This is an older song from a long time ago, I'm posting it here to motivate me to redo it and finish


Helmet 3 Game and Gallery Watch (remix, 2011)

MP3 and FLAC available for Patrons. ► https://www.patreon.com/thesecondnarrator
Includes both looped and non-looped versions.

After recently playing through Undertale (full pacifist run), I knew I had to orchestrate one of the tracks. It is amazing how toby fox was able to design, code, write, draw, and compose pretty much all of the game. And what's even more impressive is that toby fox's soundtrack is catchy, memorable, and puts lots of AAA composers to shame. Like seriously, I can barely recall any tune from any recent game off the top of my head except for Undertale. All composers should learn the lesson that melody trumps over any musical technical proficiency.

The Heartache track was the first moment in the game that convinced me I was in for something special. After being pampered by the motherly Toriel, the protagonist breaks her heart by insisting on leaving the ruins to return home. During this battle, the protagonist is essentially awakened, and is forced to stand up and fight for her survival. This mood of excitement tinged with an air of sadness is captured perfectly in the music.

In my arrangement, I kept the original version pretty intact, but with the instruments replaced with orchestral counterparts. The original track is already very fleshed out, with a catchy tune, varying rhythms, and an awesome bass line. The 6/8 time that toby fox uses is hard to describe, as it sometimes sounds like 3/4 and other times like 2/4, but it works pretty well. One thing that's hard to preserve is the snappiness and clearness you get from 8-bit sounds. It's really easy for an orchestra version to sound very muddy, as you can see from all those other orchestrated arrangements floating out there. I did my best playing lots of staccato and substituting group samples with solo instruments so that everything can still sound as clear as possible. I really wanted to preserve that bass line for its energy, so I listened to the original track at half speed and EQ'ed out all the other frequencies in order to copy it note for note. Then I brought it to the forefront of the track, having cellos, violas, violins, and flute all have a go at it. I was glad I had time to get used to using drumkits in my previous FFIV track. Here I used them in combination with timpanis to get that modern and classical hybrid sound.

In addition, as I usually like to do, I added a 3rd arc to the music, as I felt that together, the track would cover the entire arc of the protagonist's battle with Toriel. I used the theme that appears previously in Toriel's home as a kind of reminder of her compassion, and also the potential peaceful life that the protagonist chooses to reject. This injection of emotion is something that toby fox uses too in the end of the game with a similar melody, so I thought doing it here would be a good fit, almost like a "preview" of the entire story's arc. The end result sounds pretty fitting in both the "genocide" and "pacifist" version of the fight.

Original Song composed by toby fox

Undertale is available on Steam

Undertale Orchestrated - Heartache

Lyrics:
When words are left unspoken
Like frozen drops of dew,
The symmetry is broken
Then so am I to you.

Our song will bifurcate
Until we're worlds apart
And then it's much too late
To go back to the start.

And so we're
Dancing too self-conscious,
Our wavelengths out of phase.
The space expands between us
As we are lost in spectral haze.

[Improvisation]

Symmetry Broken (Lyrics in description)

Eastern Kanto Adventure Part 1 - Lavender Town

Here's an orchestrated/blippy/singy version of Giant Woman from Steven Universe. It's one of the most request things I get, so hope you enjoy!

You can find more about Steven Universe over on the show's site @ http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/video/steven-universe/ or listen to more of Rebecca Sugar's music @ http://www.youtube.com/user/robsugar/

Find more of the Synthetic Orchestra on the sites below:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/syntheticorchestra
Twitter: http://twitter.com/syntheticorch
Google+: http://plus.google.com/b/116523306548488804710/
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/blaketothefuture/
Site: http://syntheticorchestra.com

Used:
FL studio 12, Kontakt 5, Spitfire BML Chamber Strings, BML Woods, BML Brass, Albion, Loegria, Iceni, Uist, Percussion, Harp & Piano, Sonokinetic Minimal, Cinesamples Deep Percussion Beds 2, Various private libraries

A Collection of Orchestration

Steven Universe - Giant Woman Orchestra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBDpyUN4poI

Cosmos - Main Title (Hollywood Orchestra Mockup)

Funk Bass (Loop)

Lyrics:
Well you've got me where you want me
But I ain't giving in.
If you think I'll go politely,
Well you're mistaken!

You can scream and try to shame me.
You can push and knock me down.
But I'll get up, eagerly,
For another round.

Cuz it's my fight.
And I will be free.
No other right
Will satisfy me.

Cuz it's my right
To be just me.
No force or might
Will take it lightly.

So you think you're so damn righteous.
You think you're so damn pure.
But you ain't even conscious
Of your own sewer.

So don't tell me that you love me						 
But then refuse to see								 
The pain and all the struggling						 
Your blind faith is causing.							 

Cuz it's my fight.								 
And I will be free.								 
No other right									 
Will satisfy me.								 

Cuz it's my right								 
To be just me.									 
No force or might								 
Will take it lightly.								 

And if tomorrow should come							 
And bring victory,								 
Well I know there's still some							 
Who long to be free.								 

And so we never will rest.							 
No, until our last breath, 							 
We'll take on what's next.							 
										 
So if you are tired, of always fighting
'Gainst the steady march of time,						 
It may be time to give in							 
And lend us a dime.								 

It ain't our style to begrudge you
Your sins of the past.
For we've all been there too.
No stones will be cast.

Cuz it's our fight
And we.. will be free
No.. No other right
Will satisfy me.

Cuz it's our right
To be just me.
No.. No force or might
Will take us lightly.

And if tomorrrow should come
And bring victory
Well i know there's still some
Who long to be free

If we aren't as one
United for all
Before we've begun
Our progress will fall

And so we never shall rest
No until our last breath
We'll take on what's next!

Anthem (Lyrics in description)

An orchestrated version of the Museum / Warp Star piece from the Kirby's Adventure soundtrack. Practicing some things, figuring out how to blend libraries and just relaxing.

Used:
Kontakt 5, Cinematic Strings 2, Spitfire Albion, Solo Strings, Percussion & Harp. Cinesamples CineBrass, CineBrass Pro, HollyWoodwinds, VOXOs & Piano in Blue, EWQL Symphonic Choir, Project Sam Symphobia II, Sonokinetic Vivace


Kirby's Adventure - Museum Orchestra

This is the full album 'Super Metroid Symphony' that I released March 19th, 2013. You can now listen to the entire thing here, or download yourself a copy. 

Thanks to everyone that supported this project and picked up the album over the past couple of years. Your support was appreciated and helped to make the other Synthetic Orchestra albums possible.

Chozo Statue Awakens

I'm an amateur hobbyist who composes orchestral and cinematic-esque music, driven by my passion for storytelling. Though I'm not fully trained in music theory, nor completely familiar with the individual instruments of the orchestra, I do hope to learn through practice and self education. I currently work with Mixcraft, and an assortment of VSTs and Plug-ins. 

Helmet 3 Game and Gallery Watch (remix, 2011)

mickomoo