[SNES] Final Fantasy VI - "Strago's Theme" by Jake_Luigi

[Zeta]

Submission Information:
Series: Final Fantasy
Game: Final Fantasy VI
Console: Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Title: Strago's Theme
Instrumentation Solo Piano
Arranger: Jake_Luigi

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Jake_Luigi]

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwZX0-GCdWQ

Also, I couldn't get nested repeats to work (there should be two, one for the first four measures and another for the following eight). Is there a way to do that?

[Latios212]

Wait a second this isn't Mega Man

Also, I couldn't get nested repeats to work (there should be two, one for the first four measures and another for the following eight). Is there a way to do that?

Do you mean adjacent instead of nested repeated sections? Like...
[: 1 2 3 4 :] [: 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 :]

Couple of other things as I'm skimming (these use the measure numbers from the current files)
- The left hand part in m. 1+ would be better written C# instead of Db. Notice how the repeated left hand pattern across measures contains and alternates between both the D and Db so it'd be better to write the Db as C# to avoid having to keep flatting/naturaling the D.
- Along similar lines, there are some places in the right hand as well where you have neighboring chromatic tones. - when the voice steps out of the notes in the key by going up or own a half step before returning to the same note within the key. In m. 14 you have G-Gb-G which would be better written as G-F#-G. Similarly in m. 29 you can write the last Db as C# since it is directly followed by another D.

[Jake_Luigi]

Do you mean adjacent instead of nested repeated sections? Like...
[: 1 2 3 4 :] [: 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 :]

Yeah, but like with another repeat on either end, so in all m1-12 gets played 4 times each for a full repeat, y'know what I mean?

The left hand part in m. 1+ would be better written C# instead of Db.

So that's why the draft I've been sitting on for two months had that...
I thought it looked better with the flats, but you're right, the sharps make more sense when playing properly (nervous laughter).
Now I wish I hadn't saved over it by accident with the flat vs sharps edits, but if need be, I think my PA thread can be copied from.
I kept the Dbs after m35 because it stays flat there, but if those should be C#s as well I can change 'em easy.

Thanks Lat

[Latios212]

Yeah, but like with another repeat on either end, so in all m1-12 gets played 4 times each for a full repeat, y'know what I mean?

Not exactly. Listening to the original, I think what you want is:

Code Select Expand

[: measures 1-4 from the current file :]
[: measures 9-16 from the current file :]
measures 25-40 from the current file
D.C.
since it sounds like those two sections repeat once each, then go to the third section which does not repeat, before it all starts over.

I kept the Dbs after m35 because it stays flat there, but if those should be C#s as well I can change 'em easy.

Yep, those should stay Dbs indeed At the end though, give those Gb's another look.

Thanks Lat

Of course!

[Jake_Luigi]

Okay, I finally made time to fix the repeats, hooray (had to put everything in the template again... twice). That part works as intended.
Made the Gbs into F#s towards the end.
However, Finale made one of the ties the wrong orientation, couldn't fix it on .mus.
Also got rid of unnecessary natural signs that I forgot to edit last time.

[Latios212]

Cool! Yeah don't worry about the formatting just yet, I'll help you fix that once we get the notes all sorted out.

So, the notes:
- The RH dyads in m. 8 and 11-12 should be an octave lower - both since they're at that height in the original, and also to differentiate that voice from the main melody. Same goes for m. 15-16 and 19-20.
- I'd suggest writing the Db in m. 18 as C#
- Even though the C overlaps in the two voices (on beat 1 and beat 2) in m. 22, I'd still recommend writing them as separate voices to show the performer. Similar in m. 23-24, I think showing the different voices would help
- The 16th note descent in m. 23 is missing a Fb before the Eb, I think (as another 16th note)
- I only meant to suggest changing the Gb's to F#s in the last two measures - 25-26 should use Gb because they're over an Eb bass (Gb is the minor third).
- I think the voices in the LH of the second to last measure are doing this:
You cannot view this attachment.
I'd just omit the D on beat 2 to have the eighth note voice ascend, but your choice.
- I'm not sure the lower layer C's in the last couple measures are right.

Also - think a bit more about the articulations you want to use in the melody! There's more nuance to it than you currently have written. For instance, m. 5-6 could look like:
You cannot view this attachment.
Give it another look+listen and see what notes are legato vs. staccato.

[Jake_Luigi]

Files updated 
Notes:
-Lowered the dyads in RH where necessary
-Changed the Db to C# in m18
-I think I changed the voicings to better reflect the song in the specified measures, however, I think it also messed up some of the formatting.
-Added the extra 16th
-Ohhh, gotcha. Yeah, I thought it was weird to have flats and sharps in LH m25/26
-Ah, that's the measure. I do hear the D on the eighth note ascend though. Is there a better way of keeping it in, or does it have to be an eighth overlapping a quarter?
-Still trying to figure out those notes in the last few measures. Changed them and I think they're at least closer to what it's supposed to be.
-I think I added too many articulations... do you think it's too much?

