[GBA] Mario Kart: Super Circuit - "Circuit" by XiaoMigros

[Zeta]

Submission Information:
Series: Mario Kart
Game: Mario Kart: Super Circuit
Console: Game Boy Advance
Title: Circuit
Instrumentation Solo Piano
Arranger: XiaoMigros

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[XiaoMigros]

I think I'll finally have time to get back to submitting stuff, so here's my shot at Mario Kart: Super Circuit's "Circuit Theme".

[Latios212]

Classic piece. It's about time to have this on site

This is quite solid! Feedback:
- m. 8 beat 1 LH sounds like two 16th notes instead of one 8th note
- I would recommend writing m. 17 in one layer as you can't actually hold the C over those chords in the RH
- Spell m. 17 beat 3 RH with Bb instead of A# to keep intervals consistent with these chords. Same with m. 21 (and the left hand to match)
- Conversely... I think m. 25 beat 2.75 should use Fn instead of E# not just because it spells a Dm tried but because the intervals ARE changing.
- The A# in m. 20 RH would probably be better off as Bb (flat seventh of the C chord)
- m. 21 RH would be better off in bass clef
- m. 29 beat 1.25 LH should be A (just above the beat 1 G)

A few bass notes I'm not sure are actually there:
- m. 5/13 beat 2.5 (C)
- m. 8 beat 4.5 (D)
- m. 28 beat 4 grace note (Bb)

Aesthetic stuff:
- m. 16 beat 4 should be beamed upwards
- Fix the ties in m. 17
- Some staccatos out of place in the PDF - make sure you're using an external PDF printer

Lastly, the staccatos in the left hand. I feel like they're a bit inconsistently used. Normally I'm not too big on staccatos on 16th notes at a speed like this but I can definitely see that some of the bass strikes in the original are very markedly short (like m. 4 beat 2.75). However, some of the ones you marked as staccato don't really stand out - for example m. 2 beat 3.75 and similar. There's also some inconsistency between analogous parts (like beat 4 of m. 2/4 vs. 6/10). Can you take a pass over the sheet and check that the staccatos are all in the places you want them?

[XiaoMigros]

- m. 8 beat 1 LH sounds like two 16th notes instead of one 8th note

I'm not certain on this, but to me it sounds like the 8th note is simply being held for its full duration (unlike lots of other bass notes in this track)

m. 29 beat 1.25 LH should be A (just above the beat 1 G)

To me this bass run sounds identical to when its played in m. 25, where the corresponding note is an octave higher than the preceding G. To me it sounds like the bass is playing on top of the track's intro, where the melody is being doubled an octave lower. Maybe that's why you thought the bass plays the A? I'm not sure whether it's better to keep this bassline intact or go for the more audible option you suggested. I've kept it as I originally had it for now.

- m. 8 beat 4.5 (D)

I can hear a D being played here, but the bass plays it less like a full note and more as a scratch. I'm not sure whether it's better to remove it (as keeping it in this arrangement does sound somewhat off) or leave it as is.

- Fix the ties in m. 17

I couldn't figure out how to do that, I tried re-entering that section in finale but it ended up the same as before. Any tips?

As for the staccatos in the left hand, I haven't gone over those just yet. I believe I initially placed them on every "special" bass strike, since it seemed weird to continue the flow over these parts. Do you think they would be better removed entirely (except where there is an actual change of duration, like on 8th notes) or should I go over them and make them less random?

Everything else you brought up I've now fixed (unless I forgot anything)

Also, there was some other stuff I changed:
 - Changed the time signature from common time to 4/4
 - m. 8 beat 2.25 RH was marked as staccato, but context considered the marking was excessive so I removed it.

[Latios212]

- m. 8 beat 1 LH sounds like two 16th notes instead of one 8th note

I'm not certain on this, but to me it sounds like the 8th note is simply being held for its full duration (unlike lots of other bass notes in this track)

Listening to it slow and/or raised an octave, I think it does restrike, but certainly not as marked as later in the measure. It's a bit iffy so I don't really mind either way

- m. 29 beat 1.25 LH should be A (just above the beat 1 G)

To me this bass run sounds identical to when its played in m. 25, where the corresponding note is an octave higher than the preceding G. To me it sounds like the bass is playing on top of the track's intro, where the melody is being doubled an octave lower. Maybe that's why you thought the bass plays the A? I'm not sure whether it's better to keep this bassline intact or go for the more audible option you suggested. I've kept it as I originally had it for now.

Ah yes you're right! That makes sense. That said, it's super awkward to play that G on beat 1.25 because the RH already strikes it on beat 1, so perhaps just parenthesizing it or leaving it out would be best.

A few bass notes I'm not sure are actually there:
- m. 8 beat 4.5 (D)

I can hear a D being played here, but the bass plays it less like a full note and more as a scratch. I'm not sure whether it's better to remove it (as keeping it in this arrangement does sound somewhat off) or leave it as is.

Yeah... "ghost notes" are difficult to figure out what to do with, and some pieces have a lot of them (MKDS Rainbow Road was a headache to deal with...). That said, since the rest of the bassline you wrote in is pretty prominently there by contrast, I'd suggest just taking this out.

