Your Own Piano Arrangements

[Damo 0]

I just finished making my own piano arrangement for Return to Tattooine from Star Wars Attack of the clones.

You have hear it from downloading from here:

http://s17.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1SVISPW...Q00BPFYV66BKN6D

There is a computer playback hesitation when I was recording it from 1:45 to 1:46..sorry about that but maybe someone can re-record this and make it sound better by downloading the my own piano arrangement score sheets from here:

http://s8.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0WEBS1YZ...AR03OJQ0JVJ2CU0

It goes for 4:38 minutes

Hope you enjoy it and get me some feedback.

[Incanus 5,714]

Great arrangement Damian! I really liked the piece.

[fommes 153]

Thanks so much for this!

[Empty_45 0]

Excellent work Damo ! I love piano arrangement of JW works (especially Star Wars)

I was just wondering how can be played the Duel of the Fates passage (measure 109) ??

[Damo 0]

Thanks for you feedback everyone. That Duel of The Fate passage (measure 109) is complicated and I need to work on that Duel of the Fates section and make it better and easier to play. As soon as I fixed the Duel of the Fates section I'll upload it.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

No, don't make it easier! Make it harder, thicker harmony! I want to really bang it out when I play it.

Though I could really just do that myself. Great work, Damo. I don't often make piano arrangements, I'm more of an orchestral-suite arranger myself (though I'm terrifically bad at it; know next to nothing about orchestration).

[Empty_45 0]

Make it harder ??? lol

But the problem is that it's impossible to play all the bass pizz. with the violins motifs and horn theme : measure 116 for exemple, it's impossible to play all those notes with only 2 hands !!

A solution would be to play as Friedrich Lühl did, I mean with alternate hands, between bass and horn theme, and right hand doing the violin motif all the time ?

[Jacck 23]

I do arrange and perform a lot of John Williams music - it is always very well received, but I've not written down much.

Your arrangement is interesting but you miss out alot of "colour" from the original cue - these are the things that I always try to capture in my arrangements. Like the harp glissandos and woodwind flourishes.

Also, you seem to just plonk a lot of block chords which makes the piece seem a little slow. Don't be afraid to just make up something that wasn't in the original cue.. Obviouslly a piano can't sustain like strings can so just play around with broken chord patterns in the bass..

Using Root->5th->10th->5th (legato bass) often gives a Williams-ish quality I find.

Also, one thing I do quite commonly is octave tremolos in the bass to emulate timpani rolls or something similar.

[Damo 0]

Make it harder ??? lol    

But the problem is that it's impossible to play all the bass pizz. with the violins motifs and horn theme : measure 116 for exemple, it's impossible to play all those notes with only 2 hands !!

A solution would be to play as Friedrich Lühl did, I mean with alternate hands, between bass and horn theme, and right hand doing the violin motif all the time ?

yeah that would be really good if someone can notate Friedrich Lühl piano version of Duel of the Fates. I was wondering if somone can notate Friedrich Lühl piano version of Duel of the Fates and send a copy of it to me so I can try to fit it in with my piano arrangement for Return to Tatoonie or make another Duel of the Fate based on Friedrich Lühl did . Can someone do that?

[ChrisAfonso 186]

Your Return to Tatooine arrangement sounds really cool

Well, I haven't done that many JW arrangements... Star Wars MT, Approaching the Death Star... Anakin's Betrayal...

PoA - Buckbeak's Flight (Violin/Piano)

As for non-Williams stuff, I've done some Troy (Yared) cues:

Achilles's Destiny

Approach Of The Greeks

Priam's Fugue

First part of Giacchino's "Incredits"

And the first 12 tracks of Shore's "Return of the King"... posted on some Official LotR thread 2 years ago or so... btw I'm still waiting for someone willing to prove that this bugger here: Shelob's Lair is playable by a human being (Any volunteers?)

BTW, I'd like to promote the outstanding job a friend of mine has done by arranging for piano (advanced level!) virtually all of Harry Potter - SS/PS and CoS:

HPI - arranged by Martin Klett

HPII - arranged by Martin Klett

-Chris

------

edit: The HP links were wrong, they're working now.

[adamtron 0]

Hello Chris,

I've been looking for an arrangement of "Approaching the Death Star" for a long time. Do you have it posted anywhere?

