[SNES] Star Fox - "Closing Medley" by Nine Lives

[Zeta]

Submission Information:
Series: Star Fox
Game: Star Fox
Console: Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Title: Closing Medley
Instrumentation Solo Piano
Arranger: Nine Lives

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[NineLives]

I wasn't sure what to title this. These two songs play one after the other in a sort of final cutscene where it tallies up your score and the team heads for home. Originally, I titled it "Andross's Defeat," since it plays after the final battle's over, though I wasn't sure if that'd translate as well. Maybe we could discuss a better name for it as we go along. Here are the sources: Last Boss Clear | Game Clear Demonstration
A little bit of liberties have been taken to make the piece a bit more playable as well.

[XiaoMigros]

I was going to suggest 'Ending' or 'Ending Medley' as a name, until I realised that there already is an Ending present in the OST...
Last Boss Clear

• The not-tied notes in m3 sound like they cut away sooner than is written

Game Clear Demonstration

• The 'Play L.H...' text is a little far left, it shouldnt extend much further than the note it's tied to
• m7: I think the RH note should be a whole note, like other notes of similar sound in this part
• For m14-17, do you think it's worth writing the lower layer in two separate ones?
• Do you think it's worth prioritising the lower layer in m23+, and rearranging the higher one? I understand wanting to make this part stand out a little, but it doesn't sound like the higher layer is really in the foreground

[NineLives]

Sheets have been updated, though I have thoughts on a couple things.

Game Clear Demonstration

• For m14-17, do you think it's worth writing the lower layer in two separate ones?
• Do you think it's worth prioritising the lower layer in m23+, and rearranging the higher one? I understand wanting to make this part stand out a little, but it doesn't sound like the higher layer is really in the foreground

The wording confused me a bit on the first one. I wasn't sure if you were asking why there was a lower layer, as opposed to just writing the notes in unison with the melody, or why the notes of the octaves were part of the second layer. I agree with the latter in the sense that it's a bit overbearing, so I removed those low notes for better playabilty. I do, however, believe that it's worth writing the lower layer separately so there's a distinction between the two parts. If I misinterpreted any of that, I'm sorry.
For measures 23 and onward, I think the high flute-esque part makes the section what it is. I find it very important to keep in the arrangement and, as you said, it makes the segment stand out similar to how it does in the original piece. I did rearrange these measures a bit to make up for the amount of space between notes I had before. I mixed in pieces and parts to make it a bit fuller too. Let me know thoughts on those.

[XiaoMigros]

The wording confused me a bit on the first one. I wasn't sure if you were asking why there was a lower layer, as opposed to just writing the notes in unison with the melody, or why the notes of the octaves were part of the second layer.

Oh, this does sound ambiguous re-reading what I wrote, sorry about that! What I meant to say was to use a 3rd layer to write those low notes, so their full duration is notated.
That said, I think your playability solution of simply not having them in octaves works even better. So, a successful misunderstanding

 

For measures 23 and onward, I think the high flute-esque part makes the section what it is. I find it very important to keep in the arrangement and, as you said, it makes the segment stand out similar to how it does in the original piece.

I agree with you here, I think removing it is a bad idea. I like what you've done here, my other concerns with this part have been alleviated! There are still a few things that I'd like to point out:

• Do you think it's worth keeping the flute in a separate layer throughout the whole part? In some ways it makes it more readable, but it does add a little more clutter
• I'm not really hearing what you have written in m27, do you want to replace the first two Bbs with the E-Fn-G figure the lower harmony instrument plays?

The only other thing I have to add is that the half rest in m3 of Last Boss Clear should remain visible.
Thanks for the swift response, and sorry again for any confusion!

[NineLives]

• Do you think it's worth keeping the flute in a separate layer throughout the whole part? In some ways it makes it more readable, but it does add a little more clutter
• I'm not really hearing what you have written in m27, do you want to replace the first two Bbs with the E-Fn-G figure the lower harmony instrument plays?

For the first concern, I think it's more appropriate for this section to be mostly in the first layer, because the flute part syncs up quite a bit with the main string melody for a majority of the segment compared to the last two phrases(if that's the correct word).
Measure 27 is changed slightly. The Bb comes from the bass, which I feel sounds more pleasant than the lower strings' notes, which makes it sound a bit more crunchy than I'd prefer. The flute also plays the Bb on count 4, so I thought it'd be more practical. I changed the initial Bb to play for 3 counts, similar to how long the flute's D plays, so the restrike feels a little more satisfying leading into the next measure.
I also made an adjustment to the last two measures voluntarily. I made a few of the chords triads in order to better embrace the end of the segment. I again avoided the use of octaves. Tell me what you think!

[XiaoMigros]

I also made an adjustment to the last two measures voluntarily. I made a few of the chords triads in order to better embrace the end of the segment. I again avoided the use of octaves. Tell me what you think!

I think what you have here works well! Your reasoning makes sense. I still feel that the doubling the bass in m27 is a little excessive, but I'll let another updater weigh in on that since I have nothing to add.

Looking at Last Boss Clear again, do you think this track would be better in the key of B major? That's where the theme resolves to, at least.
Also, I think the Fns in m1-2 would be better written as E#s.

[NineLives]

Looking at Last Boss Clear again, do you think this track would be better in the key of B major? That's where the theme resolves to, at least.
Also, I think the Fns in m1-2 would be better written as E#s.

I agree! Consider it done!

[XiaoMigros]

Looks great! You have my approval

[ThatHiddenCharacter]

Personally, I would notate the RH in m6-13 with a bass clef and an octava line. The notes go so far below the staff the way it's currently written that it might make it a little hard for people to be able to sight-read. Anyone with more experience can feel free to refute this point, I could be wrong.

[XiaoMigros]

Personally, I would notate the RH in m6-13 with a bass clef and an octava line.

When writing for piano, it's bad practice to have 8va higher in the bass clef or 8va lower in the treble clef. Some of the notes are a little low, but anything within 4 ledger lines tends to still be pretty readable.

[Kricketune54]

Last Boss Clear

Only thing I have is you could have the LH notes in m1 and 2 beat 1 go to beat 3; unless you just want to replicate the percussion, which does not do that in the original.

Game Clear Demonstration
• m11 beat 1 lower RH layer sounds like an F# not G
• m20 LH these notes are Bb's. m21 the notes are En's
• m20 given the above changes, I think the progression of the chords works better if the m20 RH lower layer A is a G.


• The simplifications between m14-22 were a good choice, definitely make the arrangement a lot easier. However, I think it does feels a bit static/stilted here without the added eight notes. You could add LH notes where the lower RH layer normally would strike for m14-16 and m18-20; example included for m14-15:

Spoiler

[close]

[NineLives]

Everything above should be updated in. For measure 3, I made the dyad in the right hand last as long as the initial left hand hits in the first two measures. I thought it'd be better for consistency.

[Kricketune54]

Great, and that is an acceptable change

[Zeta]

This submission has been accepted by Kricketune54.

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