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OCR00724 - Super Mario RPG "Farewell, Star Guardian"


Saunders
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I have to completely disagree with Rob here. I think this is a spectacular and emotional remix that's just about as exicting as can be for an orchestral mix. Just as DJP says, the transition between "sections" is seamless, the instruments are all good quality, and everything is very well arranged. Not much else I can say here besides download it, especially if you like orchestral stuff, because this is just about the best you can get for that genre.

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Hm, strangely enough, I was thinking about how somebody should remix this recently. I almost wish the beginning was longer. I love this game (even if the story isn't that exciting, but hey, neither is Super Mario Bros's.) and if I had remixing skills I would do this whole soundtrack...well...mostly all of it.

After the first melody is over, the next one is kinda just "there" throughout the rest. Maybe I need to listen to it again. Being the most kinda slow orchestratable (mmm, orchestratable) track from the game, it doesn't have the same jumpy feel as all the others, most likely making those who have played the game once, forgetting about the ending music, expect the opposite.

Great way of making the original sound better!

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A nice, gentle lullaby sort of piece, something of which there is so little on this site. I dismissed it as dull at first, but I listened to it again and came to appreciate it for what it was. Not everything can be One Winged Angel, and it's good to hear something less driving every now and then. The overall tone quality is great, and it sounds like it was played in a concert hall. The oboe is brilliant; I always like a good oboe. The upbeat section at 3:33 was, in my opinion, a good way to round things out. Well done.

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WARNING! COMPOSER RAMBLINGS!

I do appreciate all of the comments from everyone that I have received so far. Rob's opinion stands out the most in my mind for several reasons -- he didn't attack me, didn't proclaimed that the piece was terrible in a whole, just not to his usual liking (though I've seen some positive reviews from him before), and didn't make any derogatory remakes. I do enjoy a lot of positive responses, but even negative ones like Rob's do help to remind us not to get a big head. THAT is was I like to see in people that don't like a particular song, as I know that not everyone is going to like every song that I do.

Someone suggested that I make some comments on every song in the future in case someone is interested to know how I achieved a certain effect. Well...here goes:

For those interested, the opening instrument was originally planned to be a piano solo before the pizzacato strings and harp enter, but the piano just didn't seem right. However, the combination of a vibraphone down low for the bass tones with a celeste for the driving force worked a lot better in trying to achieve a childhood feel -- I like the term lullaby that has almost become synonomous with this particular remix.

I choose a celeste because it's a combination of two instruments -- a glockenspiel and a piano for those of you that don't know what a celeste is. It's basically a very rare (and extremely expensive) instrument that is like an upright piano. However, instead of the hammers hitting strings like a piano, the hammers hit metal bars much akin to a glockenspiel. It's used mainly when a composer wants a glockenspiel sound, but a lot 'fuller.'

However, it's not a common instrument and should not be used repeatedly just on whim. They aren't mass produced and are built to oder with a very hefty price tag. Very few orchestras have one and if one does have a celeste, that particular orchestra always leases it out to nearby orchestras since they are so rare. Many people may not have heard of one and the two best examples I can give at this point are "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies" from The Nutcracker Suite by Peter Tchaikovsky and various songs from Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone: The Sountrack by John Williams.

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  • 3 months later...

Being a patron of both OverClocked Remix and VGMix with a broad listening range and a particular appreciation of orchestral pieces, I must say that Mr. Cox’s “Farewell, Star Guardian” from the Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars is one of the best orchestral arrangements of a video game piece that I have ever heard, and that is saying something. The piece comes in with a delicate celeste that gradually gives way to pizzicato strings and a harp, making the intro sound very similar to a music box. From there, the arrangement progresses to a string ensemble with occasional brass backup and an oboe playing the lead melody. The song slows down a little past the halfway mark, losing instrumentation until only the original celeste remains, but it quickly changes to a much livelier pace and goes into full-blown orchestration. This well-executed piece ends with much the same sort of music box tone with which it began.

