Game Composer is OVERWHELMED by IFRIT VS PHOENIX from Final Fantasy 16

[@DaviVasc]

Hope you guys are enjoying the demo. I'm gonna wait (im)patiently and go into the game blind! While we all wait for the game, make sure to check out my other FF music videos: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5CcZqppmtKdorM&pp=gAQBiAQB

[@Manwes_Inspiring_Trax]

For SURE enjoying it! I'm putting together the OST on my channel if you're interested in that as well, and I'm told that my version of Phoenix vs. Ifrit is better and I do humbly agree!

[@Stickarms99]

"If this is the level of intensity for the beginning of the game... God help us all" - said every final fantasy fan with excited ecstasy LOL

[@CynicalNoodle]

They need the exciting sections to even out the absolutely boring parts in-between.

[@tiradeee]

this score is arguably one of the BEST boss themes i've ever heard in any videogames

[@Codebluesituation]

its crazy how this is a tutorial boss fight. Soken definitely has a lot more to offer and i cant wait

[@randomuserame]

[ Laughs in all boss fights in the game ]

[@TheMockedy]

Go play FF 6 and FF7 and you'll hear far superior boss fights.

[@daeronxi2804]

@@TheMockedy FF7 has like 3 boss themes mate

[@flok.5008]

@@TheMockedy found the ff7 fan boy xd

[@leonardpitre393]

"I bought the whole piano I'm going to use the whole piano." I had to rewind because I missed the next 30 seconds for laughing. Good one!

[@FTGxSoJuFoRcEs]

If Soken performs this live at The Game Awards I'll literally cry from seeing his passion conducting the criers😢

[@extra4542]

That would be freaking amazing. Best game OST this year by far

[@abztrackt]

Who's Soken?

[@knuckles543]

@@abztrackt the man responsible for all of this glorious sound also for FF14

[@NotifDLuffy]

He should do my star or find the flame they’re more “eikonic” tracks

[@PureRandumosity]

Soken is able to tell a story with his composing. The final fantasy 14 community has been blessed with his music for years and we might be hearing his lifes masterpieces in this game. I'm so excited for the music, I saw in an interview that Soken was asked to make 150 something tracks and that beast of a man whipped out 215. We dont deserve him 😭😭😭😭

[@CanisMythson]

Even in this case, with someone who clearly isn't familiar with what's actually going on, they pick up on both the escalation, and the tragedy, of the scene the music plays over. If that isn't the highest form of musical writing I don't know what is.

[@Awestruckhero21]

We are talking about a guy who worked through cancer to get music for endwalker done. All while not telling anyone at SE what he was going through.

[@randomuserame]

IIRC he also produced for FF7

[@Izanagi-Arsene]

I mean he wrote a boss theme as he put his cancer into remission.

[@zennvirus7980]

Two things I see in Soken's style: 1. He understands clearly how to create build up. Tricks like modulation shifts, chromatic mode and tease-and-payoff are used to create a "roller coaster" effect. Ascending, descending, speeding up and jumping. When properly used, music truly feels like a ride. 2. He is very good at partitioning the piece so, like Davi says, it is loopable. You can clearly tell apart the segments of the piece. This makes it easy to craft "cinematic music", sort of speak. Overall, well made, it does sound "Final Fantasy" indeed. But then again, Soken took classes from Nobuo Uematsu himself.

[@ZeldaFML]

As a Final Fantasy 14 player, your entire reaction made me just say "That's Soken".

[@DaviVasc]

He is a beast

[@sealbanon329]

there is a video of nobuo and soken talk about modulation ,video name: "Nobuo Uematsu & Masayoshi Soken: The New "True Uematsu Sound" !?"

[@absfinal]

did soken also do some tunes in FF14?

[@alexanderbrooksify]

@@absfinal He's the composer for the vast majority of music in 14

[@ryokophreak]

@@absfinal Soken is the FF14 sound director. He's made so many songs for it that it's in the guinness book of records for most original songs in a video game.

[@bjwessels]

It is fascinating hearing your analysis of the music without knowing exactly what's happening during the scene. Very cool stuff.

