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Looks great, just two little things from me:

-The low C in bar 15 sounds like a G to me (i.e. a fifth up).
-I think from a voicing point of view it would make more sense to write bar 11 like this:

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This matches up with bar 14 so is a little more consistent.

Done!

Oops, not sure how that happened but fixed!

[Tetris (GB) - 2 Player Danger (Toréador Song)]

Big project announcement time! I've been working on finishing up the rest of the Tetris (GB) tracks that are missing from the main site, which mostly include some fanfares and lesser-known multiplayer tracks. The arrangements themselves are mostly done but I'm still working on formatting the medleys and confirming song titles (mainly the 2-player tracks, since I have to wait for a friend with a Gameboy and Tetris to come test those ones with me). I've learned some interesting facts about this soundtrack while working on this, though, which I'll elaborate on below. (I'll also put the videos for the last three sheets in spoilers since there are multiple per arrangement and this post is already going to be lengthy.)


Tetris (GB) - 2 Player Danger (Toréador Song)
[MUSX] [MUS] [PDF] [MIDI]

This is an arrangement of Toréador Song from Georges Bizet's opera, Carmen. It plays during 2-player matches when the blocks get close to the top of the screen. This arrangement of it incredibly fast compared to the original, which suits the way it's used in-game but it would definitely be a challenge to play it at tempo on piano.

Tetris (GB) - 2 Player Results
[MUSX] [MUS] [PDF] [MIDI]

The first track here, "2P Match Results", plays on the results screen between matches in multiplayer mode. The second track, "2P Final Results", plays on the final result screen when one of the 2 players wins the best of 5 series. One thing I noticed about the second track is that it doesn't actually loop in-game like it does on every rip of the OST I've found - it ends on the second last note instead (leaving out the last note entirely). It also bears a passing resemblance to the guitar intro to the Guns N' Roses song, Sweet Child O' Mine, but I doubt the two are actually related in any way.

Originals

Match Results

Final Results

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Tetris (GB) - B-Type Fanfares (Trepak Variations)
[MUSX] [MUS] [PDF] [MIDI]

These six tracks have a really interesting story behind them. They're all variations on a theme from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker ballet, specifically from the Trepak character dance. They play when the player beats the B-type game mode on speed level 9, with increasing complexity depending on the height level selected (0-5). However, every OST rip and wiki I could find listed five variations, the first four for levels 0-3 and the last one being used for both height levels 4 and 5, with a sixth variation labelled "unused" that only had one voice. This sixth variation was distinct from the first variation, which also only has one voice, but it was longer than the first four variations and shorter than the fifth so it didn't fit into the scale of increasing complexity. This intrigued me enough that I got out my Gameboy and Tetris and beat all of the level 9 B-type levels to see what was going on, and what I discovered was that this track was actually a unique variation for height level 4 with some of the voices missing. I was able to track down gameplay from an emulator that supports what I confirmed on actual hardware, which is linked in the spoiler (it's the only one with a different thumbnail). It's fascinating to me that almost everywhere I looked said the same thing about this track being unused when the real problem was that it's an incomplete rip. I also wonder whether all of these incorrect sources originated from the same rip, or if there's something weird about the game files that has resulted in multiple incomplete rips of that track in particular.

Originals

Level 9 High 0

Level 9 High 1

Level 9 High 2

Level 9 High 3

Level 9 High 4

Level 9 High 5

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Tetris (GB) - Game Over/Stage Clear
[MUSX] [MUS] [PDF] [MIDI]

This set of 2 jingles wraps up the last of the Tetris tracks. The first one, "Game Over", plays whenever a player tops out in any mode. The second, "Stage Clear", plays when a level is cleared in the B-type game mode (and potentially a few other places as well). The interesting track here is the second track, "Stage Clear", which is listed on the VGMPF wiki as being based on the fanfare "Charge!", commonly played at sporting events and used in many other games as well (and is therefore attributed to the composer of that fanfare, Tommy Walker, on that wiki's page for Tetris). Comparing the Tetris fanfare to the "Charge!" fanfare, however, reveals many differences between them - the Tetris fanfare is missing the characteristic three-note arpeggiated pickup, instead being two repeated notes; the interval between the two main melody notes is a perfect fourth rather than the minor third of the original fanfare; and the melody ends on the root of the major key while the "Charge!" fanfare ends on the fifth of the major key. Therefore, I believe this is a mistaken attribution and the Tetris fanfare is original to the game (or else is so generic as to not be worth attributing to anyone in particular).