Also, I tried your friend's Harry Potter link and got an error in German "Datei nicht gefunden!". I don't read German, but I suspect that means "file not found". So do you know if the link is broken? Maybe he is currently working on the website and I will try it again later.

Thanks and take care.

-Adamtron

For rare film sheet music for piano solo, visit my site here:

http://adammillerweb.com/sheetmusic.html

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

I'm still getting hours of enjoyment every week from Chris' arrangements and his friend's Harry Potter ones (though truth be told Chris, I prefer yours!).

[Damo 0]

And the first 12 tracks of Shore's "Return of the King"... posted on some Official LotR thread 2 years ago or so... btw I'm still waiting for someone willing to prove that this bugger here: Shelob's Lair is playable by a human being (Any volunteers?)

-Chris

That is Amazing!!! That is one of the best piano arrangement from any movie I have heard. It make me feel so attempting to learn and play it.

Hey Chris,

Check out your arrangment by using high quality sounds. clicky

[ChrisAfonso 186]

Hello Chris,

I've been looking for an arrangement of "Approaching the Death Star" for a long time.  Do you have it posted anywhere?

Also, I tried your friend's Harry Potter link and got an error in German "Datei nicht gefunden!".  I don't read German, but I suspect that means "file not found".  So do you know if the link is broken?  Maybe he is currently working on the website and I will try it again later.

Approaching The Death Star: (Arranged by ear; I know there's a score ("The Last Battle") floating around the trading scene that includes this music, but I haven't yet checked my arrangement, made some years prior, against the actual score)

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

The HP links are fixed

[adamtron 0]

Hello Chris,

Thank you so much for posting Approaching The Death Star. That was nice of you. I am going to check out the fixed links now.

Take care,

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

You did the INCREDITS, Chris?? WHY am I only hearing of this NOW???!?

Pete - off to play the piano for another hour...

[adamtron 0]

Anyone know if there exists sheet music or midi for "Approaching The Death Star" from Return of the Jedi? This is where Vader is approaching the Death Star in the Imperial Shuttle and you hear some nice variations on the Imperial March and it slowly builds in intensity until you see him walk down the Shuttle ramp and speaks to the officer. I found one midi file on the net, but it was only partially completed.

Thanks!

[ChrisAfonso 186]

From what part of the CD is that? Opening track? (the 9min one?)

[adamtron 0]

Hi Chris. Yes that is the one. Track 2 on the Special Edition CD (disc 1) It's called Approaching The Death Star/Tatooine Rendezvous on the CD I have. Although I'm not interested in the Tatooine music- just Vader's arrival on the Death Star. I found a midi on the net, that can be converted to sheet music, but it's incomplete. It cuts off after the 1st full statement of Vader's Theme. I tried to attach a midi to this post, but I guess that is not allowed because the midi I attached disappeared.

Take care,

[Damo 0]

BTW, I'd like to promote the outstanding job a friend of mine has done by arranging for piano (advanced level!) virtually all of Harry Potter - SS/PS and CoS:

HPI   - arranged by Martin Klett

HPII   - arranged by Martin Klett

-Chris

------

edit: The HP links were wrong, they're working now.

I cant convert those MUS files in Sibelius program. It comes up with a error saying "Please re-open this file in Finale or Allegro and go to the last page and choose Update Layout and then save as an ETF file (Enigma Transportable File)."

[adamtron 0]

Hello Damo,

I believe you can't open the files because they were created with an earlier version of Finale. When I opened them in Finale Notepad Plus, a message came up that read "file was created in earlier version Finale 2001d.r1 for Windows and will be converted to newer version". It then opened OK. It's possible that the software you are using is unable to read the older versions. Not sure if there is an update for that, but hope this information helps in some way. One solution may be to get the free Finale Notepad Plus at the link below and then convert them to the newer format:

http://www.finalemusic.com/notepad/

Take care,

[Empty_45 0]

I'm still getting hours of enjoyment every week from Chris' arrangements and his friend's Harry Potter ones (though truth be told Chris, I prefer yours!).