[@Caporg3000]

He watched it beforehand. My man is trying to get new jobs, and I’m all for it.

[@Skegfromcraigslist]

Lol he definitely knows what’s going on.

[@Caporg3000]

@@JoeSchmoeCLAPS Not a Final Fantasy fan I’m “guessing.”

[@alyishiking]

I would pay good money to see this song performed live. Soken is an absolute genius.

[@hkoizumi3134]

You're right. This track did sound like an end boss but it's the beginning. The true end boss music will probably be something that will be profound. This already happened in FF14 with the same composer. The end boss we expected was the first one. And the true end boss music was major soundtracks we all came to love over the years into one remix. FF14 gamers went bonkers when they heard it.

[@zebrion5793]

As someone who has finished the game - every and I mean EVERY boss has an equally epic theme. Soken outdid himself. It's incredible. Somehow they kept one-upping the previous bosses every time.

[@ShikiRyougi05]

Final Fantasy XVI is looking to be one of THOSE games. The kind that we'll look back on in 10 years thinking, "wow, after all this time this game is still a masterpiece". That also goes for the music lmao, shit goes way too hard!

[@fabiomartinsgoldenberg1207]

And you were wrong. LOL

[@ShikiRyougi05]

@@fabiomartinsgoldenberg1207 nah it 100% lived up to my expectations

[@fabiomartinsgoldenberg1207]

@@ShikiRyougi05 Yours, yeah.

[@ocean_0602]

​@@fabiomartinsgoldenberg1207 Not just his, almost everyone.

[@fabiomartinsgoldenberg1207]

@@ocean_0602 Source: Trust me bro.

[@LordoftheDice]

Soken is such a beast. Man went through cancer treatment a few years ago while still working on the music for one of the best expansions of Final Fantasy XIV and basically nobody knew except for the Producer/Director Naoki Yoshida (who is also the producer for Final Fantasy XVI) and only announced it after he'd gone into remission. He's a force of nature who's still hammering out bangers in FFXIV to this day and I'm glad to see FFXVI is going to be no different!

[@jaylee9372]

7:58 “I’m sweating” that’s like the quintessential Soken experience lmao Please cover more 16 tracks as they release. From an analytics POV, it’s definitely gonna be the next Big Thing on KZbin. From a “Soken enjoyer” POV, insightful commentary on his team and their music sustains me.

[@DaviVasc]

I'll definitely do a bunch of FF16 videos

[@crackensvideo]

A whole bunch of people who've never heard CBU3 and Soken's work are about to have their minds blown.

[@Nidai64]

THIS SONG IS HOTTER THAN THE TWO FIRE EIKONS COMBINED. Great video Davi! Love your work!

[@DaviVasc]

Thank you!

[@jonasfadi8213]

I see what you did there

[@PenguinsAreColdish]

6:41 is straight up magical

[@kiyu_u6009]

"If they are doing something this intense at the beginning of the game. god help us all" You were completely right LMFAO

[@thephoenix8892]

As my first final fantasy game, this section immediately piqued my interest. Needless to say I just finished the game recently and I absolutely loved it. The gameplay is addicting, the story is compelling, and the music is just ear candy, making me always look forward to the next big story beat.

[@Tornetino]

This song alone, sold me the game

[@kainakrit9311]

You should also give "Find the Flame" a go

[@autumnkoneko]

If you love music like this, definitely check out more of Soken's work in FF14

[@fabiomartinsgoldenberg1207]

Or check other FF songs, not composed by Soken. Because they are amazing too.

[@TsuriaDragon]

Final Fantasy music never disappoints its always an masterpiece

[@dragonorbminecraft]

When I first heard it I was thinking they'd better have some extra amazing stuff lined up if they open the entire game with this OST As I've just completed the game, I can say they definitely delivered

[@ConnorKrohnicles]

I always enjoy these videos and come out of them having an even greater appreciation for the tracks, thanks for making them!

[@DaviVasc]

Glad you like them!

