ReMix:Chrono Trigger "The Trial in Concert" 7:48

By Steffan Andrews

Arranging the music of one song...

"The Trial"

Primary Game: Chrono Trigger (Square , 1995, SNES), music by Nobuo Uematsu, Noriko Matsueda, Yasunori Mitsuda

Posted 2002-10-05, evaluated by the judges panel


For OCR00800 we have a special treat - Spekkosaurus, previous submitter (a considerable while back) of two Earthbound ReMixes, amazingly enough recorded this highly interpretive and technically impressive piano instrumental from Chrono Trigger in one take. The whole thing. Skillz. While I'll often record a solo in a single take, an entire piece is something else, esp. to stay consistently musical and in relative time. I consider myself a synthesist before a pianist, and this is something I simply could not do (well . . . and have it sound like something you'd *want* to listen to, at least^^). So kudos off the bat to Spekko for sheer "wow" factor on getting anything submitted that's solo piano and one take. Apparently there wasn't much preparation, either - Spekko worked most of it out in his head, ahead of time, so when he finally sat down in front of the ivories, he was in the zone. This is not your typical solo piano arrangement, which usually try to be lyrical and (perhaps overly) "intimate". This is more like something you'd hear at a saloon, and has the tempo-changing properties of a Russian folksong. It's ballsy, and even gets raucous at times, something that you'd not expect. And the piano playing is, in the traditional, classical sense at least, the most technical on the site. Truly using the full dynamic range of the instrument, this is a piano arrangement that displays intimate familiarity with its context, capitalizing on the strength of the instrument with every stroke. It's significantly above the level of Spekkosaurus' previous Earthbound ReMixes, and brings something very new to the crowded world of Chrono Trigger arrangements. It's not easy listening, however, and it's also not groove-based. Instead, I envision this as something you'd listen to occassionally but with your full attention, to appreciate what Spekko's done with the original as well as the sheer musicianship. If you simply don't like solo piano work, you may not appreciate it, but for everyone else this piece comes highly recommended. Bravo.

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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BLAHMASTER
on 2016-02-09 09:22:15

This arrangement is fantastic! After about a minute of the song, I was curious how it would sound played on a harpsichord. Three+ minutes later: screw the harpsichord, you know what you're doing here! Masterful performance!

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TillyFun
on 2013-02-11 14:37:30

This is... substantial? I'm not sure how, but it's a lovely 8 minutes for me. Before coming here, the only piano solo I enjoyed was Moonlight Sonata - and everything else unaccompanied-piano just grated on me. But this is a pleasure to listen to. I only wish it were longer! :)

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OA
on 2010-09-01 12:28:17

Really nice and varied piano work, and the long play time gives Steffan plenty of time to add in his own touches. I love these sort of extended piano solos, where you can really get a good look inside the mind of a musician. I agree with Brian, the soundscape can get a little samey, but I think it's tempered by the purity of ideas.

Overall really strong. Check this one out.

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tweex
on 2009-11-05 11:36:08

First off, this is worlds better than the first mix that Steffan sub'd. The piano sound quality is very crisp and full bodied. The performance is spot on. The arrangement is fantastic. I can hardly believe that this is one take, but I don't doubt it. There are some wrong notes in the piece, but the style of playing not only allows for them, but it almost encourages them and it gives the track a great feel. The dynamics in the piece are phenomenal. The changes in tempo are excellently performed. I suppose my one "complaint" comes from the length of the track itself. Being just shy of 8 mins, the solo piano, while very well played, becomes a little repetitive in nature. Not the arrangement, just the soundscape. The source is great, but 8 mins just feels a little too long for me. However, if 8 mins is what you needed to express yourself, far be it from me to say that's wrong!

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Lucentas
on 2008-12-06 22:21:00

Oh wow...to think that this was recorded live, in one take...

I love when pianists just go crazy like this. It's like they have a creativity spasm and explode all over the keys and the result is sheer magnificence.

Now I just can't imagine it sounding any different, even in the game.

I love when that happens.

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Steffan Andrews
on 2008-09-18 04:23:59

Also - stay tuned for yet another OCR site project with yours truly. :razz:

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Steffan Andrews
on 2007-04-07 21:30:33
Another wonderful remix by another artist who just dissapeared less than a year after sumbitting remixes.

Stay tuned for the FF7 project.

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Superrpgman
on 2007-04-07 17:37:30

Another wonderful remix by another artist who just dissapeared less than a year after sumbitting remixes.

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the_same_x
on 2006-06-17 15:54:50

hello, I am new around here, let me introduce myself...My name is Jefferson and I am from brazil, I've just signed up just to ask the sheet of this song, can I have a copy please please?

This is the best song I have ever heard in my life, I just wanted the sheet to play it on piano (I am new playing piano too and I don't think I will get to play this song one day, lol)

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MajLink
on 2006-06-16 14:06:34

Yeah this mix was a really good one, i was very glad to find a panio mix on this song. I always thought it was just begging to be mixed ever since i heard it. Great work and keep the awesome tunes comming!

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GregCaldwell
on 2006-06-12 19:37:03

I believe this to be the best piano remix on the site, and it's honestly some of the best piano I have ever heard in my life. Really it's just brilliant; and I wish Spekkosaurus would have done a few more like this before he quit remixing. Oh well.. I'll still be listening to this for a long time to come.

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M4x0rz
on 2006-04-21 02:47:29

Okay, I just registered to OCReMix, after having listened to remixes old and new on this site for a year and a half or so.

I'm a pianist, a video game pianist at that, and this remix still blows me away every time I listen, which is pretty damn often for a song. It has inspired me just to learn the note patterns of this remix (by ear) and just improvise and go crazy like Spekkosaurus does here. every second of this piece is just so fucking cool, well-played and almost hair-raising 8)

This OCReMix is godly as far as solo piano goes on this site, and it must be listened by everyone, like djpretzel says highly recommended.

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Bummer
on 2005-09-14 13:06:34

Did you play this for real? Nah, can´t be,

hehe...yeah...or? Because this was the most

skilled pianoplay I´ve heard.

I´m speechless, nice work with the ivory, Spekkdude.

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Heyjohnny
on 2005-07-18 13:21:00

I Love this song, and it sticks out among the rest of the CT remixes.....there are way too many Zeal techno remixes, although I like a lot of them, there's still way too many. But this song, I love the trial song in the game, and you did a very good remix of it. I actually made a game and had this song going in the background for the beta...and it fit awesomely! (it was an FPS called Heyjohnny)

Thanks for this one spekkosaurus(sp probably wrong)

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HershDawg
on 2005-07-15 21:26:02

I would rate it one of the best arranged piano mixes on the site. Not the best but one of them.

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
Chrono Trigger (Square , 1995, SNES)
Music by Nobuo Uematsu,Noriko Matsueda,Yasunori Mitsuda
Songs:
"The Trial"

Tags (7)


Genre:
Classical
Mood:
Instrumentation:
Piano,Solo Piano
Additional:
Arrangement > Solo
Production > Live Recording
Time > 4/4 Time Signature
Time > Duration: Long

File Information


Name:
Chrono_Trigger_The_Trial_in_Concert_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
7,583,017 bytes
MD5:
0cb27019c6b5af43a4d2b0f127c4c95c
Bitrate:
128Kbps
Duration:
7:48

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