[XBOX360] Halo: Reach - "Ashes" by JustNoble

[Zeta]

Submission Information:
Series: Other
Game: Halo: Reach
Console: Xbox 360
Title: Ashes
Instrumentation Solo Piano
Arranger: JustNoble

[attachment deleted by admin]

[JustNoble]

First of all, nice to meet you all! First time submitting here. I'm a MuseScore user and I tried my best to follow the conversion guide, hopefully I did everything correctly

[Kricketune54]

I'm pretty busy atm to do a note check or anything but just wanted to pop in and say great first sub!  It looks like a great sheet just from looking at it a bit.  Just going to lay out some stuff I noticed on a visual pass.  Haven't listened to Reach's music a whole lot or played in years but this one sticks out pretty memorably, one of my favs from it

I'm going to separate comments by things that can be addressed after converting from MuseScore to Finale Notepad, and things that unfortunately cannot be done on your own with Notepad (no fault of anyone who uses notepad, it's literally just not able to do a good number of things), but either myself or someone else who has the full Finale program can fix for you and send you a file with that stuff corrected


Stuff that can be addressed in Notepad
-Generally, crescendos (and decrescendos) if being paired with a dynamic extend up to that dynamic or through the last note before a dynamic.  There's a couple instances like m.27 and m.38 where the cresc. stops before the end of a phrase.  This photo below is an example of how this should look

Spoiler

[close]

- While they are correctly placed through most of the song, it's preferred to keep dynamics aligned with a notehead.  For example, the mp in m.5 could go a little more to the left so it is centered over that first eighth note of the measure 

-The first tempo mark should align with the time signature, rather than the first note, so just move that to the left till it's centered over 4/4

-I think Bungie should be credited at the bottom credit of the first page as well. Usually people on here do a developer, publisher formatting


Stuff Notepad can't do
-The first page is spaced out a little weird where there's a lot of extra space between the last measure system and the copyright info.  Up to you if you want to put another system onto the first page, but if not, perhaps increase the distance between each system on that first page

-The "a tempo" mark is like 2 font points too big; I'm not sure what causes this but when I used to convert from MuseScore to Finale Notepad, I used to encounter it as well.  Given this is a tempo symbol and not a regular text item, I don't think you are able to change this through Notepad, given it's limited interface and ability to change stuff.

[JustNoble]

I'm pretty busy atm to do a note check or anything but just wanted to pop in and say great first sub!  It looks like a great sheet just from looking at it a bit.  Just going to lay out some stuff I noticed on a visual pass.  Haven't listened to Reach's music a whole lot or played in years but this one sticks out pretty memorably, one of my favs from it

I'm going to separate comments by things that can be addressed after converting from MuseScore to Finale Notepad, and things that unfortunately cannot be done on your own with Notepad (no fault of anyone who uses notepad, it's literally just not able to do a good number of things), but either myself or someone else who has the full Finale program can fix for you and send you a file with that stuff corrected


Stuff that can be addressed in Notepad
-Generally, crescendos (and decrescendos) if being paired with a dynamic extend up to that dynamic or through the last note before a dynamic.  There's a couple instances like m.27 and m.38 where the cresc. stops before the end of a phrase.  This photo below is an example of how this should look

Spoiler

[close]

- While they are correctly placed through most of the song, it's preferred to keep dynamics aligned with a notehead.  For example, the mp in m.5 could go a little more to the left so it is centered over that first eighth note of the measure 

-The first tempo mark should align with the time signature, rather than the first note, so just move that to the left till it's centered over 4/4

-I think Bungie should be credited at the bottom credit of the first page as well. Usually people on here do a developer, publisher formatting


Stuff Notepad can't do
-The first page is spaced out a little weird where there's a lot of extra space between the last measure system and the copyright info.  Up to you if you want to put another system onto the first page, but if not, perhaps increase the distance between each system on that first page

-The "a tempo" mark is like 2 font points too big; I'm not sure what causes this but when I used to convert from MuseScore to Finale Notepad, I used to encounter it as well.  Given this is a tempo symbol and not a regular text item, I don't think you are able to change this through Notepad, given it's limited interface and ability to change stuff.

Thank you for your feedback about the visual stuff! I actually managed to fix something directly in MuseScore (especially the things not possible in NotePad), so now it should be better after following your directions. I re-uploaded the files that I corrected

[Bloop]

This is definitely a good first sub, welcome to NSM from me as well!

