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BISON BACK FROM THE DEAD! FFVI Devil's Lab (FINISHED)


E-Bison
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Been gone for a long time. 3 years now. Happy to see my CT remix is still being played.

I came on here to show off my new videogame themed ska album. After reading comments about my old tracks I decided to post a WIP track for old times sake:

It's a glitch remix of Devil's lab. As usual, don't be haitin' because I change the melodic material and form around... It's supposed to be a remix right?

Let me know what you think. I'll submit it if you guys think I'll make it through the gauntlet.

Here is the Link: http://asmoday.googlepages.com/finalfantasy6allfactoryocremix.mp3

Check out "Princess Mario" at www.myspace.com/tentoomany

for some crazy ska/punk videogame stuff from my band.

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E-Bison

www.tentoomany.com

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Awesome.

This is some of the best industrial electronica I have ever heard in an extremely long time, if ever. Of course, these genres fit perfectly for the Devil's Lab.

I don't have much to say (the sound designs are very good), but composition wise, it is a bit lacking. There is a repeat of the theme which could be done perhaps...at least in a different fashion, I feel. Unleash the electronica beast!

That high pitched whistle thing is a bit annoying at times.

Kick ass. I can't wait to see this on OCR.

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The percussion is great, but would be much better yet if a more solid beat came on top at some point, now it kinda feels like it's just one extended build up to the real song. Also, the synths are kind of bland, again, something a bit more on top would make it feel less like background music. Also, consider adding in some sort of harmony or counterpoint.

Great potential, but as it is, I don't feel it's up to OCR standards.

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More harmony eh?

I'll stick a double fugue in the middle, the counter subject will enter on the dominant followed by a sweet ass stretto passage into a rippen'- II6 German aug6 C64 V V7 I - cadencial pattern.

More harmony = more human.

I also don't feel like it's up to OCR standards.

I would agree with you on the back beat thing. I'm sure people want more Devil's lab melody instead of crazy break patterns made of radio static.

E-Bison

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I did another pass of the track keeping all of your advice in mind. The following elements have been added.

- 2 new harmony elements from the source track

- More Devil's lab Back Beat less break core insanity

- More Structure

- A fun musical quote from FFVI

- Made some of the synths a bit more epic with Reaktor V and Max/Msp

Here is the Link: http://www.myspace.com/118311029

Let me know what you think!

E-Bison

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I updated the track yet again.

-More Factory Sounds

-The Bridge section from Devil's Lab

-Removed a little more fancy break beat.

http://www.myspace.com/118311029

At this point I am willing to say I think it may be ready for submission. Consider that only 2 of the last 50 submissions have met the OCR standard I'd like to iron out as many kinks as possible. Please, more constructive feedback!

-E-Bison

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hmmmm...aight I'll try to see what I can pick out.

That new note played at :53 is a lil too loud, made me jump back outta my seat.

Overall I think you might need to turn up the number of "voices" on some of the leads. The mix, excluding all the percussion and crazy shiznite, can feel a lil thin in places. That might be more a personal preference on my part though.

Also in terms of "structure" towards the end of the song, the song tends to meander. But since this is a crazy industrial/electronic mix maybe that doesn't matter.

In general this is kick ass, but it feels like it is missing something. I think it could use some reverb...just kidding. Maybe bring more of the harmonies and backdrops into the foreground. I can tell they're there, I just can't hear em.

All the effects in this are crazy, and def makes me feel like I'm back in that god forsaken lab. I hated that place. I guess just try to find one more thing to add or do to really put this mix over the top.

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Okay, I'm going to feel my way through this critique, and not concentrate on anything really technical, as I think you have that covered pretty well.

I want a really hard metal clink passage in this song!

In other words, towards the end, or after a build, or wherever...I don't even know, but a hard metal clank, I want it. This doesn't help...does it...I need to sleep...

Well...okay...Your song is wonderfully crazy, but as crazy as it is...for the average listener, I think that maybe it's hard to follow the song the entire way through with all the craziness without a break - in other words, you've had your fun, and so much of it, but people seem to want a section in a song with a real fun beat for some reason so they can djp to it... I... guess...who knows. Maybe that's why I want a strong metal clank. I mean, you do have a consistent beat throughout the song, which puzzles me, but it's really filtered out, so maybe that's why?

