String Quartet Project

Jisho · **String Quartet Project -** 06-03-2008, 10:31 PM

I'm now 100% serious about this, and it'd be great to get more help with it.

As it stands the idea is thus; take video game melodies/full music and turn it into string quartets with true classical form/add varying degrees of artistic license.

So far... I'm working on "Vamo Alla Flamenco" turning it into a true rondo (adding one more melodic phrase as a "D" section to extend it in length, and potentially a coda). So far, I have gone as far as Uematsu went with it, here's what I have written so far (attached). Obviously it is not done, I still have some proofreading to do, I may want to variate the harmony a little more (at this stage, it's still a little Academic).

I do feel it is necesary to cite Alex Lamont's guitar arrangement, I borrow a couple ideas and I used it as a handy guide to make sure I was using the right melody (even if it isn't the hardest to dictate). I did change the key... A minor (which most people put it in) sounds way too neutral to me.

I'd put the thing in a more difficult key if I were not afraid of scaring off musicians.

**Nicol Armarfi** · 06-04-2008, 02:34 PM

Still having trouble deciding what I should arrange, there is such a long list of things I`d like to get done. Once I narrow down the list/pick one I'll try and figure out what to do with it D:

SND15 · 06-04-2008, 03:35 PM

I'm going to find or make time to contribute to this project but i gotta find something to arrange
what do think about Beginning of the End from final fantasy 12?

Jisho · 06-04-2008, 07:48 PM

Thats a really good song. But downsizing it to string quartet... I'd be worried about that since it gets most of its drive from the sheer scale of instrumentation and it'd be tough to replicate that on string quartet unless you did some insanely heavy editing. Just losing the xylophone at some of those key moments removes too much drama. And then the issue of trying to use a correct classical form... I don't hear a clear melodic motif to work with.

If you can make it work, you sir deserve to be elevated to deity status.

**Nicol Armarfi** · 06-04-2008, 08:17 PM

Well, I managed to make a little arrangement of my favourite Megaman track. Though be warned, this is just a rough draft. It still needs to be heavily revised and edited into a more classical form. Also, FL Studio couldn't render the pizzicato

http://nicol.chendo.net/music/Arrange/wily.mp3

Jisho · 06-04-2008, 11:21 PM

It actually works well with full bow, and I didn't even realize how good of a choice that would be for a string quartet.

Form wise... I'm trying to think of what to do with it. Strait variations could work.

Although it may be a rediculous challenge; what would the reaction be to Zelda's Lullaby as a full 4 voice canon or (if I'm crazy enough) a fugue? The melody already sounds like it could be a canon/round melody, and turning into a fugue would be similar.

**Nicol Armarfi** · 06-05-2008, 12:57 PM

I'd actually like to hear that

.

SND15 · 03:52 PM

(reply from previous post)
Well Jisho it wouldn't be that hard. I looked at the midi of it and the strings make up the melody and background. It is mostly strings like violins that make up the beginning, cellos that make up the whole notes in the beginning and through out the song, contrabass that provides the rhythmic beat and viola that plays in pizzicato. I'll definitely try it out.

Nicol I'm looking foward to hearing the completed version of the song cused it already songs pretty good. Jisho is right though about using full bow.

SND15 · 06-05-2008, 05:00 PM

okay heres the very rough version of it with almost no articulation marks (damn finale notepad sucks)

It sound really bad you have been warned

Jisho · 06-05-2008, 05:19 PM

Yeah, I see what you mean. Keep it a string orchestra though, 4 voices just isn't enough to get that "full" sound that this song requires. Awesome work though.