[GG] Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - "Mystic Cave Zone" (Replacement) by Th3Gavst3r

[Zeta]

Submission Information:
Series: Sonic
Game: Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Console: Sega Game Gear
Title: Mystic Cave Zone
Instrumentation Solo Piano
Arranger: Th3Gavst3r


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

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Th3Gavst3r]

[cashwarrior1]

Funny, I was just listening to this yesterday...

Is this possible to play without the pedal?

[Dudeman]

If you're planning on keeping that Bb half-note held the whole time, then no. I'd be surprised to see you find someone who can play that unassisted.

[Pianist Da Sootopolis]

Funny, I was just listening to this yesterday...

Is this possible to play without the pedal?

Nope. Your hand would have to be the size of Rachmaninoff's.

[Th3Gavst3r]

I left it in there as a suggestion since you could play it with some skilled use of the sostenuto pedal, but I guess it's asking a lot of the player lol
Changed them to eighth notes, better solution

[Sebastian]

Haha, this one has been on my to-do list for eternity xD.
Thanks for taking it off my hands!

This is a great arrangement. Some things I noticed:
- I wasn't sure at first, but after slowing it down to 50% speed, I do in fact hear grace notes on each of the melody notes. Here is an example of the first 2 measures:

Spoiler

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- M. 3 left hand (and others like it): Go ahead and switch the first eighths around layer-wise, so the eighths can connect. For example:

Spoiler

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- Like Dudeman said already, you can't reach lots of those notes without pedal. Maybe add that in somewhere.
In my opinion, this is much uglier than what you had:

Spoiler

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I'd go ahead and use pedal and the half note and second layer back in.

- I've always known this song as "Mystic Cave Zone" and 90% of the playlists/soundtrack collages show it as "Mystic Cave Zone."

- If you do decide to add in the pedal, you could put the 16ths in the second layer and make the half a whole note (M. 5, 9, and others like it).

- Is there a reason why you separate some of the eighth notes throughout?

- In M. 2 left hand (and others like it), go ahead and use a sharp instead of a flat. Also, this would be much more practical way to spell the 16ths in M. 3 (and others like it):

Spoiler

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- The Mf dynamics you have in the right hand: Just go ahead and put those in the middle of the staff. Where they are now is somewhat confusing and not really needed.

I may have more feedback layer, but we'll start with this for now. Again, great work with this arrangement! This is one that I've been wanting on site for while

I left it in there as a suggestion since you could play it with some skilled use of the sostenuto pedal, but I guess it's asking a lot of the player lol
Changed them to eighth notes, better solution

I liked what you had before much better (with pedal)

[Th3Gavst3r]

- I wasn't sure at first, but after slowing it down to 50% speed, I do in fact hear grace notes on each of the melody notes. Here is an example of the first 2 measures:

Spoiler

[close]

I left them out because they're more like instant bend-ins in the real song, and I feel like regular grace notes don't imply the speed involved. Is there a way to mark something like "really fast grace notes?"

- If you do decide to add in the pedal, you could put the 16ths in the second layer and make the half a whole note (M. 5, 9, and others like it).

I'm pretty sure those A's would decay way before the cutoff, so I don't think it's worth trying to force another sostenuto on top of having to manage the other two, right?

- Is there a reason why you separate some of the eighth notes throughout?

I felt like there was something very wrong the whole time I was arranging this, thanks for pointing that out
It's because of some background trickery you have to do to have proper 16th swing playback. The actual hidden time sig is 8/8, which beams differently than 4/4. Hopefully I fixed everything correctly, never really thought much about beaming rules before.

- The Mf dynamics you have in the right hand: Just go ahead and put those in the middle of the staff. Where they are now is somewhat confusing and not really needed.

