Movin orchestra an metal arrangement from ff8

[bluelighter]

Hi guys !

I am working for few months on a remix of Movin from ff8. I wanted to make an orchestra arrangement with some metal sounds. For this project, I use software Final 2008, Guitar Pro 5 and magic music maker for the mixing.

So here it’s the original music,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9PcnZKmyxs

And the first version : DELETED

HERE FOR THE LAST VERSION : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-yPIuZvfWA

The ending is still to work, I don’t yet have a solid structure. I think I will add may be 2 minutes on the final mix.

So, what do you think of the present mix? I’m open of any suggestions !

Thanks you for your feedbacks !

Bluelighter

[Swann]

I've never played FFVIII, but I like it.

The main gripe I have is the lack of the lower end of the sound spectrum. Adding in an orchestral bass drum, or even a kick when the guitars are featured, would be a great addition. In the same train of thought, a cello in the isolated string sections (toward the end of the remix is where I noticed) would give your sound as a whole a much fuller tone.

Keep working, this sounds greats so far!

[bluelighter]

At the moment, my difficulty is to balance metal and orchestra. If metal is too powerfull, we don’t hear the orchestra. And in the contrary, if I reduce sound of metal, I lose in rhythm. So, yes I think, bass drum is a good solution to increase power of orchestra.

For the end, I’m working on an transition toward a part more metal. I want it more heavy than the beginning. But I still hesitate with other ideas. So we'll see !

Thanks !

[Dunther]

I think this has pretty much potential, I'm a big fan of FF8 and his soundtrack, and I like Movin. Keep on!

[bluelighter]

Hi !

I'm a big fan of FF8 and his soundtrack, and I like Movin

Yes, I think also. ff8’s soundtrack is simply exceptional !

Here it is the new version of the mix.

DELETED

The main upgrades are :

- guitar more accentuated for its solo (maybe too much some time…)

- part metal globally accentuated

- brass reduced in middle part to have a better accent on the melody. I think the transition is more natural

After that, I’ll add some accent of percussion of orchestra and work for the end.

So, what do you think about this?

Thanks you

[Dunther]

Yes, it's surely better, but I don't think that it'll pass the judges panel...

I'm not an expert, but I think you should work on the mixing...

[bluelighter]

Sure, it's not ready yet. I've haven't the end, the balance metal/orchestra is not still perfect. But I think it's good to have a first opinion.

I've ideas to complete mix. I work on this, and when I'll a real base, I'll start to work on the global mixing.

Thanks

[bluelighter]

Hi Guys !!

Here it is the last version of the mix.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-yPIuZvfWA

This time, the structure is completed.

· Part 1 :

o 0’’ Intro

o 27’’ announce of the melody

o 1’20’’ transition

· Part 2 : Main Theme a (3 times)

o 1’35 violin solo *2

o 1’55 brass

· Part 3 : Variation :

o 2’05 Violin & Chorus

o 2’26 Arpeggio of the intro

o 2’47 Part ultra speed (very small extract from ff9 battle Theme 2)

· Part 4 : 3’08 soft

· Part 5 : 3’38 Main Theme b

· Part 6 : 4’12 finale (extract from ff7's world crisis)

Well, for the last part, I’m not sure it’s really coherent with the global mix. What do you think ?

Some upgrades since the last version :

· Structure nearly completed, with a part more free

· Adding of some instruments :

o orchestra percussion

o chorus in part 3

o harp in part 4

But, I have also some problems:

· I don’t find satisfying ending

· Since the part 5, I find bass and guitar too repetitive. Maybe I should add some effect with guitar more speed

· As you have certainly notice, there is of problem of recording at the ending. It’s because, I wanted to reduce tempo. I specified precise during for each note on my 2 software, but they play differently. I don’t understand (!!??)

· For orchestral percussion, should I more develop? I’m afraid, to degenerate in electro orchestra; wich is not the spirit of the mix.

· In some part, I don’t manage to get a satisfying record with guitar Pro

o Part 3c (ff9, battle2), sounds of snare drums are not equal (I hope, we can’t hear it too much)

o Part 3b : the Arpeggio is different from what I wanted. I chose a clean electric guitar to have a clear sound, and I can’t get a sound… clean -> If so use Guitar Pro, I would be delighted to have some advice J

In spite, of this some points, we can have a good idea of the final arrangement. What do you think? If you have some ideas, advices… don’t hesitate. Master Uematsu deserve a good mix for his music and I really want to progress!

Thanks for feedback !

[Dunther]

I think the composition is awesome, but most of the instruments (guitars specially) doesn't sound...polish enough...

[Diseased Project]

I don't know why anyone would use YouTube as a channel to make their music heard. The sound goes to shit there. Why not just upload an mp3 somewhere. There are tons of places to choose from that can storage your files.

And about the song itself: I hope your not hoping that this would pass the judges panel. The sounds (especially on the "guitar") are BAD, and why is that? Because it's MIDI. The song would be a whole lot better just by removing the guitar track. Better yet, record an actual guitar, or ask someone to do it for you. Also, the drum track sounds bad too. It's as fake as they get. And it sounds to me like it's losing rhythm in 2:49 part.

On the plus side, the orchestra stuff is well written (based on a couple of quick looks on some parts, I didn't want to listen to the whole thing as it is). But like before, I wish it would sound better. I understand your limited software, but unfortunately, the horrible quality of the MIDI instruments kills the track thoroughly.

Edit: Also, I hope the orchestra stuff isn't ripped from somewhere. I don't know the original, but after listening to the intro of the original and your remix, to me they sound a lot alike.

[bluelighter]

The sounds (especially on the "guitar") are BAD, and why is that? Because it's MIDI.

I didn't see guitar was so bad. But it's not MIDI ! With Guitar PRO, we use RSE (Realistic Sound Engine), so it must sound like a real guitar.

But, with all your feedbacks, I think there's a real pb. Maybe I have to increase humanization of playing to have a more realist sound. Or the instrument is not well chose. If I can’t resolve this, I’ll use an other software.

What about the bass? Does it sound correctly? Theoretically, it’s sound with the same quality as the guitar.

After posting, I saw that at the part 1, orchestra is not enough loud compare to the metal line. It’s also maybe the reason why the guitar sounds to be too many. I have to work to a better balance.

For the structure, I know that the intro is similar to the original. My own arrangement starts when metal part begins. It’s freer from the transition on (1’20), and very different from the source at the parts 3 and 4. So I think it’s a real arrangement. Do you think it’s too close to original?

[Dunther]

But it's not MIDI ! With Guitar PRO, we use RSE (Realistic Sound Engine), so it must sound like a real guitar.

It's still a MIDI, and no, it doesn't sound like a real guitar. Anyway Guitar Pro is really far from OCR standards, maybe you should try another program.

My suggestion is to considerate to make a collaboration with another remixer to improve the overall quality, maybe you can choose a real guitarrist to play for you

[bluelighter]

My suggestion is to considerate to make a collaboration with another remixer to improve the overall quality, maybe you can choose a real guitarrist to play for you

Yeah it's a good idea ! I'll try to do this for all the metal part. Maybe for the drum, reprogramming with an other software could be sufficient. I'm not sure that the drum part is realy passable with a real player.

Thank's for advice !!