Megaman X - Boomer Kuwanger - Kuwanger in a Trance

[Starphoenix]

Hey everyone. So, this is my first remix... Ever. I've spent the past couple of weeks experimenting in FL Studio, and what began as a tutorial exercise quickly morphed into a Boomer Kuwanger remix without any real intention on my part. I feel comfortable posting this here because I feel it's in a better state (comparatively) than where the project was a week ago.

I'm wanting some general feedback to see where I can improve. Obviously with this being my first big project there is a lot of noob-ish mistakes, some of which I probably don't even realize. The main things bugging me right now are the clap being "cheap" sounding, the lead possibly being overused, and the song in general not being "remix-y" enough. I'm still trying to fine tune the EQ, but it's a difficult task...

Let me know what you all think. I'm open for any advice or critique. Just be gentle with the latter, please. lol

Edit: Upped the volume of the intro and changed some of the EQ around to bring out the bass a little more.

Evaluation Version: (09/29)

 

[The Nikanoru]

If this is your very first remix, then I'd say you have a lot of talent. Pretty darn good for a beginner!

The intro is REALLY quiet compared to the rest of the track. I think your percussion is fine, aside from sounding like it needs a little better EQ in comparison with all the other instruments involved - that kick is too heavy IMO. The bass is quite drowned out, and sounds really muffled when it comes through - perhaps the frequency is too low, but I don't know enough about the settings to advise you on that. Need to hear that more, because from what I can hear, you did some fun stuff with the bass. Musically, I like all the intricacy of the different parts - I really like the lead at 1:29 to the end - but it's a pretty straight forward beat and melody so far.

Keep experimenting. I recommend listening to some of the other electronic or EDM artists on OCR like Sir_NutS or bLiNd to get more ideas on where to take it from hear. You might also give a listen to Washudoll's ReMix (Towering Revolutions) from the Maverick Rising OCR album to hear where it's been taken already.

I really like the Boomer Kuwanger theme - it's always been my favorite from the MMX OST, aside from Sigma Stage 1 and Chill Penguin. Curious to see where you take it from here. Good work!

[Starphoenix]

Thanks man, I appreciate it!

Yeah, something funny happened to the intro in my most recent rendering of the songs. Before it was much more level with the rest of the track. Might be one of the filters I added. I'll definitely look into the bass and see how I can bring that out more.

[Gario]

Wow, for a first time around, you really did a good job on this. Really quickly I do notice that some of it sounds a little off in comparison to the source (sorry for the lack of specifics - I'll likely come back to this), but the production isn't half bad. Sometimes the soundscape sounds empty, especially toward the middle of the track, so beware of that.

Not a bad start, though! Funny that you began with Kuwanger, there - that was my first remix on Reason, as well.

[Starphoenix]

Thanks Gario! 

The Boomer Kuwanger thing is pretty funny since I listened to your Boomer Kuwanger track from the Sigma Fortress competition awhile back to compare Boomer Kuwanger mixes -- along with others here and elsewhere.

I'll look into what I can add to the track to give more depth. Trying to find the right instrument has proven to be a bigger challenge than I would have thought... I also await your feedback on what sounds off. Probably took too much liberty in some areas.

[eluukkanen]

Really nice remix! Haven't heard the original yet, but I like this version of yours Starphoenix!

[Starphoenix]

Update time:

Extended the track by adding some new parts. Also added some new instrumentation: there's a pad, some strings and a second lead instrument that kicks in places to add some depth with the main lead. 

I'm still working out some of the EQ kinks. The track feels... Dull? Mainly I wanted to try and reduce the emptiness that Gario mentioned, so I'm hoping this is headed in the right direction. 

[The Nikanoru]

Sounds really good. Intro issue solved, I can REALLY hear the bass now, and there is certainly a lot more to it now.

Just a couple of notes:

• The bass is still muffled. It's creating a bit of an ambient rumble, which with the articulation sounds interesting, but I still think this needs to be clearer.
• I think the background synth has a sour note at 0:37-0:38 and again at 1:07-1:08
• The bass and kick are working very well together, but I think it's kind of crowding the lead in terms of volume

I think you've solved the emptiness issue that @Gario was referring to, but you're right, it's still missing something. IMO, you could expand that breakdown at 1:08, but into what, I have no idea. Perhaps Gario could suggest something better?

Really like what I'm hearing. Keep up the good work!

[Starphoenix]

Appreciate all of your feedback Nikanoru. I've gone ahead and tried incorporating some of them into my latest update. Nothing too fancy; just some EQ adjustments.

It's a tad better now. Not sure if the song is going to grow much more in terms of new pieces. Pretty much taxed my brain as far as where to take this. Although I thought that last time and managed to find inspiration for another 30 secs. lol

EDIT: Managed to change a couple more EQ settings around and add some new instrumentation in places.

