[DELETED] [SNES] Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest - "Stickerbrush Symphony" (Replacement) by Brawler4

[Zeta]

Submission Information:
Series: Donkey Kong
Game: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
Console: Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Title: Stickerbrush Symphony
Instrumentation Solo Piano
Arranger: Brawler4Ever


Replacement Information:
Links to Existing Sheet: MUS | MIDI | PDF
Replacement Type: Challenge (new arranger)

[Brawler4Ever]

I would really like some advice on this arrangement. Particularly measures 5-8 and 33-36 (same measures, just in different places). I'm not sure what exactly to do there. I felt that what I have is accurate, but it just feels weird. The empty measure should be filled in, but I wanted feedback on what I have so far.
And I'm not sure about the left hand; I'm fairly certain that it's all accurate. I just don't know how else I can improve it. The original has repeating 16th notes throughout instead of quarter notes, like I have. Would it be better to revert it back to 16th notes, or leave it as it is? To me, my arrangement feels empty. But then, so is the actual song, to a certain extent. It's ambient, so I guess that it's supposed to be kind of empty.

This all still stands. I believe that my arrangement is good enough to replace the current one, but I know that it can still be improved. I'm just not sure how, specifically.

[Echo]

For the beginning phrase, I'd write it out as staccato to match the original instrument more. And that measure 5 phrase sounds really off to me. Like, you start it with a G/B dyad (I think that's the term), but I think it should be A/C instead.

As for this:

The original has repeating 16th notes throughout instead of quarter notes, like I have. Would it be better to revert it back to 16th notes

This would be a good way giving the piece more drive, if that's what you want to do.

Just look at this guy's arrangement, for example: http://vgsm.learn2cube.com/

A couple performances of it, for reference:

Overall, I'd play around with more crescendo/decrescendo stuff too, since the original features that a lot. Like, for the phrase at measure 13, I'd add one more repeat of that, and then have a decrescendo through it.

So yeah, I agree with you that there's some untapped potential here, and I'm not entirely sure what I would do to improve it either, but hopefully that gave a couple of ideas on where to start.

[Brawler4Ever]

Here is an updated version.
-Made measures 1-4 staccato, as well as every iteration thereafter.
-Simplified measures 5-8 to be just A/C and E/C.
-made some other minor modifications throughout the sheet.

In the end, I've decided against the 16th notes. They don't add much to the overall sheet, imo.

[Brawler4Ever]

bump

[Brawler4Ever]

bump

[FireArrow]

Remove Pno.
Tie your grace notes to the next note
Watch out for clashing things (i.e. those 8va marking)
...rhythm groupings (click on pictures)

The theme in measure 1 should look like this (change in all appropriate places):


Measures 5-7 and 33-35 should look like this:


21 and 41


22


24 and 44 (sorta similar)


28 and 48


52 and 53

[Brawler4Ever]

Thanks for the feedback! I'm out of town for the weekend but I'll fix and update this sheet when I get back!

[Khyrberos]

Looking forward to seeing this completed; one of my all-time favorite songs!  (Holy COW I had no idea it was possible to play one note that fast...)

[Bespinben]

Remember this from your Kefka submission?

MASSIVE TEXTWALL

You got m. 1-4 right.

M. 5-8:
*You were right to write the bass notes according to rhythm of the snare drum, but these notes should double the melody, since there is already a (very) soft voice playing in this register. What you wrote alters the composition by adding non-existent harmonies.

Revised			Brawler4Ever's

M. 9-12:
*There is more than just unison of the melody here. The harp harmonizes with the melody on the down-beats. Due to this, the easiest way to play the off-beats is with the LH, not the RH (hence the cross-staff notation).

Revised			Brawler4Ever's

M. 13-20:
*Notes. Notes. Notes. Write the ones that are there. Don't write the ones that are not.

Revised			Brawler4Ever's

M. 21-22:
*Lots of octave doubling is going on here. This way better reflects the forte dynamic level that you indicated. Also, articulation.

Revised			Brawler4Ever's

M. 23-30:*I would argue that the 16th arpeggio run should be altogether omitted. It adds a huge difficulty spike to the arrangement, and after some experimentation, I concluded there's no pleasant way to incorporate it that keeps the timpani in it's original octave and allows the melody+harmonies to be played similtaneously. I would instead recommend emphasizing the pompousness of this section by further reinforcing the remaining parts with filler accompaniment.

Revised			Brawler4Ever's

M. 33-37:
*Again, notes. The F's in the RH of in m. 33, 35, & 37. The octave registers of the parts in m. 36. The non-existent doubling of the LH in the RH in m. 37.

Revised			Brawler4Ever's

M. 33-37:
*This is the climax of the piece. Make it sound like it. Notice the step-wise descending bass. Notice sustained Gmaj7 chord in m. 40 (the ONLY instance of this in the song). Writing forte isn't enough to add tension; it has to sound like it as well.
(Yes, I took some "liberties" in my revision, but it was within the scope of the already established harmonies of the song, which only needed some inversion of the chords to work as a solo piano arrangement)
(Also, why would you write Fb and an E natural in unison on the same beat? It's a Gb7 chord.)

Revised			Brawler4Ever's

I really didn't want to have to re-transcribe your entire sheet, but I felt it was necessary to show you just how much needed to be done, both for this, and in general. I hope this helps, and maybe try something a little easier next time please? (For mine and your sakes)

Revised files:
[MID] [MUS] [PDF] [MUSX]

[close]

My projection is that doing the same treatment for Stickerbrush Symphony would be double the length of the above. I should not have to re-transcribe every submission from scratch, but I did so for you (in Kefka) so you could see the standard I expect of your work.

I feel bad for writing you off again like with Corridors of Time, truly, but I have to draw the line here.

Archived.