OCR00776 - Dragon Warrior 'Journey of Solitude'

[Saunders]

http://remix.overclocked.org/phpBB2/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif Wow.

I remember this theme from Dragon Warrior (which I didn't even play, my parents did). Russell has once again done a great job. He's given this piece a very epic sound. Especially when he hits the full blown orchestral goodness at 1:05. Love that horn.

I don't think there's anything about this mix that I don't like.

[Rychan]

Perhaps the most mature remix I've heard off of overclocked (or anywhere?). It's epic and beautiful.

[Captain Red]

Damn... I mean... yikes.

This is great. If you're mulling over downloading this one, stop right now, and start listening to it before you read another word.

It's broad and sweeping, yet intricately detailed. It is full of feeling, and dripping with expression. I kind of remember the original music... I never played the game much. Sound technology of the systems of the tiime taken into consideration, but if the music had sounded like this, I would have stuck it out through the game.

Since I've been coming to OCR, this update is probably my favorite ever, and this piece is a large part of that. I cannot praise it highly enough.

*honken*

[Russell Cox]

Thanks for the comments, especially about emotion. I try to convey a lot of that in some mixes, not so much in others. However, unless the piece really needs to be dull, why write something with no emotion? Why not let a part of you show in your music, and not just your samples or talent.

[Ryan8bit]

I really liked this interpretation of the theme. It's nice to hear an orchestral arrangement that is done properly and that utilizes the right instruments. Good job, Russell. Oh, and thanks for showing me to Dragon Quest V (the English ROM) way back. :wink:

[Ianthefira]

Wow. Just wow.
To be honest, it makes me think of a movie opening. Just think of it: Dragon Warrior, the Movie, and this is what you hear as the opening credits go by. It's that good.

I'm glad that someone finally did an orchestral remix of this theme, not that the others were bad. I was just waiting for something like this.
You've made my day, and I thank you.

[FM]

This is very, very good. Love the low brass stuff.... probably the best orchestral stuff I've heard on the site.

[Sir_NutS]

One of the best orchestral arrangements on this site! I simply loved it!
dragon warrior was the first rpg I ever played, and this brings me so many memories... just awesome!

[Zeenbor]

Simply Amazing .... I totally forgot the whole theme to DW and when it first came in at 0:23 I got an amazing nostagia rush (tingles and all!). Very few songs can do that. The orchestral stuff is also amazing. :twisted:

Just like to say thanks to Russell for allowing me to remember the great times I had with this game!

[EdgeCrusher]

Ettts goot, yes, Ettts goot

[z-Lo]

I love this remix, it reminds me of Orchestral Game Concert stuff.

Today is the worst day of my life because when I turned the computer on, I found that my brother had deleted this song, just because I was the one who downloaded it. I bet he didn't even listen to it. It took me almost two hours to download it, and it was worth it. AND I'M GONNA DOWNLOAD IT AGAIN! SO THERE!

Anyway, this mix is great. I love woodwinds and I love Dragon Warrior.
Keep it up, man!!

[dark-fighter]

At first, when I listened to this, I thought it was going to be just another notch on the VERY SHORT (hint hint) Dragon Warrior remix list. But when the woodwinds kicked in.. wow. I was amazed. This is really high quality stuff. For a minute, I thought I was listened to the London Philharmonic renditions all over again.

If nothing else, I beg you.. PLEASE, PLEASE do more Dragon Warrior remixes! I love the series to death, and it woes me so that nobody ever covers it, or really any other enix series.

[Ghetto Lee Lewis]

Honestly, I'd like to say that while my Dragon Warrior mix had it's own personality and such, I prefer to listen to this version. I absolutely love how you used the harp. The samples are simply gorgeous, and it was pretty amazing how it all came together. The way Russell uses different combinations of instruments and transitions into different keys and sub-themes gives the whole song a great deal of character.

A brilliant piece of work. An amazing arrangement. Awesome high quality, life-like instruments. It would be hard to believe the author wasn't actually conducting a live orchestra. The mastering was even exceptional. Listening on my studio-quality headphones with the whole surround sound effect was almost like being at live concert. Like almost any well done Romantic era symphony or concerto, this song tells a story, one filled with action, adventure, drama, and sadness. This rendition of the song probably captures more emotion than any 8-bit RPG could possibly hope for.

3 cheers for Mr. Cox. I hope to hear more like this from him in the future.

:D

[HaasofPain]

Dude. . . 8O

What can I say but. . .


Dude!!

[Blak_Omen]

One Word Remix: Majestic.

This remix is so good that I believe it surpasses the original in every way. In fact, a little anecdote to explain my situation.

I downloaded this mix some time ago. I listened to it and it was very good (not as good to me as it is now, but) Then a short while ago I downloaded Dragon Warrior I. I was walking around the World Map, when I stopped. "Hey, isn't that that remix playing in the background in really low quality?" I quickly checked and it was true. Of course I prefer the remix by 1,000,000,000 times, but it was just so interesting to discover the source of the mix and it helped me see how Russell Cox did some of the arrangement in the remix.

As for the sound quality, it's pretty high on the scale. The wind section is magnificento. In fact everything sounds pretty accurate except for the cello at the end. (I am assuming it is a cello, anyway.) Being an avid cello player myself, I could immediately tell it was digital. Why? Not enough reverb, and it died much too fast. Maybe a bit more feeling and "expression" might have helped the end. The ending was the weakest point for me but in such a good song it hardly matters.