[Jake_Luigi]

Long story, it is past midnight and I am currently in the VC with MSF, here are some more edits:

-m21-24 has been fixed up to better show voicings
-also in m21-24, the slurs don't work in MuseScore because of the layers (msf "MuseScore is bad") so if I can't figure it out in Finale, they will be missing but they are going from beat1 in 21 connected to the C on beat 1 in 22 (and then basically the same for 23-24 with slurs).
-fixed some stem directions

i think that's all we did : D
updating files now

edit: couldn't get the slurs to work on Finale, kept staying under the first note and over the second
also msf, Radiak, and Kricketune are here and say "hi"
also also please let me know how bad the Finale file ended up in the conversion. Testing to see if Power Field was a fluke.

[Latios212]

Cool! Let's see...

- I think the voices in the LH of the second to last measure are doing this:
You cannot view this attachment.
I'd just omit the D on beat 2 to have the eighth note voice ascend, but your choice.

-Ah, that's the measure. I do hear the D on the eighth note ascend though. Is there a better way of keeping it in, or does it have to be an eighth overlapping a quarter?

I'm pretty sure the D on beat 2 is part of the lower layer, not the eighth note layer. If you want to keep it, I think the way I have it in the picture works best, though we can separate the two notes on beat 2 horizontally by a few notches.

- I'm not sure the lower layer C's in the last couple measures are right.

-Still trying to figure out those notes in the last few measures. Changed them and I think they're at least closer to what it's supposed to be.

Yeah, I think this works

-also in m21-24, the slurs don't work in MuseScore because of the layers (msf "MuseScore is bad") so if I can't figure it out in Finale, they will be missing but they are going from beat1 in 21 connected to the C on beat 1 in 22 (and then basically the same for 23-24 with slurs).

Got 21-22, that's easy. 23-24 are a bit trickier because the bottom voice moves to the top. I've done something a bit unconventional for 23-24 but I think this is probably the best way to write it.

also also please let me know how bad the Finale file ended up in the conversion. Testing to see if Power Field was a fluke.

Workable - things are a little wonky but all the notes and articulations came in correctly, which is the important part.. I pasted everything into a template file and poked a few things around, like:
- measure distribution (an even four per system!)
- more space between LH/RH staves when needed
- poking/prodding of the expression text and rest heights
- flipping the lower layer in m. 11-12 down

And lastly, slurs and articulations:

-I think I added too many articulations... do you think it's too much?

Overall this looks pretty good. A few suggestions:
- Staccatos on the quarter notes in the first three measures
- Extending slurs to the last note that the melody is tied to (e.g. in m. 8 and 12
- It's not really as necessary to have one gigantic slur in m. 13-15 and 17-19. What I was trying to get at was more the differences in the way the melody notes are played in m. 5-12, which I think you've done well.
- Extending the slur in m. 25 to the first staccato note

I think everything else looks pretty good, so I uploaded files with all the above polish stuff. If all looks good to you, I approve

[Jake_Luigi]

It all looks/sounds good!
Thanks Latios 

[Static]

• While your tempo marking is correct, I really feel this in 2 (cut time), so half note = 80 would, in my opinion, be more appropriate. You do not have to change the time signature itself or the note values. In addition, I think your character indication, while entertaining, is not reflective of the style of the piece and would be confusing for people who aren't familiar with the game/soundtrack.
• I hear the quarter notes in the melody on beat 4 of m5, beats 2/4 of m6, and beat 3 of m9 all staccato (all of these are at the ends of the slurs).
• The whole note layer in m25-26 should be Gb-Bb instead of Eb-Bb.
• A courtesy Bb/Cn for m14/18 would be nice, those would throw a lot of people off-guard on a sightread.
• m25 LH beat 3 should be flipped so it looks like m26.
• The quarter note on beat 3 of m27 LH Layer 1 should also be staccato.

-I think I added too many articulations... do you think it's too much?

I just want to touch on this a bit. In my opinion, articulations are very important since notes with no articulations can be ambiguous sometimes. A performer should be able to play the piece the way you intend, so articulations are a way to help you - articulate - what you want to say (I'm so funny). I think Fiktah touched on this in one of his streams, I forgot though. The updaters will let you know if your sheet is too messy or cluttered, so don't worry.

Anyways, I went ahead and made all the changes for you and updated the files. If they look good to you, then we're all done here.

[Jake_Luigi]

Darn, and I got so close to using the character indication...
I talked to FiKTaH to see if he had any ideas for a replacement one, he suggested either "Quasi Maestoso" or "With whimsical aloofness"
If either sound good, could you please add it in? If neither works, I'm fine with calling it good.
Looks/sounds great! Thank you Static!

[Static]

Darn, and I got so close to using the character indication...
I talked to FiKTaH to see if he had any ideas for a replacement one, he suggested either "Quasi Maestoso" or "With whimsical aloofness"
If either sound good, could you please add it in? If neither works, I'm fine with calling it good.
Looks/sounds great! Thank you Static!

Either works fine, and after chatting you said you preferred Quasi maestoso, so I added that in. Accepted

[Zeta]

This submission has been accepted by Static.

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