[@RocaRay]

Having watched this after playing the section in the game, I'm so impressed how accurate you were on everything. You really know your stuff

[@bluewarden]

I sincerely hope FF16 catapults Soken into fame with a more mainstream audience, since most of his best music is locked behind an MMO that many people will have no interest in putting time into. The man is on track to becoming the next Nobou Uematsu.

[@DaviVasc]

He has the Final Fantasy soul in him just like Uematsu did. He sounds like FF.

[@thegenerichyur]

I've been enjoying people on Twitter recently losing their minds and having orgasms after experiencing their first taste of Soken's music. Everyone was like "Wtf is this music?!" A year ago when it was first announced that Soken is doing the music for FFXVI, I thought "The world is not ready to succumb on his primal powers." And boy, was that right lol

[@donkeyy8331]

man this song just takes you by the hand and takes you through the most epic moment without care.

[@Robert-dt3is]

The choirs gives one such an intense feeling of goosebumps. It's amazing.

[@tsf1769]

dude this'll be insane man, only a 2 days left

[@Tvanon]

4:59 "God help us all" Exactly what I was thinking! 😂

[@Kavriel]

I'm so ready dude.

[@Fubbster]

This song makes me tear up. I don't even know what emotion it is

[@FireTowerV]

The official song name is 'Away'. And its Phoenix Theme.

[@coachleif]

I was hyped from the moment this piece started... THAT is how you start a game. Love this analysis, you can see the excitement he has for composing here

[@Aya_Albion]

Great video as always! It is truly beautiful how this fiery tension is imbued with the underlying subtle emotions. The ability to create an atmosphere that is both grand and personal is a wonderful thing, just like Yoko Shimomura's work on FF15. I'm convinced that Soken Masayoshi is a true genius. Thank you for this, Davi!

[@DaviVasc]

Well said Aya. Thank you!

[@GeneralPotatoSalad]

"Pay attention to the notes" (Ad comes up.) Nooooooo I don't wanna watch the Mandalorian, I wanna learn about chromatic music!

[@mecomontana4094]

This fucking final Fantasy has the best Songs Ever

[@meadow6760]

I've never been good at analyzing music but its so cool to hear you describe types of events and contexts to the music without even playing. Just goes to the show how knowledgeable you are and how much of a master Soken is at his craft. Much love ❤

[@yashohashikoto9945]

Imagine watching this orchestra and Soken in a live performance Playing “Dominance”, “Find the Flame”, “Revenge” and the one that plays in their “immersive trailer.” My face at ears would definitely melt. Final Fantasy XVI has everything when it comes to its soundtrack!🔥💯

[@Pravanul]

So true, I can't imagine how amazing the final boss theme will be. Especially considering how FF14's themes are top tier. I bet the final theme for FF16 is going to be Kefka/Jecht level of intense and emotional.

[@RoboticTable]

This is literally the music that plays the moment you start the game. What a way to draw people into the game.

[@abigailfiltness4635]

This is so epic! I’m definitely getting One Winged Angel vibes from this! The choir really gives it a holy and regal sound. Very appropriate for a summon battle. Thank you so much for this one, I am so excited for this game!!!

[@cosmiczeppelin]

Great reaction/anaysis Davi. Can't wait to play the game. Mainline Final Fantasy games are always epic. The soundtrack already gets me hyped.

[@WaffleLord109]

Soken is up there in my video game soundtrack favorites along with Yuka Kitamura, keiichi okabe, and Yoko Shimomura.

[@enexie_nxe]

Definitely

[@ProjectPhoenix21]

Now that the game has been out for a while and people have had some time with it and finish it, the fact that this was the first Eikon theme... Easily the best OST of the year. The music for this game was incredible.

[@k_scyther]

This theme hit right after the death scene was a really good transition from pain to revenge.

[@alphaq9709]

I am sorry, it just looks really funny when your moving your hands up and down. Dude you must be great with that right hand!

[@tornelysian]

This is one of the greatest pieces of music in existence.

[@gamechanger2359]

Fuck just beat the game a few weeks ago and now they're coming out with 2 dlcs and you making this vid making me downloading it again 😂was a masterpiece of a game!