[The Nikanoru]

Awesome!

I especially like the new fill at 2:04 - but IMO the entire lead sound is missing something, like some dynamics or perhaps some sort of an effect. Something to consider.

Other than that, I think this sounds good. Kudos on a great sounding track! 

[Starphoenix]

As always I appreciate the feedback.

With your advice I added a phaser effect that goes in and out on the lead. Tried to balance keeping some consistency and variety. Hopefully it pans out as well as my earbuds led me to believe. Also think the EQ is starting to mold closer to how I hoped it'd sound. All this to say... Here is version 6. Hopefully this is getting closer to OCRemix-quality.

 

[Gario]

Haha, man I really am missing the boat on this. I've been pretty crazy-busy in life, lately - moved, super tight work schedule, etc., so while I wanted to comment I've been weigh'd down by too much. I'll say this, though - the sound of this has improved considerably. The soundscape does sound more full, so nice work on filling that out.

Now, about the off notes that I mentioned earlier. To detail them out, here's a list of things to pay special attention to:

- At 0:31 there's a flat note.
- At 0:41 - 0:58 the melody seems to lose any sense of meter, which makes it sound like it's meandering.
- 1:02 has another flat sour note.
- 1:36 - 1:42 gets out of sync with the meter again, though it corrects itself at 1:42.
- 1:51 actually misses a note from the source, which throws the melody out of sync with the meter again.

These are very important things to be listening for. The sour notes are simply being out of line with the key that you're playing, or playing a conflicting note against another that's playing (it's out of key, in this case). The 'out of sync metering' concept is a little more complicated: a track like this one is played in 4/4, so if you get out of sync with this it just leaves the listener confused and lost. The drums amplify this issue, as they are in lock step with the meter while the theme gets lost at these parts, so the conflict is more poignant. At 1:36 you begin the theme on the wrong beat, which messes up your otherwise correct timing following that, and at 1:51 a missed note has a similar effect.

I want to point these things out since, as you've said before, you're still learning. In short time you'll be able to hear these things more clearly in your writing and avoid them altogether, but for now these timestamps will help you know where to look in this, and what these issues sound like, in return. You're production skills are quite good for a beginning artist, but production is only half the story, here - compositional technique is important, too!

I hope this helps a little bit, and I'm sorry I didn't come in sooner about it.

[Starphoenix]

3 hours ago, Gario said:

Haha, man I really am missing the boat on this. I've been pretty crazy-busy in life, lately - moved, super tight work schedule, etc., so while I wanted to comment I've been weigh'd down by too much. I'll say this, though - the sound of this has improved considerably. The soundscape does sound more full, so nice work on filling that out.

Now, about the off notes that I mentioned earlier. To detail them out, here's a list of things to pay special attention to:

- At 0:31 there's a flat note.
- At 0:41 - 0:58 the melody seems to lose any sense of meter, which makes it sound like it's meandering.
- 1:02 has another flat sour note.
- 1:36 - 1:42 gets out of sync with the meter again, though it corrects itself at 1:42.
- 1:51 actually misses a note from the source, which throws the melody out of sync with the meter again.

These are very important things to be listening for. The sour notes are simply being out of line with the key that you're playing, or playing a conflicting note against another that's playing (it's out of key, in this case). The 'out of sync metering' concept is a little more complicated: a track like this one is played in 4/4, so if you get out of sync with this it just leaves the listener confused and lost. The drums amplify this issue, as they are in lock step with the meter while the theme gets lost at these parts, so the conflict is more poignant. At 1:36 you begin the theme on the wrong beat, which messes up your otherwise correct timing following that, and at 1:51 a missed note has a similar effect.

I want to point these things out since, as you've said before, you're still learning. In short time you'll be able to hear these things more clearly in your writing and avoid them altogether, but for now these timestamps will help you know where to look in this, and what these issues sound like, in return. You're production skills are quite good for a beginning artist, but production is only half the story, here - compositional technique is important, too!

I hope this helps a little bit, and I'm sorry I didn't come in sooner about it.

Haha, that's all good. I appreciate your time in responding. I completely understand what it is like to be swamped with work.

Managed to fix the off notes. Should have been a D and not a C.

As for the meter issues, I think I caught what you were talking about with the section from 1:36-1:51. The closer I paid attention the snares just seemed to be off when hitting. Maybe that's what I kept sensing that was off? I'm going to play around with it some more this weekend and post and update when I do. Hopefully I'll fix these issues.

I appreciate it! Will update soon.

[Starphoenix]

Bumping this thread again (feel like I've bumped this thread enough already) just to say that I think I'm at the point with this track where I'd like to go through the formal evaluation process. I've worked on a lot of the EQ issues that were really bugging me, and I feel like it's a lot tighter now.