Current Events > ' To Zanarkand' was not meant to be the FFX main theme

(+) Yeah! (+)

Nobuo Uematsu revealed that he never intended for FFXs To Zanarkand to be the theme song for the game.

It was actually a song for a flute recital that was unused, but when Uematsu was falling behind deadline, he submitted this for FFXs theme lol

Heres the full translation:

Uematsu: To Zanarkand was actually not meant to be the theme for FFX. There was a flute player from France who originally asked me to write a song for them to play during a recital. When I wrote the piece, I thought perhaps this sounded a bit too sad for a recital. So I set it aside for the time being.

Sometime after, when I was making the score for FFX, I was falling behind all the while the Producers were hounding me. So since that flute piece was unused, I just kinda meekly handed it to them. They listened to it and said Yes! This is brilliant!

https://twitter.com/aitaikimochi/status/1767551904731857296

From Flute to Piano

Dude just casually composed one of the most iconic pieces of music in all of gaming

Uematsu is so good that even his mid efforts (in his mind) are absolute genius and memorable

Man what. Thats nuts because that piece is truly iconic. One of my favorite FF songs in the whole series

Then you get there, and it's like, what a letdown. The people aren't really all that snarky at all. Why call it Snarkland, then?!

man is literal genius

BlueBoy675 posted...

Dude just casually composed one of the most iconic pieces of music in all of gaming

Two, counting One Winged Angel. That one was less casual and more of a compilation, but still.

uematsu is an actual legend. hard to make teenage me know the name of any composers outside of like John Williams.

BlueBoy675 posted...

Dude just casually composed one of the most iconic pieces of music in all of gaming

As he does

bloodydeath0 posted...

uematsu is an actual legend. hard to make teenage me know the name of any composers outside of like John Williams.

Xenogears15 posted...

Two, counting One Winged Angel. That one was less casual and more of a compilation, but still.

And of course, for about as far from "casual" as you can get, he had to hastily come up with the Prelude/Crystal theme from FF1 in order to hit a deadline, as the main menu didn't have any music very late in the game's development. Uematsu ended up composing it in the span of about 10 minutes, and he sure didn't expect that simple little arpeggio to become as popular as it did.

You mean the defining track of that game wasn't truly written for it? That's insane, that track IS FFX.

Lool I love that line of just meekly handed it in to them.

Such a great soundtrack, such a great composer.

This is what it feels like to have lived amongst Mozart or Tchaikovsky

how is he this good? to have a song that good be unused and submitted because he was behind lol.

not even a ffx fan, but that theme is top tier.

Lol geez, clearly it didn't leave an impression on me. Played thru FFX 3 times and I do not recall a single note lol.

FF hasnt been the same without him

This also made me wonder how many legendary bangers he just has sitting around unused lol

Listen to his story.

xGhostchantx posted...

Lol geez, clearly it didn't leave an impression on me. Played thru FFX 3 times and I do not recall a single note lol.

You don't remember this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fp81GzKarQ

And FFX-2's main theme is also amazing, people do not give it the respect it deserves.

orcus_snake posted...

And FFX-2's main theme is also amazing, people do not give it the respect it deserves.

FFX-2 music was amazing also for the most part.

The GOAT

SpawnShadow posted...

And of course, for about as far from "casual" as you can get, he had to hastily come up with the Prelude/Crystal theme from FF1 in order to hit a deadline, as the main menu didn't have any music very late in the game's development. Uematsu ended up composing it in the span of about 10 minutes, and he sure didn't expect that simple little arpeggio to become as popular as it did.

Lolwut

The iconic crystal theme was composed in a rushed 10 minutes? Jesus, this man is truly a treasure. We're never gonna have anyone like him ever again. Even Masayoshi Soken, great as he is, can't hold a candle to Uematsu.

Am I the only one who thought the Suteki Da Ne family of songs was bigger in the game? I guess To Zanarkand is part of some different area bgm, but Yuna's theme, Daughter of the High Summoner, Someday the Dream Will End, and Suteki Da Ne all play in important or emotional moments.

The man is truly a genius. So many iconic tracks from him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aomWj40blsg

Dark_Moon posted...

You don't remember this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fp81GzKarQ

I do now!

And Sonic 3's most memorable piece from Ice Cap Zone 1 was just an unreleased pop song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYxlqTpZ-24

Oh, that's that one ProZD music.

BlueBoy675 posted...

Dude just casually composed one of the most iconic pieces of music in all of gaming

One? One-Winged Angel, Prelude, Big Bridge, Dancing Mad

imagine being such a GOAT that you meekly hand over something and people are singing your praises for your effort. or just composing a tune that's withstood decades and is still iconic. or the dozens of other songs he's been able to craft going all the way from limited 8 bit songs to full orchestral and not missing a beat at all

Dark_Moon posted...

You don't remember this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fp81GzKarQ

I thought I remembered it, but when I clicked on this, I realized I was humming The Place I'll Return to Someday.

https://youtu.be/1WcN35Y_hpw?si=feLqFr7cmp6URrRm

McMarbles posted...

One? One-Winged Angel, Prelude, Big Bridge, Dancing Mad

When he says one(the track) he means among most recognized music, not literally just 1.

He is literally better than Beethoven

shit's good

Always loved Uematsu ever since I was a youngster. I'm nearing 40 these days. Enjoy your days king.

Hambo posted...

Am I the only one who thought the Suteki Da Ne family of songs was bigger in the game? I guess To Zanarkand is part of some different area bgm, but Yuna's theme, Daughter of the High Summoner, Someday the Dream Will End, and Suteki Da Ne all play in important or emotional moments.

But none of them were literally the first track you hear once you start the game. It literally sets the tone for the rest of the game. And don't get me wrong all those other tracks ARE really emotional but To Zanarkand right off the bat let's you know what you're in for.

I like the "ah, well fuck it" attitude he has.

dave_is_slick posted...

But none of them were literally the first track you hear once you start the game. It literally sets the tone for the rest of the game. And don't get me wrong all those other tracks ARE really emotional but To Zanarkand right off the bat let's you know what you're in for.

Yeah but it doesn't strike me as the "main theme" of the game the way Yuna's themes do. To Zanarkand plays in the intro, then again in the same scene later, and that's basically all I remember of it. Yuna's theme plays when you leave Besaid and everyone says farewell to her for supposedly the last time. High Summoner's Daughter plays when Tidus and Yuna piece together a new plan to defeat Sin forever, and Tidus knows what it means for him and Yuna only suspects it. Suteki Da Ne plays during the spring scene and the credits. It's part of the relaxing tune that plays in some of the inns or islands. The leitmotif is all over the game.

Dude is the GOAT composer, even outside of video game music

"We need something great for the FF X main theme"

"Sure, let me check my drawer"