Originals

Game Over

Stage Clear

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Well that's it! This was a fascinating project and I'm looking forward to submitting these in the future. I hope someone else finds some of my research on this topic interesting as well!

~

EDIT: I've decided to pair the two 2-player results themes ("Match Results" and "Final Results") together under the title "2 Player Results", and keep "Game Over" and "Success" together under the title "Game Over/Success!". I think this makes more sense and will make those individual tracks easier to find. I've gone back and edited the sections accordingly.

EDIT 2: Updated the name of the "Success!" jingle to be "Stage Clear" based on common usage.

I believe the copyright information in Tetris (NES) - High Score is incorrect. The first version of Tetris was released in 1984 for the Electronika 60, but the NES version that this track is from was released in 1989 and published by Nintendo. Bullet-Proof Software (now known as Blue Planet Software) did publish several versions of Tetris, but this was not one of them.

Edit: One more to add, sorry. Tetris (Arcade) - Troïka might also be mislabelled. This track was in the 1988 Atari arcade version of Tetris, but the intro in this sheet better matches the version from the 1989 NES port published by Tengen. The copyright also says Tengen instead of Atari (though oddly it has the year for the arcade version).

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Awesome, changes look great! Just one thing, don't forget to flip the top tie in m. 15 up. Will approve ^^

Done!

I like this piece a lot too and will definitely be playing it after we finish reviewing ^^ good job on this one!

Thank you!!

- I definitely suggest a pedal indication for this piece!

Oh yeah, I think I meant to add con pedale at the beginning and forgot. Done now!

- I'd recommend placing the rubato text direction all the way at the beginning of the piece either in the tempo marking or somewhere around the pickup to denote it applies to the whole piece. It's alright where it is right now, but a bit ambiguous if it could just apply to the first full measure or some section of indeterminate length starting there.

That makes sense. I like the idea of putting it in the tempo marking so that's what I did.

- The G# in m. 7 should be an A
- The right hand in measure 9 and 20 would be better in two layers to keep the guitar melody visibly separate from the high strings that come in.

Both of these are fixed.

- Getting this for m. 14-15, different LH for 14 and some different harmonies for this part:
  - Besides the note changes, note that the chord in the second half of m. 15 should stem down

That sounds good to me so done.

- m. 16 sounds like it could just stay in 4/4 with the half notes being written as dotted half notes instead?
- The A's in m. 20 beat 3.5/4.5 should be C instead of A.

-Yeah I think you're right. Did that and also took out the rit./a tempo since changing that makes it in time.
-Also fixed.

That should be it! Thanks for taking a look

Dragon Quest games always have really nice village themes, good job with this arrangement!

Thank you!!

[Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies - The Sun Gathering Village]

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies - The Sun Gathering Village
[MUSX] [MUS] [PDF] [MIDI]

First arrangement of 2023! I actually started this last year and did the bulk of the work then, but I finally finished it up now. I remember watching the Nintendo Week segments on this game when I was a kid and eagerly anticipating the release, and I greatly enjoyed playing it when it came out. The OST is also really beautifully orchestrated, and hearing this song again I had to arrange it.

I guess I'm thinking about the guitar strumming in terms of rolls, and the one in bar 10 just stood out to me most of all.  Like beat 3 bar 2, beat 1 of bars 3, 4, 5 etc.  As I said, I don't really mind that much but including them is probably what I would have done.

