Just to experiment, I got the original Ocarina of Time USF sound files from Zophar's Domain (http://www.zophar.net/music/usf.html), when I noticed something interesting. The USF files seem to play slower than the OST versions of the tracks. It's not too noticeable, but there is a difference.

For instance, here's the USF version (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYxdWscgH7A&t=32m5s) of Market. And here's (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhwUcaJPayk) the OST version.

So my question is - which version sounds more like it does in the actual game? You would think the USF files would, but I never noticed the difference between the game music and the OST until now.

Interesting. I wonder why there's a difference at all.

The video mentions it has a different sampling frequency: 32006Hz

Audio CD is sampled at 44100Hz.
Whatever software was used probably wasn't configured properly to sound normal?
I know with emulation software and other sorts of cartridge ripping software, you have to pay particular attention to the sampling frequency, else it comes in at different speeds.

PS: I remember playing Ocarina of Time a lot (never had MM). The OST version is the proper version.
I remember it being more jaunty and not slow like a dream-state.

The uploader done screwed up for the USF version.

The game itself is configured to spec by the manufacturers and so is the OST.

Weird, but before reading Sparktank's comment, I listened to the USF and it's how I remembered it on the N64 (3 years of boyhood). The OST version didn't sit right with me. Although it's faster, the rhythm is more staccato and sounds almost like it's being played through an emulator.

My only guess would be that the hardware for the N64 caused it to play slower. Maybe the sampling rate did have something to do with it, and that's why an OST with the correct sampling rate would have such a minor (yet still clearly noticeable) difference. Spirit Temple and Water Temple both start out in time and after ~10 seconds they slide out of sync; the gap seems to increase slowly over time.

I would still expect the official OST to be the correct version, but if you want the childhood correct version you'll have to use the gamerip i guess. IMO the difference isn't noticeable enough unless you're really focusing on it, plus the quality boost to the OST is worth it.

the ost runs at the same speed as the game itself, and sounds just like the real game (v1.02). the usf set is too slow, and it's not just oot and mm; on top of that, there's no real way to fix it without fixing the usf format and its ripping standards, which requires fixing n64 emulation in general. (pacemaker is a really bad piece of software, and even ripping each song and running it through audacity isn't as good as it's supposed to be)

this was more or less solved for banjo-kazooie and banjo-tooie because a certain someone properly ripped every single song straight from real hardware, which absolutely destroys the comparably poor usf set. problem is, those rips were posted on megaupload, and it doesn't seem like anyone else really cared about them because noone seems to have them. when i asked at rarewitchproject about it, i got told to stick with the usfs in a rude tone.

on that subject, the difference is pretty noticeable. you don't have to "force" yourself to do anything; if you don't notice it, you literally are not listening to the music. the lowered speed isn't simply inaccurate, it also hurts each song by itself because it makes everything sound boring.

I see what you mean. I assumed faulty emulation was the cause, but I couldn't find info proving or disproving that.

Thanks for the clarification. :)

The sample rate has nothing to do with it though. It makes it sound different (higher or lower sound quality), but it does nothing with the speed of the music! ;)

USF files may be low frequency, do what you want.

this was more or less solved for banjo-kazooie and banjo-tooie because a certain someone properly ripped every single song straight from real hardware, which absolutely destroys the comparably poor usf set. problem is, those rips were posted on megaupload, and it doesn't seem like anyone else really cared about them because noone seems to have them. when i asked at rarewitchproject about it, i got told to stick with the usfs in a rude tone.
So... does anyone have this?

So... does anyone have this?

You're better off asking in the Requests section; I highly doubt anyone will see your question here.

Hey Skeleton man, you would'nt happen to have a straight rip (no loops or anything like that) of the OOT USF's in FLAC would you?

I just got the music from Zophar's (http://www.zophar.net/music/usf.html) and ran it through foobar, with the use of a plugin. You can use foobar to convert it to whatever format you like.