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OCR01304 - Final Fantasy VI "Battle on a New Continent"


djpretzel
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Oh, okay. I think you're mistaken actually. If you're talking about the harmonies during the New Continent part, at the beginning and at the end, the higher part is actually a synth, not a guitar. Now, I've had some people tell me they liked it, some don't. I guess it comes down to a question of opinions.

The thing is, the synth harmony is actually two layered synths with different portamento settings, and when they both reach the note, I guess it "piles" up a little bit too much and creates some kind of mid frequency ringing. I guess I could've catched this when I was mixing, but it didn't bother me. Now that you mention it though, it is a little bit annoying.

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My first post here...

Anyway, I want to say that this mix is quality work. I tend to be a fan of the "orchestral offal" but different kinds of remixes are welcome. Initially your interpretation of the Floating Continent was shocking, with the high synths, and I almost stopped listening but on a second play I decided otherwise. Good job shaking things up.

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Ah, I see. Yeah, you should do something about that, as it really takes away from the rest of the song.

And a complaint to someone else, what is with the nonsense in the remix description? I'm a musician myself and have taken some theory, but what in the world does it mean to have an "Ethereal, Cthulhian energy?" Cthulhian is not a word. Speak English.

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This suffers from some mixing problems and a fairly weak percussion part that hinders some of the development of the arrangement by the occasionally awkward timing. Despite that, the energy and accuracy of the guitar playing and soloing really shine. The tone is a bit lo-fi, but it seems to be put to good use, and the layering on the guitars works really well. That solo at 2:36 kicks ass.

Good work. I just wish this was re-mixed with a different percussion part...

I'll agree about the percussion. Could have been more fitting the style. Towards the beginning, it's almost orch-style percussion with a rock drumset.

That part at :40-50/3:35-50 may be stylistically off key or whatever, but I think it just sounds... really bad.

Solo after 1:00 does rock. Solo at 2:36 is even better. Plodding drums make it less enjoyable.

Great ideas, meh execution. Could have been done far better; just not enjoyable as is.

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Well, I find it strange how most people's problems are with the drums, especially since they're not meant to be the focus of the arrangement at all ! I can understand to some extent how someone would find the part a little simple, but having the drums fly off every direction at every opportunity is in my book not a good solution at all. Its role was mostly one to be one of time-keeping, since all the layers of stuff happening over it are requiring enough attention as it is.

As for the harmony part being off-key, I beg to differ. It's not. I'm not checking right now, but if I remember correctly, it's based on one of the two octotonic scales, which are very common in "modern" music. That you like it or not is your opinion and it has to be respected, but there's nothing wrong there.

I'm glad you liked the solos though ! A shame that you don't enjoy the song though.

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The difference in opinion between us would more or less be that to you drums are for 'time keeping' while to me percussion is a very significant part of a song and should be treated with the same attention and creativity as any other part. "having the drums fly off every direction at every opportunity" is most certainly not what I'm talking about.

As for off-key/on-key, I have found that there are rules in music theory to justify doing just about anything, however there is no music theory that will give you any sort of answer to what will 'sound good at all times'. There are times to use this technique, and there are times when it doesn't fit. It may be very sound in music theory, but to me it certainly does not fit. In a song where a well defined key and melodic counterpart are expected, I don't think that the 'octotonic scales' or whatever this is (sorry, I really dont know much theory jargon) fit at all well within.

Like anything else said here, this is all just opinion. There is never a right or wrong.

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Daaaaaamn, fast reply. I like this :P

And about the drums, I really didn't mean the drums part had to be strictly for time-keeping. Like I explained, it's just that in the context of this song I prefered making it relatively simple so it wouldn't overshadow what is happening in the other parts.

Also, I hear what you say about music theory. I NEVER do something for the sake of trying it, like going "Oh let's try putting a supra-phrygian #14 mode there, it will be leet". I did that harmony that way because it's what I heard in my head when I was composing. I thought (and still think) that the New Continent melody lent itself to that sort of thing well, since it's already pretty "out". But, you said it, it's your opinion, I won't try to force it.

And just a quick note so you'll know what I was talking about, the two octotonic scales I was talking about are made of alternance between tones and half-tones. Ie: One begins by, say, C-Db-Eb and so on, and the other would be C-D-Eb and so on. It results in a scale that is made of 8 notes, instead of 7 like major/minor and the various common modes. Sounds nifty, but it's pretty difficult to use. You'll hear it in jazz sometimes.

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Now now, everyone is misunderstanding me ! If I was really like you're all saying I am, I would've done an AC/DC arrangement ! I think I managed to insert a couple of nice fills in there. No, it's not Virgil Donati or Terry Bozzio playing, but damn, is there actually something wrong in making a good ol' heavy drum track ? And this is coming from a bass player.

Anyway, stop reading the crap I write, go back to listening to the song, and if you can honestly tell me the drums are bad, then I give you the point. And, IMO, whether you like it or not, percussions' role IS time-keeping. Maybe I'm being overly on the defensive or something, but I really have a hard time understanding how you could find something wrong with the drum track. Barely original or simple, yes, I admit it could've been better, but saying the drums are bringing the entire song down, woah there.

Also, keep an eye on VGMix. I have another arrangement in the works of a very different mood, and the drums are alot more dynamic.

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I take back what I said earlier about not keeping the song. It's actually possible to somehow program to this music. :P

And I absolutely love the intro up to 0:10, brings me back to thinking about the giant "iron" in FLCL for some reason.

Oh yeah, and I love 1:46-1:56, and then the "siren" that follows up to 2:15.

Nice work!

-Austin Spafford

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Overall, this is a nice piece of work. I really like the twist of tune at around tha lte 0:40, the wicked guitar and all. The background guitar was really good too, great job on that as well.

the part at 4:00+ was a bit...funny. Didn't really like that part, because I was hoping for something really really 'wicked, but apparently that wasn't enough.

Liked the softening end tho.

7/10, good job.

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  • 8 months later...

Dude, this is totally not my style, but good that you did it anyway, there are sure to be some metal-fans somewhere around here. But I found it hard to hear any melodies, I recognized the theme to the floating island, but many else. But it may be hard also to do a descent melody when all you got is a full-thottle guitar and some drums that goes crazy.

However, great mix, this site really needs some variation, although this isn´t my choice of music.

Metal :twisted:

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  • 2 months later...
  • 4 months later...
  • 1 year later...

..pass me some more of that octotonic shit..

Ahh, what a fine, thick piece of madness. I definitely like. The main lead sound is thankfully not omnipresent, it's a bit tiring to listen to constantly, but there are breaks from it and anyway, what is played is some wicked stuff indeed. And I don't mean that it's bad in itself. Maybe a bit more guitar tone variation could have been there, but not a major complaint.

I can see what the drum complaints are about.. I like most of it, but especially the first part below that big guitar solo it's both too simple and too loud. Some quick but fairly quiet hihat runs for instance would have been better than frequency-hogging constant cymbal bashing, in my opinion. The second part is actually a bit like what I'm talking about, but less subtle. I do kinda love that bashing cymbal sound, but at the same time it's one of the sounds that gives it a bit mechanical feel - it sounds the same all the time. Some (volume, ...) variation there could have been good.

But hey, that's a lot of nitpicking since overall I thoroughly enjoy this arrangement, and also the sound! It's evil and thick and yet not overbearing.

--Eino

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