A growing problem with sound direction in Shadowbringers & Endwalker

So, when Shadowbringers came out there was a complaint about subpar/recycled boss music for sub bosses in dungeons, so they made a new track that was a kinda remix of the main Shadowbringers boss theme.

To me, the actual main boss them with the lyrics is great, a treat I felt the first time I heard it…but with this remix it really diminishes the final boss theme.

Also +1 to what Iscah said; it was really really weird having the panic music in Labyrinthos when I was what.. delivering sandwiches? Asking some guys to meet up somewhere like 50’ away? (why am I still doing that anyway? Don’t they have a linkshell? Or at least a loudspeaker??)

And Ultima Thule; the U2 pop song is good, but it should not have been the zone theme. The final instrumental version would have been fine. It doesn’t matter what song it is, with lyrics I don’t want to hear it on loop 50 times in a row. Personally had to mute all music just to not spoil it for my wife.

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Originally Posted by kaynide

And Ultima Thule; the U2 pop song is good, but it should not have been the zone theme. The final instrumental version would have been fine. It doesn’t matter what song it is, with lyrics I don’t want to hear it on loop 50 times in a row. Personally had to mute all music just to not spoil it for my wife.

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It's especially grating when you do any kind of activity in Ultima Thule that resets the BGM, so you always only hear the first minute or so of the song repeat over and over again.

I've heard some people complain about Close in the Distance but.. I really like it XD...

Then I did the beast tribe quest, with the remix in it's own zone, and I really love it now. Maybe there could be more inbetweener tracks when there is a vocal track though- to space it out sometimes, I can see that getting to some people. I don't spend loads and loads of time, but so far it hasn't grated on me. In that I could see a general like 'up' 'up' 'breathe' sort of cadence, for those other 'imperative' song moments, so you can have moments to release tension if it's building.

Better mixing between tracks when they take each other over sounds pretty good though.

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Originally Posted by Shougun

I've heard some people complain about Close in the Distance but.. I really like it XD...

Then I did the beast tribe quest, with the remix in it's own zone, and I really love it now. Maybe there could be more inbetweener tracks when there is a vocal track though- to space it out sometimes, I can see that getting to some people. I don't spend loads and loads of time, but so far it hasn't grated on me. In that I could see a general like 'up' 'up' 'breathe' sort of cadence, for those other 'imperative' song moments, so you can have moments to release tension if it's building.

Better mixing between tracks when they take each other over sounds pretty good though.

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There are options! Nier and Transistor have excellent examples of how to utilize music and music layers. You could have an instrumental/high action/low action mode of almost any song by adding/removing instruments/vocals on the fly. No need to change tracks entirely.

So you could have the vocal-version of the song play, but say at the finale-area with the flowers only.

Farming fates in Ultima Thule has to be the worst offender, because you constantly swap between Close the Distance and whatever the EW fate music is called, with the vocals resetting every time.

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Originally Posted by Atelier-Bagur

I disagree, although I barely ever go back to Ultima Thule anyway, I think the vocals help make that final zone extra special for its place as the "last zone" in the ARR-EW era. Its really just the minor few such as yourself and OP who has this issue as usually the music in this game is more subjective taste than actual legit problems.

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Maybe that has something to do with it. As does the fact that none of the other combat zones have vocals. But anyone doing side quests, tribe quests, FATEs, hunt trains, treasure maps, or any amount of gathering will notice quickly.

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Originally Posted by VictorSpoils

Maybe that has something to do with it. As does the fact that none of the other combat zones have vocals. But anyone doing side quests, tribe quests, FATEs, hunt trains, treasure maps, or any amount of gathering will notice quickly.

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I still did and completed all the tribals there and grinded out the Fates and have already finished the quests. This was long ago, so now Ultima Thule isnt a bother anymore.

I personally found it ok because its still a good vocal song imo. Heck if people are having issues about it, then Id hate to see them play any of the modern Persona games where vocals in songs are mixed in constantly, including battle themes.

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Originally Posted by Atelier-Bagur

Heck if people are having issues about it, then Id hate to see them play any of the modern Persona games where vocals in songs are mixed in constantly, including battle themes.

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The problem isn't that Close the Distance has vocals, but that it has them 24/7 on repeat. Metal Gear Rising had vocals in almost all of it's tracks but they only appeared when it was appropriate.

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Originally Posted by Absurdity

The problem isn't that Close the Distance has vocals, but that it has them 24/7 on repeat. Metal Gear Rising had vocals in almost all of it's tracks but they only appeared when it was appropriate.

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Persona 5 had that casino stage that played vocals the entire time and it was a banger. So hows FFXIV doing the same thing any different? Its just a nitpick, not a problem I find.

Kinda makes one wonder why it wasn't handled like The Tempest in SHB. Where you have the normal background theme for The Tempest everywhere except in Phantom Amaurot, where you get that theme instead. Would have been easy to put the vocal theme at the bar and up to Meteion's egg, and have the rest of the zone the more subdued instrumental version.