[GG] Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible Special - "Opening" by Code_Name_Geek

[Zeta]

Submission Information:
Series: Megami Tensei/Persona
Game: Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible Special
Console: Sega Game Gear
Title: Opening
Instrumentation Solo Piano
Arranger: Code_Name_Geek

[Code_Name_Geek]

This is the right key and tempo, other uploads of it without the sound effects are the wrong key and tempo because something is up with the game files. I also have a recording without the sound effects (and the right key) but the tempo might not be exactly right.

[Bloop]

-In some beats (for example beat 3 of m1 or beat 2 of m2), you have 16th rest - staccato 8th - 16h rest. Maybe those places would look a bit better as 16th rest - 16th note - 8th rest?
-m9 and similar measures: I hear an F# instead of an A in the L.H. on beat 4.5
-m12 and similar measures: I hear an A instead of an E in the low notes in the L.H. However, the L.H. in these measures is quite hard to play at speed. For m12 and 16 you could do something akin to this:
You cannot view this attachment.
It's still on the harder side of things but possible, but this won't really work for m20 and 24 because of the high fifths in the R.H.. Another option that does work for m20 and 24 is this:
You cannot view this attachment.
It's less true to the original notes, but I think it gets the same feeling across of a syncopation. The L.H. here plays in the empty spaces of the R.H. and holds the low A for filler and to imitate the low A's that aren't currently played.
-m16: The R.H. B on beat 4.75 should be a C#
-m20: You can write the 16th note + 16th rest in the R.H. in beat 3.25 as a staccato 8th, like in m12.
-m22: I don't think it's feasily possible to play the quick fifths in beat 3-4 in the R.H. (except for the very, very virtuosic individuals). It's probably best to just leave out the bottom or top note of all these fifths (depending on what you hear as the melody voice)
-m23: It's a little bit hard to play this run of three fifths on beat 4.25 too, maybe you could just leave out the bottom note of the first one?
-m26 and 28: I hear an A instead of an F# in the L.H. on beat 4.5
-m30 and 32: Similarly to above, I hear an A-D instead of F#-B. Also, I think it might be easier to play beats 1.5 to 3.75 with one note per hand instead of switching hands: the parallel fourths are harder to play than just single note lines in both hands.
-m40: There's a F# on beat 1 in the R.H. here (and a C# too, but I think that might be a bit too stretchy to reach after m39)

[Code_Name_Geek]

-In some beats (for example beat 3 of m1 or beat 2 of m2), you have 16th rest - staccato 8th - 16h rest. Maybe those places would look a bit better as 16th rest - 16th note - 8th rest?

My thought for these places was to show where the right hand and left hand parts line up and to make it obvious that the note lengths are supposed to be the same between hands. However, I do see how readablility may be better in some ways with the suggested rhythm so I'm not against changing it, I just wanted to explain my thoughts first. If you think the other way is better I'd be happy to change it!

-m9 and similar measures: I hear an F# instead of an A in the L.H. on beat 4.5

I hear that too now, done.

-m12 and similar measures: I hear an A instead of an E in the low notes in the L.H. However, the L.H. in these measures is quite hard to play at speed. For m12 and 16 you could do something akin to this:
You cannot view this attachment.
It's still on the harder side of things but possible, but this won't really work for m20 and 24 because of the high fifths in the R.H.. Another option that does work for m20 and 24 is this:
You cannot view this attachment.
It's less true to the original notes, but I think it gets the same feeling across of a syncopation. The L.H. here plays in the empty spaces of the R.H. and holds the low A for filler and to imitate the low A's that aren't currently played.

I definitely see how this part is difficult. I like what you've suggested for the first one - for m16 I had to change the right hand a bit due to the different melody, but I think it works out alright. For the second one, I've made one small change from your suggestion - I think making beat 3.5 an A instead matches up with the original bassline better and doesn't add too much difficulty. Thanks for the ideas here!

-m16: The R.H. B on beat 4.75 should be a C#
-m20: You can write the 16th note + 16th rest in the R.H. in beat 3.25 as a staccato 8th, like in m12.

Both done.

-m22: I don't think it's feasily possible to play the quick fifths in beat 3-4 in the R.H. (except for the very, very virtuosic individuals). It's probably best to just leave out the bottom or top note of all these fifths (depending on what you hear as the melody voice)
-m23: It's a little bit hard to play this run of three fifths on beat 4.25 too, maybe you could just leave out the bottom note of the first one?

-Yeah I definitely agree this part is way too difficult to execute. I think the bottom line is more the melody here since the upper 5ths were added in for the second repeat, and it sounds a little more complete to my ear.
-Taking out the bottom note of the first one works for me.

