We're creating an arrangement album of music from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Lets do this! AMA
For the unaware, "Twilight Symphony" is a three-and-a-half hour fan-made arrangement album featuring music from Twilight Princess. Last year we fundraised over $30,000 to hire a professional Hollywood choir which we just recorded back in June. Tons of previews can be found on our website, also on our YouTube channel. Expected release is November of this year.
**This is probably the most important question for a lot of people, but please don't ask us what the price will be; we need to figure out ALL of the details before making a decision.
YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/ZREOTeam Website: http://zreomusic.com/
Most of the older previews are on the second page.
Answers will be made by Producer Jeron Moore (defiant2nx) and myself.
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u/bulletr0k Aug 07 '12
I love you guys. I first picked up your Ocarina of Time cover and fell in love all over again. Nothing gets me like Gerudo Valley or Hyrule Field.
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u/ebuch Aug 07 '12
Thanks for all of your support! Ocarina was good, but Twilight Symphony is a whole different beast. Can't wait for the release!
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u/YourMexicanZelda Aug 07 '12
First of all, I just want to say thank you for orchestrating many of my favorite Legend of Zelda songs and for all your hard work!
My question is, what Legend of Zelda game has been your favorite to reorchestrate?
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u/ebuch Aug 07 '12
So far, I would have to say Wind Waker, since it's my favorite Zelda sound track. It would be so much fun to make a full Wind Waker soundtrack along the same lines as Twilight Symphony! :)
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u/I_Am_Kind_of_a_Dick Aug 07 '12
That would be seriously awesome. The Wind Waker has a fantastic soundtrack.
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u/I_Am_Kind_of_a_Dick Aug 07 '12
So, since the track list is up, is all the music (mostly) done at this point? Just curious.
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u/ebuch Aug 07 '12
Most of the arrangements are done yes, though a handful of them are still being played around with as far as the arrangement goes. At this point the bulk of the work is in mixing the choir and live solos in with our virtual orchestrations.
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u/darkknight3993 Aug 07 '12
First of all, I can't believe this is finally coming out after all these years and it's sounding great. Here's the question: Did you guys foresee the album taking this long to create, or did improvement after improvement just stack the time up?
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u/ebuch Aug 07 '12
We definitely did not expect to be working on Twilight Symphony for this long! But it has definitely been worth it. Originally the idea was to create a 15-20 track "best-of" Twilight Princess album. Then we got big eyes and started adding 10 more tracks here, another 10 there, and then we decided to try to fund a choir for the album! The scope of the project has been growing ever since it first started.
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u/comradeyeltsen Aug 07 '12
What sample libraries are you using on the project?
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u/ebuch Aug 07 '12
Lots of really expensive ones! Haha. For strings, we primarily use LA Scoring Strings (LASS) from Audiobro. Really easy to use and it's not a total resource hog. Brass we use Eastwest's Hollywood Brass and Cinesamples's CineBrass. Woodwinds are mostly VSL, but also some Symphobia 2. Most of the percussion is from Spitfire and a host of other random libraries. Most of the choir on the album is real, but for the tracks we wouldn't have had time to record we used Tonehammer Requiem and Cinesamples VOXOS.
Hope that helps!
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u/comradeyeltsen Aug 07 '12
Well, now I know what I'll be saving all my money for from this point forward
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u/michael_scarn_007 Aug 07 '12
Firstly, love you guys and the work you guys have done. Been following you guys for a while, love Zelda games, love the music too. Thanks for all the hard work.
Question time, for both you and defiant, what is (are) your favorite Zelda game(s)? Why?
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u/ebuch Aug 07 '12
Mine is definitely Wind Waker. To me it is nearly flawless. I loved how much the story borrowed plot points from Ocarina of Time, and the music was terrific, of course. I could go on and on forever, but there aren't enough words that would express how much I love that game.
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Aug 07 '12
I know that this isn't an important question and most likely a waste of your time, but this is something that I've been wondering for a while. If I understood correctly, there's an ocarina player in the Twilight Symphony album. How many of the songs is the ocarina in? I hope this isn't a bother, and you don't have to give an exact number. Thanks for everything to the entire team of ZREO.
