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NinSheetMusic => Submission Center => Submission Archive => Topic started by: Zeta on February 03, 2019, 09:15:47 PM

Title: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: Zeta on February 03, 2019, 09:15:47 PM
Submission Information:

Series: Castlevania
Game: Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
Console: Nintendo Entertainment System
Title: Beginning
Instrumentation Solo Piano
Arranger: LeviR.star (https://www.ninsheetmusic.org/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=5007)

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: LeviR.star on February 03, 2019, 09:16:23 PM

I will answer any questions regarding my LH decisions.
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: Tobbeh99 on February 04, 2019, 07:28:18 AM
Great arrangement!

M.1-4: I highly recommend having the bass not play octaves but unison. It gets a different feeling when you have them alternate in octaves.
M.17: The bass is different playing only A's (A-A(one octaves lower)-A(low octave)). You could have it your way, although I think the original is fine as well.
M.27: There should be a C# under the trill (like the lower voice in the previous measure). Alternatively you could make the 32-note run into a glissando, a bit easier to play. An option if you want to.

You could also try to incorporate the drum notes at the very start of the song. I think that would be good.

Also I think you should double-check your placement of slurs. For example you could slur all the notes from m.4-5, rather than having 2 slurs. And also you have no slur at all in m.8 which is identical to m.6. And maybe slur all the 4 16th notes in m. 9, makes more sense I think. Slurs denote that you should play legato or that the notes are to be played in one phrase. And you could double-check if that is the way you want to have them.
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: LeviR.star on February 09, 2019, 08:09:21 PM
Quote from: Tobbeh99 on February 04, 2019, 07:28:18 AMM.1-4: I highly recommend having the bass not play octaves but unison. It gets a different feeling when you have them alternate in octaves.

Back at the time I made this, I think I was being super strict about repeated 16ths, but I agree that I can be a little more lenient here in the first section.

Quote from: Tobbeh99 on February 04, 2019, 07:28:18 AMM.17: The bass is different playing only A's (A-A(one octaves lower)-A(low octave)). You could have it your way, although I think the original is fine as well.

I put that extra E in there to put less strain on the pinkie while keeping the rhythm intact. If there are other ways I can do this, I'm open to suggestions.

Quote from: Tobbeh99 on February 04, 2019, 07:28:18 AMM.27: There should be a C# under the trill (like the lower voice in the previous measure). Alternatively you could make the 32-note run into a glissando, a bit easier to play. An option if you want to.

If you look at the LH, you'll notice I moved the harmony down there to allow the performer to use whatever dominant fingers for the RH trill.

Quote from: Tobbeh99 on February 04, 2019, 07:28:18 AMYou could also try to incorporate the drum notes at the very start of the song. I think that would be good.

Okey, I gave it a shot; not super proud of it right because it's basically a MIDI transcription, but I'll hear anyone's ideas.

Quote from: Tobbeh99 on February 04, 2019, 07:28:18 AMAlso I think you should double-check your placement of slurs. For example you could slur all the notes from m.4-5, rather than having 2 slurs. And also you have no slur at all in m.8 which is identical to m.6. And maybe slur all the 4 16th notes in m. 9, makes more sense I think. Slurs denote that you should play legato or that the notes are to be played in one phrase. And you could double-check if that is the way you want to have them.

Glad you caught those. Fixed those slurs, and adjusted some to match what the song suggests.
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: Tobbeh99 on February 11, 2019, 04:38:17 AM
Quote from: LeviR.star on February 09, 2019, 08:09:21 PMBack at the time I made this, I think I was being super strict about repeated 16ths, but I agree that I can be a little more lenient here in the first section.
Quote from: LeviR.star on February 09, 2019, 08:09:21 PMI put that extra E in there to put less strain on the pinkie while keeping the rhythm intact. If there are other ways I can do this, I'm open to suggestions.
It's a common piano technique playing repeated notes. What you do is that you alternate the fingers. So you play for example 3-2-1 or 5-4-3. In the example of m.17 you could play 5-4-1 (5 and 4 on the lower note) that way reducing the strain on the pinky.

