by Masayoshi Soken.

[@alphaenemyplus8376]

It's up there. I prefer Terra's theme, but Dancing Mad is....well, mad. Terra's theme shows off Nobuo's iconic leitmotif crafting, while Dancing Mad shows his dynamic composition skills. Either way, I hope to see Doug react to a lot more Nobuo!

[@ottolehto]

Yes. The Black Mages version is probably the best pick. But the original is still impressive within the limitations of the SNES soundchip.

[@BlackMageLozi]

This version used to be the fan favorite for many years, but now there is One Wing Angel Rebirth, which is from the remake of the game (and which won several awards for soundtrack of the year), I recommend it for a future episode 😉

[@thenecrosanct4906]

It is still a fan favorite. It's not as if another version supplants any other version that came before. The entire FFVII Advent Children soundtrack is a masterpiece.

[@highroller5335]

I think the thing with Rebirth though is that.. It has these phrases and spots to fill in that help it dynamically respond to how the fight is going. but also.. The Phrases of the track are shuffled. Some segments come in out of order than the original.. which I believe might be on purpose, because the Remake games aren't done yet.. I'll imagine that by the end of the 3rd game we'll have the definitive modern Arrangement of the track.

[@GraHammad]

​​@@thenecrosanct4906I think he's just saying that the Advent Children version was THE definitive fan favourite prior to One Winged Angle Rebirth. There's no question that the Advent Children version is absolutely still considered a huge fan favourite though. Personally I have a hard time choosing a favourite version between those two. LiKe you said, all of Advent Children's soundtrack is awesome. I definitely want to see Doug check out the Rebirth version as it is spectacular. Also, Aerith's theme would be another great one to have him check out.

[@elmariachi290188]

the remake version is my favourite now. but for 1st time reaction i do think the advent children version is better just bcause its more closer to the original version.

[@thenecrosanct4906]

@@highroller5335 You're right. The music during the fight is dynamic, depending on how the fight goes and who's fighting. At least, that's what I've read because I haven't played the game (I have no intention of paying 3 times for something that is supposed to be one game).

[@swordfishxmd]

What I love about your channel, next to your musical knowledge, is how you always put in the time to research what you're looking at/listening to. It's no throwaway quick reaction content. Thank you for providing such a unique take on the reaction video type!

[@catharcact2]

I've got to say, I love your movements with the music and your quick attention to detail. As someone who listens to and writes music with a similar energy, it makes me really happy to see someone else with that sort of mindset!

[@darklibury]

Composers aren’t created, they are born. Incredible music.

[@LadyTsunade777]

The composers for the Final Fantasy series have always been amazing visionaries. They do extremely crazy, far out there, amazing compositions and scores that defy all genres. They combine and mix and alter and experiment to the maximum, creating so much great music that sounds like nothing else. Nobuo Uematsu and Masayoshi Soken are a couple of the absolute most amazing music creators. I'd heavily recommend checking out their other tracks across the series. They aren't confined to one sound or one genre, they do a bit of everything all over the place.

[@jonathanbumbarger1456]

FF8’s intro and entire soundtrack is also a brilliant masterpiece in melodic writing and diversity! Definitely worth giving a listen!

[@silentferret1049]

I loved and hated some of FF8s track, mostly because I replayed the demos for the game and getting so stuck in it the song is forever scared for me. I would like to see him do whole albums of the early FF tracks (using US PS1 remasters) FF1, 2, 4, 5, and Tactics. He can get a nice kick out of how many times a song can be remade and changed up. FF7, 8, and 9 would be some long album listens for the old tracks but worth it. FF10, 11, 12, and 13 could be interesting to pick out songs to listen for the album listen instead of the whole.

[@alexandregiaccheri]

"Nobuo Uematsu - Dancing Mad (FFVI)" You won't be disappointed.

[@PresidentFuller]

As someone who grew up as a classically trained violinist and a huge video game nerd it makes me smile seeing someone with extensive music knowledge listen to one of the greatest musical compositions in video game history.

[@Pedalhead511]

I'm very glad that you happened to pick the best recording of this piece to react to. The midi version is still very impactful and there are some orchestral recordings without the rock band that are very well done, but this version just has an incredible impact. My first exposure to it was watching the movie and by that point I already knew the piece and knew it would be somewhere in the movie and then when the guitar started playing I was completely floored.

[@Ryoku1]

I adore how you were able to completely predict certain moments but were still completely surprised by others.

