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OCR02312 - Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past "Dancing Leaves"

djpretzel

By djpretzel,
in ReMix Comments/Reviews

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DominusVita Newbie

DominusVita

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Although both the previous entry from Chrono cross and this one are of the same genre, their is a distinctly different feel between them. This one seems to alternate between a more somber, "easy-listening" sound to it, and a much more fiery and vibrant set of melodies with appropriate volume. The "lighter" parts of it definitely have a taste of debussy in it. I greatly enjoyed this one. I already have an affinity for classical remixes, and this one doesn't dissapoint - even if it seems a bit too loud at certain points (particularly around 1:30).

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SubNormal J3 Newbie

SubNormal J3

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The Debussy and Ravel influence is tastefully apparent, and the addition of more modern elements make this especially enjoyable. Koji Kondo's Zelda works appeal very much to this style.

Though my piano skills aren't nearly as proficient as yours, I can still relate. The performance is well done, and that is no easy feat. I remember the many months it took for me to prepare Debussy's Suite Bergamasque IV: Passepied for performance way back when. This genre's unorthodox, broken chords aren't easy to play!

Breakdown:

0:00 Excellent variations on the original chords.

0:09 Classy chromatic digression

0:21 I like how you changed these chords. It has a bit of a Super Mario Galaxy flavor to it.

0:42 The intricacies of the rolling harmonies are quite enjoyable.

1:24 the "Jaws" style buildup felt a bit out of Zelda character

1:29 while not strictly part of the source, these chords are engaging

1:48 this motif reminds me of another good piano mix, by Jormungand, on the Xenogears album, "First Meeting - The Shadowed Forest (Forest of the Black Moon) especially at its 4:00 mark

2:10 a nice reinterpretation of the opening following by a simple, but effective ending

I'm assuming that this was recorded with a virtual instrument. As for production, it was a bit too soft in terms of loudness compared to other classical recordings I have. I think the main reason for that is that frequency distribution in your track was quite heavy in the lows. I'd have trimmed those down 3db or so, and used that loudness elseware. Aside from that, the rest of the spectrum was very nice, in my opinion. The softer highs gave the track a pleasant, warm sound.

If you have any more tracks in the works, I (and I'm sure many others) would love to hear more!

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Xenon Odyssey Newbie

Xenon Odyssey

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This is fantastic; the arrangement definitely 'screams' Debussy and Ravel but has enough charater to hold its own. My only criticism is that it's a little on the short side, but considering the level of skill it takes to play something of this calibur, I have no right to complain, let alone bring it up. I sincerely hope we get to hear more from you, Mr. Nano!

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docnano Newbie

docnano

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Thanks for the comments so far, everyone! I pretty much went crazy with the interpretation of this one, so I understand concerns about it being too liberal. I agree with djp that it can be tricky to apply the same standards across genres varying from hip hop to impressionism and beyond... so, glad this one made the shave. :smile:

SubNormal, definitely appreciate the comments about production. I still have plenty to learn!

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evory Newbie

evory

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I'm still as blown away by this as I was the first time. And I stand by what I said, that I like this more than a lot of "actual" impressionistic music I've heard. Amazing work, doc, congrats on making it onto the site! :) (though it was a "when" more so than an "if" haha)

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Guifrog Newbie

Guifrog

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Holy gecko! Impressionistic and impressive, such a Debussy's debut.

The mix is meant to conjure up images of being lost in an eerie, enchanted forest. Around every turn there are leaves fluttering in the distance, constantly moving behind a pall of bluish mist, playing tricks on your eyes and ears. If you listen carefully, they almost seem to be laughing at you...

I love this type of art in music, with stories behind the melodies. May I say, in this song they're pretty much disturbing somehow, coz they don't just pass through the ears. It's such an intimidating, eerie mood, I'd most probably compare it to something like its backstory.

I love <3 it, dude! Even though it scares me sometimes :P

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docnano Newbie

docnano

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Ever considered jazz?

Rather, you best consider jazz.

LOVE bebop jazz in particular. I tinker (and fail) from time to time. It's the whole improv thing. But we still need to find something to collab on.

Also, just for kicks, here's a comparison of volume levels across three piano recordings I have, two of them being professional recordings:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0ByCPbTAe4OkKNjk2MWM0MjMtMGM3Ny00OTAwLTk0ZTEtNjlmNDFiOTcwMjRi&hl=en_US

So, volume-wise, I think my mix falls safely within the norm for even professional piano recordings, even though other aspects of the production are sub-professional.

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SwordBreaker Newbie

SwordBreaker

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My first casual listen cast a negative impression on me because I couldn't detect the source tunes at all. Then, I reprogrammed my mind to look out for it the 2nd time around...and that's when I realized the brilliance of this piano mix. This is definitely not one of those tunes which flashes the source in your face. Not only is the playing fluid, but it's such a creative way to present the Lost Woods track. It's like when someone states something, but you didn't get it. So then he/she starts explaining it to you.

Great stuff. Looking forward to more.

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C7 Newbie

C7

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This is really great work! I think the source is present enough. Even parts that don't have it specifically, allude to it just fine. The development was a little more in-depth than a lot of remixes, but that's a good thing as far as I'm concerned. You did a great job! Excellent playing, too! Please, please keep it up.

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WillRock Newbie

WillRock

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I'm really loving the creative way the sources are utilized here, and the harmonies are just so lush and beautiful... a fantastic piece of work here, like everything else you do.

Yes its rather liberal but I have no trouble making the connections to the sources here. My biggest gripe here is the cut off ending. It just stops dead, sounds very unnatural. Thats the nitpick of nitpicks tho.

I'd love to collab with you sometime :D

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  • Liontamer changed the title to OCR02312 - Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past "Dancing Leaves"

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