Chrono Trigger - To Far Away Times WIP v0.4

[FunkyEntropy]

So I've got a new arrangement in the works. This has been bounding around in my head for a couple weeks now and it finally reached the point where I just absolutely HAD to sit down and get to it (my work ethic seems to revolve around manic frustration, such that I mull over something for long periods of time until I can't stand it anymore and then crank out the arrangement in under a day).

Latest version:

Notes: Now finished with transition to the 2nd half of the piece. Block chords are fun, although I want to do something to something in the horn part 2:22 to 2:26, I'm just not sure what. Up next: instead of flute, I'll use flugel! Or rather, when the group plays it, it'll be flugel horn. Until then, you'll just have to imagine it.

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Earlier versions:

Notes: Nearly finished with the first half of the piece. Opening, A theme, B theme, A' are pretty much done (note to self - go back and add slurs + more dynamics). Transition to the 2nd half is next. Hopefully I'll have more later today.

[Tyler Gill]

As a recent writeup said, this is probably one of my favorite songs, so it's good to see people working with it. As this is a rather early WIP, I'm gonna start by just throwing out all the thoughts I've got.

First of all, the samples are weak. With a lot of work, it might be possible to make them work, but I don't really know as fixing production isn't my strength. But the production will need some major overhaul at some point.

Going along with the samples, the dynamics and balance feel flat. All the instruments seem to be at the same volume the whole time, and they all take up the same space in the music. The place this was most noticeable to me was right around 0:35, where you start adding some more countermelodies, but it feels like it just mashes everything together. Something needs to be moved to the lower frequencies to balance out the spectrum, and I don't know if there's any reverb or anything yet, but it feels kinda dry, so a little might help out there. One other idea would be to pan some things around, so you have the (french horn?) original melody on the right, and the trumpets with your extra flair on the left, so they aren't competing quite so much for the same space.

And for the final critique, it's going to need more original flair if this is going to end up on OCR. I know it's short so far, but this whole introduction is largely a reinstrumentation of the original.

As you keep adding more to this, make sure you follow the original, but break out of it as well. Use it as an inspiration, but don't let it hold you to the same progression and flow that the original follows. I hope you can continue working on this, and continue learning some things along the way.

[Nonamer]

If you are going to expand, your instrumental choice is going to bring you down the hardest. They definitely sound unintentionally low grade. I would search for better instruments.

Other than that, SuperSlacker mentioned everything else.

[FunkyEntropy]

Well, a couple hours later and I've added about 20 seconds to the arrangement.

Thanks for the interest so far - I'd just like to note that you guys have motivated me to update my signature so I hopefully won't have to explain things every time.

Duly noted about the frequencies too close together; the tuba part will probably go down the octave at some point.

[Nonamer]

It's good that there's more variety (unless that extra part is in the original...I've never played Chrono Trigger), but again, the instruments need an overhaul.

It's good to see the work in progress though.

[FunkyEntropy]

Update with the A' section finished.

Notes: Nearly finished with the first half of the piece. Opening, A theme, B theme, A' are pretty much done (note to self - go back and add slurs + more dynamics). Transition to the 2nd half is next. Hopefully I'll have more later today.

Note on instruments: it's kind of hard to hear the tuba at the bottom of the track, and there's not a whole lot I can do about it. Kontact Player sucks, and at least this time it's keeping a fairly steady rhythm.

[FunkyEntropy]

Update with the C theme that serves as a transition to the calmer 2nd half of the source.

[metaphist]

Are you going to have an actual live brass quintet cover this? Aside from your sig, I think it's important to mention that. Do you plan on adding anything else, like percussion, strings, etc?