[DjMystix]

'Just This Once':



Download MP3

Vocals: Sabrina Valenzuela
Violins: Amaterasu
Guitars: Magellanic

Sources:

ShaHua (Shenmue):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjBIYjsb4sg

Suteki Da Ne (FFX):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlwSPMwAqbM

Toberu Mono (The Last Story):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wm4MrwujFU




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History
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This one has been in my todo list for a long time. I just finished playing The Last Story and got blown away by "Toberu Mono". So here I am paying my tribute to Nobuo Uematsu with a little bit of Shenmue touch.

Just started working on the track, following is my currently draft/idea (very rough at the moment):
Draft 1 (Made within a couple of hours)

Draft 2

Almost finished arrangement

Please ignore the vocals for now, they are just placeholders to give the vocalist some idea of the mix's structure.


Sources:

ShaHua (Shenmue):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjBIYjsb4sg

Suteki Da Ne (FFX):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlwSPMwAqbM

Toberu Mono (The Last Story):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wm4MrwujFU

[Magellanic]

Oo exciting. Suteki Da Ne is a fave of mine so I'll be checkin' to see how this develops. I approve of using the Japanese lyrics :D

As for vocalist, perhaps you should collab with Sabrina again? Anywho, looking forward to updates on this one, not heard anything from you for a lil while

[DjMystix]

Originally Posted by Magellanic

Oo exciting. Suteki Da Ne is a fave of mine so I'll be checkin' to see how this develops. I approve of using the Japanese lyrics :D

As for vocalist, perhaps you should collab with Sabrina again? Anywho, looking forward to updates on this one, not heard anything from you for a lil while

Thanks! I had Sabrina's name in mind as well Let's see if she agrees to do this! Just before I go to sleep, one more update with a little bit of "Toberu Mono" added:

Draft 2 (still very rough and lacks TONS of background stuff)

[Magellanic]

I'm liking the solo. It sounds as though you're using Suteki as the base of the song then fitting the other sources around it? Its early days, but the transition between the two sources at 01:14 could do with being smoother. It sounds a little like "source 1 end, source 2 start" rather than a constant flow. I'm probably splitting hairs though.

Other than that, as you've said, the background is somewhat sparse but if you can incpororate some of the lush orchestral textures from Suteki that would be amazing. With that song, the melody does shine but its also the harmonies and counter-point that make it. Being a big fan of the orchestral version it'd be great to mix some elements of that with it.

[DjMystix]

Originally Posted by Magellanic

I'm liking the solo. It sounds as though you're using Suteki as the base of the song then fitting the other sources around it? Its early days, but the transition between the two sources at 01:14 could do with being smoother. It sounds a little like "source 1 end, source 2 start" rather than a constant flow. I'm probably splitting hairs though.

Actually, the transition happens at 00:40 (The violin lead is part of Suteki Da Ne) but I still agree with you on 01:14 and will definitely do something about it. And yes, the main song is going to be Suteki Da Ne with Toberu Mono acting as bridge and Shenhua as Intro and ending)

I have plans to add orchestral strings, horns and stuff to this mix but overall, I do want to make it sound like a chillout-pop song (I should probably stop doing chillouts now; don't know how many I have done already).

btw, Sabrina has agreed to work on this track. I will try to get it finished by either today or tomorrow and hand it over to her.

[Magellanic]

Sweeeeet! I'm lookin' forward to hearing the completed arrangement. I'll be sure to have a gander whenever you post it up :D

Hearing this does make me want to do another FFX mix. Perhaps I'll try and do another of Zanarkand. (I know I've done one but meh, such an awesome score)

[DjMystix]

Originally Posted by Magellanic

Sweeeeet! I'm lookin' forward to hearing the completed arrangement. I'll be sure to have a gander whenever you post it up :D

Hearing this does make me want to do another FFX mix. Perhaps I'll try and do another of Zanarkand. (I know I've done one but meh, such an awesome score)

I hope I can live up to the expectations. and yes, you should totally do another Zanarkand mix; that would be awesome. While you're at it, why not try your hands on mixing multiple sources? I think "eternity" from FFX-2 can definitely flow with "To Zanarkand" :D

[DjMystix]

Aright! So the arrangement is mostly finished. Now I need vocals before I can mix it any further.

Link:
Almost finished arrangement

Some points:

- Vocals are placeholders at the moment
- The whistle at 02:56 - 03:32 is a placeholder for "Toberu Mono" vocals.
- Ending drum pattern to be re-written a bit.
- mixing is not done. Needs polish after real vocals are added.

Hope you guys like the arrangement. Can't wait to have Sabi's vocals :D

[Emunator]

I really love this arrangement. I would strongly urge you to get a live guitar/violin performance on here. Finding those performers shouldn't be difficult but in this case I feel like it would be REALLY worth it, considering how good the arrangement is.

Your vocal mixes lately have been an absolute goldmine, hope this one gets finished!

[DjMystix]

Originally Posted by Emunator

I really love this arrangement. I would strongly urge you to get a live guitar/violin performance on here. Finding those performers shouldn't be difficult but in this case I feel like it would be REALLY worth it, considering how good the arrangement is.

Your vocal mixes lately have been an absolute goldmine, hope this one gets finished!

Thanks a lot! I would love to have someone provide the guitar and violin part while I wait for Sabrina to finish the vocal part. I usually don't get much response but anyway, I have posted this on collab/recruit section and hope to get someone contribute their skills:

http://ocremix.org/forums/showthread...608#post857608

I'll try to ask Level99 if he can help with the guitars (he has mad guitar skills)