OCR01805 - *YES* Chrono Trigger 'But the Future Refused to Change' *RESUB*

[Liontamer]

Original Decision: http://www.ocremix.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14998

Name: DrumUltimA
Real Name: Doug Perry
Email: drumultima@comcast.net
Website: http://drumultima.livejournal.com
ForumID: 3877

Name of Game: CHRONO TRIGGER!
Name of songs: World Revolution, with little bits of Last Battle, The Chrono Trigger, Fanfare 1, Robo's Theme, Ayla's Theme, Chrono and Marle, Kaeru (frog)'s Theme, and Battle with Magus

Hey guys, Doug here. Here's my resubmit of the remix formerly known as "Lavos is Inconsistent", which I am now calling "But the Future Refused to Change". I took the crits from my initial evaluation very seriously and I couldn't be more happy with what I've learned. Special thanks to Palpable for dealing with me for so long :) I totally reworked the mixing of the drums, switching out samples and working with eq and compressors, as well as doing a ton of balance/eq work with the rest of the instrumentation.

Other runner-up names I was considering include "Stop Eating Planets", "Larry Quits the Judges Panel", and "Hard Taco Supreme" (thanks to f4t4l for that last one). If you all like any of those better, feel free to make an executive decision and change the name ;)

As always, if this gets rejected (again :< ), please leave the url posted.

Thanks guys!!!!
-Doug "DrumUltimA" Perry

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http://snesmusic.org/v2/download.php?spcNow=ct - "World Revolution" (ct-313.spc), A bunch of 'em

Source usage/arrangement was already fine, so I'm just gonna play-by-play opinions on the execution.

Loved the organ and woodwind intro, leading to a good transition at :26. The drums were fairly good (hey, they don't sound exactly like the drums from your past 2 mixes!), and I was enjoying the bubbly synth in the back. The soundscape was on the dry side, so stuff like the organ lacked some depth, but the overall sound quality was OK. Good stuff with the woodwind handling the "World Revolution" melody from :55-1:09. The weak guitar synth from was touched up with some subtle delay/trailing effects that didn't make the articulations seem as mechanical, and gave the sound little more body.

Still not a fan of the bubbly synth and piano dissonance from 1:35-1:49. Good drum transition at 1:55 to the medley section. Probably wouldn't have used the guitar synth again from 2:01-2:09, but whatchugonnado. Otherwise a really intelligent weaving of several themes before transitioning with SFX at 2:45 back into "World Revolution".

Good stuff from that point, gradually building and building the track up with more elements. It ended up getting busier and more dissonant, but finally ended that at 4:15 with a solid piano/organ/synth refocus back on "World Revolution" from 4:15-5:30, including some very subtle harmonizations that bled into the lead, but did it in a good, effective way that sounded like a purposeful accenting of the lead.

Everything came together much more cohesively, and it definitely sounds like you learned a thing or three on the production side. For a few of the sections, a less-is-more approach helped tone down some of the busyness that only ended up obscuring some really cool ideas. Everything still sounds fairly full, but now it can all be appreciated. Fine tuned very nicely, Doug.

YES

[zyko]

oh dougie, you've done it again.

while the bubbly synth bugs that it continues too far into the main groove... that is such a minor fault in a heap of instrumental brilliance. the way the themes transition says either one of two things: either a) the soundtrack was so well written in the first place that the individual tracks already serve as interchangable parts in the soundtrack or b) you're just that good.

the orchestration is great... especially when it gets more psychedelic later on with that synth. everything is well placed in the soundfield and the piano comes in as a refreshing tone from earlier in the track and again, everything is so well placed. it is one thing to write good music but to make all its parts co-exist is the trick. and the drums were spectacular as usual...

your ending is climactic and suspenseful... very odd dropoff there but you know i love it. like i've always said, i sniff out intention like a bloodhound sniffs out a fox.

YES

[Palpable]

I think my "help" involved clarifying one of my comments on the last version, and then Doug basically making those drums sound perfect within five minutes. :nicework:

This version is a huge improvement over the last version. Everything is clear, balanced a lot better, and those drums really sell the song now. No matter what cranky old Larry says, I love the dissonance in this. It's integral to the piece, even. Take that, Mr. Liontamer.

YES

[anosou]

Hmm, never heard this one before.

Well doug, right off the bat you got me. The intro is epic. Not really feeling the drums, they sound a bit too large and more aimed to be a jazz-kit. Loved the synth arpeggios in the back although everything's in general very dry as Larry pointed out. Some reverb and delay could've been used to much success.

The dissonance works the more I listen to it. It did throw me off at first though. Very interesting harmonic work throughout with jazzy chord-changes that sometimes feel a little forced but for the most time work. The drum sequencing is at times incredible and at times a tad generic. Luckily it's more of the former. The lead synth is a bit too squelchy for my taste but that's highly personal. Sweet ending too, very climatic as zyko said.

The production works. Most of the instruments are balanced there is not much sound-bleeding going on. I still would've liked an improvement to the drum sound and maybe the "guitar" but it's not holding the mix back that much. The arrangement is in general tops, very creative and smart usage of multiple sources. I can tell you lurrrv your Chrono.

I can't see me going anywhere else than YES