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Some nice progress already... some remarks tho: * relax on the drums a bit, they are kinda uhh... distracting now (too much snares/breaks)

Agreed actually, I already changed those...

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* the choir in the intro sounds a bit weird on the second chord; maybe it sounds better when you pick a higher chord in stead of a lower one?

I assume you mean the strings in the background? It's not really a choir (not even a synthchoir)...I'll try a higher chord there, although it did not bother me (doesn't sound out of tune or anything, and the bass drops from D# to B so I lowered the chord also)

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* the first part of the melody (jazz guitar like instrument) feels a bit too fast due to all those arps (at 0:31 or 0:37 for instance)

Yeah I have the same feeling, but the timing of the key-notes (if you leave all the graces out of the equation) should be right...there is something funky in the timing of the second part too (the square/synth lead part)...certainly something I will have to look at when the general mix is done

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* the main melody (at 0:55) is quite suitable for a second voice

I might add that, although at this point I already feel I am pushing too much in the mix, it does not add to the serenity of the original...so I might actually cut back on things happening there

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* I like the string chords you added a lot, they could use some minor tweaking tho

The marcato violas? Yeah I like those as well, I am not even sure HOW they came to be, but I am glad I somehow made them up...any specific points you think should be tweaked? Tones or timing?

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The marcato violas? Yeah I like those as well, I am not even sure HOW they came to be, but I am glad I somehow made them up...any specific points you think should be tweaked? Tones or timing?

Tones. The notes don't seem to be off key, but somehow, they are a bit disturbing (to me, it feels as if they don't below in the flow of the song). It's prolly just a matter of trying out different combinations of notes there

MrRudi, is there a special reason for the "key" you chose to mould your arrangement in?

As the MSX version is in B minor and the PC-88 version, as well as yours, is in C# minor.

Did you base it on the PC-88 version?
Seeing as the drum parts of your version also appear to follow the PC-88 arrangement (see my previous post).

Just wondering.

Yeah I recorded the version from Hoot, as that's much easier than getting an MSX-emu and finding Testament images I noticed the different key as well, but it really doesn't matter since I'm arranging anyway. The drum parts don't follow any version by the way, I make them up as I go along...it's an arrangement, not a 1 on 1 remake. I don't recall the original having a drumsolo

btw I love Hoot! Wish I had that program 10 years ago...too bad I find no (working) MSX zips for it

Oh, I have XML's for Micro Cabin and T&E Soft with English songtitles now, if anyone is interested in those...

GIMME!

What's in those XML's anyway?

All the songtitles for every game for a single developer Hoot supports. So the Microcabin.xml has all the tracknames for every game in every format (so Xak 1 PC88, Xak1 PC98, Xak1 MSX, Xak1 SNES etc)...the XML ensures that, when you add a ZIP file for a certain game, Hoot recognizes it and gives you a tracklist.

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I just rediscovered the great PSG tunes of the game Testament. If you just let it play, you'll hear several great tunes. The intro tune is very good and after the intro is finished, you'll get a lot of enemy characters presented with different background musics... Very good stuff! This screems for rearrangements! Or is there already something available? If so, please let me know

Logically the main arrangements that we can found are the best musics we can hear in our MSX's (Metal Gear, XAK, Dragon Slayer...)
... but there are a lot of great MSX musics without arrangements like now with the intro tune of Testament. I'd like to take this opportunity to tell all MSX musicians please make arrangements too of "those another MSX games" which have really great music. Mr. Ghost, Craze, Cross Blaim... Do you know more? Now my personal request the Andorogynus theme "Andorogynus".

Well, I already took on Galaxy Hero Legend 2, a game no-one ever plays.

The reason I choose a tune to remake is mainly its length. Many game tunes are loops of 30 seconds, or something, and for a somewhat large remake this is a bit of a problem. It somehow works for 3 psg channels, or for FM-Pac, SCC etc. but it's a bit odd when you hear a big arrangement of a loop of 30 seconds. Naturally one can extend this playing time but that means that you're typically combining other tunes from the same game into one tune. This means there *have* to be other tunes in the first place, and preferably they're of some quality. My own favorite remakes have been Metal Gear (2x) due a non-looped length of 2 minutes, Dragonslayer 6 intro (5 minutes), Metal Gear 2 intro (over 3 minutes, and the potential to stretch it a bit ), Starship Rendez-vous (over 2 minutes), Galaxy Hero Legend 2 intro (11 minutes, stretched it towards 20). All those tunes are quite lengthy, and the more lengthy they are, the easier it is to make something big out of it. The more lengthy something is, the bigger the chance that you can continue to develop on themes.

Perhaps there should be a thread which lists all lengthy MSX game tunes..

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Well, I already took on Galaxy Hero Legend 2, a game no-one ever plays.

The problem with that is that nobody knows the original, and that limits your audience quite a bit. It's more fun to listen to an arrangement of a game you played (a lot) than to listen to some random piece of music you can't associate with anything familiar.

EVPON: what Androgynus song is that? I did remake the stage 1 song a long time ago...

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EVPON: what Androgynus song is that? I did remake the stage 1 song a long time ago...

Press F5 when the Andorogynus title appears and you will access to the music menu. Where can I find your stage 1 song?

Wolf: I totally agree with you, normally the music stages are short. BTW sometimes there are musics that aren't great due to the PSG or FM sounds quality used but for the quality of song itself.

To EVPON: I was gonna do all the Andorogynus songs anyway, so in what format would you like to hear "The Andorogynus"?

Fm-Pac, "Moonblaster stereo" or a MIDI? OPL4 would be a bit problematic right now.

Except MIDI (I don't like so much) any sound will be welcome!

I'd prefer MIDI for further arrangements in eg. Reason or Sonar

EVPON: use a better MIDI synth/patch bank for better sounds, then even MIDI can sound good!

@Demonseed: MIDI please!!!!!!!