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The phantom remix tournament.


jssf1992

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New Years resolution:  I'll try to do more stuff here.  Including more games, but let's start with this.  It may or may not be a good time to start, but if not, we'll hold off.

This is essentially a game of sharing and rating music remixes that we have found.  It's not really much of a competition, and there's not really much of a prize in the end, so don't worry about anyone taking this too seriously.  It will go like this: every participant will send three remixes/arrangements/etc to me via PM.  Then, I will post three of all the pieces in the thread, and everyone will comment on them and rate them.  A day or two later (depending on how many people we have and how fast they post), I will post the next set and we'll do it again.  We continue like this until we've gone through all the pieces, and we find out who had the highest rated song, best average rating, etc.

So, if you want to join, post here, then send me a PM with your choices.  Sign-ups will last one week, assuming we have enough interested people.

While rating by numbers is arbitrary, I can compile them into a percentage at the end so we can see who has the rated song and best average, so that would be preferable.

 

Entrants:

Garrison

Ken

Buskerdog

Drunken Flower

Amamiya Yuki

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On 1/1/2021 at 6:31 PM, jssf1992 said:

New Years resolution:  I'll try to do more stuff here.  Including more games, but let's start with this. 

I've been wanting to make more topics as well, but I guess last year I wasn't that motivated lol. Anyway, very happy to be starting with this. "The phantom remix tournament" is probably just another one of your star wars references, but it has some legitimately spooky vibes to it. OOOooooOOOOooo... I think I may have some trouble choosing my songs this time, but I'm taking part of course.

Ha ha, like I don't have trouble choosing the songs every time...

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Ohh that's good to hear happy that it's there again so a bit late but yeah imma join as well

PS: When next tournament will be there i don't mind when someone would DM me on discord since i'm not coming to site that often and sometimes i'm not here for about month as well

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Alright, let's get this started!

First off, there was a piano in the Scarlet Devil Mansion?  Appearantly so:

 

Second, a nice medley of several of Ten Desire's pieces (True Administrator, Legend of the Great Gods, Great Mausoleum, and Old Yuanxian):

 

Third, something different with U.N. Owen was her?:

 

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1. Yo Ken it's pretty nice and calming piece of work, i probably could sleep to it even tho piano arrangements are just mostly decent for me (also about that title, i'm pretty sure there WAS a piano in SDM at least in most fangames)

6/10


2. Orchestra huh, it's pretty good and gets even better once music picks up a little in moments like 1:43 ngl i'm a bit more into orchestral stuff than solo piano and song is pretty good as well 

7/10


3. oh no it's a choir, that's probably just me but when i hear choir only thing i can think about is church and i'm ateist so i'll pass i just rather jam to stuff like piano/orchestra/post-rock etc. and probably only one that drops even lower is Jazz and some kind of Swing songs, don't get me wrong i love this kind of atmosphere in most songs especially when chorus or intense part kicks in and either something similar to this happens or just vocalist vocal gets much more intense and is kinda choir like however when it's choir on it's own i'll pass

4/10

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Alright, let's dive into this!

There was a Piano in the Scarlet Devil Mansion?

A very calm and soothing piece, it's pleasant to listen to. The change in the mood about halfway through caught me off guard and threw me a bit, but it's a welcome addition, and actually I like the change of pace, it gives the song a bit more... momentum. Overall, it's a really nice rendition of Septette for the Dead Princess! 7/10.

Toyosatomimi's Medley

This piece is really graceful in how it blends between the different songs in the medley. I like how it uses different volumes and speeds as it moves throughout the piece, the loud brass section used to announce the "arrival" of Miko's theme is particularly catching. True Administrator and parts of Legend of the Great Gods are fast and grand but there's also a calm, mysterious mood associated with other themes. Overall super atmospheric. I'll give this 8/10.

U.N. Owen Was Her? (Choir)

This is short but sweet. It's a very different take on the song, and honestly a pretty good one. I have to say I appreciate the use of the background instrumentation though, I would have got pretty tired of hearing just the voices. They sound nice when used in tandem though. It's a very simple piece overall, but that's why it works. 6/10.

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I see we're starting off with a more classical bent this time, eh?

1: There was a Piano in Scarlet Devil Mansion?
Glad we're getting this out of the way early. The artist did only one Touhou album, and as far as I know has no Youtube presence. His arrangements are characterized by an exploration of what it means to adapt something to piano, playing powerfully to the instrument's strengths.

