OCR01257 - Kirby's Dream Land 'Chopinesque Kirby'

[djpretzel]

What did you think? Post your opinion of this ReMix.

[The Orichalcon]

Congratulations Bladiator. Your first mix up on OCR! (I think)

This has done incredibly well over at VGMix. It's a remarkable piece, I find myself humming it all the time.

No nitpicks, a perfect recording.

[DJ Riott]

Darn.. 2nd place again for review.

The beginning is kinda quiet.. but I guess that's part of it. If it bugs me too much I'll just raise it myself on cool edit.

This song is way awesome tho! Piano pieces are amazing, and this upholds everything ever set as a standard on OC. I've followed you in Wip's and PRC's bladiator, and I'm glad to see you've finally made it on.

It is short, but sweet. Definately on playlists and stuck in my head.

[Less Ashamed Of Self]

Right on bro, nice work.

Congrats on the hosting. It really is a nice little remix. (I liked it when I first heard it, :D) I was pained to see the words 'newcomer' in the intro though... I knew djp would use it, and to the OCR hosting world it's true, but I think he uses it too liberally. I mean you've been around for a year of PRC's right? Hardly new.

Oh well, I'm over it.

I suppose I'll get similar treatment when I get hosted. :?

[reelmojo]

I was pained to see the words 'newcomer' in the intro though... I knew djp would use it, and to the OCR hosting world it's true, but I think he uses it too liberally. I mean you've been around for a year of PRC's right? Hardly new.Just consider yourself lucky to have been able to listen to Bladiator's music for all that time. I know I do. :)

[LiquidTrance]

a very nice remix of a great song. Very nice treatment and the right choice for the instrument. Congrats on your first successful submission

[suzumebachi]

Nice work bubs. Teach me to play piano and stuff, and I'll be your friend forever. Dynamics are key in a piano arrangement, and you definately pulled them off nicely.

WHUT

stfu bini

[The Orichalcon]

Karl can't spare a single second teaching people how to play, he needs all his time to make more of these beautiful remixes.

I'd love to hear a nice long one of your piano remixes karl, but there was plenty in this to make up for its shortness.

[Miku]

Excellent arrangement, wonderful performance, good enough recording quality (aside from the hiss on the left). This is great. Chopin is my favorite composer, and this is definitely reminiscent of some of his waltzes.

I was really excited to hear this when I read about it on the judges decisions forum a day or two ago, and although I might have been even more impressed if it were styled after something like Fantasie-Impromptu or the Polonaise in A-flat, this is quite wonderful. I also hope to have a piano arrangement (or several) on this site eventually.

My hat's off to you, Bladiator. ^_^

[bladiator]

I was pained to see the words 'newcomer' in the intro though... I knew djp would use it, and to the OCR hosting world it's true, but I think he uses it too liberally. I mean you've been around for a year of PRC's right? Hardly new.Just consider yourself lucky to have been able to listen to Bladiator's music for all that time. I know I do. :)

Aww stop that, you guys, I'm blushing. :D

As an aside, this ended up being all in one take. The e-mail was written back when I did it on my keyboard, and then while it was in the submission process, I had time to go and get it recorded for real.

I also found out that the mics (specifically the left one) is going out in the recital hall I'm using to record in. I recently went back to record another piece and the recordings are unusable.

~Karl (Bladiator = Blade + Gladiator)

[Nebu]

DJP's review of this mix doesn't give it justice, a very nice arrangement with that chopinesque feel that makes me happy ;p Definately above average, incredible playing.

[Yoshi3gg]

To put it simply, this piano arrangement rocks my socks.

Perfectly executed dynamics... the ReMix builds on the original melody while keeping its mood and spirit alive.

[xtp183]

This is sooo good to listen to 8) The only quarrel I have is with the last 7 seconds of the song (after the lovely rit arpeggiated chords)- after that rit, the last 7 seconds just sounds out of place and is annoying to hear it finish so abruptly. But no one else mentioned that so I guess I'm the only one who feels that way about it. Nevertheless, this is a mighty fine composition and performance!

[Less Ashamed Of Self]

~Karl (Bladiator = Blade + Gladiator)

Gasp! Did I pronounce it wrong in my rap? :P

[bladiator]

~Karl (Bladiator = Blade + Gladiator)

Gasp! Did I pronounce it wrong in my rap? :P

If you said "blade-e-a-tor" and not "blad-e-a-tor" then yes. :D It's gladiator with a b.

[chokst~1.bat]

I also found out that the mics (specifically the left one) is going out in the recital hall I'm using to record in.
Yup. That high static in the left ear is pretty distracting. I suppose that the fuzz is also the reason why the volume of the piano isn't loud enough; and much quieter in the left ear. Sorry, it's just kind of annoying. It's hard to enjoy something when the power of the piano that you wanted emphasize is kind of lost in the recording. I probably wouldn't have posted this if it was my song, because of that issue (and the little noises outside the piano like you're moving or hitting something here and there).