Same for me ! Chris, I really enjoy your piano arrangements ! Your friends transcriptions are really impressive !! It's totally amazing

I was wondering if by chance, he has done other complete arrangement like this (maybe HP3) ? I was also wondering who did this Buckbeack flight version piano reduction : http://musicby.jw-music.net/midi/buckbeaknoepiano.mid available on Music by JW fan site ? ..sounds pretty interesting and challenging to play !

[Damo 0]

Hello Damo,

I believe you can't open the files because they were created with an earlier version of Finale.  When I opened them in Finale Notepad Plus, a message came up that read "file was created in earlier version Finale 2001d.r1 for Windows and will be converted to newer version".  It then opened OK.  It's possible that the software you are using is unable to read the older versions.  Not sure if there is an update for that, but hope this information helps in some way.  One solution may be to get the free Finale Notepad Plus at the link below and then convert them to the newer format:

http://www.finalemusic.com/notepad/

Take care,

Yeah but can you saved them as a newer format??

by the way when im printing the HP I and II score sheets out using this free Finale Notepad Plus I only get half of the last stave on each page...is there a way I can print out without missing any of the staves using the free Finale Notepad Plus?

[adamtron 0]

Hello Damo,

I believe you can't open the files because they were created with an earlier version of Finale.  When I opened them in Finale Notepad Plus, a message came up that read "file was created in earlier version Finale 2001d.r1 for Windows and will be converted to newer version".  It then opened OK.  It's possible that the software you are using is unable to read the older versions.  Not sure if there is an update for that, but hope this information helps in some way.  One solution may be to get the free Finale Notepad Plus at the link below and then convert them to the newer format:

http://www.finalemusic.com/notepad/

Take care,

Yeah but can you saved them as a newer format??

by the way when im printing the HP I and II score sheets out using this free Finale Notepad Plus I only get half of the last stave on each page...is there a way I can print out without missing any of the staves using the free Finale Notepad Plus?

Hello Damo,

Actually it should open as an untitled document and then you will be forced to save it as a new file in the updated format. But now there is a bigger problem. I did some testing and unfortunately, I have the same problem as you do with the pages being cut off at the bottom. It even happens with Finale Songwriter, which is the next step up from Finale Notepad. I tried the Fit Music option and Space Systems command, but it had no effect. Tried to adjust the margins and they were grayed out. I tried printing the file to Adobe PDF Writer/Distiller to see if that might work better, but the resulting PDF also had about 1/4" missing at the bottom. The only way I was able to correct it was to create a new file and then copy/paste the entire thing into a brand new file and then Fit and Space the document. This would be tedious process for 40 or so files. I checked the Finale forum but there is not much support for it, probably because it is a free program and also Finale 2001 is over 5 years old now. It's too bad Chris or his friend could not print the files to the Adobe PDF Writer and create PDF files. That would probably be a more universal format for everyone. I see a lot of hard work went into transcribing these pieces and it would be a shame if we could not use them due to a software glitch.

[Jacck 23]

I'm hopefully going to get some of my Piano arrangements recorded soon , so.. Watch this space

[fommes 153]

Hello Damo,  

Actually it should open as an untitled document and then you will be forced to save it as a new file in the updated format. But now there is a bigger problem. I did some testing and unfortunately, I have the same problem as you do with the pages being cut off at the bottom. It even happens with Finale Songwriter, which is the next step up from Finale Notepad. I tried the Fit Music option and Space Systems command, but it had no effect. Tried to adjust the margins and they were grayed out. I tried printing the file to Adobe PDF Writer/Distiller to see if that might work better, but the resulting PDF also had about 1/4" missing at the bottom. The only way I was able to correct it was to create a new file and then copy/paste the entire thing into a brand new file and then Fit and Space the document. This would be tedious process for 40 or so files. I checked the Finale forum but there is not much support for it, probably because it is a free program and also Finale 2001 is over 5 years old now. It's too bad Chris or his friend could not print the files to the Adobe PDF Writer and create PDF files. That would probably be a more universal format for everyone. I see a lot of hard work went into transcribing these pieces and it would be a shame if we could not use them due to a software glitch.

Hey, did anybody succeed in saving those files as PDF or jpg? Or for Sibelius or something?

Also, Chris, thanks for your arrangements! By the way, I don't want to seem impatient or something, but did you have time to work on that piano arrangement for Secrets of the Castle? I'm particularly interested in the first part, (before the flute solo)...