[@chamamemestre]

That's because he is pretending never having heard it before....

[@consultoronline4356]

@@chamamemestreNo, this is because videogame music is in fact poor pop music, with simple arrangement and experienced musicians will predict all stuff Its just pop with orchestral arrange, not classical or complex This is just a fact, because game music is not suposed to get attention, just fill

[@francoblu9498]

​@@consultoronline4356 tell me you don't know what you're talking about without telling me you don't know what you're talking about. It's actually shocking how confidently you just spewed this nonsense. The fact that such a piece of music has been so thoroughly explored despite its roots in the most limited of musical mediums (midi) is testament to how well the piece is written. And you speak as if most classical pieces are complicated. They're not. As much as I love the piece Claire de Lune, it is not surprising anyone with its composition. OWA makes unexpected movements that actually make sense when you understand the character to which it is ascribed to. In no way is it "filler."

[@KaeEbonrai]

@@consultoronline4356this particular piece in particular was not in any way meant to be filler - it's the focus of the very finale of the game - you genuinely don't know what you're talking about.

[@frogganator3918]

The Advent Children OST is one of those incredible examples of metal guitar and symphony coming together

[@robbyag0ny]

I’ve been listening to renditions of this price for 25 years and it still blows me away and can give me goosebumps

[@lawrencedinkins1154]

Idk anything about music making but the fact you had the same reaction we did when we played it is awesomeness

[@TheFookinMeowmix]

I like listening to your dialog as the music plays on and honestly, if you've never played the game and you're picking up on the harmonic message the song is playing, you're a genius. "Game over ya'll" at the exact part in the music where the protagonist gets stabbed and everything seems hopeless for a brief moment. You picked up on that through the melody solely and that's impressive. If you're not being fictitious, honestly you're a master of your craft and that's such a cool thing to be man.

[@soundocean3765]

OMG, Christmas has just passed and now you're dropping this, making it feel like we're right there yet again already. Amazing, thank you for your work!! ♥

[@ElChicoBush]

Dancing Mad from FF VI has to come next! It'd be a good dive to old game music compositions considering limitations at the time.

[@ElNiceoGuyo]

Yes, please

[@alexanderson4842]

Dancing Mad would be perfect. There's so many references in there that Doug would love.

[@captainpep3]

If he picks it he should pick one that doesn’t loop each section as I feel it would be an easier listening experience for him

[@Elviolli]

One of the greats. He will be talked about for generations to come I'm sure. I don't know how many hours of music this man has composed but you could probably listen to his works on shuffle for days and not find a repeated track. Absolutely brilliant.

[@Harlod814]

The fact that I don’t know any kind of musical jargon like you do but have played the games for full context of the story and you immediately pointed out the militaristic sound to the beginning of the song is so damn cool because it plays into the themes leading up to that final showdown in such a major way. Ahh music, bringing people together no matter where it comes from. It’s so incredibly beautiful to be able to listen to such varied genres with an open mind. I have no idea where I got it from, because it sure wasn’t my family, but I cherish it.

[@Jettwinlock]

I love hearing from professionals on things I love cause I learn new things that I love. The spring music interpretation was new to me.

[@misschieflolz1301]

😂 Literally less than a second in and that's a -PERFECT- reaction to hearing One Winged Angel for the first time. Now imagine being a teen, and despite the midi sound, you've just had a few difficult boss battles, the screen goes black and you just hear THIS start to play. It's literally the definition of 'why do I hear boss music?' And it is so very iconic. Just the first note is enough to identify the song

[@JeremyLand]

Seeing people react to the Sephiroth reveal in Smash Bros was amazing. One single note, and people were losing their minds. Phenomenal.

[@BJGvideos]

​@@JeremyLandI love those compliations of reactions too it's hilarious

[@FinneousPJ1]

PS1/FF7 didn't have midi sound...

[@apollolux]

@@FinneousPJ1 PS1's audio was such that games can choose to use CD Redbook or sequenced audio which was basically a modified version of the standard MIDI sequence format that relied on games to supply the instruments. FF7 used mostly sequenced audio for non-FMVs and the singing in One-Winged Angel specifically was just a custom instrument that applied to a specific song.

[@FinneousPJ1]

@@apollolux I see thank you

[@joshg7949]

Welcome to your Final Fantasy Journey! Nobou Uematsu was absolutely a huge part of what formed my love for a variety of styles of music and the near seemless transitions from classical, to modern rock. Soken is considered his spiritual successor at Square. Worth looking in to his work as well. His situation during the making of Shadowbringers is both heart breaking, and inspiring.