This specific piece is my favorite from the album, and probably my favorite Touhou piano remix. It's essentially a simplistic arrangement, but just complex enough to have a classical feel. I picture Remilia playing in an empty grand hall (maybe with Sakyua listening from doorway), casually exercising the varying techniques she's learned. The stylistic changes that occur throughout (such as at 2:20) are the transitions from one technique to another. The original theme's bridge section (featured here at 4:21) sounds like improvisation, lending to this perception. Yet even as a practice piece, she still builds up a progression, brings the piece to a climax, and ends it without too much fanfare (the final chord has a relatively short duration).

Ultimately, I believe I can give this an honest 10/10.
On a side note, I also like to compare this arrangement to Demetori's Ascending into Naught as a showcase of the source material's diverse application potential.

2: The Dawn of Asuka, and the Beginning of the Legend (Brass Band Ver.)
An exceptional orchestral arrangement; if it's not live, then it's using some of the best VSTs I've ever heard. I tried finding more about the circle (Harimusic, or Hari Music), and found a impressive supply of Ten Desires' centered medleys. The blending of different motifs is near seamless, which effect I perceive stems from the way the piece is ordered. True Administrator's motifs are the most prevalent, but it does less tying the piece together and more becoming the primary motif to a unique arrangement.

Put another way: This doesn't sound like a medley of multiple themes. If I didn't know the source material, it would sound like a single, unified arrangement. As such, its progression is perfect, and it manages to instill a perfect balance of cinematic overture and concert hall feeling. All of this, and three-fourths of it are my least favorite themes from Touhou 10!

My initial inclination is a well deserved 9/10. I'm a little worried how well that will hold up in future rounds, though.

3: U.N. Owen Was Her?
Within the first few seconds, I thought someone had found the choir remix Garison was looking for. Veering off from that, this piece captures a very serene feel that definitely tries to tug at the emotions. I can easily see this growing into a more powerful arrangement, either as a climactic resolve or a crushing conclusion. Unfortunately, the piece doesn't build to anything. There's amazing potential to it as a beginning, but it's far too short.

The rating on this one is difficult. I did like it, so a five seems too low. But six seems too high, so I'll stick with 5/10.

Edit: @Garison DeCrick I'm curious if my perspective will help at all with your experience, but I suspect we're looking for something different in either the motif representation or in the style of arrangement. If the former, you might give Nguyen's Flight of the Bamboo Cutter a listen. If the latter, we might have a disagreement on the grounds of music theory. Most Touhou piano arrangements I come across tend to be "covers;" they recreate the original piece for piano. I enjoy this style, and there is significant creativity involved in imitating the complex themes on a simpler instrument. However, there is also the arrangement which reimagines the source material for piano. I appreciate Nguyen's style because of the pace changes; I interpret these as an exploration of the instrument and/or a form of storytelling through music (although there is a very near exception in his Meiling, Come in for a Bit; that one's weird, even for me). This is often my preference in solo instrument covers, possibly as an experience of the instrument rather than the piece itself. My least favorite track on this album is his Satori Maiden, which is his most straight-forward remix and probably not coincidentally his shortest. For the sake of comparison, could you highlight one of kkcwkoh's arrangements? I was under the previous assumption he was just a feature channel.

Also, yeah, that rendering flash is annoying, and I have no idea what caused it.

TTT

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sadness
 

1: the piano and the mastering itself nice, so smooth and kalm
i like few improvisation, kinda break me up from burnout or just from the pieces aint fond of
the problem is as Garrison said, the organization is kinda messed up, stuff end and change so quickly
also i kinda expected owens but no, kinda relieved but still eh
7/10

2: eyy this one amazing, they skipped Toyo's boring part, nice.
kalm opening for dramatic buildup or somethin
i have no much to say with orchestral, everything so strict and technical. i just know when i like or not
and i know the focus is Toyo but i demand old yuaxian more in it
8/10

3: why i only heard opening from the left OHNO mine headphone broke, i blame flan > :((
ok the choir really feel synthetical , it's like somethin i made when messing up with FL studio and aint a arranger
wait why the whole music is just opening? where the main dish?
3/10
fixed mine headphone btw :DDDD

 

i shouldn't've listen to other musics before rating these but pbtbtp.