[@shankhadeepbiswas896]

Man when he played those piano keys, I instantly craved for a piano version of this EIKONIC theme😭

[@fluffybear916]

I'm actually excited to see you look at the mid-game boss theme. That track still gives me chills. Absolutely blew my mind.

[@3foldMaker]

I never get tired of this track It's SO GOOD. Definitely top 5 track in FF for me

[@a_tarasevich]

I still can't believe that they dropped this amazing theme at the freaking beginning of the game!I hope they will use it sometimes later on and I can't wait to hear what they have in store for other themes

[@brohogany9920]

The moments of silence aren't part of the original track. The music is ripped directly from the demo's gameplay and edited. In the demo there are indeed moments of gameplay where a pop up will appear and the music gets quiet. Yet I'm sure when Squire Enix releases the official soundtrack those will not be in there.

[@TheBestestKitty]

Soken, I feel, is a worthy inheritor of the space Uematsu has left.

[@smala017]

Your discussion of the tension build towards the climax of the song is so good. How keeps teasing the resolution, adding extra bars (beyond the typical powers-of-2 structure of music) to draw out the tension and delay the resolution. I noticed that this tease is also (brilliantly) mirrored by the rhyme scheme of the choir’s lyrics: “Circled in the strife of an empyreal catastrophe, Whirls of ire fan infernal flames on high! Fire in the night, a scarlet beacon in the sky! …” At this point, you would expect the chorus to resolve the “high, night, sky” rhyme directly to “throw open your wings and FLY!”, but no, instead it takes a detour to an entirely different rhyme: “Look up to the heavens, The firmament reddens” before finally resolving to “Throw open your wings and fly.” Very cool how the rhyme scheme in the lyrics mirrors the composition of the score.

[@kirktown2046]

Wow, I didn't know someone other than Uematsu could make such a killer track, I'm behind the curve on FF.

[@kumomeme7852]

to be fair Soken spend his 10 years composing for FF14 which is a mmo lot of ff fans still not play that game yet and lot of them missed his work until FF16 all these times.

[@nijigaharaTV]

That explanation for modulation was so easy to understand that it was an insta sub

[@ThiagoVsky]

Bela análise. Foi uma das análises de música mais didáticas que já vi.

[@chkrislp2249]

Oh man he needs to review Risen ifrit vs bahamut. It blew my mind when I listened to it.

[@KappoJK]

Soken goes hard. If you’re not hyped by his tracks you may just be dead. 😂

[@Alex-The-throat-goat]

You NEED to play the Demo and react to the music as you play. I’m BEGGING YOU!!!!

[@mastereduimusic]

Don’t know how else to say this, but I’m addicted to your content bruh I can’t lie, as someone lookin to get into game development, including music, and someone who would die on a hill defending video game music, I just love the vids bruh. It also helps when it’s a series I hold dear to my heart like FF!

[@DaviVasc]

Thanks man and welcome!

[@shyamaldeo1316]

I’m not going to lie when the piano part comes it still puts shivers down my spine

[@unicornburger16]

I’ll never shut up about how insane it is that the first song you hear in the game is THE BEST ONE! (IMO)

[@MuraCasardis]

This song really is Soken telling us "this isn't even my final form."

[@ActualKaktus]

I had no idea that Soken was on board to do the soundtrack, but I knew this was his work almost immediately.

[@KaryonTheirStory]

Soken: *casually creates a masterpiece with cancer* Me: *stubs toe * tell my mom I love her

[@typhon1861]

This is so cool, that you're accurately able to dissect the music without watching the video.

[@royox]

4:58 "They are doing something so intense at the beginning of the game??" Wellcome to Soken and the Creative Unit III xD

[@Tiago-mb4lv]

I felt your excitement. The soundtrack is surreal, it's beautiful!

[@RichyJam2011]

Can't wait to hear a live orchestral play this . Will be absolutely epic

[@Marky-Mark1337]

Find the flame officially uploaded, is already uploaded in yt.

[@jaron95]

Your reaction and analysis are so energetic and fun! I can't believe you don't have any videos for NieR music! Song of the Ancients, Emil, Grandma, Kainé, Bipolar Nightmare, Weight of the World, Shadowlord, Snow in Summer, Amusement Park, A Beautiful Song, Hills of Radiant Winds, The Tower, The Sound of the End... any of them, all of them!