I think you said this earlier, or someone did...And if you did, I agree...A part of the song that consists of some normalcy in terms of interpretation could probably bring out what you're trying to accomplish more. Maybe a pretty piano - orchestral passage-something or other in the middle; full blown percussion, snares, cymbals, trumpets whatever... or I don't even know, maybe really fucking dynamic over the top dramatic strings that display the uh...epic-ness of the original theme - could sinch it for me....I mean, you've already gone over the top with everything else....Then just switch back to the robos :J

Another suggestion: The dynamics of this song are pretty much in the (loud) range all the way through...a couple measures of really soft...ness...as a counterpart probably wouldn't hurt, a few beeps and boops, and you could use it to sneak in some other familiar FFVI theme...Yeah uh, robots are pretty consistent and maybe they do like to be very loud all the time, but...

That's my take on it anyway...It's awesome regardless, and I feel pretty silly right now for some reason. It's hard for me to critique songs like this, (is there a song like this?) I get pretty overwhelmed...But I hope this helped a little. Good luck.

Edit: Haha nice Kefka theme there.

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Thanks for the comments.

I really thought the form was pretty straightforward but perhaps the melody is getting lost in the insanity.

Form: (Intro)ABA'B(Bridge)A''

I think the solution here involves pulling up some of the melodic elements from the source material.

With the exception of sampled/processed factory and machine sounds (which make up almost all the percussive elements) I am trying to keep this track synth based. I feel like a big fancy string patch would sound silly when alongside all this glitch/industrial.

I think you are right regarding dynamic range. There is a breakdown in the middle but the mastering opto is pulling it up a lot.

Thanks for the comments. Watch for new versions. As always, advice is appreciated.

E-Bison

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This is going to make it onto OCR.

And Skrypnyk is going to be so pissed :lol:

(he has been attempting to get some glitch mixes onto ocr as well)

anyway, hey, i like this. i will forgo criticism because i havent any musical training, nor am i an overscrutinous audiophile

mono's idea with the crashing metal noise would fit right in at 3:12 though

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Accelerando?

As somone who spends a good deal of time beat matching I'm gonna have to say I'm not too sure about this one. Nothing worse than getting into a sweet groove with your decks then then realizing that one of the tracks just jumped 20 bpm.

Not to say electronic music shouldn't have any tempo changes... Just not this one. Save that for all those kids who convert old midi archives into EastWest masterpieces. *ducks a brick* Whatever... You were all thinking it!

E-Bison

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  • 5 weeks later...

I kinda forgot about this one...

Last I remember I was trying to pull back some of the mastering effects and bring out some more dynamics. I think it's kinda hot... Also, bring out the melody a bit more, that's what people come on here for right?

I'd like to do a finished version and post it. To be honest, I'm quite anxious about submitting stuff. I always get slammed for deviating to far from the source material.

-Bison

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To be honest, I'm quite anxious about submitting stuff. I always get slammed for deviating to far from the source material.

The Devil's Lab theme is nearly everywhere here in this work-in-progress. I was actually surprised that more wasn't done in terms of playing around with the melody itself, which was pretty conservative. At the same time though, it sounds like this one could go for another few minutes. Unlike T-Management, there weren't many buildups or breakdowns with the instrumentation to really change the feel of the track at any point, so I'm interested to see what other ideas could be added into the picture to spice it up without changing the tempo. But yeah, I originally showed up just to say that I didn't think this was too far from the source material at all. So no worries there.

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Thanks for the advice Liontamer.

You're right on about the track not changing enough in terms of sections. I extended the middle breakdown and tightened up some of the other transitions. I think this will help.

As for melodic transformation, I have 2 variants of the theme. One is pretty close to the original, the other is swung and peppered with grace notes and some of the intervals are filled out with step motion.

Also, there are canonic statements theme A (at the end) and B (in the breakdown)

Here is the finished track:

http://asmoday.googlepages.com/finalfantasy6allfactoryocremix.mp3

Wish me luck:

E-Bison

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Accelerando?

As somone who spends a good deal of time beat matching I'm gonna have to say I'm not too sure about this one. Nothing worse than getting into a sweet groove with your decks then then realizing that one of the tracks just jumped 20 bpm.

Not to say electronic music shouldn't have any tempo changes... Just not this one. Save that for all those kids who convert old midi archives into EastWest masterpieces. *ducks a brick* Whatever... You were all thinking it!

E-Bison

In glitch/experimental tracks,variances in tempos are not much of an issue as you really just mish-mashing tracks anyways as a dj.

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  • 3 weeks later...
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