Thanks!

[adamtron 0]

Hello Damo,  

Actually it should open as an untitled document and then you will be forced to save it as a new file in the updated format. But now there is a bigger problem. I did some testing and unfortunately, I have the same problem as you do with the pages being cut off at the bottom. It even happens with Finale Songwriter, which is the next step up from Finale Notepad. I tried the Fit Music option and Space Systems command, but it had no effect. Tried to adjust the margins and they were grayed out. I tried printing the file to Adobe PDF Writer/Distiller to see if that might work better, but the resulting PDF also had about 1/4" missing at the bottom. The only way I was able to correct it was to create a new file and then copy/paste the entire thing into a brand new file and then Fit and Space the document. This would be tedious process for 40 or so files. I checked the Finale forum but there is not much support for it, probably because it is a free program and also Finale 2001 is over 5 years old now. It's too bad Chris or his friend could not print the files to the Adobe PDF Writer and create PDF files. That would probably be a more universal format for everyone. I see a lot of hard work went into transcribing these pieces and it would be a shame if we could not use them due to a software glitch.

Hey, did anybody succeed in saving those files as PDF or jpg? Or for Sibelius or something?

Also, Chris, thanks for your arrangements! By the way, I don't want to seem impatient or something, but did you have time to work on that piano arrangement for Secrets of the Castle? I'm particularly interested in the first part, (before the flute solo)...

Thanks!

Hi Lotmon,

I happened to be online at the exact time you posted this. The problem I'm having is that I need Finale Notepad from 2001 in order to open the files properly and that version doesn't seem to be available to download anywhere. So I think only Chris or his friend that created the files and still has the old software would be able to fix it for us. Unless there happens to be some people from this forum that still have Finale 2001d.r1 installed on thier PC's. Maybe I will try Emailing the Finale Tech Support. I can send them one of Chris' file for testing and see if their programers can figure out why this is happening. It's clearly a bug in the Finale software, because when I copy paste into a new file, it strips out the data it doesn't like and then it works fine. Of course then it looses it's key changes and other formatting, but that's another story. Argghh.

OK, I just opened up a case number with Finale Tech Support. They said they would respond in 1 business day. Since it's Friday night, I may not get a response until Monday. I'll let you know what they say and if there is any solution for us to view Chris' Harry Potter arrangements without the bottom of the page being cut off.

[fommes 153]

Great, thanks!

(Edit:) Oh, by the way, I don't want to seem obtrusive here or something, but you guys seem to know how to transcribe pieces, so I thought I'd ask - did anybody ever transcribe the Ludlows from Legends of the Falls? I have the official theme on sheet music, but that's not the one.

[ChrisAfonso 186]

I only finished the first part of Secrets of the Castle, here comes:

PoA - Secrets of the Castle (1st part) Sheet music | MIDI

Does this problem with the missing staves occur on all HP files? I just opened some of them in Finale 2001 and Finale 2003 and they look ok both times...

I converted the prologue to ETF format, it opens up in Sibelius that way, but things like 8va markings get lost... perhaps this works for you?

http://www.chrisafonso.de/jw/01%20Prologue.ETF

[fommes 153]

I only finished the first part of Secrets of the Castle, here comes:  

Thanks so much!

[gkgyver 1,645]

The Finale files work for me.

BUT Sibelius Scorch is a bitch! When I open the Sibelius files with Internet Explorer, it's so small I can't even read the notes; and there's no "Print" button either. Any suggestions?

[ChrisAfonso 186]

The print button should be there... and the size looks normal here... what screen resolution do you have? maybe that's the problem

[gkgyver 1,645]

I should specify that YOUR .sib files work, but mine don't. My screen has the highest resolution possible, so that shouldn't be the problem.

[muehlopwer 0]

To Chris!

Do you have other piano arrangements from John Williams??

[ChrisAfonso 186]

Currently not. I might do more in the future, depends on what I find interesting to transcribe and spare time to do it.

@gkgyver, I guess you know that for getting the print/save buttons in a scorch file, you have to check a checkbox when saving the htm from sib?