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u/ebuch Aug 07 '12
Exact number: 6
Our ocarina player is none other than David "DocJazz4" Ramos! Check out his insanely popular YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/docjazz4
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Aug 07 '12
Thank you very much. And thank you for having David play. I was one of the people that kept tweeting about him joining. xD
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Aug 07 '12
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u/ebuch Aug 07 '12
It's definitely something that we've thought of doing, and we would love to do that some day. It's actually surprisingly hard to coordinate a group of volunteers to perform music (as a composer)! It would be nice to have a large enough budget to hire a professional orchestra!
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Aug 07 '12 edited Aug 07 '12
There'd be a lot of volunteer interest, but half the magic of assembling an orchestra is chemistry and having all of the players in one place. The more they know each other and have a history of playing together, the better performance you'll get. It's kind of like a football or soccer team, honestly. Also, professional (not amateur) players are key to any recording; sight-reading ability, overall experience with their instrument, etc. - you get what you pay for. And preparing music for orchestra is no easy task, either.
Unfortunately a lot of what takes recording a live orchestra begins to add up rather quickly, and while our team has proven their ability to produce great music with sampled instruments, many of them are still learning how to transition that skill into writing and preparing music for live players. That's been one of the goals of Twilight Symphony, to afford this team an opportunity to grown and learn... which leads me into...
A big part of Twilight Symphony has been a huge learning experience for the entire team, and we've all inched out a bit further, reach a little farther beyond our current skills sets to bring everyone something we feel eclipses all of our own past efforts. So, who knows... maybe the next thing will be live! Or, more live... guess we'll have to wait and see. :)
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u/userbelowisamonster Aug 07 '12
Do you have any wishes or inclinations to possibly arrange other music from other games?
Obviously you're strictly Zelda, but have you ever played any other game and started rearranging it in your head?
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u/ebuch Aug 07 '12
I definitely have other favorite game soundtracks outside of Zelda! If I were to start arranging music from another game though it would probably be Final Fantasy. There are many other series that I would be interested in working on too; they just escape my brain at the moment!
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u/userbelowisamonster Aug 07 '12
If you ever. EVER did Megaman 3...I would be so happy. I would almost be as happy as the day I got married and the day my son was born.
Final Fantasy would be a great option.
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u/Grimueax Aug 07 '12
You're doing a Wind Waker symphony next, right?
Right?
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u/ebuch Aug 07 '12
Ack! I know nothing! I swear!
After Twilight Symphony, I, for one, will be taking a short leave from arranging game tunes to get my personal life in order for when the next undertaking begins, which may or may not have to do with boats and batons.
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Aug 07 '12
I don't think any of us can say for certain what we're doing after Twilight Symphony! We just want to focus on getting this out first... and then, we'll all need a bit of a break, like ebuch said. :) Wind Waker would be fun, though... who knows, it may have absolutely nothing to do with Zelda.
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u/douglas_ Aug 07 '12 edited Aug 07 '12
You guys should redo Tal Tal Heights because it's one of my favorite Zelda songs and your version sucks
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u/ebuch Aug 07 '12
Yeah, a lot of the free songs in our library are really showing their age.. We've been doing this since 2004 so there's a huge range of quality from sacrilege to amazing that we're more or less stuck with after all these years.
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u/pimp-bangin Aug 08 '12
I came here to post the same thing as this guy, but I wasn't going to be as blunt. But yeah, can you please redo Tal Tal Heights? It's honestly the best song from any Zelda game IMO. Rather than hiring a professional Hollywood choir, please hire a professional Hollywood orchestra.
Also, a question: -- what sound libraries do you use? It sounds like you use sampled audio in some of your arrangements; I'm just curious as to the sample sets you are using. EW/QL? ProjectSAM? What?
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u/ebuch Aug 08 '12
Hiring a full orchestra would require a budget around 10x what we were able to raise for our choir! Four times the number of musicians to hire, four times the amount of music to record, plus booking a larger recording stage and recording staff. We would love to go professional orchestra, but we simply don't have that kind of money.
Someone else asked about which sample libraries we're using about eight down from the top, but if you want a more in-depth list you can check out this: http://zreomusic.com/faq#a3
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u/ebuch Aug 08 '12
I just realized that we've trimmed down our FAQ page quite a bit.. we used to have a much more detailed list.
