Unfortunately, the pitch inconsistencies make this unlistenable for me. Pitch correction does not create artifacts. If it does, you’re doing it wrong.
Incorrect pitch is an artifact which is relatively easily removed – but in order to get it right requires judicious application of perfect pitch (or relative pitch) combined with staring at spectrograph scans and constantly comparing Cue X with Cue Y. Decide which tracks are dodgy, vary the playback speed until the pitch is correct, resample to 44.1khz and edit away. Remember, you’re not trying to preserve length which is automatically wrong due to the pitch being wrong. (All we’re talking about is something playing too fast or too slow.)
Fix the pitch and the length increases or decreases as a matter of consequence.
On another note, listening again to this jaw-dropping score makes me incredibly depressed about Aquarion Evol; which so far has not featured a single note of original music, instead recycling this one.
2005 was such a long time ago, in the world of anime…
Regarding the pitch correction, I thought it was odd that artifacts were being created, as like you said its should really be a matter of altering the length of playback and nothing else. I can’t recall if length was changing when I attempted the pitch correction; the artifacts I was hearing sounded almost like stuttering, as if the processing was too much for my laptop, yet was present even in output files. Strange. Perhaps the particular algorithm I was using doesn’t account not preserving length? I think I’d like to try again.
The other problem was that I’m not sure my own hearing is up to scratch. I can hear some differences — the entrance of "Aquarion," for example — but I can’t really estimate the difference. I still had the file you did involving the entrance of "Heaven’s Gate" in the fourth track (half a semi-tone, I believe you said), but when I ran Audition’s spectrograph I couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Reducing the sample size helped a little bit, but I was still over my head. I fear this is where my lack of training rears its ugly head. I think with a bit more experimentation, I might be able to figure it out, but while I was doing this second edit, these two issues were really a couple of bastards.
This does have me leaning towards giving it another try.
Getting the right pitch is harder. It doesn’t seem to be wrong for any of the usual reasons – namely a 48khz recording being played back at 44.1khz without resampling. It’s just wrong.
I believe I worked it out initially by comparing "High Spirit" with "Vector Return" – which feature performances of the same theme, allowing for a frame of reference. If memory serves, the theme in Vector Returns is half a semitone higher than the same theme in High Spirit.
I’ll try to collect together some more sensible thoughts…
Downloading now and VERY much looking forward to this. Thank you!
[Edit: Just reading through the notes… EVERY TRACK received a pitch correction? Wow! May I ask how you arrived at these calculations? I have lost my own original notes now, but I am worried that every track appears to have required correction and each one to a different degree. My impression was that the majority of tracks were fine and a handful had been messed up (by some digital domain cock-up or another) by the same quantity and thus would require the same correction.
I notice that Aquarius, Exodus, and Vector Return have been increased in pitch… but if memory serves they were *sharp* not flat. (This is based on a comparison of the theme that begins at 2:39 in High Spirit and 1:41 in Vector Returns, assuming that they are straight performances of the same music and haven’t been twiddled with. Kanno is not taken to restating themes in different keys, as far as I recall.)
Too confusing…]
Actually, considering that the only track that wasn’t adjusted is the one with the smallest ensemble, it does seem to indicate that the program might have had trouble with the large ensemble, which I had considered but since it appeared the problems were with the tracks as a whole I thought it could determine the difference; also, at some point I had to make a leap of faith, and not knowing what caused the problems to begin with, it seemed possible that the choral-only track wasn’t effected.
I did listen to Vector Return and High Spirit, but based on the results of the pitch correction I assumed that they were indeed intended to be in different keys, but I’m not as familiar with Kanno’s music; I didn’t know she’s not prone to switching up keys.
Damn it. I thought the "corrected" tracks did tend to sound better, but I suppose it could have been placebo.
Could I ask an extremely ignorant question?? What was the reference point for the original pitches? The anime itself? And if so, how can we be certain that wasn’t messed up and the soundtrack presents the music as recorded? Or am I being extremely stupid and not getting what’s going on? =s
Whatever the case, I’m sure there are sound reasons for the corrections, and it plays really well!
There is lots of original music, it’s just that none of it is Kanno’s. But what is Kanno’s has so far been lots of unreleased music, so we might be looking forward to many of those tracks finally made available on CD (especially looking forward to the battle music and that playful polka heard throughout.) But yeah, the non-Kanno bits might as well not even be there.
