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*NO* Final Fantasy 3 'Beyond the Ocean's Borders'


djpretzel
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Contact Info

· ReMixer name: Uboichi

· Real name: Uub Jacobson

· Email address: uubjacobson@quicknet.nl

ReMix Info

· ReMixed game: Final Fantasy III

· ReMixed song: Boundless Ocean

I never actually played Final Fantasy 3 a lot, so I didn’t notice this song until I listened to the soundtrack. Boundless Ocean caught my intention as it was a beautiful song, but somehow just didn’t sound right. This arrangement for two flutes and a harp is my interpretation of how I think this song is supposed to sound.

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OCR Hosted NSF - Track 58 ("Boundless Ocean")

You chose a beautiful source tune, possibly my favorite song from FFIII. Let's start with some harmonic issues with the bridge that I'll try not to dwell on. The first chord was originally Gminor/Bb and you changed that to C [simplification but nothing terrible] the third chord was supposed to be Dminor and your flutes reflect this but the harp does not. This happens first at 1:32.

It's very brave to write a four minute piece for only three instruments [though technically it's four instruments since often the harp is playing notes simultaeneously in different registers implying that there are two of them]. The interaction between the two flute parts and the harp is great a lot of the time. The completely new material from 1:48 to 2:51 was nice, however, ultimately the way you dealt with the source detracted from, rather than enhanced the beauty of the original. While the flutes don't ALWAYS move in unison, they do so more than they should when they are the only two melodic instruments. You want to make this ensemble sound fuller so having two instruments act as one too often is a bad idea. You do the best job of handling this in your new section as well as the final time through the melody at 2:55. Lastly, since this is such a small ensemble they don't have to always play exactly in tempo. Constant Gradual accelerations and decelerations would help A LOT. Remember, all three instrumentalists are in direct visual contact with eachother, so you can do what ever the heck you want with the tempo changes.

n0 (very borderline)

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Sam's essay really sums it up for me. It's a technical dissertation on why we have to reject this. But i'll go ahead with a more ooey-gooey gut-feeling decision.

The samples themselves are very exposed. The loop points are very early in the sample, and there is no attempt to mask this fact with any volume automation. Even subtle volume swells would do wonders to cover up the artificial nature of the vibrato. The composition is definately up to par, except for the notable problems that sam uh....noted. That 1:32 thing KILLS ME!!!! Just use the right harmony LOL!

Anyway, I can't compete with sam when it comes to figured bass analysis. So, I'd recommend giving the samples a bit more TLC and heeding the wise instruction of the theory deity that is the SHNA!

NO

-D

p.s. I SAID SAM A LOT!

p.s.s. SAM!!!!!!! ITALICS!!!!!

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Yeah, I don't mind the minimalist approach here, but the instrumentation, particularly the woodwind lead, doesn't sound realistically sequenced at all. The arrangement wasn't particularly interesting for me, but could be improved by more natural timing and interplay with the instruments so everything would click strongly. Decent initial ideas though, and I wouldn't mind hearing this come our way again.

NO (resub)

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Gotta disagree with Larry about it not being realistic in sequencing. Let me assure you how beyond difficult it is. Considering this, I think the mixer did an admirable job not only in the woodwind sequencing but everything as well.

I don't think something this minimal would work unless you had live performers. In this context I'd really like to see more timing humanization in the sequence as well as some development in the sequencing and the concept.

The production needs work, everything sounds a bit dull. I think you could do some eq'ing here to help give a richer sound. This needs more bottom end and more top end.

I'd like to hear this with a full string ensemble backing up the flute and harp, personally. Like dan outside the problem areas mentioned, I too think the composition and arrangement is up to task. Frankly, I'm tempted to yes it as is now. But I'm going to go with the safer route of borderline NO. Please resubmit!

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