Kingdom Hearts 2 'Sinister Sundown'

[blue.nocturne]

In an attempt to refine my orchestral techniques, I decided to remake Sinister Sundown from KHII. Now it's a REMAKE not a REMIX, at least in this phase of the project...

I may consider making it a remix later on, but for now it's just a remake.

I mainly practiced more on balance and articulations for this piece, instead of just forcefully trying to get a sound out of my VSTs. Overall the version is as conservative as it can possibly get, as all the instruments are pretty much the same. I did not know what kind of synths Shimomura used for the background and timbre, so I just used something close enough to match it.

Here's the link: http://files.filefront.com/Sinister+Sundown+Remakemp3/;12159633;/fileinfo.html

For now, it's not going to be submitted or anything.. but if anyone starts a Kingdom Hearts Album project then it could be used for that.

[Uboichi2]

You're making it really difficult for me to have some proper feedback for you, but I'll try anyway.

What you did, like you said, was creating a very conservative remake. You had an original sound version that you could use as a reference point to check whether your balance was right or not. However, I think you should try creating a bit of original material to find out how you balance that. I usually find it to be really hard to trust my own ears when trying to find a balance with original or arranged works. So my advice to you would be to make some original material (or heavily arranged) to learn more about your own skills with balancing out the orchestra. Just a 10 second fragment would be enough to learn a lot more about how you work.

[Spakku]

So this is basically just asking for how to improve technical details about the production quality, the project itself unimportant?

Well, I guess it sounds alright.

I think a better way to hone your skills would be to make a different arrangement than the one that already existed. You already know how this one works, since it's the same as the source. If you change the arrangement you'll be forced to balance it without a reference point. It'd be harder but I think it would get more done.

[blue.nocturne]

Well, this was more of a remake version for people that may possibly be interested in hearing Sinister Sundown with better synths and different articulations. More of a personal experiment I guess because I am having trouble balancing certain pieces, and I decided to do something less original to learn about proper instrument positions and etc.

If you want to hear an arrangement, I have this: http://files.filefront.com/Dr+Wily+Symphonicmp3/;11922864;/fileinfo.html <-- completely different song

I felt that it was way too bright and that articulations could have been a lot better. I know the balance isn't terrible, but I'm really not sure how to make it "awesome."

So this is basically just asking for how to improve technical details about the production quality, the project itself unimportant?

Well not quite, I guess I was unclear. I'm just putting it out there to see if the orchestration sounds good enough, or if I'm seriously missing something/should do something better. The project itself is important, since I actually want to make this a remix or part of a remix someday.

[SplinterOfChaos]

KH2:

I think the orchestration sounds pretty good, but there's a lot of it competing for my ears. I'd suggest toning down just a few of the sounds. That is, if I'm not dead wrong...

Wily:

Even my computer can't count how many remixes of this I've heard! Seriously. Heap overflow with only one variable. (If you got that, you must be a programmer.)

Bias aside, it's pretty good. Exactly what I'd expect from that song orchestrated. Actually, that's the problem. Surprise me.

[HoboKa]

Yeah the EQ is a bit...competitive as the last reviewer stated. And if it is too liberal, then it's a no-go to start, cuz the J's obviously want something that's considered to be a rearrangement, not just a cover. With those gripes aside, this is a beautiful arrangement Mr Nocturne. It's very nostalgic too ^^

[Rozovian]

No source link, no source comment.

The marimba/xylophone could use some velocity work, and it's pretty repetitive. Getting into another rhythm would probably take it away from the source. Soundwise, it's beautiful, pretty much what I expected from you.

I gotta agree with Uub and Spakku tho, best way to learn is, in this case, to do a different arrangement, whether original or remix, I'm not sure a remake this static (in terms of texture) is really giving you the room to really work on the intricate details. More change in rhtyhm, intensity, etc, a more varied arrangement to be working ont he intricate details of.