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Alright, moving on to the second round:

First we have a lovely traditional arrange of Retribution for the Eternal Night:

 

Second, another folk arrangement, this time of Crimson Belvedere:

 

And third, a piano arrangement/medley of Concealed Four Seasons:

 

 

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1. Yeah imho better than any previously posted stuff yet, i like traditional songs or when song has that "traditional vibes" (kinda reminds me of A.SAKA creations but they are usually more electronic with traditional addons) this one isn't really too calm for my preferences and is easily something i would listen to exactly in game it's also fairly long so

8/10


2. another orchestral woo, honestly i'm starting to get used to it a little it's one of my favourite themes from EoSD however it's not really better than Toyo Medley hence why it gets a bit lower rating but it's still pretty decent work

i would give 6.5/10 but i don't want to use decimals so i need to give 6/10


3. a bit too calm for me but well, at least theme is one that i could easily put in top 10-15 i also quite like animation it also gets a bit repetitive over time but i guess that's just me (not like usually trance which i love doesn't but i still don't care so much about it)

that's mostly for animation and theme 7/10

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im hungry

1: i expected more erhu in it, this more like a traditional instrumetal
i dunno what to say about this one, i played for like 2 hours to make a comment but i dunno.
lemme change to commentary mode:
pretty strong opening for such kalm song. i imagine this for like a start of introduction festival or something
I adore the atmospheric feeling at 0:40, at 1:00 (why so perfect timestamp?) the koto came back, sound more like a harp.. konghou? hmm ?...whatever, it great at increasing the oriental feeling. feels like under the moonlight, deep in (bamboo) forest, lost, waiting for something big.

1:20 (i told ya it's perfect timestamped) the erhu came in kinda strong, quite high octave and smooth for an erhu, almost mistaken for a flute for first 2 seconds, 1:30 ey that's flute. This part, it feels like journey, sadness, nostalgia, resolution.

2:00 this very calm, like fleeting in eternity, peace, delightful end
2:45 repeat
10/10
feels like you are welcomed to hourai mountain, the paradise one, somethin like heaven but oriental.
probably gonna listen to this again for like 1000 or more

2: WHO PUT THIS HERE, WHO!!?????
i can already hear by only lookin at the thumbnail
Crimson Belvedere is one of the two ost that i listen a lot from EoSD
*cough* so yeah, this kinda like the previous but more festive i guess
-100 for rarity >>:C, i have like over 400 plays for this one
10/10 music
but! because i already play it a lot.. 
9/10

3: There's lot goin on here
the transitions a bit smmrough but.. eh? it smooth but feels aint connect
3:52 really chaotic smh
4:35 oh it slowing down, ye this more like it
i kinda like this(?) but considering the previous two.. hmm...nono, the previous shoulda be around 12/10
6/10
OH! there's texts at 5:18, OH! 6:02

yes holyshit that was hard round

FYI im hella into oriental stuff even in architecture, storyteling, art, music, fashion (kimono great but.. im more to chinese attires ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ), etc...
so Erhu, Bon Odori, Taiko and somethin like that is awuKDdjwKAkdblv8)Bc7Fkq^uKWJH

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4: Path Through the Bamboo Forest
I thought it was a haegeum, but apparently not. Does anyone know what the difference is, aside from nation of origin?

The Touhou Project doesn't take itself very seriously, as evidenced by the handling of its stories and characters. Viewed through the eyes of Reimu or Marisa, the most common playables, the events of any given story are often filtered as far less serious than they could be. This is part of Touhou's charm.
This arrangement is a glimpse into a different kind of Touhou. If the world was more of a representation of Japanese culture, if folklore-inspired characters were more true to legend, if the world was more serious . . . I imagine this is what Touhou would sound like.

Is that a bit much? I don't want to just say "it's beautiful," and not have communicated anything, but what I've written seems a bit ridiculous vague even to me. Retribution for Eternal Night is one of the more powerful pieces as a summation of Touhou, due to the central part the familiar Theme of Eastern Story plays to it; I've had similar thoughts concerning Akiyama's Pipes and Fiddle arrangement. Putting it to traditional Japanese style is ingenious, and this arrangement completely accomplishes that style. I also couldn't help but compare it to Okami, and I can't imagine it being any better.

Surprisingly, I think this one is another 10/10.
I really ought to play Scarlet Curiosity.

5: Gensokyo, Where the Flowers of Feelings Bloom
Deemo: Eastern Story.

Did anyone else get the impression that this was two related arrangements in one? While there is a piano in the first half, it's just part of the fuller orchestra; then at about 1:36, the piano takes center stage and the rest of the ensemble molds around it. Even if I'm right, the arrangements are similar enough that they simulate a flowing progression (and ya'll know I love musical progression). As a whole, the piece encapsulates the beginning or end of an important journey; it carries a vigorous, accomplished feeling.