[Damo 0]

Does this problem with the missing staves occur on all HP files? I just opened some of them in Finale 2001 and Finale 2003 and they look ok both times...

I converted the prologue to ETF format, it opens up in Sibelius that way, but things like 8va markings get lost... perhaps this works for you?

http://www.chrisafonso.de/jw/01%20Prologue.ETF

Yeah this works. can you convert all of them to ETF format?

[gkgyver 1,645]

@ Chris

Well, I've got to check that out

[adamtron 0]

Hi All,

I got a reply back from Finale Customer Support. After looking at the MUS file, they determined that the page size is set to 8-1/4 by 11-3/4 for some reason. You can read the full response below. Unfortunately, there appears no solution, other then to copy/paste it into a new document.

Submission Date: 4/24/2006 1:13:38 PM (Central Standard Time)

Submitter: Customer Support Agent

Hello

For some reason the page size is set to 8-1/4 by 11-3/4. I am not certain how that happened. In Finale SongWriter there is not a way to fix this directly. What you can do is create a new document in Finale SongWriter and using the Mass Edit Tool Copy and Insert the music from the old document to the new one. Then it will be formated correctly to print on 8-1/2x11.

Doug

Customer Support Representative

MakeMusic, Inc.

-------------------------------------------------

Also, I want to say thank you to Chris for working on Secrets of the Castle. I was shocked when that wasn't included in the "official" song book because it was the stand out piano piece on the CD. So I'm excited that I may be able to play it soon.

Take care,

[fommes 153]

Yeah this works. can you convert all of them to ETF format?

I'm quite ignorant on this (so sorry!) - and I can't open it either - is there any way these files could be converted to jpg, pdf, or the same kind of file that Secrets of the Castle, or Chris's other transcriptions are converted into?

[adamtron 0]

I found a solution! What I did was print to the Adobe PDF Writer and set the paper size to LEGAL (8.5 X 14"). This created a beautiful PDF file with no cropping. However, there was extra white space at the bottom. So then I went to into Adobe's Crop Tool and check the box that said Remove White Margins. It then created a perfect file and I was able to print it without the cropping. I could convert them all to PDF, but there are about 40 files and this will be a lot of work. So I need to know if there is a desire from anyone for me to do this? Maybe I can convert them and then Email them to Chris somehow, so that he can setup a zip file on his website? Let me know...

[adamtron 0]

OK. I have converted all the files to PDF and they look good. But I could not find an Email address for Chris on this site or on his home page. Chris, if you want to visit my website at the link below, you will find my Email address. If you send me an Email, I can reply to you with the two zip files HP1 and HP2 that contain all the MUS files converted to PDF. It's about 12AM where I live now, so going to bed soon, but will check back tomorrow.

Take care,

[filmmusic 1,827]

I'm trying to attach a transcription I've made long ago (1st part of Stored Memories from A.I.) but I can't. These are 2 jpegs that I try to upload as file attachments and there's a problem.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Set up a PhotoBucket account and use that to link the files. Works much better.

[gkgyver 1,645]

@ Chris

God I'm stupid! I have to save it as a Sibelius Scorch file of course lol

Never discovered that before; never needed it, actually

[adamtron 0]

I have just completed working on what I call the "SUPERMAN 1978 Mega Mix for Piano". This 18 minute midi file contains the following themes (in order):

1. Superman March

2. The Planet Krypton

3. Kryptonite Theme

4. Trip To Earth

5. Clark Kent's Motif

6. Racing The Train

7. Smallville Theme

8. March Of The Villains

9. Love Theme

10.Superman End Credits

I posted the file at the Hamienet midi site at this link here:

http://www.hamienet.com/upload/26040--SUPE...gaMix-Piano.MID

Some of these themes have never been available in a midi file before, at least not to my knowledge. I hope you have as much fun listening to it, as I did creating it.

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

whats used to open .MUS files?

[adamtron 0]

whats used to open .MUS files?

You need Finale Notepad (free). Go here:

http://www.codamusic.com/notepad/

Or Finale SongWriter, PrintMusic, Allegro or SmartMusic (not free).

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

Thanks!

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

Has anyone arranged Can You Read My Mind for piano before?

[Damo 0]

There is already a piano solo exist for Can You Read My Mind? from John Williams Anthology Piano solo book