Final Fantasy X - "Laguna Tides" (Besaid Island) **Final Version: 1/24/2015**

Remix: Laguna Tides (Besaid Island)

Hey all, it's been a while since I've poked my head in here!

I've had this remix cooking for a while, working on it in chunks during what little spare time I have left in my life... At this point I feel like it's far enough along to share for some feedback

What I've got here is a semi-developed skeleton that's still lacking in detail work, but I think is pretty far along in terms of sound design. I'm curious to hear what everyone else thinks - there's a couple of aspects of this WIP that I'm really proud of!

Some things I still need to touch on:

- Expanding the piano/pad chords throughout the song to make everything more lush

- Adding variation to the drum loops

- Some sort of lead instrument/synth solo in the last section

- Additional sound design throughout the song, but especially during the intro

- Other variations throughout the song

Thanks in advance for listening, I'm excited to post something here again... it's been forever!

Ooh, the intro is gorgeous. I love the glassy granular pads.

The first oddity I hear is that the drum loop at 0:34 (and so on) is fairly loud compared to everything else. Maybe lower that by about 2~4 dB? Its hi hats are also a little bright (12000~16000Hz).

Loving the bells later on. Honestly, if you and I collabed on this, I think this can sound even cooler. It's totally in a style I do really often.

https://app.box.com/s/38hhw93njvw9utaxhquk - Example soloed

https://app.box.com/s/9gktizmnqfi7lxhepb1f - Example mixed in

EMMMUUUUUNNNNAAAATTTTOOOORRRRR!!!!

Glad to see something new from you again! No technical critiques to offer, just wanted to say that I really like this a lot!

Sounds pretty good already for a WIP, source track works well in chillout too. Reminds me to do a chillout remix someday soon

Apart from the things Timaeus points out, I'm somewhat missing a bassline. I listened first on my ipad speakers, and the low end you have going on is too low for that. So you might want to consider EQing the bass you have a bit for presence for those without a subwoofer.

Also the splash cymbal at 2:57 could use a bit less volume IMHO. Liking the double time change at the end, if you add a synth solo to that it'd sound totally cool.

Overall sounding great already, looking forward to the finished track!

Thanks in advance for listening, I'm excited to post something here again... it's been forever!

Hey man, long time no see Hows things? Let me post some feedback:

- The atmosphere right off the bat deserves special mention. Theres a clean crisp, almost refreshing vibe this song give off, and it just drips stylistically throughout the entire playthrough. Awesome and amazing choice of sounds - It is beautiful. Are you using samples? what Library? Gimme the info

- Things to progress a bit slowly for my tastes, once you tweak it, I might have a different opinion - but I feel like i'm waiting a bit too long for the next 'thing' to happen. I think mixing up your drum patterns and adding some more bits will help this a lot.

- The Transition that hits @ 2:55 really rubs me the wrong way for some reason - Something about that bass note just hits me oddly - Idonno, im being very picky I guess - but it feels off and doesn't mesh with the rest of the track!

- Not sure how I feel about the tempo shift and the drums picking up - It works I'd love to see a dedicated lead make an entrance somewhere. Still, awesome stuff

Amazing work, keep us posted when you finish this up!

Laguna Tides (Besaid Island)

So, I think it's done! Thanks a ton for the kind words and feedback from everyone Timaeus, I did take a listen to your demo and, while I'm it would have been great to work together on this, all of my previous remixes have, in some way or another, been collabs with someone else or someone has come in to render/record a part for me in the 11th hour. With this, I kinda wanted to prove to myself that I could handle a remix start to finish without any assistance Some other time, though! Thanks for the offer.

Anyway, I think this has come a long way from the last WIP I posted, and even further since the first iteration that I only shared with a select few people! I've been slaving away at this for hours a day, fine tuning the details and toying with different arrangements (ended up cutting almost a minute of dead-weight from the last version,) and especially struggling over the last D&B section. I must have sat down for at least 2-3 hours every day this week trying and failing to write that synth solo, but I finally came up with something I'm happy with tonight!! Hope those little details and adjustments add up into a memorable finished product - at this point, I'm open to making some small tweaks if something sounds really bad, mixing-wise, but other than that I'm pretty happy with this!

Pretty much all of this track was done with Zebra2 synths, Omnisphere (that's where the opening pad was derived from, Dustin) and various percussion/ambient samples I had lying around.

I loved every bit of this remix. Especially coming from playing Final Fantasy X-HD. Some of the arranged tracks in there were quite wonderful, but I don't think Besaid Island was captured too well. This sparkling remix is what I needed to hear. Thanks for that!

Apart from the last note in the DnB synth solo (it gives an unresolved feeling now, maybe use the tonic in stead?) not much to criticize.

Hm... I feel like there's some low-mids missing in this. You do have a bass, but it's so sustained that at some point I forget it's there. Also, at 2:17, I think you have the room to add something to fill some empty space, and filter out a little of the solo lead's low-mids (which could compensate if you add a pad, for example). That would make it sound fuller than the downtempo sections and enhance the dynamics a bit more; for some reason the solo lead doesn't quite sit right in the stereo field IMO.

Pretty cool. I loooooooooooove Hamauzu san's track. (Did I mention that I met him? I met him. Mwuhuhuhu.)

the kick drum sounds especially good, just enough power to make it good without overwhelming, which is hard to do.

I liked the pad part at the beginning the best...because I like weird slow things. And it is neat. nice handling of the arpeggios and bells and whatnot. sounds great. very lively.

i would like the drums at 1:38 to sound less artificial. maybe it's my taste, but try sending it to a send with a guitar Tubescreamer pedal sim, or a Softube Saturation Knob or any guitar distortion pedal sim/saturation/distortion/harmonics effect in. Hi pass that, drop it to inaudible then bring it back in until it's barely audible but gives a little more harmonics and rawness to the sound. also perhaps a bit of roomey-sounding verb on it. you have something nice on the snare but i have the image of a more live-sounding kit even though it's not that genre, more like the Amen break sound you know? Try to make it a little extra interesting since it's so important...after that half part the drums are what it's all about since everything repeats except for the synth solo.

Hey same thing with the solo actually. It sounds great but a little artificial....i wonder what a touch of harmonics or grit would do to bring it forward and liven it up a bit. just a touch would really make a difference i think. maybe an autofilter on a send or something like that to give it some movement would help.

it sounds fine how it is, that's just some tweaks to play with...and probably just my taste.

nice job.

Hey guys, thanks so much for all of the detailed feedback! I spent a lot of time poring over the details in this mix and ended up not making a ton of changes in the end, but I made a few slight mixing tweaks and remastered the track, which I think really helps with a few of the issues that were brought to light. I boosted the bass in the midranges and compressed the master track just a bit more so that the bass doesn't get lost quite as much on listening systems that lack a strong bass response. Thanks T for the suggestions I think this is sounding LOADS better than the first WIP that I uploaded.

Michael, thanks particularly for the great analysis. I really loved your ideas about adding some light distortion layers to the percussion - in the end, with this particular track I preferred the clean-sounding percussion I had, but that technique is definitely something I will put to use in future tracks.

So, this has been submitted and the final version uploaded to Soundcloud. It's available for download there if you feel so inclined. Thanks again for all the feedback! More music coming soon

Final Version: Laguna Tides (Besaid Island)

Emunator, wow man. What a smooth remix of an already chill piece. The counterpoint is spot on. That really made the piece for me. This should be an immediate shoe-in I imagine. Wanted more!