[PS2] Tales of the Abyss - "abyss" by thatoneguy

[Zeta]

Submission Information:
Series: Tales
Game: Tales of the Abyss
Console: PlayStation 2
Title: abyss
Instrumentation Solo Piano
Arranger: thatoneguy

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[thatoneguy]

[thatoneguy]

Again, like the last couple sheets I've submitted, the formatting needs help.
I'm not confident about the RH because

• of the legitimacy with playing the whole melody in an octave (specifically the 32nd notes in measures 6 and 8.);
• and if the octave is in the correct octave (for lack of a better term).

As I was writing this post, I realized that the song on disk/in the video loops itself, but in the game, it doesn't loop. I'm fine with slapping on a repeat/saying "opt. D.C." if deemed necessary.

[Latios212]

I can help out with the formatting! But let's get some other stuff sorted out first before I take it the rest of the way

- Is the title not supposed to be capitalized? (I assume so, but just checking)
- Is there a reason you have the low E as an octave in m. 1/5/9 but not m. 3/7/11? It sounds the same in all of those places to me. I think it would be easier to play without the lower octave, but up to you. I have some suggestions on how you can make it easier to play if you still want that lower octave to emphasize the beat there.
- Regarding the melody, yeah the 32nd notes are pretty difficult to play at speed like that. What you have works in terms of sound, though. I would recommend one of two things: (1) remove the upper octave everywhere since a single melody line would still sound fine as a piano arrangement, or (2) remove the upper octaves on the 32nd notes, so you can hit the lower D-C-B with 3-2-1 fingering.
- No need for accents on all the RH notes; it's generally understood to emphasize the melody over the accompaniment. If you like, you can put a dynamic above the top staff to denote that it should be played louder, but that's not super necessary.
- Similarly the pedalling here (per measure) is very standard and you could get the point across more succinctly simply with a "con pedale" at the start.
- About the loop, that's interesting - most of the time things loop in game and not in the soundtrack... I usually prefer writing out the loop if possible.
- There are some harmonies you could include in the RH where it's empty - you could write them in something like this:
You cannot view this attachment.

[thatoneguy]

- Funnily enough, the title is not supposed to be capitalized. In both the CD soundtrack (listed on vgmdb.net) and in the unlockable sound test, the title is not capitalized. It's odd and feels off, I know.
- The reason I had every other other measure with an octave E was because I had trouble distinguishing if the lower octave was present due to (what I believe to be) the bell of the cymbal being struck. I'm fine with getting rid of the octave, though. I think excluding it would be the better decision. I'll get rid of those extra octave Es. However, I think I'll keep/add accents to those bass Es.
- After some thought and testing, I've decided to go with your second suggestion. I'll make that edit.
- Yeah, I'm not sure what I was thinking.
- I'll fix that.
- So...up in the air? For now, I'll just write "opt. D.C." at the end of measure 8. If I had to guess why the CD has the song looped, I'm guessing it's because having the song play for it's original ~30 second length would be something of a let down for an "actual" song.
- I had been thinking about those after I uploaded the piece. When I was arranging it, I used my right hand for the 16th notes in measures 1-4, so at the time I didn't think a ton about it. I'll add the harmonies in.

[thatoneguy]

Updated, but I forgot to ask if I should keep the "dim" at m. 10 since I already have "Gradually Fade Out" there too.

[Latios212]

Cool, edits look good! To respond to a couple of your things as well as raise one or two more discussion points based on the repeat/fading, here's a file with some edits from me: https://www.dropbox.com/s/r4mfp4ntwkw0bxe/abyss.mus?dl=1

This sheet would fit perfectly evenly on one page as 5 two-measure systems. We could write the last couple measures inside a repeat loop and have the "gradually fade out" performance note in there if that makes sense to you? (And yeah, to your earlier question, the dim. isn't necessary with that text.)

Also, I don't think I hear the C your wrote in the RH harmony in the even-numbered measures?

[thatoneguy]

The sheet looks great! Thank you!

As to the C I wrote in the RH harmony, if you listen to the reeeaaaallllly high pitches frequencies, it definitely changes pitches on those even measures; going back and forth from B to C each measure. Even if you might not hear it because it's so high, I personally think the C is important enough. When I listen, the C is much more present than the suspended strings; the A/B become a piano/pianissimo dynamic in contrast to the louder/"screeching" C. I also believe it adds an extra color/"flavor" because of that clash and keeps the [one or two vgm nerd] listeners hooked and waiting to see where it goes (not that it really goes much since it happens on the fade-out).

Thinking of dynamic contrast and listening to the song again, do you think the "sus" notes are soft enough to note that the LH should be the "temporary melody" so to speak? (Or rather, the LH is the more important part in those sections). Lots of spur of the moment questions with this song. Guess that shows how long ago I made the original arrangement.

[Latios212]

The sheet looks great! Thank you!

You're welcome! ^^

As to the C I wrote in the RH harmony, if you listen to the reeeaaaallllly high pitches frequencies, it definitely changes pitches on those even measures; going back and forth from B to C each measure. Even if you might not hear it because it's so high, I personally think the C is important enough. When I listen, the C is much more present than the suspended strings; the A/B become a piano/pianissimo dynamic in contrast to the louder/"screeching" C. I also believe it adds an extra color/"flavor" because of that clash and keeps the [one or two vgm nerd] listeners hooked and waiting to see where it goes (not that it really goes much since it happens on the fade-out).

Ah! Yes I wasn't listening for the high C but now that I listen again I getcha and what you wrote makes sense.

Thinking of dynamic contrast and listening to the song again, do you think the "sus" notes are soft enough to note that the LH should be the "temporary melody" so to speak? (Or rather, the LH is the more important part in those sections). Lots of spur of the moment questions with this song. Guess that shows how long ago I made the original arrangement.

I think the way it's written implies clearly enough what your intent is - for the RH notes in m. 1-4 to be interpreted as supporting harmony and in m. 5-8 as the main melody.

So, I approve this sheet in its current state

[thatoneguy]

Great! Thanks again!

[Static]

For those 32nd notes, I think you get a better sound by having them only be on the top octave rather than the bottom (using 5-4-3 instead of 3-2-1). You have to make that fast jump with the hand, but it's pretty manageable at this tempo. The result is the melody being a bit clearer since high notes cut through the sound of low and mid notes more easily.

[thatoneguy]

Changed.

I had thought about that at the very beginning, but since I had heard it so frequently I could just automatically hear it in my head even it was "buried" under the lower notes. Thanks!

[Static]

Awesome, I shall accept now.

[Zeta]

This submission has been accepted by Static.

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