Interview with RoeTaka
Name: Alex Roe
Songs: The Last Stand
RoeTaka is always acquiring new experience, and has remixes for several games under his belt. He takes the climactic Final Battle song for Symphonic.
1. When did you first play Chrono Trigger?
I only played it just a couple of years back, NO actually it was a year and a half ago. I remember I got my new pc finally from having a 486, and if you know what that is, you know it's a horrible computer to have in the 21st century. Since I live in the UK I had to download the rom so I played it on ZSnes with suped up graphics and was hooked continuously to complete it. The soundtrack was inspiring, it made the game great fun to play.
2. What made you sign on to the project?
Claado Shou heard an original song of mine called "Asperity" and contacted me via PM asking if I could work on a track that recently was dropped. I only had 2 weeks to remix this! Since I'd been doing orchestral alot at the time in my own works, I definately said yes to joining the team and giving it a shot. Although rather busy at the time, I wanted to contribute alot. I wanted to join Chrono Symphonic when it was first announced, I tried my hand at the audition but failed quite bad. That waaaas last year and I had only begun in my musical works only 6 months prior. Now I've worked hard to this day, and really wanted to get on!
3. The Final Battle is an important, climactic piece. How did you improve it and ensure top-notch quality?
I had various options in the creating process of this piece, in terms of what chrono trigger music I wanted to use to give out the best feeling, and also how powerful and unpowerful it could be. I wanted this to be epic, but emotional at the same time. I used each of the battle and boss themes, along with the lavos battle theme aswell. It's all in there with parts of each song used, probably in a different key aswell. The main thing I thought was a good complex idea for the song, is that it feels like the CT music but has its own original style aswell with original melodies that blend with CT's melodies. I had a guideline to this piece that pointed that the team would move towards the final battle and while epic they go for the finishing blow that ultimately destroys Lavos and then escape from the fortress in Epoch and getting to safety. In terms of feeling, I reckon it fits the guidelines well and tells a battle ending. In my eyes I see an epic battle, in your eyes you may see a different epic battle, it's not all governed by directions and stabs to join the action, its the music that shows you action. With all this packed into the song, I'm glad CompyFox can master it to a proffesional quality, I'm anticipated to listen!
4. What other games have you remixed?
I have remixed many many game songs, all probably over at VGMix.com. I haven't remixed for a while, so my last remix was about a few months back. I've remixed the theme for CT before (that was my bad audition piece :P) and also tried my hand at CC which is one of my favourite remixes I've ever done, though it was not OC site worthy, for reasons that may or may not conflict with your opinions. I was also on the DooM project with 3 tracks to boot, which was very succesful, songs were questionable but all had a good reception.
5. What do you use to remix?
All I use, is FLStudio4 (sequencer), free sounds (wavs, loops, soundfonts), Absynth2 (synsth station, gunk presets) and SampleTankXL2 (SampleLibrary). SampleTankXL2 is all I used for my CS song, except for Squidfont Brass. Also I only use the mouse on my pc to write the music. I only purchased Absynth2 and SampleTankXL2 early this year and have gotten the hang of them well along with production and mastering skills as of now. I use myself alot in my works :P haha.
6. Plan to work in another project?
I'm already working on the Kirby Book project by Arek and KWarp, doing the credits theme for the books finale. You should also know that PixieTricks will be singing on this song, should be real good. Although, I haven't really heard from Pixie and haven't really talked to her much...but she's busy! So, I should contact her soon haha.
Also, which relates to this project well, I am currently working on a Game Soundtrack for the fan made sequel to Chrono Trigger, "Chrono Crisis". You may have already heard of this game project before, headed by Chains of Fate. I am making pretty much all the music for this game and it should be very exciting, Chains of Fate has promised an excellent and worthy sequel that will entice and amaze players.
7. How's it feel being part of a Chrono OCR site project now that it's complete?
It's nice to be finally on the project! It's like having my name on the Chrono Trigger plates for life haha. I can't wait for it to be all posted up so I can listen and read about it.
8. Anything you'd like to say to Chrono fans?
You'll enjoy this alot, very inspiring to the Chrono Trigger game and you'll love it when you hear the first few notes till the CD's end. Also, come support the Chrono Crisis project at the projects forums' - Link. I'm sure the more support would be enough morale to get the game done quicker and even more amazing than thought. If you're fond of my music, or like the style of my CS piece, check out www.roetaka.com which should be out a couple of weeks from when you read this. When the site is released I'll also be releasing my album FREE for download along with cover art for printing aswell which should me a nice opener for the site's beginning. Thanks for the support.
Author Comments on Tracks
The Last Stand - In the beginning, I thought of this dark trembling force starting to bellow louder and louder as the team comes upon the beast. Then, after many heroic maneuvers, Crono and his friends find the power in themselves to finally destroy the creature, drawing on their inner strength. As Lavos explodes, the castle crumbles, and the daring escape leads them to safety as they watch the ocean prison disappear from reality forever, and fly away to another time to tell the tale.