- Fix the ties in m. 17

Yeah, Finale's not great with ties between chords that have small intervals you'll need to adjust them manually. First, flip the inner ones so they point outwards. You can do this by highlighting the note in the Simple Entry Tool and pressing Ctrl+F. Then go to Special Tools > Tie Tool and adjust the endpoints/midpoints as you needed (you can also flip them under the options you get by right clicking. Lemme know if you want any specific pointers, but basically the inner ties should be flipped the right way and not come overly close to anything else.

As for the staccatos in the left hand, I haven't gone over those just yet. I believe I initially placed them on every "special" bass strike, since it seemed weird to continue the flow over these parts. Do you think they would be better removed entirely (except where there is an actual change of duration, like on 8th notes) or should I go over them and make them less random?

At this speed, I don't have anything against removing them entirely on the 16th notes. We could spend some more time going over them to figure out which ones are particularly special, but it feels like diminishing returns to me since realistically for a piano performance there'll be virtually no difference.

Everything else you brought up I've now fixed (unless I forgot anything)

Also, there was some other stuff I changed:
 - Changed the time signature from common time to 4/4
 - m. 8 beat 2.25 RH was marked as staccato, but context considered the marking was excessive so I removed it.

Yep other stuff looks good!

[XiaoMigros]

..aand done!

I think it does restrike, but certainly not as marked as later in the measure.

Taking this into account I think its feasible to restrike it, in the context given it would naturally be less audible than later in the measure anyway. two 16th notes it is!

m. 29 b. 1.25 has been put in parentheses, and m. 8 b. 4.5 has been removed, as have all staccatos in the LH I that deemed unnecessary.

I couldn't get the ties in m. 17 to look exactly how I wanted (finale kept locking them between staff lines), but I think they're passable. It's probably worth giving them a quick check through though 

[Latios212]

all staccatos in the LH I that deemed unnecessary.

Neat! I think the ones in m. 17, 19, 26, and 28 can also go too.

I couldn't get the ties in m. 17 to look exactly how I wanted (finale kept locking them between staff lines), but I think they're passable. It's probably worth giving them a quick check through though 

Yeah much better! The bottom staff line makes it look either really curved or really flat. I think this is fine, although I would suggest bringing in the right end left a bit.

The above are really small things so I'll approve in the meantime

[XiaoMigros]

Awesome, thanks! Just made the (hopefully) final few changes

[Latios212]

Awesome yeah looks good to me!

[Static]

Nice to see this track submitted, I think it's one of the coolest circuit themes in the series (you could even describe it as super)

• Thoughts on changing the title to just "Circuit"? It would match other course themes on site, like Circuit from Double Dash, and pretty much everything else too.
• m5/13 RH: I'm not sure I hear the middle voice here, I think it's just harmonized in 4ths.
• There are a bunch of note lengths/articulations/pitches I disagree with in the bassline, most of them pretty subtle though:
  
  • m2/26 LH beat 1.25: This note sounds longer to me, like a dotted 8th.
  • m4/6/12/14/27/28 LH beat 1.25: These notes also sounds longer.
  • m6/10/12/16 LH beat 4: These notes don't really sound staccato in the original.
  • m8 LH beat 1: I don't hear this note being restruck, sounds more like a dotted 8th here.
  • m8 LH beat 4.5: There should be a D here. I know you mentioned leaving out ghosted notes, but almost every other ghosted note in the original track you have written here anyway. The D sounds more prominent to me than those upper 16th notes in places like m15 or m17.
  • m27 LH beat 2.75: This should be an F instead of E.
  • m27 LH beat 4: I don't hear a D# here, I think it's just a rest.
• This is more nitpicky I realize, but the ending you have doesn't really sound very final, since it's just the first bar of the next loop. If you want an original ending to the arrangement, I'd recommend something that sounds a bit more final. Otherwise, I'd just recommend taking that last bar out. If you want an idea, here's something quick I threw together, feel free to use or not (ignore the bad formatting):
  
  Spoiler

  

  [close]

[XiaoMigros]

Thoughts on changing the title to just "Circuit"?

I have no reason against, done! (speaking of me and titles, I've changed my mind on Super Mario 2007; would be cool to change that to the original title  )

• m5/13 RH: I'm not sure I hear the middle voice here, I think it's just harmonized in 4ths.

  I agree the inside of the chord is less noticeable, but I'm fairly certain it's there. I've left it for now but maybe it's worth getting another opinion on this.
• I changed the note in m2 to a dotted eights, and the other b. 1.25s to regular eights.
• m.27 b. 2.75: Not sure what I'm hearing here, changed it to the suggested F though.

Not worth commenting on the other changes, adopted them without seeing any issues

I actually forgot I had left an ending in there, and decided to remove it (system spacing was adjusted accordingly).[/list]

[Static]

Ah, I hear that voice in m5/13 now.

speaking of me and titles, I've changed my mind on Super Mario 2007; would be cool to change that to the original title

It already is Super Mario 2007 on site. I don't mind you leaving in the parenthesized title bc it may help people find it easier, but up to you.

Anyway, this looks good and I'll accept

[Zeta]

This submission has been accepted by Static.

~Zeta, your friendly NSM-Bot