Final Fantasy 10 'Prayers for Zanarkand' (In Zanarkand)

[TheHands]

I decided to try a more harsh take on the Zanarkand theme from FFX. I'm still relatively new to electronic music, more so to arranging other people's work, so all feedback would be appreciated.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=755983&songID=6895698

[Rozovian]

Piano could use much more contrast. EQ, multitrack compressor, something to raise the highs and lows of it, give more definition to it. Piano writing is a little on the mechanical side of things, it should be more expressive.

The guitar sounds like it's got a flanger or something on it before its distortion stage. It also sounds very fake. You can use that in some genres, but not really in this. Go for a sound with less wannabe guitar and more rude synth, or figure out some way to inject tons of life into your guitar writing and effects.

Drums+piano... weak. Having a bass there with them might improve it. Drums aren't nearly powerful enough for the style I hear you trying to go for. They work in the calm sections, but not at all in the more intense ones.

Overall, there's a lack of reverb and you don't seem to have worked that much on sound quality either.

Source is there, and despite the similar progression, I think it's interpretive enough. The quality, however, isn't on OCR's level yet. The arrangement isn't bad (tho some transitions are), but you need to work on the sound quality, production, mixing. More finesse, better production, and it'd be so much better.

[AJ-enova]

you need to make it sound more like original track. its kinda tricky recognising the melody

[TheHands]

Piano could use much more contrast. EQ, multitrack compressor, something to raise the highs and lows of it, give more definition to it. Piano writing is a little on the mechanical side of things, it should be more expressive.

The guitar sounds like it's got a flanger or something on it before its distortion stage. It also sounds very fake. You can use that in some genres, but not really in this. Go for a sound with less wannabe guitar and more rude synth, or figure out some way to inject tons of life into your guitar writing and effects.

Drums+piano... weak. Having a bass there with them might improve it. Drums aren't nearly powerful enough for the style I hear you trying to go for. They work in the calm sections, but not at all in the more intense ones.

Overall, there's a lack of reverb and you don't seem to have worked that much on sound quality either.

Source is there, and despite the similar progression, I think it's interpretive enough. The quality, however, isn't on OCR's level yet. The arrangement isn't bad (tho some transitions are), but you need to work on the sound quality, production, mixing. More finesse, better production, and it'd be so much better.

I'd prefer not to go the way of synth, honestly. I still need to figure out the small things, like vibrato and the way a note naturally dissipates when it's strummed.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=755983&songID=6907911

That's the updated version so far.

[Rozovian]

Piano needs reverb. It could also use some EQing to bring out its highs and lows a bit more.

I get what you're going for with guitar. Pitch controlled by mod wheel via an lfo at 6Hz (or the other way around, can't remember) should get you a nice vibrato, and pitch bends at the end of a few sustained notes should get you a little more realism. I'm more concerned with the repetitive guitar sound - doens't sound organic. COuld be the sample, could be the amp sim and effects. Setting little things (volume, pitch, cutoff) to be influenced by different lfos can get you _some_ life, but I still think you'd be better off with a synth sound.

You should also drop the guitar levels, it sounds way too loud compared to everything else. The overall volume of the track is also low.

Getting there...

Please take the time to answer the questions in this post.

[audio fidelity]

better drum samples will really help take this over the top

[TheHands]

I've been working on the EQ now that I've started to figure it out, this is what I have so far.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6919610

[Swordslayer]

I'm not a music composer, just a listener, so if I seem to harsh sorry lol.

I see where your trying to go with the guitar and stuff, but you need to make it sorta sound like the song =/ Like at the beginning I recognized it.... but like 15 secs later it changed into something new, which is what normal remixes do. Though halfway I'm thinking to myself "What part of the original song is he on now....?"

I dunno, To Zanarkand is a song with a lot of emotion. I recommend putting emphasis on the piano in the begging, to remind the listeners what it is they are listening to, then add the guitar and drums, but then suddenly have the piano comming back with the other insrtuments (ex: Some of the kingdom heart songs).

I dunno, either way you composed SOMETHING which is more then anything I'll ever do XD I can see the potential in this song, just remeber you're remixing so be sure to show signs of that solemn soundtrack. =D

[TheHands]

Hey Swordslayer, welcome to OCR! Have some faith in yourself, even if you practice by composing MIDIs and then learn how to use other programs, you can start and get involved if you wanted to.

As for the song, I didn't want it to have the same solemn feel of the original, I wanted to make it more agressive, as if it went from being a sad song to an angry one, which is the next natural flow of emotions. Even though it does have some spans where it is only just barely in the original song (if at all), I wanted to put just enough of the original to make sure that the message would get across.

I'm not sure which version you listened to, but they do all go back to the piano at times, blending with other instruments. In the times when it does, it is usually for the source work, so it's understood that it is still the same piece, only a little more furious.

I do appreciate your feedback though, and look forward to seeing your posts in the future.

[Rozovian]

Some backing guitars sound very synthy. Lead doesn't sound very organic. Guitar could use some different amp sim settings... I'm not even sure you're using an amp sim - you should (unless you're using a real amp).

Cymbals aren't very realistic. Vary velocities. Piano sounds thin. Could also use some velocity work, that and reverb.

0:55-section doesn't sound very good. Cymbals are just annoying, I'd drop those completely, let it be a bass+piano section. If the bass has life enough in its sound and writing, that could work well.

Listeners, please take the time to answer the questions in this post.

[TheHands]

Sorry for the huge delay in response, life hit me all at once.

I'll be working on this again over the next two weeks or so, giving regular updates.