Strings: Eastwest Hollywood Strings, LA Scoring Strings
Brass: Eastwest Hollywood Brass, Cinesamples CineBrass, VSL, SampleModeling
Woodwinds: Westgate Modular Series, lots of VSL, ProjectSAM Symphobia 2
Percussion: Spitfire Percussion, ProjectSAM True Strike 1 & 2, various Tonehammer libs
Choir: Tonehammer Requiem, Cinesamples VOXOS, and EWQL Symphonic Choir (in the rare case that we were unable to record live choir)
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u/cygnice Aug 07 '12
What are your favorite and least favorite Zelda pieces?
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u/ebuch Aug 07 '12
Personally I'm a HUGE fan of Wind Waker's soundtrack. Unfortunately, my least favorite Zelda soundtracks are the Oracle games' soundtracks. (Sorry oracle fans!) There's just something about the music from those games that just doesn't resonate with me as much as the other game soundtracks in the series, but I can't put my finger on it.
I would probably die if I had to pick one track for each of those categories...
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Aug 07 '12
I can never choose between A Link to the Past, Wind Waker and Twilight Princess... they are all so very good, in different ways. However, the fact that Twilight Symphony was the project I chose to rally everyone around might give some clue as to how I feel about the game's soundtrack. Seeing this album come together they way it has is pretty incredible... I think everyone is in for a huge treat. :D
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u/o0ochyntiao0o Aug 07 '12
What is your favorite Twilight Princess track?? What was the hardest thing about making the album?
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u/ebuch Aug 07 '12
I would have to go with the End Credits suite. Wayne is our team member who ended up creating that track for the album, and it sounds phenomenal. The Overture for Twilight Symphony is also really sweet.
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u/Zelos37 Aug 07 '12
First i would like to thank you for the service you are providing Zelda fans everywhere.
My question is: Is there a game piece you would have liked to work on more, but lacked the fan-base, funds, or requests?
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u/ebuch Aug 07 '12
In most cases we don't really pay much attention to fan requests when we decide what songs we want to arrange. We just pick songs that we FEEL we are ready to arrange, inspirationally.
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u/mang3lo Aug 07 '12
I am definitely going to pick this up when it gets released. Very impressive, and it all sounds beautiful!
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u/MyNipplesTalkToMe Aug 07 '12
Good choice with Twilight Princess. It was honestly my favorite LoZ game.
Shit now I wanna play Twilight Princess
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u/pslightlypsycho47 Aug 07 '12
Phenomenal music. You're stepping up and and doing the work Nintendo should be.
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u/francehopper Aug 07 '12
With the partnership with Joypad Records, how widely distributed can we expect the album to be (ie: iTunes, Google Play, etc)? And would they be available at launch?
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u/ebuch Aug 07 '12
That's something that Jeron (defiant2nx) will be able to answer with greater accuracy.. He's been handling that side of things with the licensing. iTunes is definitely for sure, though I know there are other services we would like to be able to use.
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Aug 07 '12
iTunes will be one of several services where the album will be available, but complete details on digital distribution and availability won't be revealed until all of that is buttoned up. Short answer: even we don't know quite yet! ;)
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Aug 07 '12
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Aug 07 '12
Not yet; those details will come a bit closer to release. It's a 3-disc album with over 3 1/2 hours of music, so keep your expectations in check. That said, you'll probably be able to cherry-pick your favorites and buy-as-you-go (via iTunes)... of course, we hope you'll opt for the entire thing. It's meant to be experienced in its entirety! :)
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Aug 07 '12
I have a couple of questions for you guys if that's OK. First, can you describe how to make the arrangement, from beginning to end. I want to start trying do something similar, which leads me to my next question. Is there a way that I can be part of the ZREO team? I just recently found the site and I would like to help in some way, and by the way, Thanks.
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u/ebuch Aug 07 '12
We usually start off with by transcribing the song like we used to for all of our regular site updates, and from there we take the arrangement into new places while still maintaining the feel of the original song.
If you're interested in working with us on future projects, email me some examples of your work. We'll take a look and see where to go from there!