[@DaviVasc]

Thank you for the suggestions!

[@Rello84]

oh boy wait 'till you hear bahamut's theme soken is an absolute madman

[@smala017]

I love the labeling of “Tense chord” “Sad Chord :(“ haha. It can you explain what makes the major chords feels sad in this context? Usually major chords are happy-sounding.

[@MrKanooe]

Oh Soken is cooking!

[@kalukremu]

man I'm glad I found your channel, your analysis is so comprehensive, I'm no expert in music and you manage to make it understandable. thank you. this is a masterpiece and you don't need to know to understand it, but your video isa perfect addition !! I only have one suggestion, if you could find a format where you let the song play while earing it would be perfect 👍

[@DaviVasc]

Thank you my friend!

[@evelynterry4384]

Having played through the demo, it's amazing hearing your analysis. Also, yes. Lots of drama and emotional damage.

[@DaviVasc]

Can't wait to get emotionally damaged by this game

[@kaisersoze3604]

Man after playing the demo this FF has some of the best story telling and music so far..loved the analysis..I just hope it has all of this thru out the whole game, can't wait

[@CutTheGrass165]

Do find the flame dude!

[@DaviVasc]

I will

[@FiendMatadorSlayerOfNoobs]

To think that this track actually has lyrics too as Soken revealed. So far he's shared the lyrics of the part you listen to at 7:18. "Shadows in the night a swirling cyclone in the sky Look down to the nether Bid farewell forever Throw open your wings and fly Away x3"

[@douglaswilson2375]

I love how you say, if it's this intense in the beginning...God help us all! Lol Indeed. Can't wait for this OST.

[@CanisMythson]

Simplest way to explain it: The cutscenes *are* gameplay.

[@BroadBoulders]

"Circled in the strife of an empyreal catastrophe Whorls of ire fan infernal flames on high! Fire in the night A scarlet beacon in the sky Look up to the heavens The firmament reddens Throw open your wings and fly! Away!"

[@koreancowboy42]

One of the most memorable fight scenes and music

[@ProjectPhoenix21]

And it's only the first one of the game. It only gets more insane as the game goes further. Bahamut...holy shit Bahamuts fight. And Odins theme... 10/10

[@EndlessInfinity1]

Between ff16 and 14 you've got music for months, but when you need something else, check out the OST for Battletech. Some suggestions from it: For All Mankind (opening cinematic music) Restoration Meat is cheap

[@Jaylou88]

“I bought the whole piano, IM GONNA USE THE WHOLE PIANO 🎹” 🤣 🤣

[@67woohooman]

You didn't even finish the song. The ending is incredible

[@natashagilbert3]

He is amazing ❤

[@Kevin-bb9qz]

this fight and music made the game an instant buy for me

[@TECHOSAUR]

this song is really amazing, i loved it from first time, it was so catchy right from the beginning my favorite part is ..... ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL (you guessed it)

[@TheHeeglerGeegler1]

I suggest listening to “vs the Ghoulfather” or “vs Don Spiracy” from Yo-Kai Watch.

[@spatate3050]

I was waiting for a New video where you would talk about chromatic mode, to say that every Time it feels like you become some super sayan when you refer to it but you did it for me aha Didn’t know FF was going this hard very cool

[@syncopperspark1676]

This guy's gotta listen to some Persona or Library of Ruina music! He's so intuitive at this stuff, and really good at judging artist intention.

[@diegoanthonyherrera9952]

Nice review, hope you can launch a epic ost like this one too one day. Or maybe no ups

[@DaviVasc]

I will! I won't stop until I do. Hope you'll stick around for the journey.

[@LostMercenary99]

Soken: AND THIS IS TO GO FURTHER BEYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOND!!!!

[@CorleoBabar]

Chromatic Mode is the scientific term for Soken LB4, for those uninitiated

[@Bladibla555]

How he says; tragedy. Yup. Its about a big brother killing his younger brother😢