My one complaint is the last note, which needed a longer retreat. Relatively minor, but the effect is difficult for me to ignore. I actually went looking for other videos of the piece in hopes that it was an uploader's issue, but the only other video I could find had the same problem.

For that issue alone, 8/10.

6: Concealed Four Seasons
Now it's my turn.

In concept, this idea is ingenious. The artist didn't make the mistake of just riding on that idea, either; a quality effort was made to accomplish the goal. The end result almost works perfectly, and if he makes good on his promise to revisit the idea then I look forward to seeing the results. As it is, here are some strengths and weaknesses.

I found the visuals to be distracting. This is likely a problem with me, and I would not suggest that they shouldn't have been included. Listening to it without the video allowed me to focus on the piece as a whole without trying to determine what themes were being added in. Subsequently, the mashups blend well if you're not thinking too hard about them. The interlude parts are especially well crafted, and the Necrofantasia finale (while perhaps obvious) was probably the best part. My primary concern is the lack of organization; there seems little rhyme or reason to what themes will be playing when, so long as it can be made to fit. There's actually nothing wrong with this, but without this consideration there's a lack of balance and (dare I say it) progression to the piece. I would suggest extending the build to the first mashup, making sure that the foundational melody was balanced to the accompanying motifs. Plan out the flow of the piece, the highs and lows and whatnot, and let the piece finish in imitation of its beginning so as to tie the whole thing together. Initially, I had doubts that this was a piano solo (that initial mashup feature at 0:28 sounded like it was edited on); I think now it likely is, but if it isn't then making it one would definitely help with balancing motifs.

I'm assuming 4:40 and onward is its own remix, so the main piece is a 7/10.

TTT

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3 hours ago, Ken Hisuag said:

I thought it was a haegeum, but apparently not. Does anyone know what the difference is, aside from nation of origin?

letsee
first, haegum's bow is separable just like violin, not like erhu which is inside the two strings, it inseparable.
the string itself look thicker and looser for haegum, erhu is thin and looks tight.
the sound itself, haegum is more like... writhing??? or that's how they play it??? it sound really painful

also erhu is a family of huqin alongside zhanghu and gaohu. fyi the "hu" itself is a short for huqin.
Zhonghu (zhongyin erhu) sound lower than erhu. although the name "Zhongyin" means "Middle ranged", idk.. it supposed to sound lower than erhu.
Erhu which we usually know, sound in the middle range, "Er" is just means two, for two string.
Gaohu *cough* GAOOO!!hu is the higher pitched. "Gao" is just means high 

we just call it Erhu cause it the most common and they all sound similar

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On 1/18/2021 at 4:35 AM, Ken Hisuag said:

I picture Remilia playing in an empty grand hall (maybe with Sakyua listening from doorway), casually exercising the varying techniques she's learned.

OK OK but hear me out:

If Sakuya can stop time

and she can manipulate objects during stopped time

does that mean she's physically able to play impossible piano remixes?

 

 

...anyway...

Spoiler

Path Through the Bamboo Forest

This is a very calming remix of Retribution for the Eternal Night, and the traditional instruments used are very pleasant to listen to. This song has a lot of subtle layers to it which I like, and it creates this very delicate, mystical atmosphere. The high point towards the end of the loop (first appears at 2.00) is especially good. I’ll give it a 7/10.

Crimson Belvedere (Orchestral)

You know, I don't think I've heard an arrangement of EoSD's credits theme before. This is incredibly majestic, and the further in I got, the better it became. Starting with the calm opening I wasn't expecting the majestic brass section to come in. But then it did, and I really liked it, and I expected that it would become the focus of the piece. But then it changes again, and I'm pleasantly surprised once more! It really helps push the music forwards, but still maintains this grand mood throughout which I love. Deserving of a 9/10.

Concealed Four Seasons

Now this is an incredibly ambitious project, to make a medley of so many different songs on only a piano, and that definitely impresses me. The first time around I thought some of the transitions felt quite rough, but re-listening I actually like it more than the first time. The real problem is that, although I like the concept, it feels too “snippety”. There are some snippets I really like, but the thing is because it’s split into these snippets, it’s hard to judge as a whole. There is a structure and progression to it, just not the most cohesive one. I think it’s impressive, but there’s a satisfaction I’m not getting from it. 5/10.

 

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Hmm, some different comments, but on to the next round!

 

First a vocal arrangement of Now Until the Moment You Die:

 

Second (and clearly the perfect follow up), is a mix of Rigid Paradise and Corpse Voyage - Be of Good Cheer!

 

And then, a very different vocal arrange of Faraway Voyage:

 

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