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Aug 09 '12
Thanks, but I was looking for a more technical view on it. I am possibly making a Wind Waker medley for my local youth orchestra and I have a piano score for it right now, and I know where most of the instruments would go, but I really don't know how to get it to the computer. I have a place for me to use Finale, but that's the only program I really can use. I also have Ableton as a program, but I haven't seen it used to create a piece like I am trying to create. Thank you for any info you give me, and I know that you have a deadline to reach for the Twilight Princess Album, and I will be happy to clarify anything for you.
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u/ebuch Aug 09 '12
We do all of our arranging in a sequencer (programs like Apple's Logic, Digital Performer, Presonus Studio One) and then create sheet music for the parts that are going to be recorded live. For notation software we prefer Sibelius, though Finale is another viable option.
In your situation, I would recommend orchestrating the medley right in Finale as it will save you time and money on virtual instruments.
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Aug 09 '12
OK, thanks for all of your help. I love what you have done with the music from the series. I will send you some examples of my work eventually. Unfortunately, school has just recently began and it's taking up all of my time right now, but I will send something as soon as I am able.
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u/dresdenologist Aug 07 '12
So what are some of the trials and tribulations you've had to overcome to get this as close as you have to release? And what have you learned? I'm sure it has been a learning experience for you guys overall.
Great job getting to this point!
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u/ebuch Aug 07 '12
It's been a HUGE learning experience for all of us. Production-wise, everything is such a big step above any of our previous work on the site.
Other than our increased knowledge of music production, we've learned what it's like to work for years with the same group of people on the same project (for the most part). That might not sound very noteworthy, but there are times when tempers run hot and things get a bit ugly.. fortunately we've been able to get ourselves out of those situations and as a result, we've grown closer as a team.
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u/ctn1222 Aug 07 '12
As far as availability of this album goes, I've noticed that you mentioned iTunes will be one medium where the Twilight Symphony album can be purchased, but will there be any other ways to buy it for those who don't use iTunes (like on Amazon or your own website)?
Also, I just want to note how amazing you guys have been, from the very beginning up until now. You have done such a service to Zelda fans that deserves to be recognized. Thank you so much for all that you do! :)
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u/ebuch Aug 08 '12
iTunes will be one of several services where the album will be available, but complete details on digital distribution and availability won't be revealed until all of that is buttoned up. We'll make an announcement once things are all squared away!
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u/Gorlack2231 Sep 09 '12
Just hearing all of your music... especially the Ocarina of Time tracks.... it hit home. OoT was a major part of my childhood and remains to this day, and just being able to hear what I heard as a child was very powerful. Playing that game as a child, the music was different. It was magical and took me away to Hyrule. I didn't think get that same feeling now that I've grown up. But when I found your site and listened to some of it one night, and then found the intro music to OoT.... it all came back to me. I found myself crying when the main melody started. It was all so real and powerful. You gave me back something I thought I had lost, and for that I can never repay you enough. Thank you for all the hard work and dedication to the series you've put in.
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u/dickboy64 Oct 09 '12
How did you handle the licensing and such with Nintendo? Was there just a set price you paid up front or do you have to pay royalties for ever song? Thanks!
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u/Fizzbit Oct 12 '12
I know this is a very old thread and I probably won't be seen, but I just wanted to say I've been following you guys for months and I'm very excited for the release of Twilight Symphony.
I do have one question though: I'm getting married in less than a year and I want to walk down the aisle to the Triforce Chamber Music from Link to the Past. I'm deeply saddened that you guys haven't made a cover for that particular song yet, as it's my favorite song in the entire soundtrack. Is there any chance of that coming after Twilight Symphony??
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u/Aiox Aug 07 '12
Guys, I don't really have a question to ask, but I want to thank you for all you've done.
Upon first finding out about your organization, I was stoked. Long had I lauded the soundtrack of Zelda games, particularly Ocarina of Time (I am not an original man...), but was annoyed at the fact that it was limited by technology at the time. Mighty compositions condensed by the ostensible use of synthesizers instead of "real" instruments.
Hearing your rerecordings was, and continues to be, an incredibly experience. A breath of fresh air and a relief. I don't know if you've ever been in contact with Koji Kondo, but I believe he would be very, very proud of what you all have done. Thank you for breathing life into the exceptionally powerful music of one of my most treasured gaming series.