-m26 and 28: I hear an A instead of an F# in the L.H. on beat 4.5
-m30 and 32: Similarly to above, I hear an A-D instead of F#-B. Also, I think it might be easier to play beats 1.5 to 3.75 with one note per hand instead of switching hands: the parallel fourths are harder to play than just single note lines in both hands.

-I think you're right, done.
-Yeah I did a lot of playtesting in this section and splitting the fourths was definitely easier for m29/31, but it was less clear cut for m30/32. Splitting the two lines for the first part of the measure is fine with me.

-m40: There's a F# on beat 1 in the R.H. here (and a C# too, but I think that might be a bit too stretchy to reach after m39)

Got it, done.

Thanks so much for the super detailed feedback! I know this is quite a difficult arrangement so all the little playability suggestions are greatly appreciated. Hopefully I got everything!

[Bloop]

My thought for these places was to show where the right hand and left hand parts line up and to make it obvious that the note lengths are supposed to be the same between hands. However, I do see how readablility may be better in some ways with the suggested rhythm so I'm not against changing it, I just wanted to explain my thoughts first. If you think the other way is better I'd be happy to change it!

I see where you're coming from yeah, but I think the lining up is already easily visible because they line up vertically, and the note lengths are pretty clear as well (the player probably wouldn't play a single 16th note on beat x.25 any different than one in beat x.75)

I definitely see how this part is difficult. I like what you've suggested for the first one - for m16 I had to change the right hand a bit due to the different melody, but I think it works out alright. For the second one, I've made one small change from your suggestion - I think making beat 3.5 an A instead matches up with the original bassline better and doesn't add too much difficulty. Thanks for the ideas here!

Looking good! In m20 and 24, you can flip the staccatos back to their standard position (notehead side), as the rest below is hidden.

-Yeah I did a lot of playtesting in this section and splitting the fourths was definitely easier for m29/31, but it was less clear cut for m30/32. Splitting the two lines for the first part of the measure is fine with me.

Looking at it again, maybe in m30 and 32 you could move the D in beat 4.5 to the R.H. too?

Everything else looks good though! Definitely a difficult piece, but probably a bit more manageable now ^^

[Code_Name_Geek]

I see where you're coming from yeah, but I think the lining up is already easily visible because they line up vertically, and the note lengths are pretty clear as well (the player probably wouldn't play a single 16th note on beat x.25 any different than one in beat x.75)

Yeah, that makes sense too. Updated all of those spots with the suggested rhythm.

Looking good! In m20 and 24, you can flip the staccatos back to their standard position (notehead side), as the rest below is hidden.

Done!

Looking at it again, maybe in m30 and 32 you could move the D in beat 4.5 to the R.H. too?

Good idea, also done.

Thanks again!

[Bloop]

Yeah, that makes sense too. Updated all of those spots with the suggested rhythm.

There are still some of these left (in m1-7). Also, in m17-23, beat 2.25 has a staccato which I assume shouldn't be there

That should be all!

[Code_Name_Geek]

There are still some of these left (in m1-7). Also, in m17-23, beat 2.25 has a staccato which I assume shouldn't be there

That should be all!

Oh shoot, you're absolutely right. Now I think I've gotten all of them.

[Bloop]

Awesome, now I can approve!

[Latios212]

Nice work! There are certainly more notes in the original than you wrote in but I think you've done a good job at selectively including them where it makes sense to for a piano arrangement!

-m22: I don't think it's feasily possible to play the quick fifths in beat 3-4 in the R.H. (except for the very, very virtuosic individuals). It's probably best to just leave out the bottom or top note of all these fifths (depending on what you hear as the melody voice)

-Yeah I definitely agree this part is way too difficult to execute. I think the bottom line is more the melody here since the upper 5ths were added in for the second repeat, and it sounds a little more complete to my ear.

I was going to comment about how you could think about the upper line as the melody, but this completely makes sense!

The cross staffing in m. 25-32 is quite well done too. Just a couple of things to note on this:
- I would recommend to try and keep the cross-staffed beams centered between the stages, and roughly level or bending slightly in the direction the notes go. Some of these (like in m. 26) are angled a bit oddly right now.
- I'd suggest putting the staccatos adjacent to the noteheads in general, e.g. in m. 25 the ones applied to the right hand can go above the noteheads on the staff. (Also, centering over noteheads? This applies to 20/24 as well, though the ones above the noteheads are correctly so.)

Also, the second-to last RH note in m. 38 sounds like Cn instead of C#. That's all from me! Cool piece.

[Latios212]

Code_Name_Geek is away for a bit and gave me permission to make the above edits, so I've updated the files. Accept time

[Zeta]

This submission has been accepted by Latios212.

~Zeta, your friendly NSM-Bot