Here are some examples of it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iukNLMumXV8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XcgoAl5WvI


Quote from: LeviR.star on February 09, 2019, 08:09:21 PMIf you look at the LH, you'll notice I moved the harmony down there to allow the performer to use whatever dominant fingers for the RH trill.
Well y... that kind of works. But moving that note down like 2 octaves or so and having it in the bass gives it a different function. You might as well remove it completely. And just have the bass play the bass note and then ignore that lower C, if you want the trill to be easier to play. I think that's better, rather than moving down the notes many octaves, as it might get a bit muddy sound with the chords that low in the bass.
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: LeviR.star on February 23, 2019, 03:54:27 PM
Quote from: Tobbeh99 on February 11, 2019, 04:38:17 AMIt's a common piano technique playing repeated notes. What you do is that you alternate the fingers. So you play for example 3-2-1 or 5-4-3. In the example of m.17 you could play 5-4-1 (5 and 4 on the lower note) that way reducing the strain on the pinky.

Here are some examples of it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iukNLMumXV8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XcgoAl5WvI

But that note is on the pinkie for a reason. It's a volley using the whole span of the hand on A's an octave apart and no human performer at 130 bpm is going to manage that idea of yours.
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: Libera on February 26, 2019, 03:45:57 PM
For some reason this piece feels familiar but I swear I'm pretty sure I've never heard it before...  Anyway, checking now!

-I feel like the time signatures are the wrong way round in bars 4-5.  Bar 4 mirrors bar 2 in both the right hand and left hand so that whole section makes sense, to me, as four bars of 4/4 and then a 3/4 transition bar into the rest of the piece.
-Cb in bar 7 should be a Bn, it's just an E chord at that point.  Same in bar 9 and 11.
-The fourth note of bar 4 sounds like an A to me rather than a Bb.
-The Db in bar 9 should be a C#.
-In the fall at the very end, the Dbs should be C#s.  It's a descending harmonic minor scale.
-Repeated demisemiquavers in the opening bar?  I ... really struggle to see how that's in any way playable.  If it's just meant as a cue, then those notes would be better written as cross noteheads.  Also since the drums are actually pitched there and the pitches you've written don't line up with the actual ones, it could be a bit confusing.
-The Bn near the end of bar 13 should be a Bb (descending harmonic minor scale again).
-I think the left hand Dn in bar 16 should be a Db.

Quote from: LeviR.star on February 03, 2019, 09:16:23 PMI will answer any questions regarding my LH decisions.

General question, how do you decide when to use repeated semiquavers and when not?  Also,

Quote from: LeviR.star on February 09, 2019, 08:09:21 PMI put that extra E in there to put less strain on the pinkie while keeping the rhythm intact. If there are other ways I can do this, I'm open to suggestions.

The lower As don't have to be played with 5, they could be played with 4 instead which makes them a lot easier.

Quote from: LeviR.star on February 23, 2019, 03:54:27 PMBut that note is on the pinkie for a reason. It's a volley using the whole span of the hand on A's an octave apart and no human performer at 130 bpm is going to manage that idea of yours.

I dunno, people can do some crazy stuff using finger alternation.  Either way, I think leaving the left hand there as written is perfectly performable.  It's certainly easier than the left hand you've written in bars 1-4, for example.

All in all, nice work.  I like the way you worked the middle voice into the left hand to help the feel in places.
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: Tobbeh99 on February 28, 2019, 06:58:17 AM
Quote from: LeviR.star on February 23, 2019, 03:54:27 PMBut that note is on the pinkie for a reason. It's a volley using the whole span of the hand on A's an octave apart and no human performer at 130 bpm is going to manage that idea of yours.
Umm... that is pretty doable. You alter with 1 on the higher A, and then 4 and 5 on the lower A. Like 1-4-5. So y, it's pretty doable. Sure it goes pretty fast at 130bpm, but I'm pretty confident that it is doable, and within reach for most intermediate/advanced pianists. But you can keep your version if you want to, that one is perfectly fine as well, just wanted to clear that the one I suggested isn't impossible, but pretty doable, and probably for most intermediate/advanced pianists. But y you can keep yours as well, it's perfectly fine. Just wanted to clear that out, as I said. 
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: LeviR.star on February 28, 2019, 07:33:00 AM
Well... maybe it's because I've been known to have small hands, I dunno. I'll work through this soon.
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: LeviR.star on March 01, 2019, 07:25:47 PM
Give me a week to work on this.
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: LeviR.star on March 10, 2019, 07:28:11 PM
Files have been updated. Some revisions have been made to restore part of the original bass rhythm; I will take any suggestions on making these more playable, if needed. I'm also leaving Latios to verify the pitches Libera corrected, but I did change the notes in the mean time.