-The pdf has some weird formatting stuff going on compared to the mus file, do you happen to have exported the pdf from NotePad's built-in pdf exporter (if it has one)? If so, that pdf exporter is known to have some issues, so it's usually better to use an external pdf exporter (usually via the print menu). I personally use Microsoft Print to PDF.
-m2: I don't hear the C and G from the L.H. in the original, I think it's just the D getting held over.
-m3: I don't hear the G's in the L.H. here either, but I do here them an octave up which the R.H. can take. There's also a low D on beat 1 (the same D as in beat 2.5).
-m4: Like in m4, I don't hear the G and C here either, but I do here a clearer D (above middle C)
-m8, 18 and 45: It might be worth considering adding the F from the piano part on beat 3 in the L.H., but with parentheses. This way it's clear that it's the same F as the R.H., but that it's also still part of the piano line.
-m8-12: Instead of a few shorter slurs in the R.H., maybe you can put m8 beat 3 to m10 beat 4 under one slur, and m11 beat 1 to m12 beat 1 onder one slur? The singer sings those two lines in two separate breaths. Same thing in m18-22 and 45-49.
-m13: Same as above, instead of starting the slur on beat 3, you can also start it on beat 1. Same thing in m23 and 50.
-m25: You can write the half note tied to quarter note as a dotted half note as well.
-m28-29: I hear the R.H. here a bit differently:
You cannot view this attachment.
-m30-31 with upbeat: AND THE VISIOOOON THAT WAS PLANTEEED IN MY BRAIN sorry this really made me think of The Sound of Silence
-m32: I hear an F in the R.H. (in between the Bb's)
-m36-38: Did you consciously put the L.H. here up an octave? I hear it an octave down in the original.
-m37: I hear the Gb in the L.H. on beat 3 too, it's not in the R.H. either so it should be fine to add it in.
-m38: There's an Eb on beat 2 in the L.H. too (the same as in beat 3)
-m39: I don't really hear a distinct crescendo to forte in the original, it's not as powerful as in m30 either, so maybe you can keep it as mf? I also hear the ritenuto starting a bit later, so if you decide on deleting the crescendo, you have to space to move that to beat 3 for example.
-Lastly, what is the context in the game for this piece? Usually we add repeat signs or D.S./D.C. markings at the end to signify where a piece repeats to, but if this is from a cutscene, then don't worry about it :p Maybe you could then add a fermate on the last L.H. note, or tie both the last R.H. and L.H. notes over to a final bar with whole notes and fermates: as long as it's clear that the player has to end and hold on the last note.

[JustNoble]

Thank you Bloop for your review!

-The pdf has some weird formatting stuff going on compared to the mus file, do you happen to have exported the pdf from NotePad's built-in pdf exporter (if it has one)? If so, that pdf exporter is known to have some issues, so it's usually better to use an external pdf exporter (usually via the print menu). I personally use Microsoft Print to PDF.

I'm pretty sure I exported with the Print menu and then "Microsoft to PDF". Anyway, I did it again with the edits I made.

-m36-38: Did you consciously put the L.H. here up an octave? I hear it an octave down in the original.

This is an old sheet (2-3 years ago) but I think I made it intentional. By listening to it again I prefer to have it an octave higher, it sounds better to me with the build-up chords in the next measures

-Lastly, what is the context in the game for this piece? Usually we add repeat signs or D.S./D.C. markings at the end to signify where a piece repeats to, but if this is from a cutscene, then don't worry about it :p Maybe you could then add a fermate on the last L.H. note, or tie both the last R.H. and L.H. notes over to a final bar with whole notes and fermates: as long as it's clear that the player has to end and hold on the last note.

Yep I won't spoiler which one but this piece is from a cutscene
I added the fermata on the last one as you suggested ^^

I also made all the other changes you suggested, I hope I did everything right. Thank you again for looking at my submission!

[Bloop]

I'm pretty sure I exported with the Print menu and then "Microsoft to PDF". Anyway, I did it again with the edits I made.

Hm it's still different, maybe it's just an issue with NotePad itself, or the mus file just displays differently in the full version of Finale. You could try downloading another pdf exporter and see if that fixes it, but we can also just export the pdf ourselves once everything is finished.

This is an old sheet (2-3 years ago) but I think I made it intentional. By listening to it again I prefer to have it an octave higher, it sounds better to me with the build-up chords in the next measures

Ahh alright, sounds good then ^^ I figured it was another way to come back dynamically, by toning down on the octaves and range a bit.

