Final Fantasy V - Parting Sorrow (Until the Day We Meet Again...)

[sururick]

For the past few months I have been getting back into the game arrangements. I currently have over 30 arrangements completed.

This is a new arrangement I created for the composition, "Parting Sorrow," from Final Fantasy V. This is my second favorite song, next to Terra's Theme, in all of the final Fantasy series.

Instrument Libraries included:
Garritan Instant Orchestra - Harp, String Section 1, String Section 2, String Section 3, Choir
Ewqlso Silver - Trumpet
Dimension Pro - Bass

Original Version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpbRyGVX4jE

[etLux]

Another moving, well done arrangement, Richard.

One suggestion I might make... the more exposed string lines... if you can get those more legato and push a little more portamento, I think it would increase the emotional impact. This kind of material loves that sort of treatment.

All the best,


David
-----
David Sosnowski
www.DavidSosnowski.com

[rbowser-]

Cool - I'm back again already for more video score entertainment from sururick!

Very pretty - nicely done, Richard. The direct, sentimentality of the piece is effective, and your version of it works very well indeed.

David's note about getting a more fluid, legato feel to the strings would be good - BUT I don't think David is familiar with the way Instant Orchestra is programmed. It's the first Garritan Library which doesn't use what us Garritan old-timers are accustomed to in the legato control department.

Traditionally with Garritan, like in GPO, the Sustain Pedal, CC64, doesn't result in standard MIDI sustain. It was programmed to engage a special Garritan Legato which was very effective. When used properly, after the first note of a legato passage, the sustain pedal would be engaged, and then all the following notes would have the attack portion of their samples truncated. All the notes would blend together more, as when strings are being fluidly played in a continuous, legato fashion. But CC64 didn't make the notes hold like in standard sustain.

But that programming wasn't used in Instant Orchestra - and I would have preferred that it had been used. In IO, when you use the sustain pedal, the result is standard piano style sustain, with notes holding. It's impossible to use CC64 as we do in GPO, because you just get a mush of sustained, overlapping notes. It's much more difficult to get an effective legato - It's virtually impossible to get rid of that constant On, On, On sound with each sample's entire envelope being triggered each time.

Things to do for getting the smoothest string legato in IO:

--On the Controls window, turn the Expression Switch on. That engages "Extend (GPO"). What that does is make CC1 or 11 the only volume control. Velocity only controls the attack of the samples. This is the way it is in GPO, and that's why it's labeled "GPO." The default is General Midi (GM) where velocity also helps control volume. So, switch that to GPO mode.

--Then in your MIDI editor, for your legato passages, make sure the velocity levels are low. The higher they are, the more pronounced the beginning of each note will be.

--Also in your MIDI editor, make sure all the notes in legato passages overlap slightly, but not so much as to cause a blur.

That means it calls for a lot more work to get smooth passages in IO - but it's worth the effort, even though the results will never be as smooth as with the more complex legato programming in GPO.

Randy

[sanyarem]

Hello sururik, this is a great arrangement/recording! I never really followed the Final Fantasy series (I've only played the first), but I am aware that it is very well known for its music, and this, I agree, is very nice! I don't consider myself great at arranging/composing for brass, so I am quite impressed by the trumpet line. I can hear what David is talking about with the strings sounding a bit disconnected, but overall, well done!

[fastlane]

Well, it's a much improved arrangement from the original. I like the trumpet on this. I've never heard this game music before but it sounds similar to some older movie soundtrack that popped up in my head.

I see Bungie has hired Paul McCartney to do at least some of the music for their new game series that is coming out.

I enjoyed listening to your arrangement.

[sururick]

Thank you for the feedback guy, I am glad everyone enjoyed this arrangement. I am a very big fan of the music from the Final Fantasy series.

@Randy and David:
Thanks for the tips. After listening to the piece again, it does seem noticeable that the notes go to point a to point b. I will have to play around with the cc controllers. I will have to try your advice Randy. I still haven't played around too much with the cc controls.