Is any of this actually original? I’m not sure I can sit through this mind-melting show long enough to find out… and my knowledge of the original score comes exclusively from the orchestral pieces released on the soundtrack album – but I understand that a shed-load of music went unreleased. I gather there have actually been sessions of some kind for Evol?
I think the job you did was awesome and i would love to hear a second version with this tracks included :p
Thanks by the answer
https://mega.co.nz/#!lcUAgC4R!OQIKBRxV0wx9hwZTi923jRmjfI0aI-rqc28hRaKEwYk
Thanks a lot for the re-up, Herr Salat.
No I am not making fun of it. I am just asking, I am curious about this… But what do you think? What you had in mind in doing this? π
Gonna try it π
Edit:
I think Herr Salat was already secretly trying to make me listen this, judging by the name of the packed file. :p
I am no audiophile and I have no super-man ears, so if you correct the pitch… I noticed nothing. But is just me, because the listening experience was not the same as I thought I it be expect. π An ignorant question: Did you correct pitch in those parts where you change from a track cue to another? The very part you "connected" the pieces. Was there where you corrected it?
After listening one time, I repeated a lot, I was cleaning my house while listening it, it you sure had a great "image" in picturing all these. I can sense to actually "saw" something through this work. The cues enter in a very smooth way and freaking amazingly fitting the whole idea of the track.
Part III and IV are just amazing, in my opinion.
This work was … IS just genius.
Now I would ask?
Will you do something like this for, I don’t know… Brain Powerd and Escaflowne? :p
I’ve thought about doing more of these; I actually already tried to edit the original album of "Hook" into a ballet-of-sorts and failed miserably, and I haven’t cared to try again since the release of the La-La Land edition. I would consider doing one from those other Kanno works, but I’m not as familiar with them.
EDIT: Ah, tango did a symphonic compilation here (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f92/big-orchestral-action-music-thread-57893/202.html#post1474805). Just a suite for Brain Powerd and two tracks for Escalowne (Angel and the End Title).
I’ve thought about doing more of these; I actually already tried to edit the original album of "Hook" into a ballet-of-sorts and failed miserably, and I haven’t cared to try again since the release of the La-La Land edition. I would consider doing one from those other Kanno works, but I’m not as familiar with them.
My favorite Yoko soundtracks, are the symphonic ones, and I miss her old style on it so much , that I always get back to old stuff of her. The nostalgia is so awesome. ^^
Brain Powerd is one soundtrack that I rarely see anyone liking it. :/ It is so sad, as it is one of my favorite soundtracks of Yoko, and found it quite beautiful and so much feeling in it. If you never did, try to listen Brain Powerd soundtracks. They are worth in every bit. At lest for me. π
Orie, regarding Escaflowne: tangotreats tried (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f92/big-orchestral-action-music-thread-57893/246.html#post1525390).
EDIT: Ah, tango did a symphonic compilation here (http://forums.ffshrine.org/f92/big-orchestral-action-music-thread-57893/202.html#post1474805). Just a suite for Brain Powerd and two tracks for Escalowne (Angel and the End Title).
will check that π
EDIT: Sadly none of the links are working π
If I do end up working on another edit, I’ll let you guys know.
Aquarion EVOL in Lossless (http://bakabt.me/169841-sousei-no-aquarion-aquarion-evol-music-collection-flac.html)
Now get to work!!!!! XD
Aquarion EVOL in Lossless (http://bakabt.me/169841-sousei-no-aquarion-aquarion-evol-music-collection-flac.html)
Now get to work!!!!! XD
The power of my brain is already fixated on another project, but I’ll add it to the list. π
I was only innocently Kidding :p
Got a new headache. :/
Macross Frontier unreleased tracks X(
damn you Yoko.
I just finished listening to it.
I was a bit skeptical at first. I always find it weird when people play around with a musical material that has been thought and paced in a certain way by its author. But you’ve done great (minus one transition at the beginning that could have been better). and I really appreciate that you included the the original tracks. it makes your work even more respectable π
I’ve been tinkering with this one. I started it about a year ago, but got stuck and gave up. I think I’ve figured out a way to make it work, although if it gets done it won’t be as pretentious/ambitious as the Aquarion "symphony." (To be honest, I’m kind of embarrassed of it now.)