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Forrest

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Posts posted by Forrest

    OCRA-0040 - Final Fantasy VI: Balance and Ruin

    in Album Reviews & Comments

    Posted

    Then again, you referred specifically to mixing, not mastering...so if your problem is with the dynamic range of different instruments in specific tracks, you're pretty much up a creek unless you want to selectively apply dynamic range compression.

    I think I can safely say that any manner of compression on a symphonic arrangement is going to be drastically different in application, (especially with ratio and knee) compared to the more electronic focused tracks. That's not to say block o cheese tracks can't sound great, because they can. But the general dynamic range of A Tranquil Rest really could not have been changed at all, without overcompressing and turning the balance of instruments to shit.

    I love Tepid's Chocobo track. It sounds fabulous; but there is no way to make it work in a cohesive "EP-style" way without having both songs make compromises in terms of creative direction, style and emotional content. Tha would take away from what is, to me, the single greatest advantage a massive undertaking like this has; honest diversity. I don't mind listening to Xenogears Myth; actually I love listening to it. But I also listen to deftones, to Foy Vance and to the Shenmue orchestral stuff. Those might be on a mix tape together in my personal collection, but they would not come anywhere close to working and making sense like Balance and Ruin does to me.

    To each his own, for sure. But I started listening really skeptically, and was pleasantly humbled repeatedly here with the composers and arrangers involved.

    The endless stair, electro de Chocobo and Brandon strader's absolutely kickass mogstradamus could only exist on the same album as my songs via a cooperative effort like what Zircon and McVaffe put together. I am amazed how well everything was pulled together.

    OCRA-0040 - Final Fantasy VI: Balance and Ruin

    in Album Reviews & Comments

    Posted

    Oh god, if Balance and Ruin was only one cohesive concept album, I never would have made it! Who wants to listen to 5 hours of weird clarinet arrangements? They would have told me "You're DIFFERENT and that makes you BAD." and it would have been grade school all over again :puppyeyes:

    I agree. Collaboration involves different approaches and variety is what keeps something of this scope from being a tiring listening experience. Not only would I have missed the chance to be writing or recording for this project if there was Univision, I likely would not have heard most of these artists or given their respective genres a chance. The spice of life isn't always what we would choose first, but I'm glad to venture out of my typical listening habits with this album. It really is outstanding; so many facets are what make it shine.

    Forrest

    Xenoblade Chronicles = FF XII

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Forrest
    Typoez

    Xenoblade on the other hand draws no comparisons, people go in not knowing what to accept and generall either like/dislike it on its own terms.

    Absolutely. 12 was outstanding; great voice acting, wonderfully detailed scenery for its console's limitations, fairly mature and intelligent themes, a unique and deep leveling system.

    And yet people found things to complain about because of the departure from, well, anything typically FF.

    Each one has been pretty damn enjoyable. I even liked 13, despite my whining in the fashion of its apparent 14 year old effeminate boy demographic upon learning that I was playing the most linear of games ever designed, with completely inhuman and exaggerated characters. So wait, maybe I didn't like 13. But 12? So good.

    Forrest

    Two, actually

    in Post Your Game ReMixes!

    Posted · Edited by Forrest

    I'm more than happy to hear critical feedback if one might have suggestions, gripes, or moments in which you find yourself cringing during these two remixes I'm working on below.

    These are also posted right now under the 'remix requests' forum, so hopefully I'm not breaking any rules posting something duplicitous here. They aren't really complete works, so I hope to get some "hey dude, I want to hear ______ and ______ would be cool" kind of comments to see what people want to hear, or perhaps directions the community would want the songs to go.

    Waiting on some flute parts for this one (in process). Getting close to being done, I think.

    https://soundcloud.com/forrestpowell/wip-7

    Based on THREE songs on the Illusion of Gaia OST:

    Ominous Whispers

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOCZMaiYQzs&list=PL05437E589E77E753

    Will's Theme

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1CRj_kbbDc&list=PL05437E589E77E753

    In The Earthen Womb

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVg0c249JhI&list=PL05437E589E77E753

    More recently, I put together this piece:

    https://soundcloud.com/forrestpowell/podunk-wip2

    Based on the Secret of Evermore track:

    Podunk, USA 1995

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndwKP9CRBU)

    Forrest

    Illusion of gaia: Longing for the past/ In the Earthen womb

    in ReMix Requests

    Posted

    So many apologies for my lack of participation as of late. I find myself in a situation where internet is not at such common access. I plan to change that though.

    However, you've done an amazing job as usual Forrest! I'm glad to see the original melody got an extension. :) I not going to lie... the ominous whisper opening sounds so good it could be made into its own remix. (plans for the future maybe?) ;)

    Anywho, I really dont have much input to give. I seems like everything is coming together very nicely and we are on the right track for this song.

    Keep up the fantastic work and hopefully see you soon.

    DC_Desperado

    No worries at all!