Thank you for your patience with me lately.
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: Libera on March 12, 2019, 10:52:27 AM
Quote from: LeviR.star on March 10, 2019, 07:28:11 PMI'm also leaving Latios to verify the pitches Libera corrected, but I did change the notes in the mean time.

Haha, poor Latios...

Anyway, it gets my approval.
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: Dudeman on March 12, 2019, 11:16:52 AM
Hi, this is a placeholder post to let you know that I'm willing to run the piece through channel separators to help with identifying the notes in question, but I can't until this evening. Stay tuned!
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: Latios212 on March 12, 2019, 01:41:13 PM
What exactly is in question? All of it?

(And yeah thanks Dudeman that'd be great!)
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: Dudeman on March 12, 2019, 01:54:12 PM
These, I believe:
Quote from: Libera on February 26, 2019, 03:45:57 PM-The fourth note of bar 4 sounds like an A to me rather than a Bb.
-The Bn near the end of bar 13 should be a Bb (descending harmonic minor scale again).
-I think the left hand Dn in bar 16 should be a Db.
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: Latios212 on March 13, 2019, 04:56:53 PM
Alrighty. Would much appreciate the help ^^
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: Dudeman on March 15, 2019, 06:49:37 PM
Okay, finally getting around to this. Before the three notes in question, I did notice something else:
- m.1-4: The dyads in the RH are actually triads. The bottom notes to the chords are F, E, E, D, D, D.
Now, for the moment of truth:
- m.4 RH, beat 3: The Bb is a Bb.
- m.13 LH, beat 4.5: The Bb is a Bb.
- m. 16 LH, beat 3.25: The Db is a Dn.
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: LeviR.star on March 15, 2019, 07:17:58 PM
Where would we be without Dudeman?™

Quote from: Dudeman on March 15, 2019, 06:49:37 PMOkay, finally getting around to this. Before the three notes in question, I did notice something else:
- m.1-4: The dyads in the RH are actually triads. The bottom notes to the chords are F, E, E, D, D, D.

Ooh, glad you caught that. Didn't notice that since the LH cuts out that triad chord harmony is possible outside of the Famicom version. Thanks for pointing that out.

Quote from: Dudeman on March 15, 2019, 06:49:37 PMNow, for the moment of truth:
- m.4 RH, beat 3: The Bb is a Bb.
- m.13 LH, beat 4.5: The Bb is a Bb.
- m. 16 LH, beat 3.25: The Db is a Dn.

Fixed these. All hail Dudeman!

Seriously, thanks for the help, and for being able to do this. Files updated.
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: Latios212 on March 18, 2019, 06:20:37 PM
Great work guys! This sheet looks fantastic. :) Not to hold this up any longer, but I have one last comment to provide in the vein of final finishing and polishing.

Usually Finale does a decent job at this, but it's sometimes desirable to override the defaults for slur placement (top/bottom) and the flipping of the single-layer notes on the staff. Here's what m. 22-23 look like right now:

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/401094846107877377/557369311795216384/unknown.png

The ascending D minor runs in the right hand are all the same, but visually there are some differences. Some of this is just due to the beaming and the timing of course, but see how we can make this section look a bit smoother and more consistent:

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/401094846107877377/557368002140700682/unknown.png

Now all of the slurs are below the run, better following the ascending contour of each phrase, which is lost when the slurs on top. Additionally I flipped the pair of notes in m. 23 beat 3; this goes against the rule of thumb that says to put the beam opposite the note farthest from the center of the staff, but you'll notice it looks perfectly natural here. You could also do the same in m. 15, as these places have notes that are almost equidistant from the center of the staff anyways:

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/401094846107877377/557367957123104789/unknown.png

Similar considerations for m. 16 and 24-25 as well. (I might also suggest moving the left end of the slur in m. 15-16 LH closer to the A on the bottom; they're a bit far as is.)

Sometimes a bit of tinkering can improve the presentation of the phrasing considerably~
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: LeviR.star on March 19, 2019, 07:24:32 AM
Attention updaters: I have given Latios212 permission to edit my files with the above suggestion.
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: Latios212 on March 19, 2019, 04:24:43 PM
gotcha~
Title: Re: [NES] Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse - "Beginning" by LeviR.star
Post by: Zeta on March 19, 2019, 04:24:56 PM
This submission has been accepted by Latios212 (https://www.ninsheetmusic.org/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=4344).

~Zeta, your friendly NSM-Bot