Parsec Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I wanted to get an opinion on this. It's a remix of the Temple of Fiends music from Final Fantasty 1: http://www.parsecproductions.net/music/RuinOfFiends.mp3 I was aiming for a kind of slower string/piano mix that was more mysterious-sounding. Feedback appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProjectSpam Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Very beautiful intro. Lovin' the pads, and the ascending piano accompaniment. Sounds very good so far (up to 1:20). I was expecting something big to happen 1:30, but it didn't. I'm fine with where it goes, but I feel like it could have been more interesting arrangement-wise from that point 'til 3:07. Might want to add some variance in the ethereal-sounding piano in the background. This is a nice arrangement, but on a second listen I don't think this is a song I could keep coming back to, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I think it's because it doesn't really have a killer-awesome section, it's just good and enjoyable all around. It definitely has a mysterious sound, especially in the last minute, so kudos to that. I like this. I think this is a solid arrangement, with nice accompaniment to a timeless tune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bardofawen Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 There's a lot of good stuff here. As ProjectSpam said, the intro is really great. The layering of the strings/pads is haunting, as are the chimes delivering the original theme's counterpoint. The whole piece feels very much like an ethereal mist glittering with pinpricks of starlight. The addition of the piano echoing a reminder of the famous prelude is a nice touch, but the instrumentation doesn't quite work for me. It might work if you had a better piano, or it might work on a different instrument. Right now, the piano just sounds weak and fake compared to your other instruments. After the first minute or so, we've heard pretty much everything there is to this piece, we've got strings and ethereal voices and tinkling chimes and piano, but they all pretty much to their own thing. The voices in particular become a bit grating. They start wonderfully, but they go on for too long, become too prominent, and they never changed tone. There's nothing wrong with a drone of course, but this one isn't working for me. It goes from been really subtle and lovely to beating me over the head with a bat that says "Look! I'm mysterious!" More subtlety please! Don't be afraid to step a little further away from the original work. Let the pads explore some different harmonies. Play with different sounds and try different layering effects. Maybe even throw in some nonstandard percussion effects. As it stands, the mystery wears off to fast, so keep us on the edge of our seats. Looking forward to hearing more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsec Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 Okay, I've uploaded a new version (the link is the same). This one has some modifications in the latter parts, and also uses some better piano samples. Again, feedback is appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsec Posted January 17, 2009 Author Share Posted January 17, 2009 Sorry to bump this, but I really wanted to get some feedback on the current version before I submit it to the judges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZealPath Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 This worked pretty well for me, always liked the source and your take on it seems pretty solid. It's definitely slower, and trying to evoke the setting on a grander scale, which I think it mostly succeeds at. There was a part in the middle that I expected might be building to something big but instead things quieted down and you took the piano route, which is fine in my book, it could have gone either way. Overall it's a very low key mix, and I like the way it slowly faded out with the signature prelude on the piano, very nice touch. I will never proclaim to be an expert but I think you're either very close, or ready to submit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otakatt Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 This was definitely pretty. I enjoyed it, but as was stated by someone earlier, I'd find it hard to keep coming back to it for multiple listens. As I listen, it feels like it's all working towards some kind of awesome build up, but it sorta.. remains the same for the most part. So that's my only 'problem' with it. But it's not bad. Temple of Fiends is one of my favorite FF1 tunes, and it's nice to hear a different take on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJiLe Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 very nice. as i some of the previous commenters noted, this mix isn't really about a story arc, it's more about establishing a moment and exploring that. but to that end, it's really well done. Nice harmonic and rhythmic variations, good orchestration.. i think the theme is well-placed within the mix. if i had to give any constructive criticism, it would be just two things--one, the piano, at its chordal entrance at 1:30, is heavy on the arpeggiations. it might be fine if they were human-played, but to have so many back-to-back arpeggios performed by a sequencer really pulls you out of the trance the rest of it so carefully constructs. this section only lasts until 1:54, but it really sticks out. and two, although some commented earlier that they enjoyed this, i'd like to hear a final fantasy orchestrated/piano mix that didn't use the prelude theme as background. if you are going to use it, and it does work fine here, maybe consider changing it up a little, a la Kevin Lau's 'Aeris Lives.' other than that, the mix works nicely. it would fit well looped as game music itself because of the lack of development, and that's not a bad thing. good luck submitting and all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seizuiroleplayer Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 I like it. I honestly do not really care for the whole 'and then the song transforms into the BIG MARCH OF THE AGES' as some of the folks are suggesting. There are some songs that are pretty good for a certain type of mood. I can use this in one of my games for when I have my group explore a strange place, or when I do my own personal roleplay in that regard. I like this one a lot, since Temple of Fiends is my favoite song in FF1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsec Posted January 29, 2009 Author Share Posted January 29, 2009 Interestingly, I wasn't even intending to put in the FF prelude. I just wrote a countermelody in that I thought sounded good, and then after the fact realized that it contained a bit of the prelude. I guess it can really get into your subconscious. I think you're right about the arppegiations though; it IS a bit overused in that part. If I remove most of them, but leave a few in, it'll probably sound a little more natural. Otherwise, it seems good to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pander Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Interestingly, I wasn't even intending to put in the FF prelude. I just wrote a countermelody in that I thought sounded good, and then after the fact realized that it contained a bit of the prelude. I guess it can really get into your subconscious.I think you're right about the arppegiations though; it IS a bit overused in that part. If I remove most of them, but leave a few in, it'll probably sound a little more natural. Otherwise, it seems good to go. Very good low-tempo piece. I think all that can be said has, it hits the right notes from the original while still adding something all its own. Well done, hope it passes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsec Posted January 30, 2009 Author Share Posted January 30, 2009 I've uploaded a new version (same link) that has some of the arpeggiations removed in the middle, but I left a few of them in. Better this way? If so, I think it's about ready to submit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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