Super Mario Galaxy - Orchestral Remix

[blue.nocturne]

Newest Version: http://files.filefront.com/Gusty+Garden+Temple+Remixmp3/;9964673;/fileinfo.html

I completely did a whole new approach to Gusty Garden.

It no longer feels like a carbon copy to me, and it is a lot more catchier than the old version, at least in my opinion.

It's actually based on my entry for the CMC that Abadoss usually hosts, but it will turn out to be really different as it goes on.

Oh yes, here's also a source video for people to get a feel of the original:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pqBfsdGrn8s

Old Stuff:

After playing the game, I felt I just had to do a remix for it.

Of course, that pretty much defaults the song to being Gusty Garden, but I decided to start it off with Star Festival.

The first 30 seconds of the song are completely done, but the remaining is subject to change. 0:41-0:48 has not been polished at ALL, so it sounds like crap. I'm completely lost for ideas as to how I can transition to Gusty Garden though, so those last seconds are there to test if it could work as a transition. I'm planning to transition my piece into the "second melody" of Gusty Garden (right after the trumpet solo).

I've never actually completed a remix before, because I used to do midi sequencing at VGmusic. In fact, another reason I chose to do a remix of Gusty Garden was because I was the one who sequenced Gusty Garden at VGmusic. I just recently came here because of Abadoss's CMCs, and participating in those CMCs taught me how to use GPO slowly by slowly. Although, after seeing a massive 2 page string of "NO!" in the Judges Decision page, I'm pretty worried if my piece is up to par. Tell me what ya guys think.

[Sil]

I haven't played Mario Galaxy, but this theme sounds very familiar, like I've heard it in a movie soundtrack.

You don't have to worry about transitions to a new theme if you can do something with this existing theme that is fresh and innovative. Probably the most underestimated form of arrangement is the theme + variations model, which by its very definition is so simple I often want to slap people across the face until they learn it (not you... other people.) You need to hammer this theme home before moving on, or risk leaving people confused and panicked when they can't follow along. Right now you have ample opportunity to establish some kind of bass presence besides just keeping rhythm. Stack your cellos, basses, bassoons and what have you in octaves and let them do their thing melody-wise.

But don't take my word for it. Look at any orchestration by Shiro Hamaguchi on a theme by Uematsu and see how he shifts the melody around the orchestra forcing the accompaniment to other voices.

If you need ideas for transitions, check out Dvorak's Slavonic Dances. Each dance has at least one transition and re-transition, but sometimes he can become a bit repetitive (single note in the horns aaaand.... next theme!)

[zircon]

Dunno why I'm commenting on this so late...

I thought the intro was pretty abrupt, right off the bat. I would have led into it a bit more. As Sil pointed out, there's definitely a lack of bass presence overall, and in fact the whole mix sounds a bit sparse. By :41 it really felt like there should have been a denser texture. You might also consider not using the sine synth. Everything else is orchestral, so the lone synthesized element sort of sticks out to me. I need to listen to the original SMG theme again to remind myself what it was like, but so far it also sounds like you're sticking pretty close to the source. If you expand the intro and play around more with the melodies and harmonies, build on them, vary the rhythms, add your own new material (etc) you will be more on course for what we're looking for here.

I am definitely interested in hearing what you do here, as SMG has been largely un-remixed. I'll be watching this topic

[blue.nocturne]

Ok, I updated the file. The link in the first post is now the most current version.

I took in the suggestions and made the made bass stronger by using EQ editting. I found that stacking strings/woodwinds didn't quite fit the "happy" mood of the star festival intro.

Sine wave is still present, but I decided to only use it for tone and not for harmony/melody. Melody is now english horn and/or flute. I felt that english horn + flute gives this Toad/Luma-like impression. (0:28-0:33)

I felt the beginning was weak, so I decided make it a slow glockenspiel solo. I am currently planning on naming my remix along the lines of "Mario Story" or something like that. So I felt the glockenspiel intro would then be suitable. I was planning on making the intro longer as zircon suggested, but I was short on ideas and nothing seemed to work well enough.

The new part is the beginning of the Gusty Garden section. I am not sure how it will come out yet, but I decided to start it off with a clarinet solo.

What do you guys think of it so far? Any problems and/or suggestions?

[PrototypeRaptor]

I love the beginning - the piano hits and the sine wave just make it.

I would suggest doing something else after the piano/glock solo. The brass samples just kill the mood for me - perhaps you could go into some larger chords, fill it out with cellos and basses.

It just feels to me like it keeps building and building and building and it never actually goes anywhere. Like zircon said, it eventually needs to be more densely orchestrated. (not that I'm an expert, I'm just telling you what I'd like to hear)

All in all, the beginning is fine - just transition into a thicker section afterward.

Looking forward to an update; keep up the good work!

[progressive]

I feel like there's alot of talent working behind the scenes on this one. I really like how you brought the Space Peace melody in (although the same sample is used in Star Festival), but maybe a bit too early? Also it sounds fairly close to the original, which was fully orchestrated, so it's going to be hard to sound comparable without taking the style in a different direction. I like the playful stuff at 0:35... more of that would be great.

As for a transition to Gusty Garden, the best I could come up with would be to continue your staccato bass after 0:48 (ends on f-sharp) to g, a, and b. You might recognize part of the Mario theme in this, which would be useful to you. At that point a harp glissando would be nice and you could start the Gusty Garden melody on b several octaves higher or the "second melody" on c-sharp.

[Rozovian]

Heh, this is both cute and mighty. How'd you do that?

Anyway, I like the sine, it just gives it a more spacey feel (appropriately), and it's not breaking the orchestral soundscape. Use it whenever it works. As you have so far, I mean.

