[Mewthriii]

Well, (BTW first post here so hello all), I am working on a Sonic fan game and for this reason I have had to work on remixes of several old and new Sonic the Hedgehog songs. I don't have very many worth posting at the moment but I'll post what I do have.

Just so you know, I still use Garageband for my composing and bouncing, not because I can't afford better but because I have been working with Garageband for nearly five years and I know every in and out of the program and how to effectively use it. I have been learning to use Pro Tools but for me nothing beats the simplicity of throwing something together with Garageband.

I also apologize for the massive file size, I haven't had a chance to bounce them as MP3s so they're still in the AIF format that it automatically saves to for iLife.

That's the Way I Like It
Sonic Heroes (piano)

I'm trying to work with the EQ and compression on Sonic Heroes to get a better tone, and I should probably slow it down come to think of it. I'll also be fixing up the chorus part because compared to the uptempo sound of the beginning and middle the final part just sounds clunky and at times boring.

With "That's the Way I Like It", I need to re-record the guitar (because it sounds really sloppy) and I should probably use a real bass guitar rather than the software bass.

I also acknowledge that both these recordings need to be made more original, but for me that's usually later in the process. I listen to the original a few times and get it as close as possible, then I listen to my version and alter it as I see fit.

But other than that, what do you think? Are they okay? What can I improve?

[Nubioso]

I have been learning to use Pro Tools but for me nothing beats the simplicity of throwing something together with Garageband

mmmm, gonna have to disagree...a lot beats the simplicity of throwing something together with garageband actually. Reason 4, sonar, cubase, spectrasonics stylus RMX, and omnisphere....all of those combined, albeit far from simple, will outshine a garageband anyday, but this is just my opinion. Not saying I haven't heard impressive stuff from garageband, but there's no way that "nothing can beat" simply throwing something together in that program.

Piano is not bad, slowing it down might help that one like you said.

Tone isn't really bad, maybe play around with some reverb if you want to have it be a solo piano piece. Seems like I hear a little bit on it, but I can't tell if that's reverb you've added or if it's just the natural sample.

Also, there's not really any dynamics to it. If your keyboard your using doesn't have velocity control, or if you're just mapping out the keys then you should really play with the velocity and give it more life with dynamics.

Being that it's a piano, you don't really have to compress it all that much and like I said, I don't think your tone is really bad per se. I could definitely hear a nice beat coming in under that piano though.

As for "Thats the way I like it", yeah, cleaning up the guitar should definitely be on your priority list as well as putting in a real bass if you have that ability which it seems like you're aluding to that you do.

But yeah, the guitar just sounds too sloppy, slightly out of tune, and just kind of "meh" at the moment.

Good luck

[LuketheXjesse]

Honestly, more complex DAWs are more powerful and offer more options anyway.

The only cheap DAW I know of that is made of pure gold is Reaper.

[Mewthriii]

Originally Posted by Nubioso

mmmm, gonna have to disagree...a lot beats the simplicity of throwing something together with garageband actually. Reason 4, sonar, cubase, spectrasonics stylus RMX, and omnisphere....all of those combined, albeit far from simple, will outshine a garageband anyday, but this is just my opinion. Not saying I haven't heard impressive stuff from garageband, but there's no way that "nothing can beat" simply throwing something together in that program.

I just meant that I enjoy it more. That's all. I'm more adept with Garageband than I am with any other composition program, though I wouldn't say no to learning to use Finale if I had the money...

Originally Posted by Nubioso

Tone isn't really bad, maybe play around with some reverb if you want to have it be a solo piano piece. Seems like I hear a little bit on it, but I can't tell if that's reverb you've added or if it's just the natural sample.

...

Being that it's a piano, you don't really have to compress it all that much and like I said, I don't think your tone is really bad per se. I could definitely hear a nice beat coming in under that piano though.

I updated it, take another listen.

I think I made the tone a bit too sharp but I'm rather fond of what I did with the reverb.

No update on "That's the Way I Like It" yet but I'll definitely have some new songs to post eventually (I recently made some headway with a remix of Hill Top zone so I'll probably post it in the next few days).

Anyway, about the velocity, it's all arranged on a piano roll editor because I don't have very much dexterity on any instrument and definitely not on piano.