Some things that popped up:
-Currently there are some notes in the L.H. that are disconnected from their beams: they're mostly at places where I suggested the parantheses, but these should just be added to the notehead, you don't have to separate them beam-wise too.
You cannot view this attachment.
They appeared in m8, 18, 37, 38 and 45.
-m29: I think it's better if you flipped the stems (or switched the layers) in these first two beats like I did in my example pic, as the player might think that the Ab-Gb is the melody line, although the melody is actually the half note Bb.
-m39: With "keeping it as mf" I actually meant just deleting the crescendo and dynamic mark altogether: currently the player starts in mf, get louder during the bar, and then suddenly get back to mf, but in the original I hear everything in one constant dynamic.

[JustNoble]

Hm it's still different, maybe it's just an issue with NotePad itself, or the mus file just displays differently in the full version of Finale. You could try downloading another pdf exporter and see if that fixes it, but we can also just export the pdf ourselves once everything is finished.

I also see it fine in my Finale NotePad, I tried exporting it in other ways but it doesn't fix it, I think a Finale user with the full version could help me with that

Fixed everything else

[Bloop]

In that case, I'll approve now then! If you didn't know already, two different updaters will be looking at your sheet: the first one will give their approval, and the second one will accept it, after which it will get added to the site in the next update. When the sheet is accept-worthy, we'll export another pdf for you ^^

[JustNoble]

Got it, thank you so much

[Static]

• The console label should be Xbox 360 instead of Multiplatform - we go usually by the original release platform. This game was originally a 360 exclusive before being ported to PC and Xbox One/Series. Just something to keep in mind for the future, no big deal really. Since you can't change the label yourself, we'll take care of that for you later.
• So, the two keys used in the piece are G Phrygian and F Phrygian, so your key signatures are technically already correct... But I'll also say, when choosing a key signature, another option is to pick the one that relates to the tonal center of the key and use accidentals to show modes. Gm and Fm key signatures would be used if you wanted to go that route. But, it's perfectly fine to keep what you have, so don't feel like you have to change anything.
• m15-17 RH: I'm not hearing these lower harmony notes in the original. It's fine to leave them in, but it sounds weird when it's just those three measures. I suggest either leaving them out or continuing through m24 (if you need help identifying chords lmk).
• m36 RH beat 1: I hear an Fb under the Ab here in the original piano part, but since the LH is in a similar range I think it's fine to exclude it.
• m38 LH sounds like it has an extra note towards the end than what you have written. You could maybe write it like this:
  

Everything else looks good, nice work

[Latios212]

• The console label should be Xbox 360 instead of Multiplatform - we go usually by the original release platform. This game was originally a 360 exclusive before being ported to PC and Xbox One/Series. Just something to keep in mind for the future, no big deal really. Since you can't change the label yourself, we'll take care of that for you later.
  

Got that~

[JustNoble]

• The console label should be Xbox 360 instead of Multiplatform - we go usually by the original release platform. This game was originally a 360 exclusive before being ported to PC and Xbox One/Series. Just something to keep in mind for the future, no big deal really. Since you can't change the label yourself, we'll take care of that for you later.
• So, the two keys used in the piece are G Phrygian and F Phrygian, so your key signatures are technically already correct... But I'll also say, when choosing a key signature, another option is to pick the one that relates to the tonal center of the key and use accidentals to show modes. Gm and Fm key signatures would be used if you wanted to go that route. But, it's perfectly fine to keep what you have, so don't feel like you have to change anything.
• m15-17 RH: I'm not hearing these lower harmony notes in the original. It's fine to leave them in, but it sounds weird when it's just those three measures. I suggest either leaving them out or continuing through m24 (if you need help identifying chords lmk).
• m36 RH beat 1: I hear an Fb under the Ab here in the original piano part, but since the LH is in a similar range I think it's fine to exclude it.
• m38 LH sounds like it has an extra note towards the end than what you have written. You could maybe write it like this:
  

Everything else looks good, nice work

Thank you for your review! It should be good now, let me know

[Static]

Looks great! I went ahead and re-converted all your files for you with the updated formatting that Bloop mentioned. I'll accept now

What I did exactly, formatting-wise:
- Spaced apart the systems on page 2-3 more evenly. Page 2 had a lot of extra space on the bottom, while the top of page 3 got pretty close to the title/page number text.
- Adjusted page number size; these were larger than the running titles.
- Very slightly adjusted some dynamic placements that looked a bit off in the PDF

[Zeta]

This submission has been accepted by Static.

~Zeta, your friendly NSM-Bot