Maybe it would have worked better if you recorded it straight to midi first; than used the same piano instrument when making it an mp3? Not sure. Anyway, some pretty cool chord and melody ideas; and I like it how you're hitting the keys pretty forcefully in some places to get the tension going. I like especially that section at 1:45 where it drops in pitch. Some interesting cycling note ideas.

As you said, this kind of stuff isn't really that difficult to make. Once you get the hang of all that stuff on the piano, playing something on the spot just comes naturally; for the most part. That's one thing about solo live recordings that I'm always iffy about, the simplicity of making them kind of makes you wonder how worthy they are of being shown to the public. I don't know, I'm gonna eat some cereal now. *hands bladator a bowl... cheers, to crazy and fun pianoizm!*

[ESHbyESH]

A big fan of classical music (Chopin in particular) and the Kirby games, I thoroughly enjoyed this mix. DIdn't notice any tech problems except low volume. I am listening on speakers, though.
Particularly enjoyable was 1:35 - the shift into minor key.

Looking forward to hearing more of your mixes!

[Julio Jose]

i remember the collld collld winters where i would nestle up in my room when i was young, and i would just play the shit out of this game on my oldschool game boy. This brought back memories man, thank you very much for doing such a splendid job.

[jordex]

Whoa man... I wish I could play like that...

You should do a remix of the chopin song on that piano game at the arcade, and there's a vid of it on ebaums somewhere, anyone know what im talking about?

I can't wait to hear more from you Bladiator

[RimFrost the Tourianist]

Wow Bladiator i almost recieved a hardon from listening through this tune afew times ...it's so beautiful :cry: chopin without being too baroque ...Incredible work !!

[Nase]

Whoa, maestro...nicely done! Inspiring, esthetic piano stuff. Turning the Kirby theme into a solo piano piece (or anything classical) really seems the most logical idea.
Again, saubere Arbeit, Karl! :P

[BlueEnvy]

Wow Bladiator i almost recieved a hardon from listening through this tune afew times ...it's so beautiful :cry: chopin without being too baroque ...Incredible work !!

I think you meant romantic rather than baroque :wink:

[Crazyonr1]

VERY COOL! if too short, impressive, I couldn't write like this, or play it this well anyway, but it got me thinking, where's that OC remix that Kirby Swoosh was gonna do.... Grape Hill Harmonic or something... is it somewhere in UnMod or something? well back on topic, very cool and well played :D hope to hear more like it :)

[Schwaumlaut]

Much hay seems to have been made of the recording quality, but I just wanted to say that on my speakers, it sounds great.

More like this, please!

[Psychochild]

A beautiful arrangment man. Just listening to this makes me smile like some giddy... something. You've really made my day with this.

[~Link_Master~]

Let me just start out saying that I love this ReMix.

A very soothing melody at the beginning, and then it goes into the more quick chorus. Very well orginized and smoothly played. The classical tune is what really captures the mood of a Kirby game. The whole song played by the piano. It's rare to hear so much piano in a ReMix.

A most impressive song, Bladiator. You are an extremely talented musician, and I hope to hear more songs from you.

[jordex]

how come there are only 2 pages on this mix? It's better than that! Listen to it!

It is a bit short though...

[The Wind Fish]

I really really like this remix...I have played this game a lot when I was younger and always liked the music but this makes it even better...
I didn't have any technical problems..
please make more of these great mixes!

[Wallace Guyford]

Great work. Great song to make a piano mix of and a great job of doing it. I especially love the little parts at like :22 and :37, nice touches. It is kind of short, but I see that as no reason to fault it. It's great all the way through. I'd love to see other Kirby songs recieve similar treatment, imo they are unlike any other game music.

[JorJorMogBoi]

Sweet god, this is great! I love the beginning. Soooo pretty sounding. Great dynamics overall too.

Edit: I'd like to add that I can't stop listening to this remix now and that the 16th note clusters make me crap my pants with joy (especially at 1:36 for some reason). Thank you.

[Blak_Omen]

HOLY CRAP BLADIATOR

I miss you so much! I miss your piano I miss it I miss it...;_;

I LOVE THIS SONG HAVE MY BABIES PLEASE

Okay. On a serious note, Bladiator knows how much I envy his piano and his love and his excellent work. I was quite surprised at really how "chopinesque" this piece really was, to be honest. Then again, it is Bladiator. Fantastic work, I can't really say more apart from Bladiator when you gonna perform one of my pieces for me?!?!

And also, download this. Seriously. You owe it to your children.

And the recording wasn't that bad, come on. Just don't play it so loud if you're starting ta hear hiss o_O

[Chrono721]

I find that the Kirby theme for that remix is rather catchy. I Like it so much that I'm trying to play it at a recital! You REALLY did a great job on the song. I hope to see more remixes soon! ^_^
-Chrono721

[chokst~1.bat]

And the recording wasn't that bad, come on. Just don't play it so loud if you're starting ta hear hiss o_O
Argh. You people don't have ears!

