Sir_NutS Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 (edited) Hello, I made an experimental orchestral arrangement of the Figaro theme from Final Fantasy 6 (composed by Nobuo Uematsu) using a theme from the anime Re:Zero (composed by Kenichiro Suehiro) as a basis/template. I thought the end result turned out pretty interesting since the two pieces work so well together. You can hear the Re:Zero track here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXsq_H0Uw_o My remixer and real name are Jeremy Robson. The game arranged is Final Fantasy 6, and the theme comes from Edgar & Sabin's Theme and Coin of Fate. I decided to call it Re:Figaro Edited August 31, 2019 by Rexy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 I thought the writing of the harp lines arranging Re:Zero should have been altered more, otherwise it sounds like a pretty 1-for-1 adaptation of that writing, which was making it more of a Standards issue of incorporating non-VGM arrangement. Why did the piano have such a drastic drop in volume when it showed up at 3:05? That was an issue long with the big quality disparity in the realism/humanization of that part compared to everything else; let's make sure the 3:05-3:59 section doesn't sound so thin, quiet, and mechanical compared to the rest of the track. The woodwind sequencing also didn't sound as humanized as it could have, but the tone was much better and more realistic than the piano; if you can get the piano at least sounding as capable as the woodwinds, we're having more of a conversation. I like this as a concept piece, the orchestration is beautiful for the most past, and I still need to time it out for source tune usage, but until the harp line and piano quality are addressed, I'm a NO for now. Super strong foundation here, Jeremy, that just needs some production improvements for that one section, and if I'm wrong on the harp line being so close, I await correction. NO (resubmit) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir_NutS Posted August 5, 2019 Author Share Posted August 5, 2019 1 hour ago, Liontamer said: I like this as a concept piece, the orchestration is beautiful for the most past, and I still need to time it out for source tune usage, but until the harp line and piano quality are addressed, I'm a NO for now. Super strong foundation here, Mike, that just needs some production improvements for that one section, and if I'm wrong on the harp line being so close, I await correction. Just for the record, this isn't my arrangement @Liontamer. It would have way more 80s synth brasses if it was mine. Rexy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted August 6, 2019 Share Posted August 6, 2019 1 hour ago, Sir_NutS said: Just for the record, this isn't my arrangement @Liontamer. It would have way more 80s synth brasses if it was mine. Italo disco, orchestral, same difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gario Posted August 6, 2019 Share Posted August 6, 2019 Yeah, Mike has access to the inbox, so posts from him might NOT be his, lol. Anyhoo... Mmm, I love me some FF6, and from Jeremy Robson, no less! Looking forward to what you've got for us this time around. The orchestration is superb, and that vocal sample really sounds great, though I do have to echo some of Larry's concerns. I won't harp on too much about the harp (I didn't think it sunk the track), but the sudden volume discrepancy at 3:05 is pretty jarring, and lasts for a significant portion of the track. The thing is, if the piano is actually being played soft it actually has a different timbre, whereas this just sounds like the mixer was turned down to make it quiet. Given the choice between having the mixer make the piano sound unrealistic or just having the piano at normal levels for the portion I'd suggest simply having the piano at levels that match the music preceding and proceeding it. While the instruments sound quite good otherwise, this could use some overall hall reverb. It would help cover 95% of the mechanical concerns one might have (like with the plucked harp portions, for example), and it would blend the sounds in a realistic manner. It sounds really good for being so dry, but add just a hair of reverb (just enough to make it sound like it's playing in a space rather than being sequenced) and it would take this over the top, as far as quality goes. There's a lot to love in this - the orchestration, the instrument quality, and the source (which is actually my favorite track from FF6 - definitely an underrated tune from the game), but the piano dropping in levels and quality affects the track significantly. Fix that and this should be good, but I also recommend giving this a little reverb as well, even in post production if you must - it would really elevate this from a solid arrangement to an excellent one. NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexy Posted August 31, 2019 Share Posted August 31, 2019 I'm not too sure why you linked a fan arranger's 40-minute medley to show your basis. But I do see that the first track in sequence - "Echt of Sorrow" - has an evident inspiration based on structure and instrumentation. It also fits for Edgar and Sabin's bond in the game, so good thinking referencing that particular source from Re:Zero. I love how you adapted the central Figaro theme to a slow waltz - it feels sweet and sentimental. The strings throughout and the vocal sample at 0:56 are also beautifully articulated and grabbed my attention. And the decision to give the "Coin Song" section at 2:17 one of the thickest backing setups alongside the change to 4/4 has some liveliness that wasn't present in the source material. And to give some respite for Larry, there's straight source use from 0:15-3:05, 3:32-3:50 and 4:04-5:10 - so it's dominant as well. In all seriousness, the arrangement is fantastic. However, that solo piano section at 3:05 doesn't feel natural. The velocities and timings feel way too robotic, and Gario also pointed out the uncanny volume envelope that shaped it. I understand that you want the piano to sound bolder as time goes on, and that's acceptable in concept. But the only effect I heard is a tech crew member realizing they placed their microphone too far from the piano and needed to edge closer carefully. If your other samples have an alternate soft sound when played gently, surely the piano VST has something similar to let it stand tall as well. I'm also unsure about how much of a non-VGM source should be in a submission. Based on this, it's also a safe bet to change the harp's notation to something that's more "inspired" by the animé, not directly fitting it in. Nevertheless, it's a lovely concept, and I enjoyed every second of it - but that robotic piano section sunk it under the production bar. The woodwinds were okay at best - not as lovely as the string and vocal articulation - but the piano needs work to make it sound as beautifully realized as the rest of the instruments. Consider looking into your harp and changing the notation, so you don't run into a standards violation either. I don't know how much non-BGM you can use in a track at the maximum, but it's better safe than sorry. Regardless, please revise the mix and send it back to us! NO (resubmit) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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