[DrumJ8]

There were 34 remixes for the contest but due to ties, there were 28 placements and this remix placed 25. I want to learn and progress as much as I can

My remix:
http://soundcloud.com/drumj8/spacious-marimba-ff6-new

Source:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndsFr2fZ5og

[Eradicate]

Hello DrumJ8!

I can tell from your handle on here that you like drums. I can also tell that listening to your work here with "Spacious Marimba" too.

I liked the introduction. The bass sample is pretty cool, that spacious marimba sounds nice, and the drums work well too, especially for the type of drumming going on. I do feel around :28 with the bass and drums that the volume change in the bass isn't needed; it is just the loudest point in the song just for two seconds essentially. I'd just have the bass stay the same (and at the same volume) and have the drums do something different to accent the bass notes more.

I like where the drums get a little more "breaky" at :30. Through this part, because so much of it is the same other than the drums, you might try changing something else up a bit too. Drop the bass, do something more with the marimba (maybe chords), etc. I like the pad that comes in around :43 too. But, at :53...I can't say I'm a fan of that sample. Even though it changes the atmosphere a little, it just seems "weak" to me. I'd go with something much more aggressive to lead you into the next section of the song at 1:04.

This whole part through here seems a little off to me, but I think it is mainly the mixing. I think the arpeggios in the back should be more prominent with that weaker synth lowered. This is all contingent on the next point, which is that I'd love for the drums to be more of the focus through this part as they were becoming. They just get really "standard" for all the break-beat things they were doing before. You could do some great creative things here with the drums and let the instruments carry the rhythm more since they are doing more "plain" things anyways. Maybe through another pad in here just to thicken it out.

Returning to the theme around 2:05 seems to be a fine way to end the song. Instead of bringing back that one synth around 2:28 and making that end the song, I'd rather just start fading out instruments to leave just the drums and let the drums end the song. That synth's main role seemed to be to bring in that middle part, so I wouldn't end with it since it played a more minor role than anything else.

I hope you don't take any of this too critically. I just wanted to give you a thorough review with my opinions on the piece since I saw no one else had commented on it yet. I just want to try and make everything as useful as I can be. You do some really cool drum programming here, and I'd really let that be the highlight. Hopefully someone with some more experience with this type of music can comment on it, since I'm certainly no expert. I just hope that my impressions can prove valuable to you in some way! Thanks for sharing, and be sure to post up any progress because I'd love to hear it!

[DrumJ8]

Originally Posted by Eradicate

Hello DrumJ8! ...

Hello Eradicate!

Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it. I thought no one would reply

Aww, I like that sample at 00:53 ... I thought it sounded good but I'll definitely try exploring other options and experiment with more aggressive sounds. As for the mixing, I'm very much a novice with everything to learn (I'm getting tired of saying that, I really should get off my ass and learn how to mix already, or upgrade from novice to apprentice or something ). The drums do get overly plain at 01:04 so I'll try fleshing them out more. Your feedback was definitely valuable, thanks a bunch. I seem to be starting a bunch of WIP's lately and haven't been returning to them, but hopefully I get to work on this again with your feedback in mind. Thanks!

[XPRTNovice]

Hey there,

To caveat anything I say, I am by no means experienced in any technical aspects of remixing. In my opinion, I got way lucky in that contest, and it was mostly due to my skills with live instruments and NOT my skill with DAWs.

To me, the intensity of your drums don't match the rest of your samples. I get a very chiptune feel from this, but the drums feel, to me, like they're about to explode into a PROG METAL MASSACRE at any point - but they never do. The samples you lay on top are very 8-bit, if that makes any sense.

I think what I'm trying to say is that your BEAT sounds like an intense dubstep sort of thing, but the sound quality doesn't round it out. the result for me is that I'm constantly waiting for your genius to unfold after a nice introduction, but I end up getting more treble-heavy chiptune, stuff. Does that make sense?

[Calum]

1:05 - 1:48 is excess to me. Unless you lose a significant amount source by cutting it I say... cut it! (of course you don't have to take my advice) That section seems to have chords that don't work with the melody and a melody which seems very undefined and meandering. I'm personally not a huge fan of the break-beat style drums however regardless, they still don't fit with me at the moment.

I think one thing that would take your mix to the next level is that it sounds like you have about 4 or 5 instruments in this mix. Not as a means of showing off (as the number of tracks you use really means nothing unless you need 'em) BUT in my ff6 mix i had around 75 tracks! You don't need that many at all but i think in order to thick out some of the chords, get more variation, layer the drums etc. (something that would really make this mix a lot more interesting) you gotta add some more tracks!

The end as well seems very unfinished and accidental - it doesn't end with the same energy as it started/maintained throughout - it just kinda stops.

I think the drums could do with being calmed down a little - i think they're great for the first 30 seconds. The bit at 2:00 can remain as a kind of wild out of control section and i think it'll have even more impact if the drums are more in control beforehand. I should say when i mean controlled i don't mean looped so definitely keep things interesting but not over-the-top.

It's 4am so i'm being critical and nothing else. I mean, the track really it does a lot of things right and i love around 2:00 and the main bass line and sound is pretty much spot on! however there's a few things that stand out quite clearly in the mix.

[XPRTNovice]

Originally Posted by calum

in my ff6 mix i had around 75 tracks!

aaahhhh

[DrumJ8]

Originally Posted by XPRTNovice

Hey there,

To caveat anything I say, I am by no means experienced in any technical aspects of remixing. In my opinion, I got way lucky in that contest, and it was mostly due to my skills with live instruments and NOT my skill with DAWs.

To me, the intensity of your drums don't match the rest of your samples. I get a very chiptune feel from this, but the drums feel, to me, like they're about to explode into a PROG METAL MASSACRE at any point - but they never do. The samples you lay on top are very 8-bit, if that makes any sense.

I think what I'm trying to say is that your BEAT sounds like an intense dubstep sort of thing, but the sound quality doesn't round it out. the result for me is that I'm constantly waiting for your genius to unfold after a nice introduction, but I end up getting more treble-heavy chiptune, stuff. Does that make sense?

You lost me at caveat. Jk but your mix was badass, very 'outside the box' creativity that deserved the win .

I get what you're saying, it does make sense. The drums get more intense but everything else stays the same, and there's a build up into, ultimately, nothing. I will listen to more ReMixes and practice, practice, and then practice.

Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it much, especially since you and Calum were entrants in the contest. I figured the last thing you'd want to hear is another WIP of FF6 New Continent. But thanks!

[DrumJ8]

Originally Posted by Calum

1:05 - 1:48 is excess to me. ...

1:05-1:48 is part of another track I created that I incorporated into the mix. It IS excess and isn't incorporated very well into the track, I'm new at this . It has no source in it, except for the last bit which isn't even the main source, it's a tiny bit of the Coin Song (random :-/).. I'll probably cut that section out. I've also got the comment of "meandering" on a completely different track of mine so that's another thing I've got to work on, as well as in general making a more complete, whole, and livened soundscape (I'll add more tracks to this definitely). I'll play around with the drum intensity, I like the idea of having it simple in the beginning then more intense at the end to distinguish the sections more.

Your feedback is much appreciated! I'll add to my drawing board and hopefully come back with a better and new improved product.