ReMix:Breath of Fire "His First Good Deed" 5:22

By Trenthian

Arranging the music of 2 songs...

"Battling", "Sorrow"

Primary Game: Breath of Fire (Square , 1994, SNES), music by Mari Yamaguchi, Minae Fujii, Tatsuya Nishimura, Yasuaki Fujita, Yoko Shimomura

Posted 2003-12-30, evaluated by the judges panel


Well, another Christmas has come and gone. I have to say, you know you're getting old when you start getting clothing items (in my case this year, a pair of docs) and actually liking it. At least now I have an alternative to not wearing Birkenstocks 24/7, 365 days a year outside of work... At any rate, there'll be at least one more update before New Year's where we'll do the annual review and "State of the ReMix address" fun, but for now check out this very flamboyant, conspicuous Breath of Fire arrangement from newcomer Trenthian. Mixing rock and orchestral and then going into zanyville with some sound effects, and also mixing up the tone and arrangement quite a bit as well, this isn't a cookie-cutter ReMix and it certainly has a unique vibe. Whether you prefer a little more aesthetic coherence in your mixage is up to you; the schizophrenic, indulgent approach to instrumentation here does at least keep things interesting. Can't criticize this mix for sonic or compositional monotony, that's for damn sure. Judge Israfel expressed a common reluctance about the fx, but overall appreciation for the mix:

"Very nice. Lots of ideas here, and for the most part they're well pulled off. Composition is much more sophisticated than the average mix- and that's a big plus. Sound effects do come off as a bit cheesy I suppose- they remind me of the sort of thing you might hear during a symphonic "epic" piece by a power metal band. But hey, they don't kill the mix or anything. Cool stuff."

I think the arrangement itself, regardless of the sound fx, really stands on its own and adeptly transitions into different tones with grace and smooth, varied dynamics. In this case, I didn't mind the fx too much; I'm not sure they necessarily add much to the mix, but they didn't detract either. I would say that I don't think such an approach would work well as a hallmark of the ReMixer's work on a regular basis. However, for a first ReMix, the amount of arranging going on, the overall quality of the instrumentation, the knack for mixing tones and themes ranging from arabic to epic orchestral, and solid production are all impressive. Very good stuff, hope to see more as this is a mix that indicates flexibility and innovation both.

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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TillyFun
on 2016-02-29 01:20:44

Definitely a story song. ^_^ Really takes me back.

Each stage of the song has something neat in the melody, from the start with travelling clopping drums to, well, SADNESS :puppyeyes: ... then to the nice strings(?) at 1:45, then the fight drums leading to a quiet victory. :)

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Otakatt
on 2009-12-02 11:39:39

Ever since I downloaded this song (years ago) it has remained in my BoF music folder because there's not enough Breath of Fire love out there and this song is amazing.

What I like about this medley is that it doesn't feel like just a song. It feels like it's telling a story. It starts out sad in the beginning and gradually builds itself up into something more epic with the battle theme. The sound effects during said battle theme are a really nice touch and adds to the mood of the piece. Then we get the victory theme and more uplifting music that really adds to the resolution. In spite of all this shifting around of mood and song, it's done in a way that it flows seamlessly.

The sound is good and the arrangement is just... clever. I do kind of feel like this would be more appreciated by fans of Breath of Fire, but that doesn't mean you should bypass it if you haven't played it. Definitely give it a listen!

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tweex
on 2009-10-28 16:25:46

The first track by Trenthian. Very cool intro. Some of the orchestral samples, when exposed, are a little synthetic, but no where near a deal breaker. The drums help drive the piece and give it a great groove. Synth choices (both rhythmic and lead) are great. The acoustic guitar strumming adds a really nice touch. The oboe sounds great! There seems to be a little overdriving/clipping on the kick, but it's not terrible. The arrangement here is fantastic beyond words! The busy kick sections get a little overwhelming, but it builds the dynamics well. Interesting idea with the SFX. Not my favorite, but still a very very interesting idea! The breakdown about a minute from the end is great. The track moves in so many different directions that it's crazy (and not in a bad way). There were a couple production issues, but outside of that, this is incredible for a first piece! Excellent!!!!

