Sonic CD US - Past Soundtrack

To my understanding they were either just pressed for time or found it difficult to replace the past tracks due to them being baked into the game itself rather than just being audio files.

 

Pretty sure the past versions never existed because of timing (understand that Sonic CD US has two "Final" builds: the 920 build which is identical to the rest of the world, and the 1002 build, which is the one that was actually released with Spencer's and Sterlings' music.) I doubt it took 13 days to make the songs then send them to print, but the decision was made due to a difference in musical taste by Americans then. SoA figured the jpop soundtrack wouldn't have floated so well, so they looked to something a little more rock.

This ultimately comes down to whatever source material is available to use. With the U.S. soundtrack, the purest amount of audio data we can play around with comes from the Sonic Boom CD that has the extended cuts of several (not all) of the U.S. tracks. In that one, Quartz Quadrant Good Future and Bad Future are merged together as one track and Good Future's ending isn't anywhere there. It just flows right into Bad Future's body. That said, using some splicing from earlier in the main track, we can incorporate the drum kicks and still have it loop flawlessly.

When I did the looping project for the International soundtrack, I had the good luck of one of the prototypes having the entirety of the soundtrack without a fadeout, which makes things SO much easier when you have full assets. But sometimes there just isn't enough material to work with or in Tax's case, he may be pressed for time, so creative liberties have to be exercised.

 

I have always wanted to see someone with more skill than myself to make proper past tracks for the US soundtrack. While the US ones are different tunes for present and futures they have similar feel and use the same instruments, mainly percussion. A proper past track should match that style.

 

Wouldn't that mean that JP soundtrack is the definitive soundtrack and US one is just a petty substitution? Considering how much better in every way the JP soundtrack is.

+ - the bait is real  

 

I've thought about attempting that myself a few times. Apparently it's possible to rip the instrument samples from the past tracks and I'd like to use those in an attempt to make it plausible to import back into the game proper at some point. Don't know if that's even technically feasible but that's the angle I'd take. I've never seen any full instrument rips though, just one that had the instruments for Palmtree Panic. I've lost it since however.

Fixed that for ya. I like both about equally, myself.

 

More than just have them. I have them and the SNCBNK files that were going to be used to play when the song ended to when the song began again as a loop filler. The plan was ultimately scrapped. The quality on these aren't very good, either, but they're a neat thing to include.

 

It's surprising that the fans haven't stepped in with past editions...

(hint hint)

 

Honestly the only fitting songs from the U.S. soundtrack are Palmtree Panic and Quartz quadrant. The rest is trash and was an obvious rush job. JP erosion is the complete and real version. Thank goodness it was finally fixed as I was posses with my version of the Gems Collection.

 

Yes, you can get the .vgz files from project2612 and listen them in any vgm player. If you don't have any VGM players, you can get ValleyBall's, VGMPlay. Once you have it, its just drag and drop the files, and ready!
My suggestion: always get some vgm musics from some games, there are someones that are so nice that you will want to listen them just because :p (Puggsy's for example).

 

The first time I played Sonic CD was through the Gems Collection, so naturally I'm rather nostalgic with the US tracks. I rate both soundtracks highly, although the Jp soundtrack is my favorite.

As for the Past soundtrack, it's impressive how they were able to create the unique feel of the music to fit the atmosphere of the past stages using the PCM audio. The past tracks for Collision Chaos, Wacky Workbench, Metallic Madness sound are so amazing.

It seems strange SEGA (US) felt the need to do an alternative soundtrack, that the US might not like the Jp music. I mean, with the Jp tracks you get very catchy upbeat music which for me only heightens the experience. I guess the decision to create a new soundtrack must have come very late and they just didn't have the time or the know-how to create a new set of past tracks using the PCM audio.

 

There was a magazine at the time (Game Players I think?) which redacted their near perfect review score for Sonic CD in a later issue when they found out that SEGA was switching out the soundtrack.

I really doubt they had to switch things up but that's typical insecure SEGA for you. Not that it's a bad thing now that we have two great soundtracks for a great game.

 

I'm willing to bet Sega of America got cold feet because of the JP soundtrack's use of samples. Hip hop artists in America were getting sued for sample use around that time.

 

I don't think it's so much about time or know-how; it's just that changing the PCM tracks would've required a (music) programmer, and that means an extra person to pay, probably doubling the cost for the substitution. Burning music to a CD, on the other hand, doesn't.

Also...

This sounds likely to me, and would be another reason not to change the Past music (and therefore not justifying the cost needed).

 

How can you not like all US Stardust Speedway music as equally as the JP one!?

Also the US Special stage music is better than the JP one.

 

I actually prefer the US soundtrack over the JP one...