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Title theme from Batman: The Video Game (Game Boy) "Kaikuluotain"


Eino Keskitalo
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This was my entry for PRC259. I've mixed it a bit better thanks to feedback from that round (thanks especially Esperado and MindWanderer).

I'm marking this as finished, as I'd like it to be.. but I need help determining if it's (a) actually serviceable/interesting as a piece of music (worth listening to) and (B) good enough for OCR - especially the guitars. I'll be happy to work on this if it still needs work, but even happier to just submit it if it's ok!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/otamh46v6s8dzf9/eino_keskitalo_-_Kaikuluotain_wip_20131217.mp3

--Eino

Edited by evktalo
Not finished quite yet
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I am not at all familiar with this game or the source, but I'm going to give this a listen and share what my impressions are. I only mean to provide constructive criticism, so please don't take any of it personally if it sounds harsh.

Pros:

I really like the percussion and the small nuances you have in the beginning of the track. It really gives it some drive and I found I was immediately bobbing my head to the beat.

I hear a faint brassy/bitcrushed brassy stab pattern that gives some depth along with that booming, fat bass. I really, REALLY like the soundscape you've painted up to 0:36 when things start to switch up and gear up for the melody.

I really like the guitar sounds you have here. The first rhythmic guitar sounds pretty mellow and dark, while the melodic guitar part adds a bit of color to an otherwise dark sound. Kudos!

At 1:01 you bring in a singing synth sound that really gives this a nice addition. It soars above the rest.

At 1:26 you enter the B part of the song after playing around on the guitar for a bit. I liked it, but it seemed a little short for my tastes.

At 1:42 you introduce an arpeggiating synth that adds a nice nostalgic layer to the sound you have.

Overall I think the mix is pretty solid too. I felt like each instrument was able to breathe pretty well and I didn't have to struggle to make out the parts. This has got some pretty friggin' sweet stuff near the end with the singing synth above the rhythm section, the rising guitar line, and some strange filter effect I can't quite identify starting at 2:18. It literally sounds like you're squeezing the hell out of the sounds in the background, and I love it.

Cons:

I feel like you do so well in building up the musical suspense. This mix has a lot of drive and a lot of layering that you do remarkably well. It left me feeling like it never REALLY took off though. I expected some out of this world guitar riff to rock me stupid or melt my face, but it never happened. I think you have a LOT of room to really make your mix shine because the percussive groove is there, the fat bass line is there, the ominous, dark soundscape is there, but nothing really brought it to life. I bet you could get more mileage out of the song in terms of length and definitely melody if you played around with it.

The ending seems a bit...abrupt. You start wrapping up the song to an ending pretty well, but the ending just happens with a short drum fill and a (brilliant) stuttered synth arp. I'm not sure if it just sounds awkward because I haven't listened to it enough, but it seems too soon, IMO.

Other Thoughts:

I think you have a good, solid mix going here with some terrific drive, stellar sounds and samples, and a clean soundscape that really gives the listener an urgent, ominous, and dark mood. I think this definitely has incredible potential, but it's already great. I hope you will add a bit more to it and really give it a bit more of your creativity by adding a melody that can really draw the listener in and bring this track to life.

Edited by TheReverend
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Wow! I'm impressed, that's a really good walkthrough of the song, I'm really grateful you took the time to do that. Really well laid out too! That criticism about the structure was just what I was looking for. I think I have to agree with that & work some more on the arrangement. It's very encouraging to hear that so much of the track was working for you. Many thanks!

I did forget to include the source link, will do later..

--Eino

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