Emunator Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 Attached is a file for this submission to OCRemix. Thank you as always for your consideration and if you have any questions or concerns, please let me know! Contact Information Username: H36T UserID:37144 Website: https://www.youtube.com/@H36TRemasters Submission Information Arrangement Game: Final Fantasy VIII Name of Arrangement: Compression of Light and Shadow Song Being Arranged: Compression of TIme Comments: Hello there! I'm back again with another mix (and a new name!), this time from whaat I consider to be 1A or 1B to FFVII for Uematsu's greatest works OST wise. My opinion aside, I actually have never been a big fan of this song in the game. However, from a creative standpoint, I saw a lot there. While the original is pretty simple and kinda creepy and ominous, I (maybe) took some of that away and gave it an atmospheric makeover. The beginning is this spacial, airy presentation of the theme, quickly taken over by a cloud of darkness, thunder, and heavy rain. The end result is something that feels to me like a conversation betweeen composer and OCReMixer. And I think thats what its all about. Oddly enough, the first half I made a few years ago and left it as is for awhile. But I've been getting into this style where I take a track, present one thing thematically and then flip it...or blow it out the water haha. The end result is usually something more faithful while adding new layers. After exploring that I take that and transform it into something new. A yin and a yang. A light and a shadow. In my early days writing, I worried I was engaging in the act of lazy writing, but over time I've come to embrace this style. Maybe I'll try something different and more traditional next time. For now, I hope you enjoy Compression of Light and Shadow. Until next time~ (PS: I tried my hardest to get the clipping and volume under control without using a compressor on the master track but at the end of the day, I got the balance I wanted in terms of how it sounded to my ears and with -1db on the compression threshold it came back with no clipping so I called it a day hahaha....uh oh) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindWanderer Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 Absolutely gorgeous. The vocals sound fantastic, and I really love how you've managed to riff on the source while keeping its main hook. The whole thing has a mystical, ethereal quality. I don't think you need to have any concerns about the mastering; overall loudness is fine, better than many of our submissions, and I don't hear any distortion. Strong work. I think this will be a favorite of many. YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gario Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 Mmm, this is my favorite source from one of my favorite OST's, and you did it justice. The vocals sounded great, backed against the source material very well. The vocals sounded like they meandered wherever they wanted without many motifs or connecting material to itself or the source (the only recognizable recurring element seemed to be a leap of a fifth that the vocals tend to open each phrase with, which is nice), though they sounded very pretty while doing so. It's more of a backing part with excellent line work brought to the front, with the more focused elements from the source being pushed into the background. Folk who want the source to be front and center might miss out, but I don't mind more original material being up front. That being said, it would work even better if the original vocal work was more structured as a melody line with flourish rather than accompaniment if it's going to be up front and center. The overall mixing and production is great on this, with the one snag being the collection of instruments at 2:23; the static, the bass, and everything else really was too overpowering for the overall arrangement and made things hard to hear. Honestly mostly nitpicks, though; this is a fantastic arrangement of a favorite source of mine. I'll be happy to see this on the front page. YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prophetik music Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 i don't remember this original at all. i haven't played FF8 since probably 2002 so that's likely on me. the original's simplicity is a strength, so i'm hoping that's what we hear here. the intro is stylistically very similar to the original, but has some really neat ideas to stretch the composition so it's not just a cover. it actually reminds me a lot of remixes of the map theme from the mass effect series or the Earth theme from assassin's creed 2 - starts with just an arpeggio, but eventually gets fleshed out more. the vox is beautiful and meandering. there's a neat rhythmic synth into 2:16 and the time changes. the connections to the original here are a little thinner as more stuff is going on, but it's still recognizable. i appreciate the consistent 3 vs 2 patterns that are throughout. after a bit, the rhythmic elements drop and it's just the rain, the voices, and the strings and arp. this is simple but effective, just like the original. nice work. YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emunator Posted August 2, 2023 Author Share Posted August 2, 2023 The source composition is fantastic but man, am I glad that that gnarly MIDI saxophone sample is gone ? This understated, cinematic take seems to hold a reverence for what makes the original source material so memorable, but brings it into the modern age with an array of beautiful hybrid cinematic samples and vocal lines. Everything is tightly woven together and dripping in personality. It really feels like you're hitting your stride with this style here, I think everyone is going to love this! YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 Extra vote, but wanted to throw my stamp of approval on it. The sampled vocals added a nice level of complexity to the arranged theme, and was a nice way to also personalize an otherwise conservative arrangement approach, certainly a valid technique here. You could argue the vocals were noodling around, yet the combination worked well. 1:50 got a little more expansive with the strings brightening up and more ornamentation being brought in before taking a darker turn at 2:15. I do wish the bass writing and the source melody would have cut through more from 2:15-on, but both parts did at least quietly register, and then cut through better starting around 3:15. Feels very much like an approach HoboKa could have taken with this theme, a nice example on how to effectively retain the structure of a source tune and personalize the soundscape with new instrumentation and vocal additions. Maybe H36T didn't bring the literally heat, because this isn't some super intense take, but they've got the pensive game down! YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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