I have heard many orchestral arrangements of selections from video game scores, including all the Orchestral Game Concert albums, and I believe that this piece tops even some of the pieces from OGC, at least in execution and arrangement. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars had one of the best soundtracks for any game on a Nintendo system, and I believe that Mr. Cox’s professional-quality orchestral arrangement of one of the best pieces from the score more than does it justice. There really should be more orchestral pieces of this calibre on this website (other than Mr. Cox’s other admirable orchestral arrangements, which are all very high calibre).

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Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars had one of the best soundtracks for any game on a Nintendo system, and I believe that Mr. Cox’s professional-quality orchestral arrangement of one of the best pieces from the score more than does it justice.

So true, I was very impressed with Marios take on the RPG genre. The music is unbelieveable... Bukkis Tango I had to listen to over and over again, and after discovering this work for Geno, It hit my playlist in a heartbeat. Very, Very nice stuff.

Edit: Messed up tags for almost 4 months. :oops:

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  • 3 months later...

being that im taking on a similar piece and i have received some critique from russell, i would have to say this is very good. although my abilities will never reach the caliber of work that russell produces already, i sure hope i can 'emulate' something like this.

the instrumental transitions are amazing.. i like how the melody first enters. oboe sounds good ;) im used to nice oboe solos, a great addition. i look forward to more!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I reckon here I've found yet another high quality Super Mario RPG mix. I have to wonder why more people don't remix the game, considering the results are usually so good. I guess the song does sound expondentially better if you've beaten the game... though this song is one that takes the "let's update the instruments and do little else" style of remixing well. 5/8 (4/8 if you've never beaten the game, 6/8 if you have)

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  • 2 weeks later...

NOOOOOOOO!!! Geno, come back!!!!!!!!!!!! :(

Ah, I love this mix. I love this song. Someday I'm going to buy FL and do this game a little more justice... anyway, about the mix. I like the opening bells a lot, and the pizzicato strings that fall in perfectly. The melody just flies in and a few minutes later, when you play it again, you wonder how it ever became so melodic with those, what, 4-6 instruments. This is honestly one of the best orchestral mixes that I've heard on OCR. Kudos to Russell!

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  • 5 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

THIS BRANG A TEAR TO MY EYE! :cry: I love this mix! russ you are a genious! I remember days i would come home and listen to the original track from the game because it was so good! :cry: but THIS!!!!! IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO STU-TASTICALY FAN-TABULOUS!!!!!!!!!! I COULD LISTEN TO THIS ALL DAY AND NIGHT AND NEVER GOT BORED! :)!!:)!!:)!! the orchestra is done so well! did you use a real one?

It sure sounds like you did! THIS IS SOOOOOOOOO GOOD THAT ITS BETTER THAN ANY KINGDOM HEARTS TRACK! I have to have more! PLEASE!! I beg of you! :puppyeyes:

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  • 2 weeks later...

50% happy, 50% sad, but it's one of those strange, mathematically impossible times where equal amounts of oppisites don't cancel out, but intertwine nicely to create a confused remix. (I sound like some sort of crazy art critic, don't I? :roll: )

Approval Rating: 87.5%

(As stated before in another post, my approval ratings are not based on school grades.) (Yes, I am copying-and-pasting this disclaimer on every review I'm going to make tonight. :twisted: )

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  • 2 months later...
  • 2 months later...

A great song to listen to when I'm in not in the mood for something uber-fast that'll kick me in the face.

It takes the original, and works in a very nice orchestral sound. Gives a nice emotional feel to the piece, just like the original theme did.... very nice to see Cox didn't go changing too much around. Like I've said before, I'm usually not too fond of orchestral pieces (just not my favourite style), but every now and then, one catches my attention. This one is easily one of those.

Not my favourite mix, but there's no denying how well done it is. Props to Cox.

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