[@AsherSnyman]

Just listening to your outside understanding of what you're about to react to over the first couple of minutes was enough to make me really want to watch this whole thing and start to follow you. Very cool to watch your reactions to this.

[@TheArkTheArkTheArk]

5:42 Yeah, that’s the same expression I had years ago when the guitars kicked in.

[@Sleepy_Renamon]

I've been watching a lot of musical professionals of various backgrounds react to game music lately and I am SO THRILLED to stumble upon your channel. Your open-mindedness to video game music is positively wonderful (there's still quite a stigma around "games are art" from many people) and your research and curiosity to educate yourself before jumping in is fantastic. I hope you wouldn't mind exploring many tracks from many of the games - Final Fantasy music is legendary for a reason!

[@gilded_lady]

My favorite version of my favorite piece of video game music. I was at a live concert where they world premiered this version and I held my breath the whole time. Just so amazing.

[@ClipperHorizon]

A reaction to One Winged Angel! It's always great to see people discover this theme; seeing your expressions made me remember hearing this piece for the first time and just how mind-blowing it was/is. I've always loved this piece as such a volcanic fusion of classical orchestral, heavy metal, and a Latin choir. It takes the best qualities of all of them and blends them into this piece that is pure fire and makes fighting Sephiroth feel so epic and iconic. It's fun, terrifying, epic, and powerful. So glad you enjoyed it!

[@SirVampyr]

One winged angel never fails to give me goosebumps! Truely a masterpiece!

[@RelaxedBearNA]

Hello! Just found your channel, Doug. I've been playing games in the Final Fantasy series since I was 12 years old (I'm 34 now). It's so fascinating to watch someone with an experienced music background listen to One Winged Angel for the first time. The modern age of the internet allows for such unique crossovers of media and art. :)

[@okami1272]

There is a fully orchestral only version, remade for the remake of the game, it’s beautiful! It’s called “One Winged Angel Rebirth”. It’s 10 minutes long but I suggest hearing it from minute 4:05 to actually get into the main piece.

[@DarkCreation08]

I'd love to hear your take on Dancing Mad from Final Fantasy 6. It blows this piece out of the water.

[@oh7mak]

First time viewer. I like that you researched into the history of the song and its connected franchise. I'm a big fan of this song and franchise and you taught me things about this song I didn't know. Your expertise in music definitely makes your content more interesting. Got a sub from me.

[@xerodelacroix5552]

Nobuo Uematsu is a genius. Most of his music is heavily orchestral. This version of this song was a collaboration between his prog metal band The Black Mages and an orchestra for the Advent Children score. He's actually said that this is the "real" version of this song, and that it's what he would have done in 1997 if the Playstation had been able to play it.

[@mintykitcat]

I wish it incorporated more of the OG elements. To me it feels like its missing something.

[@nakarina9380]

Love to see someone who knows about music and compositions enojoy this song that we all love from long time ago!

[@slaaneshhedonite7068]

I love watching people who know music break stuff down. My wife and daughters are pretty inclined in that area. I was a decent vocalist but that was it. I get blown away when anyone such as yourself really breaks down the technicalities. In my ManCave top four things when you look around is FF7 (mostly Advent Children), Arcane, Street Fighter and Doctor WHO- which has some great songs composed for it. But great video dude.

[@dkg8985]

I've been waiting for this one for a while now and I'm very glad you enjoyed it! I can't wait for you to listen to more from Final Fantasy. I imagine Dancing Mad will most likely be next.

[@angeleyes6625]

I have seen this performed by the London symphony orchestra a few times. Goosebumps everytime

[@StormTroopaKoopa]

Nobuo creates such memorable and hummable infectious ear worms that stick with you in a way that no other composer since his departure from Square (Enix) has been able to quite replicate.

[@domenicdefusco6328]

It's awesome to me that you claim yourself to be a non gamer but are SO researched and knowledgeable to how the songs apply themselves to what the game is trying to convey with the pieces you're reacting to. Your channel was an instant follow, keep up the great work! edit: your music theory is absolutely insane, predicting to how the song continues in real time without having heard it before is A+

[@DH-oh1zr]

8:30 that statement was making me spill my water. I nearly died, the way how he said it killed all my thoughts of my last 5 min. 😂😂

[@jomar0623]

Hey…that one wing was cookin fire lol