The way I learned was dynamics above the top staff apply only to the RH (same for LH and below its staff). If you move the mf to the middle, would the player be able to mistakenly think the last two 16ths in the LH should be quieter, or can you just assume they just know better? lol

"Check, check, check, and Czech"

- M. 3 left hand (and others like it): Go ahead and switch the first eighths around layer-wise, so the eighths can connect. For example:

Spoiler

[close]

- Like Dudeman said already, you can't reach lots of those notes without pedal. Maybe add that in somewhere.
In my opinion, this is much uglier than what you had:

Spoiler

[close]

I'd go ahead and use pedal and the half note and second layer back in.

- I've always known this song as "Mystic Cave Zone" and 90% of the playlists/soundtrack collages show it as "Mystic Cave Zone."

- In M. 2 left hand (and others like it), go ahead and use a sharp instead of a flat. Also, this would be much more practical way to spell the 16ths in M. 3 (and others like it):

Spoiler

[close]

[close]

[Sebastian]

I left them out because they're more like instant bend-ins in the real song, and I feel like regular grace notes don't imply the speed involved. Is there a way to mark something like "really fast grace notes?"

Grace notes are usually really short in general. You could use 16th grace notes.

I'm pretty sure those A's would decay way before the cutoff, so I don't think it's worth trying to force another sostenuto on top of having to manage the other two, right?

You do make a good point, but those notes are held in the original for as you long as you originally had them and it's ugly (imo) to just have an eighth.

I felt like there was something very wrong the whole time I was arranging this, thanks for pointing that out
It's because of some background trickery you have to do to have proper 16th swing playback. The actual hidden time sig is 8/8, which beams differently than 4/4. Hopefully I fixed everything correctly, never really thought much about beaming rules before.

I'm familiar with this "trickery" haha. I've done this on a few sheets. Just don't forget to change the beaming back

The way I learned was dynamics above the top staff apply only to the RH (same for LH and below its staff). If you move the mf to the middle, would the player be able to mistakenly think the last two 16ths in the LH should be quieter, or can you just assume they just know better? lol

Well, I guess that is up to you then.

[Th3Gavst3r]

There we go, there are now extra-short grace notes and sostenutos on the holds.

[Sebastian]

Awesome! By the way, I checked all the notes, and if I do say so myself, I am shocked. They are all right
This is a challenging song note hearing-wise. Great work!

Just a couple other things and I think that's all I have for this sheet:
- Hide the second layer rests in M. 10, 13, 15, & 17.
- After debating it with myself, I don't see a reason why the eighth note of M. 3, 5, etc. should be in the second layer. Is there a specific reason?
- Accidentals: You're gonna have to get a second opinion on the accidentals. They are very tricky and unusual in this piece, especially from M. 14+ since that first layer is playing C and E consistently while the second layer is chromatically descending.
- Give some of the systems some breathing room. You have plenty of room on the second page and some on the first. Maybe something kinda like this:

Spoiler

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Great work!

[Latios212]

What's this supposed to be titled? "Mystic Cave Zone"? I'll change it if so. How about this other one?

[Sebastian]

What's this supposed to be titled? "Mystic Cave Zone"?

Correct.
Thank you, Latios!

How about this other one?

We need a replacement of that one first.
That one is "Mystic Cave Zone - 2 Player."

[Latios212]

got it

[Th3Gavst3r]

- After debating it with myself, I don't see a reason why the eighth note of M. 3, 5, etc. should be in the second layer. Is there a specific reason?

If you combine the A and C into a single voice, I feel like giving both notes their full length puts too much weight on the bass, while making both staccato leaves a gap of silence. So the second layer is there so you can indicate that only the C should be played short, more like in the original.

- Accidentals: You're gonna have to get a second opinion on the accidentals. They are very tricky and unusual in this piece, especially from M. 14+ since that first layer is playing C and E consistently while the second layer is chromatically descending.

Updaters?

Yup yup

- Hide the second layer rests in M. 10, 13, 15, & 17.
- Give some of the systems some breathing room. You have plenty of room on the second page and some on the first. Maybe something kinda like this:

Spoiler

[close]

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