    I'm glad you dig the updates and that's kind of you to say about the Ominous Whispers part! I was really pleasantly surprised how well it translated to piano. There *might* be some flute stuff added to that if it works. I've written some for Laura to play but I honestly can't say if the piano needs it, or if it will ultimately take away from that stark feeling it has right now (which kinda works).

    I just sent the flute parts tonight, so once I get those back I'll work on getting those mixed and perhaps have a voila moment. Laura is a super busy pro, so I'm sort of hedging my expectations on a time frame, but that's probably best since I've got some violins to figure out.

    Cheers!

    Forrest

    Illusion of gaia: Longing for the past/ In the Earthen womb

    in ReMix Requests

    Posted

    It's just that at that small section, the source plays that theme twice

    [...]

    Don't repeat that whole song; it's just that one little blurb that helps balance the song better.

    Man, in working on this, you couldn't be more spot on about that short theme repeating.

    Ok, so let me know if this makes sense (it's out of context since we're just sort of deciding on how to do this one part, but you'll get the idea):

    https://soundcloud.com/forrestpowell/wip8

    There will be more instruments added to the rest of the mix, and I've got to finalize the flute parts Laura agreed to play as well.

    Gettin' close!:-)

    Illusion of gaia: Longing for the past/ In the Earthen womb

    in ReMix Requests

    Posted

    This really is an incredible remix. The only complaint that I have is the lack of repetition of the theme at 3:38 - it makes that part sound a little unbalanced (more length on one half of that section than the other).

    In all seriousness, though, once you have this thing finished, I'd recommend shooting it over to the WIP forums for a Mod review. I could do it myself here, but... well, I want more people to hear it over there, 'cause it's awesome. :mrgreen:

    Thanks so much for the kind words!

    I definitely think there is more work to do and that the final theme (which DC originally requested) has to get fleshed out with ...something. I am kind of toying with the idea of diminishing the role of the oboe in part 2 and having flute carry that into cello as lead instruments.

    But, just so I'm sure what you mean, do you think that there should be more repetition of the whole thing after 3:18? I was a little hazy on what you meant. I'm all ears though. Feel free to posit.

    Cheers,

    Forrest

    Illusion of gaia: Longing for the past/ In the Earthen womb

    in ReMix Requests

    Posted

    Forrest, once again you fail to disappoint! This is truly a beautiful arrangement and I'm honored that you have taken this task upon yourself. However, and im not sure if it was the style you were going for, but, after listening thru your most recent update (a couple hundred times :D ) i couldn't help thinking that this arrangement presents each part of the track as a whole separate pieces. I'm not going to tell you how to do anything, especially since you have done such an incredible job and have blown me away time and time again. I was just thinking that there might be some way of balancing the transitions between segments to show that this is truly one song.

    I hope you do not take my suggestions as insults. I am truly impressed and pleased beyond words with what you have now and I'm positive without a shadow of a doubt that you will do these songs proper justice, if you haven't already. ;)

    thank you for all your hard work!

    DC_Desperado

    Hey DC,

    Thanks for the kind words! It's great to hear that you're enjoying listening as much as I am working on this piece.

    No worries at all about the constructive criticism! I actually appreciate the suggestions, because I think we can make this a better song altogether. I totally agree that the transitions are pretty stark right now; there's a general 'flow' issue that I will try and work on.

    :-D

    So, one VERY cool update I have that might actual help with that very issue is that Laura Intravia agreed to play some flute for this piece. Since that's the case, I am going to write a part to go between the first two so that at the very least each part makes more sense moving from one to the next.

    The piano is a little bit Chopin and a lot random at the moment. Maybe it works, maybe not.

    Let me know what you think in terms of whether that center part, "Ominous Whispers" is something you'd be interested to hear with flute undertones, or maybe even flute carrying the melody entirely with the piano moving to the background. That is one thought that I had.

    On the other hand, I've got another update for you with some cello added in (it's hardly changed at all though, to warn you not to have super high expectations yet). Violins are next after I write the flute part. Laura is a FANTASTIC musician, so I can guarantee that she will add a lot to the arrangement.

    https://soundcloud.com/forrestpowell/wip-5-plus-cello

    Thanks again for the input! More to come this weekend.

    Cheers,

    Forrest

    What is the hardest part of the process for you?

    in Music Composition & Production

    Posted

    For me, establishing a sense of space with each channel or instrument is really difficult. The word "mud" comes to mind. As I attempt to bring more and more content in, particularly when most of the tracks are being bussed out to a reverb, it's so easy for things to clump together in the mix. Virtual instruments can really sound dull and lacking depending on how they're used. Bringing in real musicians has been key for me to realize when the problem is the software, and when it's actually my writing.

    To be forthright, I am learning that the problem is MORE often that I am just not writing space between parts.

    Listening to great music really puts things into perspective and actually I stills a sense of respect and ambition to the process.

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