Oh yeah, I see what you mean. I actually like the rolls in those spots, it makes beat 1 feel less heavy than not having them, so I added them in.

Maybe this?  This is a little neater maybe since it has no rests, but I don't think what you have now is that big of an issue.

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That option gave me the idea to try something that's a little more representative of the two lines in that bar, which I think is my favourite solution so far? If it's more readable the old way I can change it back though.

Thanks again!

[Climb the Sky - Fire Emblem Heroes]

Super late to reply to this, but here goes. I only did 8 arrangements last year, so I'm going to do a top 3 instead of a top 5.

#3

Climb the Sky - Fire Emblem Heroes
Sheet | Original

This was my "challenge" arrangement for the year. It was a bit out of my comfort zone, but I wouldn't even have known where to start with it just a few years ago so I'm proud that I was able to actually finish it. (Special thanks to Libera, who helped a lot during the submission phase, and anyone else who gave feedback on it since it was a big one.)

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#2

Obsidian Mansion - Rune Factory 4S (Collaboration with Samusthedude)
Sheet | Original

I find collaboration arrangements to be particularly memorable, and this one is no exception. Working with someone lets me tackle things that would be a challenge on my own, like hearing more complicated chords and inner parts. I'm especially happy with how the waltz section in this one turned out.

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#1

Letter - Tomodachi Life
Submission thread | Original

This is kind of a surprise hit since I did it on a whim after seeing it on the requests board, but I really enjoyed it. Transcribing the arpeggios in the guitar went a lot more smoothly than similar parts have gone in the past, so it's also partly a marker of progress. But mostly I find this one is the most fun to actually play, so that's why I've chosen it for my favourite.

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That's it! Hope everyone is enjoying a productive start to 2023, and looking forward to seeing what everyone makes in the future!

-I don't hear this low An in bar 2 beat 3.

Yeah I'm not sure about the pitch there. I'm definitely hearing some bass note there but it's hard to tell what it is, maybe a G natural? That's what I put for now.

-The octaves in 3-5 etc. might be a little overkill compared to the way you've written the rest of the piece.  Otherwise I feel the harmony gets a little lopsided (E is tripled and then one of each B D# F# etc.)
-Pretty much everywhere you have this low B-D# dyad (bar 6, 12 etc.) I think it would sound stronger/more balanced as B-F#.

Agreed with both of these, the second one especially makes it sound a lot better. Good suggestion!

-I think the end of bar 10 should be an octave lower in the left hand, running into the E on beat 1 of bar 11 being an octave lower also, like in bar 15.

This is the one thing I don't fully agree with. I'm hearing the bass jump down an octave in bar 11, but stay on the same pitch in bar 15. The bass is an octave lower than where I have it written, but I think taking it down would be too low on piano.

-Maybe more of the chords could be rolled, like in 10, but I don't mind that much.

Is that on beat 1? I'm not hearing an obvious roll, but maybe there's a really subtle roll in the mallet instrument. I wouldn't be opposed to adding some more rolls, just not sure exactly where to put them.

-Could we have the second layer offset to the left slightly in bars 11-12, 15 etc. where it's directly on top of the first layer.  It would look a lot neater that way.
-I'm not sure there's too much purpose to the second layer in bar 14.  You could get rid of the rest by merging the layers there.

Fixed both of these.

-The voicing gets a little confusing in the final bar because the bass has been put up the octave.  The bass sounds like it's playing an A# on beat 3 (and then descends as a Bmaj7 chord, so the En should be a D# I think) but the Gn from the upper parts now crosses underneath that note.  I don't think it would be that big of a deal to put at least from beat 2.5 back down the octave to avoid this voicing confusion.  Maybe there's another solution as well.

That makes sense. I think I followed all the suggestions here, plus moving the G natural into the right hand.

The only other question I have is whether there's a neater way to write m10, especially with the two rests? But it's probably fine the way it is too, just wondering.

