PRC425 - The Great Track 8 (Zork 1)

[Bundeslang]

The People's Remix Competition 425
PRCv18-06

Hello everyone and Welcome to the People's Remix Competition!

In PRC423 it was Bundeslang who tried to reverse the results with a backward remix, but the result was miserable and traditional, a fifth and last place. TheVideoGamer got the win, also leaving Souperion, Wassup Thunder and Anachromium behind without glory. 

On 3/29/2021 at 10:40 PM, TheVideoGamer said:

This one is a little more obscure, but one that cannot be missed, because the music is incredible unique, and definitely worth your time in the remix department.

This one comes from a little known PlayStation game called Zork 1 - The Great Underground Empire. Now the title isn't new, because you see, this is a full remake of a classic 1980's game of the same name (1980 to be exact). It's a text adventure game, complete with a very immersive historical like storylines to really keep you going. In the original, you basically had a wall of text that would appear everytime you do an action. So like a textbook kind of adventure game (Remember this is primitive software, so graphical content was almost non-existent). And that would continue until subsequent remakes would add new technological advancements. (In the Atari days, we would mostly have single square tones to denote an action. By the NES days, square waves could produce simple music, and by the Genesis/Mega Drives days, FM Synthesis and it's capabilities, meant we could make full tracks, with a variety of instruments.) In this remake's case, we are on the PlayStation 1, so we could do full graphical capabilities for it's time, and of course full CD music. The game itself is very simplistic but fun, however what get's overlooked is the new score provided onto the PS1, which i think needs to be looked at, it's awesome. The music was composed by the only and only Yuzo Koshiro and Motohiro Kawashima, who might be legends to some, and uses in what i would call a Synth Orchestra. In this track specifically (Which is titled Track 8. I believe none of the tracks have names, I find that rather annoying to be honest), we have all the makings of rich melodic ideas, that sound like it could come right out of some medieval castle, but instead of it being lush orchestral strings and brass, the kind you expect for that kind of feeling, we have a full synthesizer palette. It's so rich in synths, that it sounds very much on the verge of being a rave track, but it's in 3/4, and features no drums of any kind, just light percussive taps on the tambourine, so it lends more to the classical music world. Honestly the track is unique, and could work in so many styles (Trance anyone? lol), hope you have fun with this!

NOTE: The video linked is the Sega Saturn version, because it was ported to both the PS1 and the Saturn. Both versions contain the same music. This is a Japanese only release, no US version is based on research, so this one is a little more rare.

ALSO NOTE: There is an extensive use of delay throughout the whole track. I didn't add that into the MIDI, because i wanted peeps to have an easy time with the MIDI, even if it's in the score. So you might need to manually add it in, if you wanted more of a 1:1 kind of approach.

Game: Zork 1 - The Great Underground Empire (PlayStation 1)

Source: Track 8 (None of the tracks have names sadly)

 

My own custom MIDI:

https://www.vgmusic.com/file/bb0064c23f96d4a5f41322263107a615.html#disqus_thread

 

Source: Zork 1 - The Great Underground Empire (PS1) - Track 8

http://compo.thasauce.net/files/materials/PRC425_Zork_1_-_The_Great_Underground_Empire_-_Track_8.mid

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zork_I

http://compo.thasauce.net/rounds/view/PRC425

 

The deadline is Wednesday April 21st 2021 at 10:59 am ThaSauce time (18:00 UTC, 19:00 GMT), check the link http://compo.thasauce.net/rounds/view/PRC425 for the exact time left. Make sure that the song is uploaded to ThaSauce or that there’s a download link posted in this thread. 

You may enter as many mixes as you like and work with as many people as you like on each mix. You are free to create a second ThaSauce account for that if you use ThaSauce, it's needed to be able to upload a second remix if you use ThaSauce. Of course you can also upload it somewhere else and put a download link in this thread.

Do not make qualitative comments on an entry until the results of the vote have been posted in this thread.

Mixers cannot vote for themselves but if they vote they receive a free first place vote added onto their score.

The winner of this round may select the source for PRC427.

The winner of PRC423, TheVideoGamer, who picked this source, has a double vote but can only participate by submitting a Bonus Mix 

You can find the full rules list at this page as well.

 

GOOD LUCK!

 

PRC Home Page

[Souperion]

Woah-ho, this song is pretty sweet alright. Going to be a real fun piece to work with.

[Wassup Thunder]

This gives me all sorts of ideas. Short, evocative, and full of room for variations! And all I got to go off for names is "Track 8"... Time to Zork.

[The Vodoú Queen]

What key is the song in? -- Just so I know when trying to work with loops and stuff in it.

