DragonAvenger Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 (edited) ReMixer: Pyro Paper Planes Real Name: Christopher Foss http://www.pyropaperplanes.com User ID: 25144 Game: Metroid II: Return of Samus Title: The Unnamed Frontier Artist: Pyro Paper Planes feat. VikingGuitar Origin: SR388 (Main Tunnel Theme) Cameo: The Baby Metroid Composer: Ryoji Yoshitomi System: Nintendo Game Boy Album: Harmony of a Hunter: 101% Run (http://www.shinesparkers.net/harmonyofahunter/download/) Track Comments: One of these days, I'm going to submit a track that isn't from the Metroid series… but not today, as I present my arrangement of SR388 from Metroid II: Return of Samus. The Unnamed Frontier marks the fifth time I've arranged the SR388 music track. I always seem to come back to this track. It's one of the few upbeat tracks in the Metroid series, and its musical structure is very similar to the original Brinstar track from Metroid. To me, it's one of the most underrated tracks from the series. I'm surprised no one from the OverClocked ReMix community has arranged this track yet. My goal for The Unnamed Frontier was to create a very electro-chill piece, where the beat would build up over time to form a catchy groove. I wanted the listener to feel like they could relax, and come to the realization that they accomplished their goals from completing an epic journey. While the length of the source tune wasn't particularly long, its melodic structure was very engaging and easy to work with. I also open with a small tribute to "The Baby Metroid", a wonderful and small anthem played towards the end of the game. Throughout most of the piece, I used a simple Yamaha Piano virtual instrument from Logic Studio (along with a few delay and reverb plug-ins). It was somewhat simple design, but I really like how it turned out. The synthesizers were all somewhat experimental, especially the delay effects. For the second half of the piece, the decision to modulate the key signature to a minor key was somewhat of a eureka moment, as it really helped the flow of the track (giving it a bit of much needed variety). I also became a little more liberal with the melodic line. The final touch to the piece was the contribution of VikingGuitar's solo, which gave the track that great climax that it needed. This piece also marks one of the few times were I used nothing but Logic Studio's assets (excluding a few minor choral pads). I was mainly inspired by two things. Firstly, I've always enjoyed the relaxing electro music that's often played in lounges. It might seem like an odd thing to take inspiration in, but it's the little musical touches in my day-to-day activities that makes things enjoyable in life. Secondly, I was heavily inspired by Boards of Canada's "Dayvan Cowboy". It has such a fantastic build up, it's a track that simply inspires me to do things. This piece is a first for several things. It's the first original arrangement I've finished that isn't a piano solo. It also marks the first time I've collaborated with someone. Like the planet SR388, this track marks new ground for me… an unnamed frontier. ------------------ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=539Fb57LRxI Edited May 17, 2014 by djpretzel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonAvenger Posted September 28, 2013 Author Share Posted September 28, 2013 Overall this is a pretty relaxing track to listen to. I like how you approached the source melody, it feels very natural and fits well into the setting. I'm not blown away by the samples here, and I think that might be a point of contention for whether this gets passed, along with the somewhat mechanical sequencing on the main melody, but I think the track does well regardless and is a good candidate for the front page. The interpretation is solid, and the variation is strong. Good luck to you on the rest of the vote! YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceansAndrew Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 The samples seems fine to me, but the stiff sequencing in the piano lead was pretty apparent, and slightly distracting. The soundscape was really nice, and an excellent job was made of turning the tinny-sounding source into something lush and dreamlike. The variation of sections was great, and the dynamics were solid. I love really well done arrangements of game boy or NES sources, since there is so much expression that can be added to the melodies, and this mix is no exception. I dig it. Yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 I wasn't bothered by the piano and felt the delay on it gave it enough airyness and presence to downplay the timing being rigid. I felt the drums at 2:46 were a weak point and thought something softer but with more bite and a less muddy sound could have worked better. The melodic variations were also a bit awkward on the first listen, but it was fine; certainly nothing that harmed the mix in any meaningful way. Really nice cameo solo by VikingGuitar as well; welcome aboard, Erik! The soundscape was a little too muddy for my tastes, but certainly nothing that was a big deal. Meanwhile, the arrangement was handled beautifully. Nice ending as well. There's room for further polish and cohesiveness, but only by a little. More quality from Chris, plus Erik with the assist! YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutritious Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 (edited) Nice, chill intro. You've got my attention. I can hear some complaints about piano stiffness, but you've done a good job masking it with effects. I don't think it's as much an issue of not having velocity variation as perhaps the sample lacking different timbres for different velocity levels. What's here is just fine with me, though. Groove really compliments the track nicely here. Pretty unassuming, but complex enough to keep it interesting. The little beep sequence is a nice touch, just be careful not to go overboard it with . Drums at 2:47 felt like a weak point. The multiple snare hit pattern exposed the fakiness of a sample lacking round-robin sampling. Guitar section sounds like it extended the mileage of a track quite a bit from what would've been possible otherwise, so nice touch. Arrangement-wise, clear connections to both sources, yet tasteful personalization as well. Solid track. Very enjoyable. Nice work dude. YES Edited November 13, 2013 by Nutritious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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