When you hear the key change, it just lifts you up and takes you away with the music. It's fabulous, and really captures the feel of a medieval fantasy game.

Majestic, Marvellous, Magical.

EDIT: The cello ending I am talking about is in another Russell Cox remix. The ending for THIS remix is simple but effective. :D

[Russell Cox]

In fact everything sounds pretty accurate except for the cello at the end.

Thanks for the review! However, where exactly are you talking about? Could you give me a time marker? I don't remember writing a cello in the ending, unless it's just the cello/viola/violin I and II chords that supplement the harp solo.

[Blak_Omen]

Wait. I might have confused the mixes. (I have some of your other mixes as well.)

*runs off to listen to it*

Hmm, I knew I should have listened to it before I posted, that cello gripe I have is in another remix of yours, the Ninja one I believe.

The ending for _this_ remix is perfect actually, the pizzicato is good.

Then I have no problems with this remix. :D Sorry to worry you.

[Russell Cox]

Wait. I might have confused the mixes. (I have some of your other mixes as well.)

*runs off to listen to it*

Hmm, I knew I should have listened to it before I posted, that cello gripe I have is in another remix of yours, the Ninja one I believe.

The ending for _this_ remix is perfect actually, the pizzicato is good.

Then I have no problems with this remix. :D Sorry to worry you.

Ahh -- that's not a cello. It's a bassoon.

[Blak_Omen]

Okay there are three choices here:

1. I'm incredibly stupid.

2. One of your other mixes has a cello ending with some other instrument.

3. I'm partially deaf.

[Russell Cox]

Okay there are three choices here:

1. I'm incredibly stupid.

2. One of your other mixes has a cello ending with some other instrument.

3. I'm partially deaf.

Since I'm trying to be nice I'll go for 3) :)

I've never ended a song with a cello, tough I have begun several songs with one.

[Blak_Omen]

Beethoven was partially deaf.

(I'm just trying hard not to look so stupid.... :roll: )

[Nobbynob Littlun]

Journey of Solitude - excellent descriptive title. I liked "On That Day..." better, but personally. This would be a better song in most ways. Can't really talk technically, as I don't know what sounds to match with what instruments (well, I can recognize clarinets and bass clarinets in a song, but that don't help).

Dragon Warrior was my first RPG, and I remember playing it when I was three years old. All I can remember is some castle I was walking around, something about a... Rainbow Bridge? Um, I remember the boss, don't remember his name, was kinda wimpy looking but tough anyway... oh, and I remember my older brother (9 at the time) asking me how I beat the game at such a low level. Hrm. Since then I've preferred different styles of RPGs, but it was my first. This song would be really awesome as the field music in Ocarina of Time, as Link also very much walks the world alone.

[fisherman]

Fabulous composing... one of the best songs I've downloaded here. This could have been right off the soundtrack of some Lord of the Rings-style movie. I especially like the effective use of key changes, that's something that's overlooked too often... they make the song seem longer - in a good way. Every time there's a key change here, it separates the sections. It's almost like using paragraphs or chapters when writing... imagine if people wrote without those?

[Wolf Tooth]

No doute this is the best remix I've heard in a long time. I expecially amused with the harps and strings on this piece.

[sirion]

Oh I love orchestral stuff man.
And I really like this remix, simply perfect to me, I've listened this piece for half a day -_-; .
The quality is superb, all arranged by a very experienced musician, it seems an orchestra performed piece, more Russel more please! ^^

[saris340]

it's beautiful to say the least. i get the feeling of being in a concert hall. i love it. definitely worth getting.

[hansikursch]

Just WOW. Russel Cox, you definitely are one composer/remixer.

Words cannot describe such a beautiful piece of art.

[Faduger]

The original is really really plain..........the remix is really really not plain....the obvious is said....enjoy

[DragonAvenger]

The source is my favorite DW theme by far, and this arrangement is absolutely fantastic. I would die to hear a live version of it someday. Simply amazing, love it.

[Lucentas]

The source has been one of my favorite video game tunes since I first heard it in Dragon Warrior Monsters, and I always wanted to hear an epic symphonic rendition of it.

With this arrangement, my wish has been granted. I don't think you could get better than this if you tried, it captures the essence of the source perfectly and is what it should have sounded like if the NES had somehow had CD-quality sound. Also, like djpretzel, I'm definitely getting the Trevor Jones/Dark Crystal vibe from this one, it is very similar to the work he did for that movie's score, which is just another reason for me to like this ReMix.

[MessagesFromEarth]

Dragon Warrior was my first RPG. I was young when I played it, somewhere between 6 and 8, but I remember that even then what drew me intot he game was the overworld theme. Its haunted by lonliness, and while the theme of the quest is also present, I've always thought that it took a back seat to the theme of the solitary hero. This mix is nicely done by adding the epix feel to the piece, and it is interesting to see the two themes that I pictured in the original reversed. Until about 1:05 the mix stays very true to the original tune, but then takes on the epic quality after that. I'm not saying that a song can't be both epic and lonely, but I think that one comes out more than the other.

Great job with this :-)

[OA]

Pretty nice mood set here, the harp writing especially was what set this over the top for me. Very epic feeling overall, and it fits the source music perfectly. The transition 3/4 the way through was a bit weak, I think a little bit of time to let the phrase simmer before hitting the coda would have been better, but still, as is, some nice work from the esteemed Mr. Cox.