[Souperion]

^ I believe it's B flat minor. Someone with real music theory know-how, spot me on this.

Edited April 17, 2021 by Souperion

[Wassup Thunder]

I think it's in Z flat minor.... Zork jokes.

[The Vodoú Queen]

Bb Minor huh? ...Wack.

I'll have a go then.

♡

[TheVideoGamer]

10 hours ago, The Vodoú Queen said:

What key is the song in? -- Just so I know when trying to work with loops and stuff in it.

The bassline (Ostinato if you wanna be technical) runs on a single note throughout the whole thing, so that really determines the key signature. Since it's at a constant Bb, i can guarantee it's in Bb Minor. There is a few minor thirds in there too, which also helps.

Edited April 18, 2021 by TheVideoGamer

[TheVideoGamer]

4 hours ago, Wassup Thunder said:

I think it's in Z flat minor.... Zork jokes.

Dude please stop acting like a total Zork lol.

[TheVideoGamer]

6 hours ago, Souperion said:

^ I believe it's B flat minor. Someone with real music theory know-how, spot me on this.

See above comment.

[TheVideoGamer]

Bonus entry in!

[Wassup Thunder]

I was gonna say you worked fast, but then I realized there's only 3 days left in the round! I gotta pick up the pace on my own entry!

[TheVideoGamer]

4 hours ago, Wassup Thunder said:

I was gonna say you worked fast, but then I realized there's only 3 days left in the round! I gotta pick up the pace on my own entry!

I noticed that too lol, that was when i decided to put my head down and got cracking.

[Souperion]

Got something in. Viva la Zork!

[Daylectorbr]

Great job VideoGamer, this song rocks!

[Wassup Thunder]

Finished my entry. Power to the Zork!

[The Vodoú Queen]

Mine's in. :3

Was both a wild ride and an absolute joy of a song to work with. ♥ 3/4 time signature is nuts to try to do anything with, but hopefully thinking outside the box has done its fair do.

Edited April 21, 2021 by The Vodoú Queen
And this time I turned it in with plenty of time to spare, lol!

[anachromium]

Unfortunately no entry for me this time, even though the source screamed for some baroque-style-arranging. Maybe next time. Still looking forward to what you all got!

[The Vodoú Queen]

42 minutes ago, anachromium said:

Unfortunately no entry for me this time, even though the source screamed for some baroque-style-arranging. Maybe next time. Still looking forward to what you all got!

You might get a kick out of mine then, (and have a lot to say about it.) It is a kind of dedication to the way you and Soup usually do your compositions, and I really enjoy the occasional orchestral piece.

[Bundeslang]

Welcome to the voting stage

The mixing stage is over. This round has 3 songs and 1 bonus mix by TheVideoGamer. The following people compete against each other:

Souperion

Wassup Thunder

TheVodouQueen

 

 

To vote, do the following:

Visit http://compo.thasauce.net/rounds/view/PRC425 and listen to all the entries

Scroll to the form at the bottom of the screen or click PM.

Fill in the entries from first to third in the ThaSauce form or fill in your top 3.

State a reasoning for it.

Participants are encouraged to vote and leave feedback. They get a 3 point bonus, but they are not allowed to vote for their own track. They only have to fill in their top 2, leave the third box empty.

Always look in this thread to find out who's the winner of the round after the voting stage instead of only looking at ThaSauce for the results.

 

You have until Monday April 26th 2021 6:59 AM ThaSauce time (11:00 UTC, 12:00 GMT) to vote.

 

If you vote by PM make sure that your top 3 is clear. I prefer something like this:

(To)

(Subject)

PRC ### Vote

(Message):

1: (remixer A )

2: (remixer B )

3: (remixer C )

 

(reasoning)

[TheVideoGamer]

11 hours ago, The Vodoú Queen said:

Mine's in. :3

Was both a wild ride and an absolute joy of a song to work with. ♥ 3/4 time signature is nuts to try to do anything with, but hopefully thinking outside the box has done its fair do.

When in doubt, do what i did, and re-modify it into 4/4 lol.

Edited April 22, 2021 by TheVideoGamer

[TheVideoGamer]

8 hours ago, The Vodoú Queen said:

You might get a kick out of mine then, (and have a lot to say about it.) It is a kind of dedication to the way you and Soup usually do your compositions, and I really enjoy the occasional orchestral piece.

Looking forward to hearing it when i vote  

[Souperion]

Votes in, fun stuff.

[Wassup Thunder]

I've casted my vote. Glory to the Underground Empire!

[The Vodoú Queen]

Got my vote in before time ran out. ^^;