Wait, that doesn't make any sense.

[Less Ashamed Of Self]

Thought I'd post this here too in case it wasn't clear enough for the masses everywhere else you posted it blad:
The Sheet Music (http://filez.mustard.pointclark.net/blad/chopinesque_kirby.pdf)

[Rexy]

Well yeah, this post may have been inactive for 6 months but I'm still game on seeing something like this. Blad's piano waltzes are very amusing and thoughtful towards me, and this mix is no different. In terms of composition I actually prefer this to some of his other tracks, mainly through to a more flowing performance and a more realistic sound as established here. Very good stuff.

For a full breakdown, I have my thoughts right here.

---

Remix

From the word go you should be able to sense some instant familiarities with the source material, and it's here that the moods have changed a lot from the initial music’s frantic atmosphere. I found the execution to be well established and thought out for a live piano arrangement, which has been shown by a very flowing performance that has made its due course here. Variance from the theme is also shown with a strong variety of rhythmic incarnations as well as alterations on the note progressions themselves, so that has shown his idea of creativity from the original. Even much of the structure was well thought out for a short piano waltz, and there's definitely enough character to make the melodic structures work out. I felt a bit disappointed that it came to a close so soon, but I was satisfied with the ending sequence though. But it's here that the pros have easily outweighed the cons on that aspect and thus it can be shown to be a powerful track that stands out from the game’s score in a very characteristic way.

Creativity

Much of the creative and original melodies that came through ended up showing their own with their own varied moods and atmospheres to easily make the overall energetic pacing of the mix work well enough to aid towards the full textures. I can say that the sections generally link well together, but if there's something here that I think has dampened it, it had to be the sudden transition into minor at 1:27; outside from that the characteristic performance has been able to do well to make it stand out. There's a lot of fresh pacing as shown throughout, which has been showcased with plenty of dynamic expressions that have circulated throughout. It can be argued that the opening felt a bit too thin for some, but it has still been able to transfer the flow of the piece very fluently. One thing that I think this mix has benefited from more than anything is a total lack of repetition; in terms of rhythmic gestures, no two segments of the track sound the same, so that's very great to be able to realize. Being a sucker for piano arrangements I really enjoyed this; some of the later production aspects may tear the entertainment factor but it's still got a lot of heart to ensure its place here.

Production

The choice of the live piano itself is shown to be very thoughtful and well established, so I commend Blad on using that sound to make the mix flow smoothly. The ambience that was applied in the recording space has worked very well in my honest opinion, but what I think seemed to be missing was full texturing, so a light rise in low-end EQs won't hurt too much here. Mind you, there's something about the recording that's shown as a questionable concern upon most people and that's the light hiss on the left hand side of the stereo field. I would have loved to hear that get eradicated somewhat. Nonetheless, the leveling and sound input was very clean and sophisticated, and that has done well to fit the occasion. The panning ambience has also adapted fine enough for me, although one thing that I could suggest here is a lightly wider spread to make the piano sound come off as a fuller timbre. Thus, for a mix like this I found the technical aspects to be moderately disappointing but it still has broadened out from the settings that we have come to expect from Blad's library of mixes.

---

I have to side with the judges on this one; the production wasn't too great, and I found that to be a blemish on the otherwise excellent arrangement and performance. But I have to say that the arrangement has easily expanded well from the source and has helped to show a very powerful and dynamic approach as shown to the target audience. Thus the pros easily outweigh the cons although only just in my honest opinion.

Even with that in mind, I hope Blad will come forth with some further goodness in the future especially with his performance skills. He is one crazy piano bastard and we know it :D

[Martoon]

Anyone still have the sheet music of this awsome remix ?
The last link doesn't work anymore :(

Edit: many many thanks !!!!

[bladiator]

Check out my website (albeit old):

http://bladiator.vgpiano.com

It has all my sheet music.

[KogeJoe]

Dude. Whoever did this is a &%($ genius.

GREAT work.

[42]

:shock:
One can seriously loose themselves in this mix. This reminds me of Reese's Peanut Butter cups. You got your Kirby in my Chopin, you got your Chopin in my Kirby. It retains all the bubbliness of Kirby but with an extra layer of that fancifulness of classical music. I like this piece because it seems to just go places; the dynamics make this incredibly fun to listen to. One can just feel the emotion and fun went into this performance.

[OA]

Very nice playing, classy and confident, but very stylized and cool.

The hiss is a little distracting, but other than that, this is a super solid debut piece. Awesome work, Karl! :-)

[1day]

Definitely A++ material!

[KoeN]

I LOVE IT.

I feel such immense nostalgia when hearing this theme, and your rendition is beautiful!

[Bahamut]

Short and lighthearted take on Green Greens. Hard not to enjoy this for what it is :smile: