Arrangements Not as Great Sounding as You Wanted?

[Fang]

As an avid arranger of game music, I'm just wondering, has anyone ever tried to recreate a song but having it sound sub-par than you wanted? Granted, MANY other sounds in other games are much better than the sequencer, considering its nature, and having the sequencer has been a BLESSING... but was there any epic songs that just didn't feel the same with LBP2's given instruments?

Personally, every song that had violin that I wanted/tried to arrange are quite different in feeling than the original. Everyone probably feels the same way, unless there's some trick I'm missing :/

There's also a lot I could do with more genuine electric guitar.


So, uh, anyone else out there with an arrangement that doesn't sound as great as they intended?

[arbiekko]

Oh most definitely. I had an idea to replicate the MOOG/KORG-ier soundtrack of Labyrinth paying tribute to that. The music was key, and I know it can be done. But the (sound) levels were awful. The rhythm didn't feel right... the tones were ugly and awkward... when I finally got a few bars of a single song "right" after several days I was too exhausted to try anything more. I'm no musician however, and I have heard people pull off amazing cover tracks with the sequencer. It's all about making best use of the tools... but man, it's discouraging!

Can't really speak to disappointment on non-cover tracks, as people are their own worst critics when it comes to original creations. Again, I'm no musician. I haven't gone near the music sequencer since mid-2011.

[Ali_Star]

There's also a lot I could do with more genuine electric guitar.


So, uh, anyone else out there with an arrangement that doesn't sound as great as they intended?

Use the power cords instrument. Then change the tempre (tombre/tembre.... whatever the heck it's called) with right stick. Makes the instrument sound "heavier". Add a bit of sustain/echo and you're laughing all the way to the bank.

[Ungreth•]

If u want your acoustic instruments like strings, piano, clarinet, etc to sound more acoustic, then it helps a lot to max out the instrument's reverb, add a bit of echo, and then use the "cathedral" reverb setting in the sequencers tweak menu.

[Sackpapoi]

I know what you mean. That and I just SUCK at making music. The only sequencer instrument I can actually make a good sound with are drums, but those are easy.
At my first attempt of recreating something (the "My Moon" theme), it sounded so horrible that my brother broke into laughter. Then again, he laughs at everything I do.
Then, when I tried recreating the Uncharted theme, I sucked. I had to borrow someone else's awesome sequence of it and copy the notes onto my own sequencer, and maybe change some things here and there. I didn't copy every single note, just the hard parts as a guide.
I also have no idea how people can come up with such masterpieces. I'm no music writer, but I know it's difficult to come up with a song. I usually just hum along as I make the music to create it, and it sounds absolutely horrid. If I want to recreate a song, I'm really too lazy to get it on an Ipod or something, so I do it by ear, and it's really hard.
My advice would to try and get a note sheet. Then you'd know exactly what to put down, the only thing left to do would be to pick out the instruments. You could even add a couple of nice effects.
I'll keep practicing, and I hope to get much better in the future so I can add more life to my levels with my own soundtrack. (cheesy)

[Fang]

Use the power cords instrument. Then change the tempre (tombre/tembre.... whatever the heck it's called) with right stick. Makes the instrument sound "heavier". Add a bit of sustain/echo and you're laughing all the way to the bank.

Oh I definitely use that, A LOT infact. It's just that in-comparison to some songs it just sounds laughable.

I'd give examples, but since I'm busy atm, all I can say is look up the soundtrack of Persona 4 or the like... or Tales of for that matter. It just doesn't sound as.... er... dynamic, I would say.