Thanks so much for the feedback!

Formating
- The tempo and dynamic could move down a little bit and a little to the right (mp dynamic so that it is a bit more centered between staffs)
- m13, 17, and 18 RH top layer rests could come down within the staff (pictured m17-18 idea)

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Done.

- m2 LH overall hearing this go a bit differently. I separated the melody strings from the lower notes but feel free to mix some of the notes into the RH from what I transcribed

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Oh yeah, I hear what you're saying. I kept everything in the LH except the B.

- m3 and m5 RH and a few other spots there should be an F# at the top of this chord just like m4. Basically anytime this chord with Bn-D#-En appears there is an F# on top
- m3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 LH I hear the same note an octave above what is currently present, though

-Added.
-Just to clarify, did you mean adding octaves on top of the bass notes? Originally I left those out to keep it lighter, but looking again I think it balances out the chord more to keep them in.

- m12 and m16 LH beat 1 I hear a D# above the B
- m14 RH beat 1 there's an F# under the current notes
- m17 RH lower layer I don't hear the two 16ths at the end of the measure but that the C# is an 8th note.

Fixed all of these. I also added a roll on beat 1 of m14 in the RH since the string instrument strums that chord there.

- m18 RH The harp strings play a D# on beat 1, as well as the G# which is actually a quarter note. The notes then move down to C#-F#
- m18 LH beat 3.0 to 3.75: the notes should be Gn, F#, D#, B. Technically this whole measure is down an octave but maybe it's easier to transition after the repeat as is.
- Overall this is how I hear m18 going (tho keeping current octave on LH beat 3). To keep the lower RH layer playable perhaps move to LH

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Got it, and yeah the LH is intentionally up an octave here to make the transition on the repeat smoother.

m11-m18 this section needs a bit of a look for the RH part. The two layers' notes should spell out two different parts (harp and that key instrument) and currently there's a sort of mixture that isn't quite as representative as it could be

This part has given me a lot of trouble formatting-wise. Keeping the layers consistent the whole way through makes it near-unreadable, so currently what I have is this:
m.11-12 - Key instrument in layer 1, string instrument in layer 2
m. 13 - String instrument in layer 1, key instrument in layer 2
Since the two parts cross over each other in terms of range, switching the layers between m. 12 and 13 seemed to produce the best balance of readability and accuracy. That said, if anyone has other suggestions for formatting the layers here I'm all ears.

Thank you for the feedback and note corrections, it's much appreciated! And sorry for the late reply, it's been busy lately.

You might want to offset the eighth note on beat 3 of bar 7 to make that a little clear, like in my picture.

Got it.

Also, it'd be a pain but it might be worth fixing the repeats so that the midi plays back correctly.

I couldn't figure out how to do that at first, but I think I got it.

• Maybe put staccatos in the melody on beat 2.5 of m26/28/34/36.

Great suggestion, added.

• Have you considering moving the bottom system of page 1 to the top of page 2 for easier readability with the repeats? You have extra space on page 3 to move things over.

Also done, I think the 3 systems looks a little odd but it's better playability-wise so sure.

Thanks!

I think they really are just sixths, so the Bb in bar 17 should be an An.

Fixed.

Yeah this part is pretty hard to hear.  I'm not 100% on this, but this is roughly the moving harmony that I can hear:

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Obviously don't write that in as it would be pretty awkward to play.  One thing you could do is combine the top part of that with the low bass for something like this:

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Be aware that the engraving in that picture is pretty fiddly, with a lot of edits.  That's not the only way to write it out, but it's a suggestion.

Ok, I see what's going on in that section now. We're fine with that suggestion so going with that.

The only other suggestion I have is that maybe 26 etc. could do with a different direction?  It's not really very malevolent anymore.

Yeah we discussed it and think malevolent mostly suits the intro, so it's been changed to "playful" at measure 15.

Also, the first page was looking pretty cramped so I moved one system to the next page.

Thanks again for the help!