PRC433 - The Heart of PRC (Final Fantasy Tactics Advance)

[studionimbus]

I’m honored! Thanks for all the feedback and kind words. This was a lot of fun and I enjoyed listening to everyone’s entries! I look forward to picking out a great source, it will be a tough choice but I have a few good ones in mind!

 

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Studio Nimbus

http://www.studionimbus.org/

[TheVideoGamer]

Ok guys i've been absent for a really long time, so good to see you all. They're are primarily 2 reasons for this:

1. I've been away on holiday for 4-5 days.

2. I also managed to fall ill again (Lucky me). There seems to be something going around in my neighbourhood, because i always seem to get the sniffles, and pretty badly too (I'm not the only one either...)

But i'm feeling ok now, so i'm glad to be here. Because of this, i forgot to vote on 2 rounds (Including my own source pick). Here's some feedback to this round, all honest listens. Have a good one all!

studionimbus.org - Very nice electro vibes, great synth and string work, this is kind of dark at parts, but also bright and uplifting.
I sense a real guitar in then, that sort of works as a synth, it's very nicely done. The drums are great too, not too heavy, not too light.
The developments are also really cool too, the fills are lovely, it really adds to the syncopation. The only critiques i really have,
and it's primarily one, is that i feel there is a confliction in the styles. What i mean, is that there are orchestral parts that are 
trying to come through, but they get lost in all the synths and guitars. I don't know, it might be my ears, and this is a small nit-pick
but the orchestra could really enhance the epicness, and instead it's mostly a background texture, again this might just be me, and my
personal taste. The only other minor one i have, is maybe to bring more dynamic changes throughout. It's very consistent, with the guitar
representing most of the melody, and the drums being consistent. Maybe a breakdown or pause could work, but that's just me. All in al, i love
the sound of the guitar, it's awesome. The whole thing is very nicely done, beautiful mixing (I know i said, the thing about the orchestral parts,
but that's a sound thing, than a mixing thing). All in all, lovely work. Well done!

Gerych02 - Ex Metalhead eh? I'm interested in your approach. This one is very much a laidback version, a big contrast to the last one i've heard.
Really nice soft synth sounds, and light percussion. This isn't as epic and grand as the last one, almost like a chill chiptune version. It's amazing
how people take one source into different directions. Big fan of the synth and drums, it's very light and soothing, great contrast. The vibrato is a 
lovely addition. It doesn't drastically change the melody, but really makes it stand out, it's like a hint of spice to the whole piece. Really like the
custom additions, really adds to the composition, without being a sharp change. The only critique i really have, is to introduce some new synth sounds,
I know when you work with MIDI, you are using the default channels, so most of the synths will be using these channels, hence why there might be a few synth
sounds used. I think i'm overthinking this lol, but yeah i feel a different set of sounds as additions might work well. Maybe more lead synths, or pad sounds
who knows. The arrangement was super good though, and i dig the lead melody synth, that was tasty indeed. All in all, great work. Well done!

Souperion - Soup bringing his string work into full force. I was expecting this, since that is your signature style. Great developments in the beginning, it feels
like a full on RPG flavoured boost. It's almost as if it's a remake for the latest Final Fantasy game. The strings and piano, also sort of make it emotional, which
to me is a big plus, it just works so well. Honestly for this one, it took me a while to find things i could work on, because i love the melody and arrangement, but
what stuck out, when i re-listened, was that i feel it's a bit dry in areas, where i feel it needs more reverb. Not too much, but a little bit more to add to the
space. The final climax, was amazing though, such a beautiful dynamic shift, really works well for this composition, and honestly my favourite part of the whole thing,
because it just feels so satisfying. What's also good, is that nothing's changed, the melody still remains the same. Other than that, again i don't see anything that
really needs improving. The reverb usage is the only one really, and maybe a more suitable closer, since i feel it ends in a more sudden way than it could have been.
But really though, the whole thing was really nicely done, great arrangement. Well done!

APZX - I can see similarities between this and mine. We sort of both went for a techno arrangement lol. Really liking the cute synths, very warbley and a ton of fun. 
The melodies really work well actually, it fits the cartoony vibe of the whole thing, especially when the pads come in. The last entry, was almost like some epic
movie battle or something. This feels like an animated series aimed at children (And that's a good thing, please don't think i come across as mocking, i mean that as
a compliment). Honestly it's my favourite part about the composition, is the feel especially in the synth choices. In terms of critique, i have 2 and the first is in
the drums. I don't hate them as such, but they are way too soft for this composition. I don't know, i was expecting a bit of a thicker kick or something, and maybe a
more aggressive snare. It felt more like light and cute electro, than a ravey electronic piece. It's especially noticeable at the start, with a 808 like kick before the
transition into a supposedly bigger kick, however i felt it could have been more fuller. Maybe it's a me thing, but thicker beats could really being this to the next 
level. The only other thing that i feel could be improved, and it's a small one, but i feel the ending is almost like a different arrangement, i don't feel that the
first and second halves are properly interlinked, so when i hear the piano come in, i don't feel like your making me anticipate the piano, but rather you suddenly drop
it in without warning. But i consider it more minor, because it's still a lovely addition, and a nice texture change. The whole thing is really nice, lovely synth work.
Well done!

Pressure_Echo - Interesting basslines here. Nice full kick, this also feels like a electronic techno piece. I guess not many people have the capacity or the tools to
make orchestral music lol. This is a very nice idea, i love the light percussion, and the nice synth work on the melody ideas. This one feels intentionally minimalistic
which i don't know how i feel about that. I feel something is missing, but yet i know that's apart of the composition. I also feel the bassline every now and again, 
sounds a bit distorted, which might be the velocity triggers, or intentional on the part of the composition. I also feel the claps are a bit weak for my taste, but
like with a lot of my critique, taste is personal, and really, just take it with a grain of salt. All in all though, despite it's minimalism, there is a lot of cool
ideas here. I love the slow transition from smooth chords to almost gated trance like sounds. It's a smooth and seamlessly unique idea, that really creates a lot of 
that nice electronic sounds. Not much else to say, i love how yours was more of a stripped down version, in contrast to others, it was great. Really nicely remixed,
well done!

Wassup Thunder - Great brass work here, very fanfare-ish, super nice and heroic. Kind of feels like your adding your own ideas, to the existing idea, and i like it a
lot. It's always great to pay respect to the source like that. Great drum and guitar work, it feels very much in the spirit of Final Fantasy. The melody work is lovely
here, it translate so well especially to the drums. In terms of critique, one major one comes to mind, and it's the guitars. They're practically hiding, and i feel in
this case they should be the star. You've made compositions before where you've really sold me the idea of the guitar, but in this one i don't feel it as much. It's 
as if you want me to hear the brass more, than the rock parts. The drums are great in this one, and i love the string work, it's just the guitars for me. I could also 
talk about the dynamic changes as i did with studionimbus's entry, but you do introduce a cool breakdown towards the end, so it's not completely consistent, and there 
was a lot of changes to keep it from being too boring, which i really liked a lot. The whole thing was a ton of fun, and super nicely arranged, well done!

I don't really have any idea of who i would have picked to win, but i will say congrats to Studionimbus for a well deserved win, i really enjoyed everyone's. Thanks again!

Edited November 10, 2021 by TheVideoGamer