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OA
on 2009-06-03 11:47:38

A few unpolished spots, but damn overall this is completely excellent!

Superb textures with the hand drums for the first part, and a great sense of motion. The synths in the next part seemed a little lofi and muddy, but they quickly faded to some great woodwinds and acoustic guitar.

Great drama in the middle section, and overall a really cool mix of instruments. Well played, this mix is great!

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WesternZypher
on 2008-12-08 12:50:10

We need to swashbuckle to this kind of stuff. I totally digged the fx.

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DragonAvenger
on 2008-09-18 14:58:19

Pretty good first mix from Trenthian. I liked each individual theme as it was, though I feel that put together it's a bit disjointed overall. I understand the story aspect, and that helps, though it's still a far jump from the first theme to the last.

FX don't really bother me, though I don't feel like they're really needed either. Just superfluous. I'm not really complaining about them, either, so it's all good.

Overall, nice work.

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Kozmo
on 2006-02-28 22:47:10

i like the variety displayed. I think that the fight sequence adds a whole, new, and unexpected element to the song at the perfect moment. Animal sounds worked well. Great work.

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Trenthian
on 2005-11-30 16:43:34
As for the music, this was a masterpiece, very good orchestral, but I didn´t just like those sound effects of the fight, aren´t really necessary. Nice usage of the techno synth inthat arabic part, Trenth.

By the way, does EVERYBODY remix that sad melody from bof?

If I did, Im unaware.

I probably wouldnt mind in the future though :)

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Bummer
on 2005-09-25 05:09:20

As for the music, this was a masterpiece, very good orchestral, but I didn´t just like those sound effects of the fight, aren´t really necessary. Nice usage of the techno synth inthat arabic part, Trenth.

By the way, does EVERYBODY remix that sad melody from bof?

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DarkCecil13
on 2005-01-08 23:34:10

Wow. Simply wow. Wonderful arrangement of several tunes from Breath of Fire! The transitions are absolutely flawless and the sound effects really add to the feeling and atmosphere. I'm glad to finally here another Breath of Fire ReMix. Awesome. Good work!

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Jemnisimi
on 2005-01-08 21:14:14

I liked Trenth's remix of OWA so much I got the rom of this game just to compare it and this mix (not that I wouldn'tve anyway since it's the only BoF game I don't own). It made me love this even more. Ab-so-tootly groovin'. It made the Originals sound a lot better too I think, having heard this version. Very good adherancy to the game's sound and atmosphere while vastly improving on it.

And maybe I'm the only one who feels this way but I actually like the sound effects a lot. The first time it was a bit of a bummer but after the 5th time or so it feels like a nice addition to me. :)

Loved the strings but was a bit dissapointed with the panning when I think about it. Hardly noticable but my only CC.

Great work as usual. Why don't you have mooooore? Need inspiration? Vectormannnn. *sways*

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DragonFireKai
on 2004-08-25 11:39:05

While not as epic as Flames of Valor, this mix takes the first doungeon of the series and gives you a blow by blow walkthrough. glorious!

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Rapyer2986
on 2004-02-21 13:43:59

I'm like Zaphlin; threw it in the playlist and ran it. I was like "Damn!" (while bobbing my head)

Nice epic feel and I didn't mind the SFX too much, since I never played the game, either. Worked for my imagination!

Great composition!

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Subz1987
on 2004-02-19 21:13:37

this is a pretty nice piece. it transposes between different tempos and melodies nicely. and some of the sound effects are nice. i chuckle everytime "marhaba!" is said

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Zaphlin
on 2004-01-22 02:14:56

Wow, I must not have been listening very closely the first time I heard this song. It started playing today, from my playlist and I was like, "Dude! I like this!" and I've been listening to it over and over again ever since then.

Sources Arranged (2 Songs)


Primary Game:
Breath of Fire (Square , 1994, SNES)
Music by Mari Yamaguchi,Minae Fujii,Tatsuya Nishimura,Yasuaki Fujita,Yoko Shimomura
Songs:
"Battling"
"Sorrow"

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File Information


Name:
Breath_of_Fire_His_First_Good_Deed_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
5,083,743 bytes
MD5:
e806478da3766440e635c5dd93d40d58
Bitrate:
124Kbps
Duration:
5:22

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