I like how this progresses too. Good intro, good transitions, good accompaniments... Good stuff! It'll be really cool to hear how you'll continue with this, especially since it seems to pick up pace towards the end of the wip.

[Serenade]

I loved it! It's nice and calm and I am just a LOVER for Mario OC ReMixes!

Please finish this because I'm just yearning to hear more!

[JeromeBaritone]

You sure about that chord at :16?

Really though - it sounds very nice.

[Sil]

If you depend too much on your upper voices and melody, you're going to run into walls, especially in a piece this quick and rhythm-driven. It's the bass line that is going to move this piece forward, and in light-hearted orchestra pieces, that bass is 99.9% always covered by pizz cellos and basses.

As for counterpoint, the bass line gives you an opportunity to imitate lines and rhythms heard in the upper voices that can then be used to drive the piece forward as well.

Here's an example of how you can easily use the bass for rhythmic clarity, both using pizz and counterpoint:

http://jeremyrobson.com/example.mid

[blue.nocturne]

Thanks a lot for the comments. Sadly, I messed up the hyperlink, and it was still the old gimp bass version. However, I finally have some direction and I feel it is polished pretty well at this moment. I however, felt that I was in a bad key for accenting bass, especially for the Gusty Garden section. No matter what I stacked, the bass seemed either weak or had really bad tone. So in this update, you will see in the end, I am going to go for a Orchestra + Synth setup. The Orchestra will be the main focus of course, but the synthetic elements will cover over sections that the orchestra is a little weak.

Sil made a really good point with the bass being the moving force behind the song, and I will probably focus a lot more on a strong, yet appropriate bass. And he was right, I DID hit a major brick wall until I decided to use sine wave to help out the bass. I actually attempted to scrap the entire idea I had now, but after failing a remake, I'm keeping the original idea.

I am really starting to think version 1.1 might just have a chance.

http://files.filefront.com/SMG+Remix+v+11mp3/;9904605;/fileinfo.html

[blue.nocturne]

Here's the newest version (v.1.2): Finally at the Gusty Garden part! http://files.filefront.com/SMG+Remix+v+12mp3/;9911832;/fileinfo.html

Everything here is pretty much complete, except (1:50 - end) will be extended of course, and will be made better than the part just before it.

I think it's going along quite decently, except I have 3 major things that I'm debating.

1. Is it original enough?

Zircon mentioned I stuck to the source quite a bit. Is what I have so far "original" enough? Right now I'm at a spot that can allow me to add all sorts of material, so this is the best time to catch me on this.

2. The intro. (0:00 - 0:10)

Harp + Glockenspiel (bells), it's meant to serve as this "appetizer." To make the other sections sound more grandiose. Should I make it more interesting or keep it as is?

3. Sine Wave Bass. (0:46 - 1:14)

It reinforces the bass and adds a little more personality to the section. Is it a good match or is it just annoying being the only synth element in an orchestral piece?

[Eino Keskitalo]

My measly 2c..

Overall, sounding good. Lighthearted and fun. Not familiar with the original so I can't comment if this sticks to it too much or not.

2. The intro. (0:00 - 0:10)

Harp + Glockenspiel (bells), it's meant to serve as this "appetizer." To make the other sections sound more grandiose. Should I make it more interesting or keep it as is?

Harp fading out is weird. What's the effect you want? Do it with the arrangement, not with a mixing desk fader. The harp could pluck out some quiet chords at that point for instance.

edit: Oh yeah, the "appetizer" idea works out for me.

3. Sine Wave Bass. (0:46 - 1:14)

It reinforces the bass and adds a little more personality to the section. Is it a good match or is it just annoying being the only synth element in an orchestral piece?

I have to say I really, really like how it sounds, but it's true, it sounds kind of lonely being the only synthy thing out there. Is it dry or does it have the same reverb the orchestra has? I don't know if it would help, but you could try to make it sound it's played through a speaker in the same room that the orchestra plays in.

You can always put a synth player in the orchestra (and someone playing electric drums with NES sounds in the kit - heh, I'd love that). But you might ultimately be have an easier time with just the traditional instruments.

--Eino

[Robotaki]

Pretty cool stuff man! Here's a few fastcritiques that may/may not help:

* The oboe coming in at 0:21 had a little less "character" than the flute you had in the previous version you had. I wouild stick with the flute sample but that's just me. The lightheartedness of the flute fit the overall mood of the piece.

* The synth did feel slightly out of place for me, but I think it mainly has to do with its entry into the orchetral. As it settled in, I thought it sounded perfectly fine. You've gotta come up with some sorta creative way to bring it into the soundscape that isn't too sudden. Sry to say but I don't have any clue how to do this lol.

* Starting from the introduction of the strings to the new section at 1:38, the attacks on the strings were getting a little too similar to me. Maybe alter up the attacks on the notes if possible?

All in all, really sickkkk. hehe, nice work =p

[blue.nocturne]

I've decided to scratch out completely what I did before. If you want to hear what I left off with, you can click here for the old version: http://files.filefront.com/SMG+Remix+v+13mp3/;9964672;/fileinfo.html

After getting about 2 minutes, I really don't feel it will get any YES's at all.

After doing one of Abadoss's CMCs though, I finally hit inspiration for this piece.

I took totally different approach, so it's still an orchestral remix, but now it is now mainly rhythm based. Here is the NEWEST version: http://files.filefront.com/Gusty+Garden+Temple+Remixmp3/;9964673;/fileinfo.html

Think the judges will like this type of style?

First post is updated for more details.